From:    QUINTIN PHILLIPS                       Area: Base of Set
To:      TRAKKA                                  9 Jul 94 21:52:00
Subject: Re: The Contemporary LHP               UpdReq 

Tr> The situation [My belief that a Satanist, while permitted discussions
Tr> with the educated, is still obliged to shield his identity from the
Tr> common, stands] cannot change unless the seething hordes _are_ educated,
Tr> and who will do this if not the Satanists themselves?  While 
I assume that you are a card carrying Satanist who has indeed
been, or is willing to be, public.  The fact that your public
stance has as yet not reached the attention of the Sydney press or
at least the local occult scene would indicate the difficulty that
you have had in educating the masses on the eastern board of NSW.
Over the past few years there have been some attempts at educating
the masses on paganism, the seething hordes being those who read
such publications as "Picture" and "People" or watch "Real Life"
or, most recently, "The Times" on TV.
From the gist of your post I get the impression that you would
prefer the Temple to be the Temple of Satan, but the general
public would perceive this as an off shoot of the Church of Satan. 
I am sure there are no Setians who would want this misinterpret-
ation of their beloved Temple.
I personally have no desire to educate any seething horde.  I
prefer to live my life with minimum discrimination and maximum
chance to practice magic.
The only people who wear their religion on their sleeves are
evangelists and zealots, which are the kind of people I personally
don't like to mix with. The ToS does not encourage these kinds of
people which is why I like the Temple.
For any one Church claiming to be Satanic there are 1000 churches
denouncing Satan.  If pagans cannot understand Satanism how can
you expect the general Christian population to understand?  Let us
not forget that one of the Churches denouncing Satanism is a Neo-
Pagan church!
Tr>MA> government, etc. We have met that danger - publicly - and
Tr>MA> defeated it.
Tr> Not in Australia.  The press still roars Satan's name wherever these
Tr> incidents spring.
The latest story on Satanic activity on TV was, in fact, on the
very same show which did an article on pagans.  The bottom line is
get the viewers to watch.  I think they have done their fair share
of exposing Catholic Priestly child abuse as well.
NB: The roman Catholic definition of Satanic ritual includes Tarot
card reading!
Tr> One would imagine that the impersonal interest of one's Church's
Tr> betterment and expansion a central aim, and the inconvenience and
Tr> discomfort this brings a cross worth bearing.
I can see no connection between shouting Satan at everyone and the 
betterment or expansion of any organisation.  Carrying crosses
around is not one of the Temple's objectives!
Quintin



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From:    Trakka                                 Area: Base of Set
To:      Lady Byron                             11 Jul 94 00:01:00
Subject: The Contemporary Left-Hand Path        UpdReq 

 > Admittedly coming in during the middle of this conversation,
 > I have nevertheless wondering why "betterment and expansion"
 > are a "central aim" of a Church?  I can see no other reason
 > for expansion except to have more buddies to talk to.
 > Betterment I can understand -- who wants a Church that
 > doesn't strive to be and do better?
 > Just curious about your thoughts along these lines.
Correct on the improvement front, but my mention of expansion was more of a 
historical reference than a contemporary one - what surviving church has not 
derived all of its strength from its far reaching influence?  The Catholic 
Church is an ideal model of religious power, standing as one of the most 
wealthy organisations today.
]|-D


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