19 June 91 Dear Diane, Original Assembly Charter for Twilight Crossing (proposal) ========================================================== There are initially four kinds of assemblies in Twilight Crossing: Spiritual, Project, Alliance, and Internal Service. New groups are not limited to these types, and no amendments are required to create a new kind of group -- a regular assembly-admission vote for the new type's first assembly suffices. The only formal tie between groups of like type is that they may pledge to abide by certain rules common to the type. Informally, however, all the groups of a kind share some goals, motivations, interests, and methods. It is also possible for a group to be of two or more kinds (see SFS, below), or no kind but itself. SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES ==================== Spiritual assemblies are concerned with psychology, meditation, magick, or studies that may satisfy some religious need or interest of their members. They may focus narrowly (though, one hopes, not too narrowly) on particular mythologies, or on particular themes throughout myth, or they may create new myths, eschew mythology altogether, or employ any mystical technique for which they accept responsibility. But buying or selling a preformatted ideology is discouraged; they may teach, but they must be open to learning and growth in turn. The Medean Cauldron ------------------- Ecstasy is the disappearance of pleasure and pain into something greater. Zero equals two. Deep in the microscopic underworld, matter fuses with anti-matter to produce pure energy. Dragons asleep in their caves hear the thunder, and Hekati sends them forth to let her sorceress take wing. We wait at the crossroads for the howling of wolves and the clashing of gates. We are the ancients in animal skins who sang nonsense at the stars and heard them answer back with lies. It's time to see things as they are, as enchantment, glamour, bewitchment, sorcery, illusion, smoke and mirrors. It's time to dive and drown in that darkly splendid pool, and I say to Hell with the light. The assembly is happy to correspond with the curious. Ganesha Grove School for Rational Mysticism ------------------------------------------- A non-accredited mini-college for those who did not leave their intellects with the Lurker on the Threshold. If the content of mysticism is real, it may be measured, modeled and molded, and it must be reconciled with the findings of empirical methods. Classes and guest lectures are given. Awards are handed out for special contributions to the psychology and history of mysticism. Research projects are carried out under the supervision of faculty. Journals of research and learned commentary are published for small audiences. We award three degrees, Graduate, Adept, and Doctor, each of which reflects an amount of work on rational mysticism eqivalent to the work within the major in an accredited degree program. There are five classes of member, Student, Graduate Student, Faculty, Staff, and Alumnus. Graduate Student status is open only to those who have received Graduate, Adept, or Doctor degrees. Faculty status is open only to Adepts and Doctors. Student status is open to all Twilight Crossing members and school staff. Staff members do not have to be Twilight Crossing members. The Hell-Goat Tribe ------------------- Satan, Set, Pan, Ahriman, Loki, Maya, Typhon, Ba'al, Eblis, Hadit -- all these demonic tricksters are faces of the enemy: abhorred, carcicatured, misunderstood; but in themselves sharply and sexily illumined in the red light of blood and lava, the ever-flowing sustenance of beasts and earth. Caves grow warmer and more familiar with depth. Don't fear to explore wisdom that suits no tyrant's convenience. Learn that friend and enemy are the same. Experience why St. John feared the Beast in humanity, why the Serpent is the guardian of knowledge, and what fruit he guards. Discover the universe described in chalk and paint, barbaric chants, and ceremonies and sacrifices. Tear down the veil upon the sanctuary. Work by yourself or in the company of others. Trade the fruits of vision quests and scholarly study through the tribal newsletter, "ha-Satan". Reclaim the Satanic myth of witchcraft from sweetness and lighters and self-impressed fascists alike. PROJECT ASSEMBLIES ================== Project assemblies are pragmatic activist and reporting groups. They are focused on projects to concretely improve the human condition by opposing or escaping some form of oppression. Each has a simple, broad statement of the human rights or other principles with which they are particularly concerned. Projects of such groups could be reports, letter-writing campaigns, protest rallies, computer network debate, pamphlets, boycotts, and other rational, ethical, and effective activist tactics. The founding project assemblies admit non-members of Twilight Crossing. Occult Civil Rights Assembly ---------------------------- OCRA will provide a general internal human rights watchdog for occultism. This group opposes discrimination and other violations of civil liberties within the broad spectrum of occult groups, using the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a yardstick. It is expected to monitor such problems dispassionately even when they occur in Twilight Crossing itself. Peaceful protests may be aimed at drawing attention to problems. Outreach meetings with discriminatory groups will be sponsored. Publications will provide information about the causes and scope of problems, and show common ground between different paths. OCRA will publish the periodic watchdog report called "Cerebus". Huntwatch --------- This group monitors and reports on modern witch-hunts aimed at alternative religions. It provides a file of reports on various witch-hunts and witch-hunters, available in both electronic and printed form, to members and non-members alike. Information contained in this file will be confined to witch-hunters' public statements and writings and documented involvement in various witchhunts. It may also provide Huntwatch members as spokespersons in media inquiries concerning witch-hunting. Sysops for Free Speech ---------------------- This group is effectively an alliance with the existing informal group of computer network system operators. Its goal is to promote freedom of expression and thought on both publically and privately held computer networks, to keep records of cases where that freedom was denied, to organize letter-writing campaigns against abuses, to provide free network outlets (especially where they are most needed), to boycott damaging opponents of freedom, and to help create voluntary social codes of behavior, politeness, honesty, and freedom which will allow computer networks to fulfill their potential. ALLIANCE ASSEMBLIES =================== Alliance assemblies have multiple citizenship. They are both assemblies of Twilight Crossing, and bodies of some other group with interests related to those of the Crossing. Each may decide whether to admit members who are already members of only one, more than one, or all of the parent groups. Alliances with many other groups would be welcomed. Such groups should however have sympathy with the principles of Twilight Crossing. Because of the myth that Hekati appears at the joining of three roads, groups with triple citizenship are given the honorific "three-ways". INTERNAL SERVICE ASSEMBLIES =========================== These assemblies are composed of people committed to providing certain services important to the functioning of Twilight Crossing. Each internal service assembly, due to its closeness to the basic dynamics and powers inherent in the organization, promises not to vote as an assembly, and to withdraw itself from participation in all matters directly touching on its status or offering other conflicts of interest, such as votes to create rivals or dissolve the assembly. ISA's have more clients than members; the members are the administrators, while the clients are the members and the assemblies who register for the service, such as membership, voting, subscribing, or attending. ISA's do not have any members who are not members of Twilight Crossing. Any Internal Service Assembly may request dues or fees from its voluntary client base to cover its costs; such dues etc. requests are voted on by the Crossing as a whole. Any ISA may waive dues or fees on the grounds of poverty and all are expected to do so when applicable. (For most assemblies, dues and fees are internal matters.) ISA's may be replaced, supplemented, or dissolved by the membership of Twilight Crossing. Members of service assemblies may also be replaced, supplemented or dismissed as assembly members by the membership of Twilight Crossing. (This would not be considered the prerogative of people outside most assemblies; it is a check on the power of ISA's.) Internal Service Assemblies have boring names to discourage egotism. Their internal titles should also be boring. Membership Assembly ------------------- Keeps membership roll and mailroom, and provides membership verification services for assemblies. This assembly asserts unique authority to perform these services on behalf of Twilight Crossing, whose members have duly constituted it as an assembly for that purpose. This assembly should not be considered dissolved unless the Crossing as a whole is dissolved, or a replacement is in place. All Twilight Crossing members are clients of this assembly. Treasury Assembly ------------------ Solicits and broadcasts annual monetary reports from all assemblies. Helps coordinate fund-raising and the collection of dues and fees. Proposes, submits to popular vote, and executes projects which are generally beneficial to Twilight Crossing, such as securing lasting meeting space and publishing equipment. (Assemblies may have their own such holdings supported by their membership. The Treasury Assembly only deals with inter-assembly shareable resources. All Twilight Crossing members are clients of this assembly. First Election Assembly ----------------------- Notifies its clients of issues being balloted, collects and authenticates their responses, and broadcasts the results. Accepts no clients who are clients of any other election assembly. Second Election Assembly ------------------------ Notifies its clients of issues being balloted, collects and authenticates their responses, and broadcasts the results. Accepts no clients who are clients of any other election assembly. Newsletter Assembly ------------------- Edits and publishes a newsletter intended to reach all Twilight Crossing members. All assemblies and all members are encouraged to submit material to the newsletter. The NA promises that no material from members will be rejected on the grounds of its ideology, only on grounds of artistic (de-)merit or illegality. Banquet Assembly ---------------- Organizes an annual gathering of Twilight Crossing members and assemblies. It recommends (but can't require) at least one delegate from every assembly. All members and assemblies are welcome, as are friendly non-members. The purpose of the annual crossing of the roads is to maintain human contact between the diverse elements of Twilight Crossing -- in part based on the theory that it is harder to demonize a personal acquaintance; in part just to have fun, swap thoughts, learn things, and meet people. ====================== Please let me know what you think. Hopefully the founders would only be pulled in a dozen directions for a year or two. Some of these would take a while to come up to speed, while others may very well surprise us. Tim Maroney