Moving to Locals

 Tired of managing multiple spaces. YouTube killed my access (unjustly, I might add) so I created a Rumble. Rumble is tied to locals, so I have a locals page/forum. I plan on posting the scripts and the like there from now on.

https://thevoiceofthevision.locals.com/

[Script] Channel Introduction, Mini-Bio, & Plans (new Rumble channel)

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Welcome to the latest iteration of “Frater O+X Speaks”. I’d been thinking about starting a Rumble channel, but YouTube forced my hand by spuriously suspending my channel because “Spam, scams or commercially deceptive content are not allowed on YouTube,” despite the fact that I’ve never engaged in any of these practices.

When I pointed out that I did not sell anything, try to sell anything, or respond except to the comment or video in question (& that sparingly), and further, I haven’t been posting much of anything over the past year as I was deployed, courtesy of the US Military, they (to paraphrase a bit) told me, “So What?”

Anyway, enough of the duplicitous inquisition of Silicon Valley.

I am Frater O+X. I have gone by various other names, both online and in Occult circles. Prior names have included Nexist, Nexist Xenda’ths, 31Seel, Gaeryth, Vividus Propter Deperire, IAO SABAO, and Eli Lith.

I have studied a wide variety of Occultic and Religious practice##s. I am demitted from both the Freemasons and the Ordo Templi Orientis. I am a Master Mason, I went through the degrees of the Scottish Rite, but did not work them. In the OTO, I am a Sovereign Prince Rose-Croix, and Knight of the Pelican & Eagle (or V*). I am an ordained priest of the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica. I also spent a few years practicing Alexandrian Wicca prior to joining the OTO. All in all, I have spent 35 years practicing various forms of Occultism, three decades of which were specifically Thelemic. I hold a degree in Asian Studies, with a focus on Japanese Religion and Art.

This is nowhere near complete, but I hate people who tell you how great they are — it should be self-evident. I am currently unaffiliated with any organized group and the thoughts expressed are my own. They are derived from the materials referenced and through a logical extension of those ideas. I start with the radical idea that Crowley might have known what he was talking about when it comes to Thelema.

So, where to from here. My goal is to discuss various topics of interest to the aspiring Thelemite. I will discuss Thelema, Primordial Tradition, various Religions, and Philosophy. I will discuss the occasional book, song, or other media. I plan on trying to put out one video a month to start.

Since I am not pretty, you won’t be looking at me.

Truth is found in the rubble of falsehood.

Love is the law, love under will.

Lilith: Some Personal Reflections (Script)

Lilith

Personal Reflections

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

This is the base script for the videos which can be found at LBRY, Odysee, BitChute, and YouTube.

A Prayer to Lilith

Lady Lilith,
First Mother, Mother of Night
You who stood for what you thought was right.
You who uttered the words of magick before the races of man.
May I be as strong as you, may you be my aspiration and my root. May I dance with you in the eternal pleasures of Night.
May I have health and wealth and strength and joy and peace, and that fulfillment of Will and Love Under Will that is perpetual happiness.
AUGMN

This is a Prayer to Lilith which I wrote. It undergoes minor revisions periodically as my recitation changes. This was last revised on the 14th of July, 2020. It breaks down as follows.

• Lady Lilith,
• First Mother: Lilith was the first Wife of Adam. After fleeing him, she beget children via other spiritual entities (and through succubus style visits to Adam and his descendants).
• Mother of Night: She is Queen of Succubi/Incubi, Vampires, and other Creatures of the Night.
• You who stood for what you thought was right: She felt no need for subservience to Adam, so she refused. This destroyed her marriage.
• You who uttered the words of magick before the races of man.: She fled Adam by use of the Tetragrammaton (which she Spoke). Later she gave her daughter Qalmana to Cain (Qayin) to be his Wife, thus bringing us civilization.
• May I be as strong as you, may you be my aspiration and my root. May I dance with you in the eternal pleasures of Night.: Identification of the self with the divine, a reference to the Muladhara and Svanisthana chakras, and the reward as promised in Chapter I of AL as well as a rather obvious benefit of involving oneself with “sex demons”.
• May I have health and wealth and strength and joy and peace, and that fulfillment of Will and Love Under Will that is perpetual happiness: Lifted from Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass
• AUGMN: Thelemic Closure. Similar in purpose to Amen, but instead references the great recurrence/birth-death-rebirth cycle. It is built off the Sanskrit “OM” but spelled out so as to equal 93 in gematria.

---

Lilith is the Mother of the Night, Queen of Succubi, Incubi and all other Denizens of the Night. She is wild, passionate and independent. When humanity feared the Night, she was cast in a negative light. Now that we have grown up (or at least reached puberty), we can see that the frightening shadows gather their power from our projected fears.

The Legend of Lilith

Lilith was once the wife of Sammael, who is incorrectly known as Lucifer. This marriage did not last long for She is a wild, passionate, and heroic soul, quite incompatible with the cold demeanor of Sammael. After leaving Sammael, She joined with Adam.

Her time with Adam did not go well. Adam would insist and rail upon Her. "I am your lord and master," claimed Adam. However, Lilith would say, "We are both equal, for we are both issued from the dust, and I will not be your slave." This went on, Adam claiming he was superior and Lilith stating that they were equal. Eventually, Lilith became tired of Adam's self-perceived superiority and flew away.

Adam decided that this was too much and beseeched three angels -- whose names were Senoi, Sansenoi, and Sammengelof, to fetch Lilith back to him. They caught Lilith above what is now known as the Red Sea, and a great battle took place.

During the battle they realized that Lilith's powers were too great for them to force Her into obedience, and they attempted to drown Her. She fought them off but, during the battle, drops of Her blood fell into the sea, thus giving the Red Sea its name.

When the angels returned to report their failure, Adam went to Yahweh and said, "Oh, Almighty Lord, the creature that was my wife has left me, claiming that since we both came from the dust, we were equal and she refused to be my servant."

So the Almighty in his wisdom, caused a sleep to fall upon Adam, and in his slumber removed a rib. This He fashioned into a woman. As She had come from man, She was a part of man and, thus, belonged to man.

This is pretty much a literal retelling of the story found in Angelo S. Rappoport's Ancient Israel - Myths & Legends (3 Volumes in one). I changed the bias to positive and took poetic license with the naming of the Red Sea (though that is where the battle took place).

Originally this was found in Liber Atri Matris, a book I wrote back when I was set on forming my own Magickal Order. It is Amazing what one will do when one doesn't know how much one doesn’t know.

---

On Lilith

The following is also from Liber Atri Matris, circa 1994. It was meant to be a description for use in devotional practices. A kind of “This is what Lilith is and means to the Temple.” Some of it may still feel a bit dated, though I have done some editing to try and correct that.

Lilith has undergone some serious changes: Angel, Consort of the Devil, Consort of the First Man, Defier of Yahweh and Adam, Seducer of Men, Seducer of Women, Queen of Vampires, Queen of Demons, etc.

In recent years, she has been recognized as the first feminist and utilized as a role model for women searching for an archetype to lead them to freedom. Her existence as a pre-Hebraic goddess was thought proven by a translation of the prologue of "Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Underworld" and by an Assyrian or Sumerian relief depicting a taloned women with various symbols of godhood and royalty. The carving however is not labeled and it turns out that Dr. Kramer may have taken some liberties when translating the poem. Synchronicity did not care.

The thought that she might be a deity struck fertile soil. Books of various levels of scholarship and sympathy were penned. The possibility that she was of Sumerian/Hebrew origin[I.e., the Sumarian word for a female spirit is Lili, however the Hebrews recorded this divinity as Lilith.] became plausible as more evidence showed that the Hebrews either had Goddesses and other Gods in the original indigenous religion, or that they adopted foreign gods and goddesses to supplement their War God Yahweh.

Regardless of Her origins in antiquity, today we have a name of power, and that name is Lilith. In 1988 through 1989, I happened through a string of synchronicities that continuously brought the name Lilith to the forefront of my mind. In the Autumn of 1989, I went to the Beth Israel Synagogue in NW Portland at about 2am. There, on the walkway between the great double doors of the synagogue and what I assumed to be administrative buildings, I performed an impromptu Evocation of Lilith. The energy amassed during this rite, of which I planned nothing[Unfortunately, I wrote down nothing at that time either. It occurred to me that the first chronicle was written down 24 January 1999 in the rough draft for this section.], was phenomenal and culminated in Lilith revealing Herself to me as a missing archetype, a forgotten Goddess of a type which so confounded society that She and her kin were denied, obfuscated, or restricted, almost universally.

Lilith was denied Her status as a goddess, demoted to a mere demoness -- which in Hebrew cosmology is less than human. Hecate was obfuscated by dividing Her into three finite parts so as to inhibit Her as a unified whole. The list continues. Nearly all goddesses who represented the Warrior-Lover, the feminine All-Devourer, All-Begetter (Panphage, Pangenitor), the missing Baubolic Archetype were dismissed, as much as possible, in the interests of society, during the Osirian Æon (q.v., II.6). We are now in a new Æon, the pendulum has swung from the Æon of Isis (Hunter-Gatherer, "Matriarchy") through the Æon of Osiris (Hierarchical Structures, "Patriarchy"). Now, in the Æon of Horus, we need to harmonize these two extremes, the Baubolic and the Priapic, by recognizing that each is as important as the other and exalting them both as the divine source of All that Is.

Lilith has stated clearly that she exists for Her Children and that the myths of the previous Æon were attempts to deprive Her of Her beloved Children by those who live in fear of the dark. The chains that used to bind us are cracking.

Lilith is a lithe, beautiful woman with pale skin, black hair and blood-red lips. Her eyes are the black of a starless sky, a black that fills the entirety of the eye. She is the governess of the Moon and Mistress of Death. Her animals are the Cat, the Owl, the Serpent, and the Horse. She is wild, headstrong, and passionate. She feels little sympathy but is nearly consumed with empathy. She doesn't pretend to care, she either shares your pain or she sends you on your way. She is a loving mother, but she is not one to coddle. If you can handle it, don't bother asking for pity or aid. She is quite likely to make things so bad that you can no longer handle it, and then wait until the last minute to lend a helping hand. However, if you really do need Her help, She will assist you without reservation. She desires equals, not servants. She was appalled by Yahweh's treatment of us in the Garden of Eden and worked with Zagreus to free us from our gilded cage.

She loves those whom She respects. She governs all sexual activity and cares not who one sleeps with or how, so long as all consent and all feel pleasure. This is Her preferred sacrament. Any joining together in love or lust are giving worship to Lilith.

---

More Discussion

Let’s wrap up with a few more notes in this brief introduction to Lilith.

When I started to become aware of Lilith, I was also assaulted with various other goddesses and characters of a similar stripe. While skimming through Jung (because every occultist should have at least a passing familiarity with Jung — if for no other reason than to call out others when they misuse him), I came across the concept of the Fourth aspect. We all know of the Maiden-Mother-Crone classification, from Wicca, if no where else. These correspond to the Virgin Youth, the Sexual Initiate Creating the Next Generation, and the Wisdom-bearer. These were tied to the Spring, the Summer, and the Autumn. However, there is a Goddess type that combines the Beauty of the Youth, the Sexual Initiation of the Mother, and the Wisdom (often Transgressive) of the Crone. This is the Fourth Aspect, the Virgin-Whore, the Mistress, and/or the Dark Mother. In Christianity this is represented by the Scarlet Woman/Babylon. This manifested in Thelema as Babalon. Elsewhere, we have various goddesses of magick, war, love, and destruction. Goddesses such as Kali, Astarte, Hecate, Morrigan, etc.

The fourth aspect is a synthesis of the other three. This is not to imply that the others are aspects of the fourth. Neither should any sense of superiority be attributed to this. Each aspect serves an important function in a functional society. Rather, if we made a triangle where each side was a base for another triangle, each triangle would be an aspect and the center of the triangles’ center would be the fourth aspect (qv. Illustration 1). Lilith in particular is a Dark Mother. She has sex with men to give birth to demons (it should be noted that demon is a classification of being, not a denotation of “evil”). She is powerful, seductive, and feminine. She is also outside the standard societal norms and thus represents a Tantric and Iconoclastic current (A male equivalent would be Dionysus or Odin/Loki). Like Babalon, all acts of pleasure are her sacred rites.

In the Thelemic Canon, Crowley makes repeated references to his beloved Laylah, night, who was his lover and Scarlet Woman. The imagery is strongly aligned to Lilith. Further, in The Vision and the Voice, in the third Aethyr (which corresponds to Binah, the great Mother and Initiate) Lilith is directly referenced. Readings of ZON should bear in mind the traditional equation of Lilith with Night Terrors, the Luciferian/Satanic Inversion of the symbolism of Revelations, the Alchemical transformation of Poison to Sustenance, and the traditional unfolding of revelation and understanding transforming that which is feared. The whole vision is filled with Tantric and Luciferian symbolism. It’s study is recommended.

“And Satan is worshipped by men under the name of Jesus; and Lucifer is worshipped by men under the name of Brahma; and Leviathan is worshipped by men under the name of Allah; and Belial is worshipped by men under the name of Buddha.” - ZON

Truth is found in the rubble of falsehood.

Love is the law, love under will.

---

References

Liber XV Ecclesiæ Gnosticæ Catholicæ Canon Missæ

ANCIENT ISREAL : Myths and Legends ; Three Volumes in One. RAPPOPORT, Angelo S.

Book of Lies (LAYLAH)

Vision and the Voice: Third Aethyr: ZON

Most of the links I am finding for Jung’s Fourth Aspect seem to be post-Jungian Feminist exclusionary jargon which is limited in utility for this topic.

Section I.3: A Brief Description of Lilith.

 

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
– William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Romeo and Juliet Act II, scene ii

Lilith is the Mother of the Night, Queen of Succubi, Incubi and all other Denizens of the Night. She is wild, passionate and independent. When humanity feared the Night, she was cast in a negative light. Now that we have grown up (or at least reached puberty), we can see that the frightening shadows gather their power from our projected fears.

The Legend of Lilith

Lilith was once the wife of Sammael, who is incorrectly known as Lucifer. This marriage did not last long for She is a wild, passionate and heroic soul, quite incompatible with the cold demeanor of Sammael. After leaving Sammael, She joined with Adam.

Her time with Adam did not go well. Adam would insist and rail upon Her. “I am your lord and master,” claimed Adam. However, Lilith would say, “We are both equal, for we are both issued from the dust, and I will not be your slave.” This went on, Adam claiming he was superior and Lilith stating that they were equal. Eventually, Lilith became tired of Adam’s self-perceived superiority and flew away.

Adam decided that this was too much and beseeched three angels – whose names were Senoi, Sansenoi and Sammengelof, to fetch Lilith back to him. They caught Lilith above what is now known as the Red Sea, and a great battle took place.

During the battle they realized that Lilith’s powers were too great for them to force Her into obedience, and they attempted to drown Her. She fought them off but, during the battle, drops of Her blood fell into the sea, thus giving the Red Sea its name.

When the angels returned to report their failure, Adam went to Yahweh and said, “Oh, Almighty Lord, the creature that was my wife has left me, claiming that since we both came from the dust, we were equal and she refused to be my servant.”

So the Almighty in his wisdom, caused a sleep to fall upon Adam, and in his slumber removed a rib. This He fashioned into a woman. As She had come from man, She was a part of man and, thus, belonged to man.

This is pretty much a literal retelling of the story found in Angelo S. Rappoport’s Ancient Israel - Myths & Legends (3 Volumes in one). I changed the bias to positive and took poetic license with the naming of the Red Sea (though that is where the battle took place).

Originally found in Liber Atri Matris, a book I wrote back when I was set on forming my own Magickal Order. Amazing what one will do when one doesn’t know how much they don’t know.

Leadership and Followership

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

The following derives from some readings on Chinese philosophy (Confucian) and a discussion thread on Facebook with a senior member of the OTO. While these criticisms started as specific to the OTO, they are applicable to any leadership and follower-ship situation. In other words, do not take this as a criticism of the OTO, but of a dynamic at play with multiple organizations operating within the modern world.

Mengzi

I would like to start with a selection from Mengzi, or Mencius, Book 1, Part B, Chapter 6 — or Mengzi 1B6. I apologize in advance for any butchering I do with the pronunciation of transliterated Chinese.

Mengzi spoke to King Xuan of Qi, saying, “If, among Your Majesty’s ministers, there was one who entrusted his wife and children to a friend, and traveled to the state of Chu, and when he returned, he discovered that his friend had let his wife and children become cold and hungry – how should he deal with this?”

The King said, “Abandon him.”

Mengzi said, “If the Sergeant-at-Arms is not able to keep order among the scholars, how should one deal with this?”

The King said, “Discharge him.”

Mengzi said, “If the reign within the four borders is not well ordered, then how should one deal with this?”

The King turned toward his attendants and changed the topic.

Facebook Thread

OTO: Leadership and How the Lack Thereof Impacts the Unfolding of One’s Will (Excerpt from Thelemic Discussion Group)

I apologize in advance for using “They” as a gender neutral singular pronoun. However, I do not have permission to use the other parties name & decided to use it to preserve anonymity

On the Thelemic Discussion Group, as often occurs, a discussion came around to the leadership of the OTO. The usual participants were present and the discussion came down to a comparison of strong leaders or independent sovereign Thelemites. Since “or” is typically interpreted in such cases as being exclusive (XOR), I asked why it needed to be so. [A Senior member of the OTO], whom I have known for many years, clarified that the XOR was inferred by myself. They didn’t quite deny that it was an XOR. They then asked “How does having any leaders of whatever caliber interfere with us doing our work?” Below is my edited and slightly expanded response.

Thank you for answering rather than going straight to asking me for my opinion. It is a refreshing change.

Being in the military, I have been taught leadership principles. I’ve also read up on the subject, both titles recommended by the military and those recommended by friends. The essential point I feel that is relevant is that, no matter what modern ideology claims, we exist in a framework. That framework can be either overtly hierarchical (as in the military) or covertly hierarchical (as in society), or both. As such, any leader is also a follower. A primary principle of good leadership is that one must also be a good follower. This is a classic example of leading by example. If I do not follow the instructions of those above me, how can I logically expect those under me to follow my instruction (this is also explained in “Duty”). It is a basic magickal principle.

As to your question, we joined the OTO. The OTO is an overtly hierarchical organization. The OTO is meant to be a force for manifesting the Law of Thelema within society. It is described as being militant in nature. This means we need a plan of attack, a way of coordinating the battle so that our forces are not dissipated. While I don’t claim that corporations are people, it is logical to extend certain principles to any organization. The OTO has a “Will” (which I described above). If one’s will is not focused, then, as Crowley explains for the individual aspirant, one works at cross-purpose and fails to manifest one’s will. This is the case for organizations as well.

Our magickal work is our own. The exact details of our work as a vehicle for manifesting our will is our own as well. However, by virtue of our being drawn to and having joined the OTO, the “will” of the OTO is necessarily a component of our will. The purpose of initiation into a body is to align ourselves with that body, to incorporate that body’s goals into our own will.

If the leaders fail to unify our strategy (if I may extend the analogy, if they fail to play the part of the HGA for the OTO) then that component of our will is frustrated.

Any argument regarding leadership, organizations, and the individual’s will that fails to take into consideration that we are not isolate individuals is inherently flawed. Other people’s actions do act upon and modify the expression of our will. If the brain ceases to perform its job, the hands and feet will be hampered. The body may not die, autonomous systems will continue to perform, but effective action is stymied. The hand will still be a hand and may still develop in strength and “Hand-ness,” but the body will be ineffective. Likewise, if the leadership of an organization fails to lead, the members of that body will, by extension, be hampered in their will which was to, at least in part, manifest the will of the organization they joined. One could argue that the failure of the leadership to lead is, in fact, a betrayal of the membership.

Truth is found in the rubble of falsehood.
Love is the law, love under will.

Bibliography

Ivanhoe, Philip J. And Bryan W. Van Norden, ed. Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2005.

Video Locations:

• LBRY: https://open.lbry.com/@O+X:5/Leadership-and-Followership:8?r=4qeuPNGvz2DHWJXWrWn8Ev1a3shNU7mo
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/KbDtvaqWU2M
• Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/pyQabNYJYBCE/

The Confession of St. Judas McCabbage

I believe in Charles Darwin Almighty, maker of Evolution; and in Ernst Haeckel, his only son our Lord Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Germany: who was conceived of Weissmann, born of Büchner, suffered under du Bois-Raymond, was printed, bound, and shelved: who was raised again into English (of sorts), ascended into the Pantheon of the Literary Guide and sitteth on the right hand of Edward Clodd: whence he shall come to judge the thick in the head.

I believe in Charles Watts; the Rationalist Press Association; the annual dinner at the Trocadero Restaurant; the regularity of subscriptions, the resurrection in a sixpenny edition, and the Book-stall everlasting.

AMEN.

Originally published in The Equinox Vol. I:1, special supplement “John St. John”

NX: I attempted to link the names mentioned as best I could. The ones with only a last name could be in error. Charles Watts could refer to the linked person, or his father. I chose the one who founded the Rationalist Press Association.

Invocation of (the Spirit of) Coffee

O coffee! By the mighty Name of Power do I invoke thee, consecrating thee to the Service of the Magic of Light. Let the pulsations of my heart be strong and regular and slow! Let my brain be wakeful and active in its supreme task of self-control! That my desired end may be effected through Thy strength, Adonai, unto Whom be the Glory for ever! Amen without lie, and Amen, and Amen of Amen.

From The Equinox supplement “John St. John”, The Third Day 10.40

Shaving With Two Razors: On Truth and the Apprehension of Truth

Introduction

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Truth is repeatedly referenced in Occult literature. The quest for Truth, the pursuit of Truth, or otherwise understanding Reality (or the Truth about Reality) is a common theme in Occultism. Wisdom is derived from the application of truth. Affecting desired change on a thing necessitates knowing the Truth of a thing. Scientific Illuminism attempts to understand Truth via the scientific method. Thelemites are Scientific Illuminists.

As Liber AL tells us, ”Also reason is a lie; for there is a factor infinite & unknown; & all their words are skew-wise.” (AL II:32). In other words, reality is fundamentally irrational, it is important to learn how to identify the Truth, in as much as we can grasp it, so as to avoid Delusion. The current of Mysticism is always present within Magick. A siren’s lure leading us to destruction through self-delusion (q.v. Dangers of Mysticism). The Magician acts, the Mystic receives.

What is Truth?

To begin we must ask, “What is Truth?” This is a rather difficult question. Certainty has oft led mankind astray. History is littered with various mistakes. As Chantel Delsol tells us in Icarus Fallen, modernity is the traumatized remnants of failed certainties of the past. Given that “unknown factor”, it is far easier to highlight the truth by shading out that which is not truth.

Innocence, another unprovable condition, is defined as the absence of guilt. Merriam-Webster tells us that Innocence is defined as (a) “freedom from legal guilt of a particular crime or offense” or (b) “freedom from guilt or sin through being unacquainted with evil : blamelessness”. This is why American courts have to prove guilt, rather than forcing the defendant to prove their innocence. In a sense, one could argue that innocence is the baseline and that guilt is the failure to meet that baseline.

In a similar manner, Truth is the absence of falsehood. This is a scientific way of pursuing Truth. One falsifies premises until one can no longer falsify a premise. That premise is then held as true until it is falsified. Further, one never ceases in their attempts to falsify a premise. As we are told in Terrier-Work, “Doubt all. Doubt even if thou doubtest all.” Only in this way do we persist in truth rather than falling into the pit of dogma as have other attempts at ascertaining the truth, both sacred and secular.

Obviously, one must know and understand the basic principles of logic (& its limitations). One should endeavor to be clear and concise with one’s speech and actions. However, there are some useful tools one can use in the search for truth. Some of the more helpful ones are the Scientific Method, Occam’s Razor, Hanlon’s Razor, and a knowledge of logical fallacies, both their use and misuse.

Tools for Finding the Truth

The Scientific Method is a constantly evolving doctrine. In reading Crowley, I feel that he was thinking of a more Humean version, however the modern version is more than enough to assist one in the pursuit of truth. I’ve linked a beginner’s description below. One thing to point out is the concept of the Null Hypothesis. The null hypothesis proves that your hypothesis is wrong. If I believe that heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects, a simple example of a null hypothesis would be that objects fall at the same rate regardless of their mass. The use of a diary and the setting of concrete goals is integral to the Thelemic system so that an analysis of the record would confirm or deny our hypotheses. Another important concept is Falsifiability. There must be a way to say ’This is true’, or ‘this is false’. A statement such as “all is Buddha nature” is not falsifiable. Anything not falsifiable is logically irrelevant. 

It should be mentioned that not everything is testable. Given the factor infinite and unknown, this should not be surprising. However, the scientific method will let us properly identify and account for these. As they are untestable, we can just accept them provisionally until something better comes along. After all, the fact that I cannot prove the efficacy of logic (proving logic would be a self-referential fallacy) does not mean that I am unwilling to utilize logic and accept its validity on a provisional basis. The utility of a provisional axiom lay in whether the conclusions drawn from that axiom match with what is known, observable, and testable.

Now, in day to day life, there are some handy tools for determining the probable validity of any hypothesis or chain of events. The first of these is the more commonly known Occam’s Razor. Officially, it states “entities should not be multiplied without necessity”. More simply, “the simplest solution is most likely the right one”. Ensure that every item is necessary in your hypothesis. While it is possible that the plant was knocked off the shelf by trespassers sneaking into your home, it is more likely that the cat (who is already known to be present) did so.

The second is known as Hanlon’s Razor. For some reason, the occult community is rife with conspiracy theorists and shadowy secret cabals. To counter this, we have Hanlon’s Razor, which states “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”. Large chunks of convoluted arguments can be dismissed by virtue of these two razors. Keep them sharp.

Finally, we get to Logical Fallacies. Knowing logical fallacies is a poor substitute for knowing logic, but it quickly becomes apparent that many people have done just that. Some fallacies to keep in mind are equivocation (especially in its Motte and Bailey form), Appeal to Authority (whether popular or elite), and ad hominem.

Equivocation is the switching of a term’s definition mid argument. An example I recall was on the word “accept”. While it was being used in the sense of “agree with”, someone switched it to mean “received”. They claimed that because Liber AL had been physically handed to them, they had “accepted” the Book of the Law. Another form of the equivocation fallacy is termed Motte and Bailey. This is used quite often in political discussions where people will push for some radical policy but pretend that the opposition is attacking the non-radical core. A current example would be someone questioning the need to stockpile a month of supplies being told that they are dismissing the seriousness of the corona virus.

The Appeal to Authority is where someone perceived as an authority basically says “because I said so”. Now, this appeal should not always be discounted. If a medical doctor gives his assessment on a medical condition within their field of authority, it should be considered seriously. This is actually a common form of its misuse, to discredit the knowledgeable because it does not pander to one’s prejudice. It should be noted that the “Authority” does not have to be a single person or thing. “Everyone agrees” postulates that “everyone” is an authority and that the claim is true for no other reason than that agreement. Likewise, referencing an elite group sets that group as an Authority. These last two variations are commonly misused. Just because “everyone agrees” or “the cool kids like it” does not mean that the claim is automatically false, either. Egalitarians like to dismiss inconvenient claims by pointing out their appeal to the snobs and elites do so by pointing out their appeal to the vulgar masses.

Next is ad hominem. Attacking the person rather than their arguments does nothing to discredit the validity of their arguments. Hakim Bey’s (support for) pedophilia does not discredit his commentary on Cop Culture. Neither does Marx’s inability to handle money discredit Communism. It probably explains their motivations, but the truth or falsity of the arguments stand on its own. Ad hominem is commonly misused by people over-identifying with their argument. This is especially a problem if you analyze their logic. Another misuse is due to insults. If someone says “My god, you are so stupid,” that is not an ad hominem. It is an insult. It is totally separate from the argument. If they provide nothing else, the proper response is “and?” or “that’s nice, can you actually address the argument.”

Conclusion

To lay this out as a train of thought : Innocence is the absence of guilt. Likewise, Truth is the absence of Falsehood. By learning to identify the false, the invalid, the lie, one is able to remove that falsehood. If one were to remove all falsehoods, what remains would be truth. Therefore, what one holds to be true must be tested and tried. Ultimate Reality is likely irrational, or at the very least, vast enough that we will never encompass it all. However, where we live is governed by the Ruach (or if you prefer, the Mind). Thus, Logic, Data, and Facts allow us to strike down the falsehoods. Like a sculptor chipping away at a block of granite, the true shape of reality will eventually be brought forth. Truth is found in the rubble of falsehood.

By ascertaining the Truth, we can then progress along the path of perfection. The path of perfection, or, as I think of it, the accomplishment of one’s will, is an ongoing process. By conceiving of one’s perfected self, one creates a goal. When one achieves this goal, the imperfections in one’s prior conception of the Perfect become readily apparent. Thus, one formulates a new conception of perfection and the process repeats. Perhaps, one will achieve an objective manifestation of perfection. Perhaps, we will become mired in Zeno’s paradox. Though I feel that overcoming this paradox is a suitable target for perfecting the self.

Truth is found in the rubble of falsehood.

Love is the law, love under will.

Citations, References, and For Further Information

AL II:32
M-W “Innocence” (04 APR 2020)
Book of Lies, ΚΕΦΑΛΗ ΝΑ “Terrier-Work” p112
Six Steps of the Scientific Method (04 APR 2020)
Occam’s Razor (04 APR 2020)
Hanlon’s Razor (04 APR 2020)
Common logical fallacies (04 APR 2020)
Motte and Bailey (04 APR 2020)
Zeno’s paradox (04 APR 2020)