home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!dreaderd!not-for-mail
- Message-ID: <religions/temple-of-set_1082200966@rtfm.mit.edu>
- Supersedes: <religions/temple-of-set_1079601013@rtfm.mit.edu>
- Expires: 31 May 2004 11:22:46 GMT
- X-Last-Updated: 2001/12/30
- From: balfaq@xeper.org
- Newsgroups: alt.satanism,alt.pagan,alt.magick,alt.magick.order,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.answers,news.answers
- Subject: Balanone's Temple of Set FAQ
- Followup-To: alt.satanism
- Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU
- Organization: Temple of Set
- Summary: This posting describes the Temple of Set, answering questions
- frequently asked on newsgroups, mailing lists, and elsewhere.
- Originator: faqserv@penguin-lust.MIT.EDU
- Date: 17 Apr 2004 11:27:52 GMT
- Lines: 1249
- NNTP-Posting-Host: penguin-lust.mit.edu
- X-Trace: 1082201272 senator-bedfellow.mit.edu 569 18.181.0.29
- Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu alt.satanism:227507 alt.pagan:425360 alt.magick:377671 alt.magick.order:5082 alt.magick.tyagi:45267 alt.answers:72493 news.answers:269916
-
- Archive-name: religions/temple-of-set
- Title: Balanone's Temple of Set FAQ
- Posting-Frequency: monthly, quarterly to soc.religion.paganism
- Last-modified: 2001/12/29
- Version: 1.2.6
- URL: http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/baltsfaq.html
- Copyright: (c) 1997-2001 Temple of Set
- Maintainer: Balanone <balfaq@xeper.org>
-
- This is one man's FAQ document concerning the Temple of Set. Its
- information is drawn from a number of resources, including electronic
- discussions, hard copy correspondence, internal Temple of Set documents,
- etc.
-
- This FAQ is posted monthly to news.answers and alt.answers, and also to
- alt.satanism, alt.pagan, alt.magick, and alt.magick.order. It's posted less
- frequently to soc.religion.paganism, the Xepera-l mailing list, and other
- appropriate forums. It can also be obtained from
- ftp://ftp.xeper.org/pub/faqs/baltsfaq.txt. IMO the HTML version of this FAQ
- is much more readable; it can be found at
- http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/baltsfaq.html
-
- This FAQ's answers are intentionally brief and concise, sometimes excessively
- so, to keep this document's size down. More detailed information is available
- in the companion document, "Balanone's Temple of Set REF." That REF can be
- obtained from ftp://ftp.xeper.org/pub/faqs/baltsref.txt. It also has a (more
- readable) HTML version, found at
- http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/baltsref.html
-
- Qualifications: Balanone has been an active member of the Temple of Set
- since early 1976, and so is intimately familiar with Setian philosophy and
- practice. While this document is just one person's statement, and not an
- official statement from/by the organization, this person has the depth of
- experience to be reasonably confident in his accuracy. Corrections,
- additions, and differences of opinion from other members of the Temple of
- Set are more than welcome, and within reason all such will be included in
- this document.
-
- Revision history: See "Balanone's Temple of Set FAQ/REF Changes", at
- http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/baltsdif.html
-
-
-
- Contents:
-
- 1.0 Introduction
-
- 2.0 Philosophy
- 2.1 Xeper
- 2.2 Initiation
- 2.3 Satanism
- 2.4 Left Hand Path
- 2.5 Metaphysics
- 2.6 Dogma vs Doctrine
-
- 3.0 Religion
- 3.1 The Temple of Set as a Religion
- 3.2 Set
- 3.3 The Gift of Set
-
- 4.0 Magic
- 4.1 Black Magic
- 4.2 Ritual Practices
- 4.3 Occult Studies
-
- 5.0 The Organization
- 5.1 Membership in the Temple
- 5.2 Relations with Other Organizations
- 5.3 Why the Temple of Set?
- 5.4 Our Reputation(s)
- 5.5 Pylons and Orders
- 5.6 The High Priest
-
- 6.0 Setians and Setianism
- 6.1 Activities
- 6.2 Setians
- 6.3 Why are we here?
- 6.4 Miscellaneous
-
- 7.0 Contact and Information
- 7.1 Formal and Official Contact
- 7.2 Informal Contact
- 7.3 Friendly and Neutral Others
- 7.4 Unfriendly Others
- 7.5 Getting More Information
- 7.6 Those Stories About Us
-
- 8.0 Miscellaneous
- 8.1 Miscellaneous Links
- 8.2 FAQ/REF Sources
-
-
-
- >> 1.0 Introduction
-
- The Temple of Set is probably best described as an initiatory magical order
- of the Left Hand Path, a description which probably doesn't mean much to
- those without occult backgrounds.
-
- "Initiatory" means the ToS advocates self-advancement through a series of
- levels of self-knowledge and similar attributes.
-
- "Magical" means that the ToS openly works with magic (non-scientific cause
- and effect), not stage magic.
-
- "Left Hand Path" indicates that the path followed by Setians is one of
- concentration and refinement of the self, leading toward more and more
- individuality and more and more individualism, as opposed to the Right Hand
- Path goals of growing toward some outwardly determined standard.
-
- A slightly more detailed introduction can be found in the REF.
-
-
-
- >> 2.0 Philosophy
-
- 2.1 Xeper
-
- - Perhaps the best discussion of Xeper available online is Magus Don
- Webb's, found at: http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/xeper2.html
-
- - Balanone: Setian Philosophy centers around the Egyptian concept of Xeper
- (often spelled Khepher), personified by the Egyptian Neter (god?) Xepera
- (Khephra), a concept that can be translated to "self improvement," or
- perhaps "Be all you can be."
-
- Though that statement above seems simple enough, the study and pursuit
- of Xeper has proven complex and long, intriguing and challenging enough
- to keep Setians occupied for a life time.
-
- - Apr 28, 1996, Priest Roger Whitaker, Xepera-l:
-
- Xeper describes a methodology for manifestation. You cannot separate
- yourself from the force which motivates one to Xeper. It is ingrained
- within the many and varied paths which lead to it. Xeper such as it is
- results in a deeper recognition of Self consciousness, i.e., the
- uniquely human ability to sense its separateness within the body even
- while it resides within it. This heightened sense of Self Being, itself
- the result of polaric constituents - its me, in this other thing called
- a body - becomes a building block of a personal methodology based upon
- knowledge, intuition, learning and change as a result of the preceding.
-
- The results of Xeper are manifestations into the world of ideas, art,
- science and culture. For the individual the results of Xeper become a
- metaphysical departure point for developing a bond with the Prince of
- Darkness by creating a matrix of linked ideas whose path leads towards
- the Genesis of Self Being.
-
- You'll find another comment or two concerning Xeper in the REF document.
-
-
-
- 2.2 Initiation
-
- - What do those necklaces and medallions mean?
-
- The Temple of Set is an initiatory organization, dedicated to the
- initiation and growth of its members.
-
- That dedication to initiation, to the philosophy of Xeper, and to Set,
- is represented by our primary symbol, the Pentagram of Set (a point-down
- pentagram within a circle). To help our members identify each other so
- we can work together, and to help them identify which level of
- initiation has been achieved by each other, we wear this symbol on
- different colored medallions, normally worn on necklaces of some kind,
- at formal gatherings.
-
- There are six levels of initiation recognized within the Temple of Set,
- each with its specific color medallion.
-
- - The first degree member wears a white medallion. This is a period of
- trial membership, in which the member begins to explore our
- philosophies, our practices, and our society. The member can decide
- whether our organization is one which will help the member's
- personal growth, and if not he is welcome to leave at any time, with
- our good wishes. Likewise, during this period we determine whether
- the member will function well within our society, will benefit from
- our activity, and will eventually be able to help others in the
- organization with their personal growth. If not, then their
- membership is terminated, hopefully with no hard feelings. We title
- this degree "Setian," which is also the generic name for all of our
- members. The term stands for all who pursue their self deification
- while in contact with the philosophical and magical stream of the
- Temple.
-
- - The second degree wears a red medallion. This is a member who has
- completed the trial membership and has been found to be compatible
- with and a valued contributor to the Temple of Set, just as we have
- been found to be useful to the member's own growth. More, through
- hard work the individual has opened him- or herself to the forces of
- Becoming within the body-soul complex. This is a place of great
- excitement and achievement. We Recognize our Adepts by the quality
- of their adventures and projects. This is where we differ form most
- occult schools that would award degrees based on knowledge and
- memory feats. These members are free to work with our philosophies
- and to participate in our activities to the fullest. More members
- are in the second degree than any other level of initiation. We
- title this degree "Adept," declaring them able to pursue any and all
- goals applicable to their personal growth.
-
- - The third degree wears a black medallion. This is a member who not
- only has shown all of the qualities of an advanced second degree
- member, but who has also been chosen by Set to serve in his
- priesthood. This member has demonstrated abilities in working with
- and representing Set and the Temple of Set. We title this degree
- "Priest." Another way of putting this: the Third Degree Setian has
- become Resonate with the Work of Set. He or she is directly
- empowered by Set and charged him to expand the Setian experience --
- this includes everything form running the Temple, which belongs to
- its Priesthood, to a variety of scholarly, artistic, or (obviously)
- magical endeavors to increase the Setian mindscape. Third Degrees
- can represent the Temple in most matters. If you have any questions
- concerning the Temple of Set (the organization, our activities,
- beliefs, or members), these members are the best qualified to answer
- your questions.
-
- - The fourth degree wears a blue medallion. The Fourth Degree Setian
- is the founder of a school of thought in the Temple, which may
- effect the general philosophical and magical actions of mankind as
- well. These schools of thought are called Orders. Some such as the
- Order of the Vampyre or the Order of the Trapezoid are well known
- beyond the boundaries of the Temple walls, while others have lower
- profiles. The job of the Fourth Degree is the discovery and
- articulation of communicable methods of Initiation. The Orders bear
- the same relationship to the Temple as departments do to a
- University. They are places for the Adept to specialize in pursuit
- of the specialized tools for their personal achievement.
-
- - The fifth wears a purple medallion. The sixth wears a gold
- medallion. The distinctions between these grades of initiation are
- very meaningful within the Temple of Set, but for most purposes you
- can consider them as variations upon the fourth degree.
-
- Why do you turn the pentagram upside down?
-
- or as flagg@tiac.net stated on alt.pagan on Jan 10, 1996, and I
- responded:
-
- ft> I know some satanists would like to THINK they are pagan, but if
- this is the case, why the need to desacrate the Pentagram as they
- did the Cross? I know the pentagram is not central to all pagan
- beliefs, but there is still no need for this. All pagan faiths that
- I know of respect the symbols of other religions.
-
- Agreed. So why do you turn the holy and glorious Pentagram wrong side
- up? It's a symbol of dynamic balance, resting actively on one point. Why
- do you have to turn it over with its all-important balance point
- pointing meaninglessly up into the air?
-
- There is additional discussion of initiation and the Temple's degree system
- in the REF document.
-
-
-
- 2.3 Satanism
-
- Is the Temple of Set a Satanic organization?
-
- The Temple of Set as an organization was founded in 1975 by Dr. Michael
- Aquino, in San Francisco. Its initial membership came from the Church of
- Satan (that infamous "Satanic" organization of the carny Anton LaVey),
- composed of CoS members who felt there was something real and important
- about the magic they were exploring, and felt that Anton LaVey's antics of
- that year were in contradiction to their own experiences. The Temple of Set
- has grown a lot in scope and maturity in those twenty years.
-
- Because of this history, and because of the many antinomian pursuits
- followed by Setians, many people will call the Temple of Set "Satanic."
- Many Setians do, too, but not all.
-
- "Satan" is a name given to the Prince of Darkness, just like "Set" is a
- name given to the Prince of Darkness. However, "Set" is a name given by a
- religion which found Setian principles attractive and noble, and which
- honored the Prince of Darkness. "Satan" is a name given to the Prince of
- Darkness by Christianity out of fear and revulsion. The Christian Satan is
- a twisted bastardization of the true Prince of Darkness.
-
- "Satanism" is a term used by many to describe the Left Hand Path in the
- West. We are a proud part of the tradition of spiritual dissent, differing
- philosophically from the Church of Satan. Their take on the Left Hand Path
- is the Immanent Path wherein godhood is achieved by the worship of the
- carnal ego with no possibility of personal immortality save in some vague
- connection to the organic stream. We are followers of the Transcendental
- path, wherein person immortality is achievable by a strengthening of the
- idealized Self. In an increasingly post-Christian world, the term
- "Satanism" will become irrelevant.
-
- More discussion concerning the Temple of Set and Satanism can be found in
- the REF document. You may also be interested in essays concerning the
- Prince of Darkness provided by Balanone
- (http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/pod.html) and "Concerning our Patron" by High
- Priest Don Webb (http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/patron.html).
-
- 2.4 Left Hand Path
-
- The Left Hand Path is the tradition of spiritual dissent. It is a process
- of using the ideas and actions of the Seeker to create or realize an
- immortal, individual, potent, and powerful essence that will survive death.
- The Left Hand Path is the quest for personal immortality, won by hard
- effort without grace of gods, even of our role model, Set.
-
- 2.5 Metaphysics
-
- This section is found only in the REF document.
-
- 2.6 Dogma vs Doctrine
-
- The Temple of Set has no dogma, but it does have teachings. We're sometimes
- accused of having dogma because of these teachings.
-
- The REF document includes some discussion detailing the distinction I see
- between doctrine and dogma.
-
- There is some disagreement on this issue, primarily I believe because
- people use different definitions for dogma. For example, in reviewing a
- draft of this FAQ, Magus Don Webb, the High Priest, suggested I erred in my
- statement above:
-
- DW> Actually the Temple of Set does have dogma:
- DW> 1. Being and Becoming are Good.
- DW> 2. Being and Becoming can be enhanced by consciously chosen
- activities including Magic.
- DW> 3. The Temple of Set, if properly maintained and used as a tool can
- be used to obtain Being and Becoming.
- DW> That's about it.
-
-
-
- >> 3.0 Religion
-
- 3.1 The Temple of Set as a Religion
-
- Is the Temple of Set a religion?
-
- Yes, although belief in the religion is not required of I* or II* members.
- See the REF document for some discussion why I consider the Temple of Set
- to be a religion.
-
- * Fr. Ignatius asked on the Xepera-L mailing list, May 22, 1999:
-
- > If ToS is a "legally recognized" entity, is it then tax-exempt? And are
- > ToS Priests able to perform legally binding marriage ceremonies? I was
- > wondering because I know that gov't recognition of one's path as a *real*
- > religion has been an issue in the neo-pagan community for quite a while.
-
- Yes, from its initial incorporation, the Temple of Set is a legal religious
- corporation within the State of California, and it is fully tax exempt. (I
- believe most of us would gladly do away with the tax exemption of all
- religious organizations, losing our own if it meant that all Christian,
- Jewish, Hindu, Scientologist, and other religions also paid their fair
- taxes. But as long as they are tax exempt, we'll save our money this way
- also.)
-
- Yes, Setian Priests are able to perform legally binding marriage ceremonies.
-
- 3.2 Set
-
- Set is the most ancient name for the Prince of Darkness, given to the
- Prince of Darkness in ancient (pre-dynastic) Egypt. Whether Set exists as
- an independent metaphysical being, or whether he's a symbol for man's most
- individualistic attributes, is a topic always under discussion somewhere in
- the Temple of Set.
-
- You may also be interested in essays concerning the Prince of Darkness
- provided by Balanone (http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/pod.html) and
- "Concerning our Patron" by High Priest Don Webb
- (http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/patron.html).
-
- 3.3 The Gift of Set
-
- The Gift of Set means so many different things depending upon whom you
- speak to. To some it's the gift of Intelligence, to some it's
- Consciousness, to some it's the ability to step back from the current
- moment/place to see/think about what's happening. To some it's the ability
- to work (or at least conceive of) magic. etc. The Gift of Set is whatever
- happens to separate us (those with potential) from animals (those without
- quite as much potential), which is one of the grey areas that haven't been
- clarified very well (some of us not seeing very much difference between
- humans and "higher" animals).
-
- There is more discussion of the Gift of Set in the REF document.
-
-
- >> 4.0 Magic
-
- 4.1 Black Magic
-
- What is Black Magic? How does the Temple of Set teach it?
-
- Black Magic is consciously-directed alteration of one's environment through
- obscure natural (Lesser Black Magic) or non-natural (Medial Black Magic)
- means, or apprehension of the Forms/Principles of the natural/non-natural
- universe (Greater Black Magic). Black Magic inverts the formula of religion
- from "Thy will be done!" to "My will be done!"
-
- The Temple of Set teaches both theory and practice of LBM/MBM/GBM, along
- with individual and social ethical considerations to which the Initiate
- must be sensitive in order to use such magical knowledge creatively,
- constructively, and responsibly. [Descriptions of "Black Magic" as
- involving human or animal sacrifice, rape, or other illegal or
- reprehensible practices are merely Judaeo/Christian propaganda, and have no
- basis in truth whatever.]
-
- 4.2 Ritual Practices
-
- Setian ritual practice is generally not discussed in public forums.
- However, some specific questions seem to require answers.
-
-
- - Do you sacrifice animals (or children)?
-
- No. See the REF document for a more detailed discussion of this, and for
- other questions/answers concerning our ritual practices.
-
- 4.3 Occult Studies
-
- Discussion of other occult studies (such as Astrology, Thelema and
- Crowley), are found in the REF document.
-
-
-
- >> 5.0 The Organization
-
- 5.1 Membership in the Temple
-
- Note: Most of these sections are explored in more depth in the REF
- document.
-
- - Exploration
-
- Joining the Temple of Set is a serious decision. Anyone who is
- attracted to the Temple of Set through the things you see and hear
- should investigate thoroughly before applying for membership.
-
- - Affiliation
-
- Application to the Temple of Set may be made to the Executive Director
- or to any Priest of Set. Information about this procedure is provided
- in the introductory letter.
-
- - Assuming you're approved for membership (the Executive Director has
- indicated that the majority of applicants are denied), you as a I*
- Setian you will receive 1) the current edition of the _Crystal
- Tablet of Set_, which includes all of the basic philosophical,
- magical, and initiatory material any Setian would need to begin and
- accomplish his initiation to the II*, 2) a I* Pentagram of Set
- medallion, and 3) a year's subscription to the _Scroll of Set_
- newsletter.
-
- - You will have two years in which to achieve the II*, using the
- information and inspiration provided by the _Crystal Tablet_, by
- correspondence and other contact with Setians, and through your own
- work towards Initiation.
-
- - Following from our choice to avoid all practices that would create a
- barrier between us and our self-created divinity, the Setian can not
- in good faith hold membership in any other religious organization
- after he has become an Adept. Membership in organizations that
- advocate illegal action are likewise incompatible with Setian
- affiliation. One cannot be for one's own Xeper, and be working to
- restrict the Xeper of another.
-
- - The application and its approval.
-
- Though some applications are approved and acted upon quickly, other
- applications for membership in the Temple of Set seem to take a very
- long time. Our "staff" are all volunteers, and their administrative
- activities within the Temple of Set are given appropriate
- priorities, *behind* personal initiation, family, and career.
- Therefore, be prepared for some delay in the processing of your
- application. If the delay seems overly long, it's always helpful to
- send a friendly query to the Executive Director asking about its
- status.
-
- One applicant asked on Xepera-l: "I sent off my letter of
- application about three weeks ago now- and I still haven't heard a
- word. Any idea how long it takes to get a response?"
-
- - Adept Foster answered:
-
- Once you've submitted your letter of application, it can take
- anywhere from one to three months before you hear anything. I
- know it sucks to have to wait that long without knowing, but
- these things take time- especially when you consider exactly HOW
- BUSY the Temple's Executive Director is (and that being the E.D.
- is a full time job, ON TOP of a normal, *paying* full time job-
- and then add in some time for family, other official Temple
- matters and their own personal Initiatory work!) All told, I'm
- surprised it happens as quickly as it does.
-
- Just consider this a lesson in patience, and enjoy the
- anticipation. :)
-
- - My answer was:
-
- It's highly variable, depending on how busy our volunteer
- Executive Director is, and how busy her staff is, and how much
- difficulty she has finding an available Priest for the interview
- process. Then the question becomes how busy that Priest is,
- whether he has email capabilities, etc.
-
- You can send a quick email to her at balfaq.ed@xeper.org and
- verify that she at least received your letter of application.
-
- - Lewis Cawthorne asked on Xepera-l, Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998,
- Subject: TOS & Recognition
-
- Not to put the cart before the horse, but I do have one minor
- concern, how would an Initiate in a small town in North Carolina
- with some resources at his disposal for traveling to other places
- for contact with other Setians but probably without adequate
- resources to be able to make it to a normal pylon meeting should
- one be within a reasonable distance of his location (which there
- probably isn't) ever manage to have enough contact with a Priest
- of the temple to be reconized as an Adept?
-
- From: "Koyote", Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998
-
- (All of this is from the p.o.v. of a first degree Setian with
- little face to face contact due to where I am and my job hours- I
- work most on weekends.)
-
- Recognition, you should remember, is just that- Recognition. The
- work must be done by you. Communicating that can take many forms
- other than direct F2F. Publishing articles in the various
- newsletters, communicating with other Initiates via direct email,
- phone conversations, and attending larger gatherings (which occur
- in the continental US many times each year) are all adequate.
-
- From: "fun fear", Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998,
-
- As an isolated Setian, I had similiar concerns, but I must agree
- with Koyote. The Internet is a wonderful tool for contacting
- Priests and Priestesses, and as Koyote suggested, writing articles
- for _The Scroll of Set_ is equally rewarding. Also, there are
- several correspondence Pylons available.
-
- Beyond this, I have realized that one should _embrace_ one's
- isolation. Just look to Set as an example: the apotheosis of the
- different and isolate! You have _two years_ to get Recognized --
- plenty of time to explore, make contacts with the Priesthood, and,
- if worthy, become Recognized. You don't need a group to hold your
- hand to do it, I hope! Embrace the isolation, ebrace the Darkness!
-
- From: Balanone <Balanone@geocities.com>, Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998
-
- It's a challenge. That hypothetical Initiate would have to Work
- at it -- corresponding with as many Setians as possible at the I*
- and II* levels (for breadth of perspective) and with several
- members of the Priesthood. He would have to take responsibility
- for maintaining correspondences, for establishing new ones to
- replace old ones that move on, and for demonstrating to the
- Priesthood his level of knowledge, his activity and study, and
- his advancement, along Setian lines.
-
- It's a job. It's not easy. Magister L. was the only Setian in
- Finland, and he had to work to overcome the difficulties inherent
- in demonstrating his Xeper into the II*. Magister W. faced the
- same challenges in Germany some years earlier. Magister K and
- Magister A in the British Isles had it almost as bad, but at least
- English was their native language (though they had to deal with
- many curve balls tossed by our writing most Setian materials in
- American English rather than British English).
-
- It's not easy, as Priestess N, Adept B, Priest C, Adept D,
- Magistra H, Priest R, Priest W, and several others can report
- (several were the only Setians in their state, and a couple were
- the only Setians in their country).
-
- It's not easy, but it can be done, as these have shown. Only you
- can tell whether you're up to the task.
-
- From: Christopher Merwin, Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998
-
- As a Temple Initiate from a small town in North Carolina I think
- perhaps I can help you with some of your queries. Due to the
- widespread distribution of Temple members many Pylons are
- organized based around correspondence, with email and Pylon
- newsletters as the primary form of communication. In fact, due to
- the highly private and individualistic nature of most Setians this
- is our prefered means of communication. ... The ability for you to
- meet face to face with other Initiates is left completely up to
- you and the other Initiates involved. The largest obstacle to
- being a Setian in the Carolinas is the local attitudes toward
- other non-christian religions, which any intelligent and sensitive
- individual should be more than capable of handeling.
-
- - Departure
-
- You may choose to resign from the Temple of Set at any time for any
- reason. The great majority of people who leave the Temple of Set do so
- simply by not paying their annual dues, and letting their memberships
- expire. Many others send a simple and courteous resignation letter to
- the Executive Director or any Priest.
-
- A few members are automatically expelled upon the completion of two
- years of membership during which they did not achieve the II*. There are
- surprisingly few of these to my mind, probably because the Executive
- Director and Priesthood do such a good job of screening applicants.
-
- Fewer members resign because they encounter something within the Temple
- of Set which they don't like, and fewer still are expelled because they
- prove to be incompatible with Setian philosophy or life.
-
- - Rejoining
-
- Despite the claims of a few who state otherwise, the Temple of Set does
- not pursue those who leave the Temple of Set. Whether that separation
- was friendly, unfriendly, or automatic and impersonal, we feel anyone
- and everyone should be allowed to go their own way, as long as they
- don't interfere with our Xeper or the organization.
-
- A few people who leave the Temple of Set do apply to rejoin the Temple.
- Setians who have left the Temple of their own accord may be allowed to
- rejoin on a case-by-case basis. The Temple is not designed as a
- revolving door, but we do realize that may not have entered the Temple
- at a time conducive to their development. Those that left impersonally
- or on an amicable basis are usually welcomed back without hesitation.
- Those who caused problems during their earlier membership or after their
- departure are carefully examined before they are welcomed back into the
- Temple of Set.
-
- - How long does the application process to the ToS usually take?
-
- The application process time is highly variable, depending strongly on
- - whether there are any delays in the mail (especially for overseas
- applicants)
- - the time availability of our volunteer staff (expect longer delays
- during conclaves and gatherings)
- - whether your application is sponsored by a member of the Priesthood
- (which generally speeds up the process greatly)
- - whether there is a local Priest readily available to contact you for
- an interview
- - whether there are copies of the Crystal Tablet available to be
- mailed out immediately or whether they need to be printed first
- - whether you are accepted or rejected (rejections tend to process
- faster than acceptances)
-
- Though some membership applications are processed in as little as two
- weeks, it's not uncommon for incidental delays to extend the process to
- two months. If you are concerned about the delay, you may send a polite
- email or postal mail query to the Executive Director, who should be able
- to tell you how far the application process has gone.
-
- As James F Foster wrote on Xepera-l:
-
- General rule of thumb- before complaining about something, ask
- yourself: "What am I doing to fix it?" If you aren't doing much on
- your behalf, why would anyone else?
-
- Second general rule of thumb: Before complaining about someone else's
- (lack of) performance, ask if there's a problem with the paperwork and
- if there's anything you can do to help.
-
- 5.2 Relations with Other Organizations
-
- By its bylaws, the Temple of Set as an organization can have no formal
- relationships or ties with any other organization. Individual Setians,
- however, can work with or have dealings with other organizations and its
- members. There are two limitations: 1) an Adept II* of the Temple of Set
- cannot also be a member of another religious organization, and 2) no Setian
- may be a member of an organization which condones or takes part in the
- violation of society's laws to the detriment of society.
-
- That first limitation has often been a subject for discussion by people who
- don't understand it or who want clarification. One clarification I posted
- to alt.pagan in 1996 was,
-
- "The Temple of Set wouldn't care if a Setian chooses to participate in a
- Buddhist retreat, an Indian sweat lodge, a Thelemic Gnostic Mass, a
- Passover Seder, a Pagan circle, or whatever. Part of being an Adept
- Magician is being able to see and mesh with whatever magic is taking place,
- understanding the causes of the ceremony and participating in those causes
- as appropriate to our own Will.
-
- "However, if someone claimed to seriously believe in the wheel of karma,
- and that Xeper is valueless because until we can learn to avoid all
- participation in this world we're doomed to ride that wheel cycle after
- cycle, then yes, that religious belief would be opposed to the Setian
- principles of Xeper, and that person would not be able to remain a member
- of the Temple of Set. The two philosophies are simply incompatible."
-
- The REF document includes sections which examine our history regarding
- specific other organizations.
-
- 5.3 Why the Temple of Set?
-
- The REF document examines the question "What does the Temple of Set have to
- offer?"
-
- 5.4 Our Reputation(s)
-
- Lupo the Butcher, in his "alt.satanism FAQ file", states/stated: "The most
- vocal of groups which border upon Satanism, is the Temple of Set of Michael
- Aquino and friends, which splintered away from the Church of Satan in a
- disagreement over monetary policy. They have a number of nasty habits,
- including the public publishing of names, addresses and workplaces of
- former members as a harassment tactic, disinformation regarding Satanic and
- occult groups, including their own, and a good deal of "we are the one true
- way" posturing."
-
- See the section on Satanism for a summary of the schism with the Church of
- Satan.
-
- We do not normally publish the name, addresses, or any other information
- concerning former members. We do not harass former members. Thousands of
- exmembers have left the Temple of Set for many different reasons, without
- any activity such as Lupo complains about.
-
- See the REF document for more information.
-
- 5.5 Pylons and Orders
-
- 5.5.1 Pylons of the Temple of Set
-
- Setians who live in the same area sometimes organize a local pylon in which
- they can meet together regularly for discussions, study, ritual work, and
- other activities. See http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/pylons/pylons.html for a
- good discussion of local pylons within the Temple of Set.
-
- In addition to local pylons, there are correspondence pylons which support
- the Xeper of Setians who wish to participate in group discussions and
- activities by correspondence.
-
- 5.5.2 Orders of the Temple of Set
-
- IV* Setians, Masters of the Temple, may found Orders within the Temple of
- Set. If you were to think of the Temple of Set as a college of higher
- learning, the Orders could be seen as departments within the school, each
- concentrating on specific flavors of exploration. They are places for the
- Adept to specialize in pursuit of the specialized tools for their personal
- achievement. Some Orders, like the Order of the Vampyre or the Order of the
- Trapezoid, are well known beyond the boundaries of the Temple walls, while
- others have lower profiles.
-
- The REF document includes more information, specifically concerning the
- Order of the Trapezoid.
-
- 5.6 The High Priest
-
- - The High Priest of the Temple of Set at this time is Magus Don Webb.
-
- - The High Priest is chosen by the Chairman of the Council of Nine, and
- serves indefinitely until he vacates the position or is removed from
- office by the Chairman.
-
- - The High Priest serves as the President of the corporation.
-
- See the REF document for more information concerning the High Priest of
- Set.
-
-
-
- >> 6.0 Setians and Setianism
-
- "Setian" is the generic term which applies to each member of the Temple of
- Set. "Setians" is the term which applies to two or more members, and to the
- entire membership together.
-
- "Setianism" is a term which can be applied to the Setian philosophy, the
- Setian religion, and/or the Setian way of life. Some (many?) Setians prefer
- the terms "Setian philosophy," "Setian religion," and "Setian way of life"
- over the term "Setianism." I find "Setianism" a convenient term to use when
- I am referring specifically to the Setian way of life, or to any
- combination of these ideas.
-
- 6.1 Activities
-
- What do Setians do? This topic is covered in the REF document.
-
- 6.2 Setians
-
- 6.2.1 Specific Setians
-
- - Executive Director -- can be contacted through the Temple's postal
- address, or through email balfaq.ed@xeper.org).
-
- - High Priest -- Magus Don Webb can be contacted through the Temple's
- postal address, or through email (balfaq.hp@xeper.org).
-
- - Dr. Michael Aquino -- the founder of the Temple of Set can be contacted
- through the Temple's postal address or through email
- (balfaq.maquino@xeper.org).
-
- - Balanone -- this long-time member (and author of this document) can be
- contacted through the Temple's postal address or through email
- (balfaq@xeper.org).
-
- One frequently asked question is why Balanone signs his email and posts
- with "PP" below his name. As stated in April, 1993 on the Base of Set
- echo and many other times, "That's as close as I can get with this
- keyboard to the Egyptian hieroglyph for Shuti (the double Maat feather),
- symbolizing my personal dedication to Balance."
-
- - A few others are mentioned in the REF document.
-
- 6.2.2 Questions about Setians
-
- Are Setians Pagans? That's a question which depends heavily upon your
- definition of "pagan." See the REF document for this discussion.
-
- 6.2.3 Imposters
-
- If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then how should you look at
- people who claim to be members of the Temple of Set and aren't? If you
- encounter someone online (or offline) who claims to be Setian, how do you know
- if they really are?
-
- Our High Priest, Magus Don Webb, offers an excellent answer in his essay "How
- to Spot a Setian" (http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/spot.html). My personal
- answer is less meaningful, but they're techniques you might find useful.
-
- * All members of the Temple of Set can be identified physically by their
- colored cloisonne point-down medallion, and by their membership card (with
- expiration date). If you have physical contact with someone who claims to be
- Setian but who can't show you the membership card or medallion, that person
- is not a member.
-
- June 2001: Recently we've seen a couple of medallions being auctioned on
- Ebay. If someone has our medallion, that is not proof they are currently a
- member, and maybe not proof they ever were. But if they do not have a
- medallion, then they aren't a current member.
-
- * All online members of the Priesthood have a xeper.org email address.
- (Example: Priest Thomas White's email address within our domain is
- twhite@xeper.org) Anyone claiming online to be a member of the Priesthood
- should be able to supply their name@xeper.org or alias@xeper.org email
- address, and should be able to respond to any email sent to that address.
- Anyone online who cannot give you an email address @xeper.org, or who cannot
- answer mail sent to that address, is not a member of the Priesthood.
-
- * The Executive Director's staff will confirm the membership of any Setian who
- asks to have that membership confirmed. The member should send the email
- from their email address of record to confirm@xeper.org -- this email will
- be validated, and the confirmation will be sent to any email address
- desired. Any person claiming to be a member online but not willing or able
- to provide this confirmation is not a member.
-
- While the Temple of Set and its members normally will not reveal, confirm, or
- deny anyone's present or past membership in the Temple of Set, there are
- exceptions:
-
- * If members indicate it's OK, such as through the request method above, we'll
- confirm their membership.
- * Some members are very open and public about their membership. We'll confirm
- those members' status.
- * People who publicly claim to be members and aren't (in our view) are claiming
- to be part of that second group. We will therefore provide the information
- that such people are not members.
-
- There have been a few people who fall into that last group, as identified by
- members of our Priesthood. These include:
-
- * Ravenwrld@aol.com -- I am told he has claimed to be the High Priest of the
- Temple, and that he offers to sell the _Crystal Tablet_. The High Priest of
- the Temple of Set is Don Webb. No member of the Temple may sell their Tablet.
- (Past members may sell the copy they received from us -- it's their property.
- However, they can sell only that one copy -- they are not permitted to make
- additional copies for sale.)
- * Reverend77x@aol.com -- I am told he has claimed to be a IV* member of the
- Temple of Set. He is not a member.
- * Lilithdarkmoon@aol.com and/or lilithvmp@aol.com -- I am told she claims to be
- a former member. She is not.
- * magussatanicus@aol.com -- I am told he claims to be a member of the
- Priesthood in "German Chamber" and claims as well that
- lilithdarkmoon@aol.com/lilithvmp@aol.com is actually Lilith Aquino. He is not
- a member. There is no "German Chamber." Lilith Aquino does not use either of
- those two aliases on AOL.
- * Xeper879631179@aol.com -- While this person has not yet claimed to be a
- member of the Temple of Set, he apparently has proclaimed himself the Magus
- of Xem. Xem is an Aeonic Word within the Aeon of Set, and the Magus of Xem
- was Magus Ronald K. Barrett. This is not Magus Barrett, and this person has
- no membership nor recognition within the Temple of Set.
-
- Finally, on reading Magus Webb's "How to Spot a Setian", one Adept mentioned,
-
- Along those lines, I have encountered those who claim that they have been
- approached by a Setian, which tried to "recruit" them. I find this very
- funny. This right here shows that they have no idea what they are talking
- about. I guess it makes them feel good to tell others that such a wonderful
- organization as ours was wanting them to be a member. Anyone who really
- knows anything about the Temple would know that does not go on.
-
- I've asked a few, "and why would they want you?" Maybe not the polite thing
- to say, but I can only laugh at these people.
-
- The Temple of Set does not recruit. Individual members who feel that their
- friends might benefit from membership might mention this to their friends, but
- we do not ever try to recruit anyone, and don't even approach those people who
- have no ties of friendship to us.
-
- 6.2.4 Who is a Setian?
-
- Various people continue to call themselves Setian even though they are not
- members of the Temple of Set. The question as asked on the Xepera-L mailing
- list in May, 1999 was:
-
- > If one can be a *Satanist* without being a member of CoS, can one be a
- > *Setian* without being a member of ToS?</blockquote>
-
- My answer:
- * If you mean "Can someone believe in the Prince of Darkness as Set without
- being a member of the Temple?" Then yes, they can.
- * If you mean "Can someone actively seek and accomplish Xeper without being a
- member of the Temple of Set?" Then yes, they can.
- * If you mean "Can someone practice Setian forms of magic without being a
- member of the Temple of Set?" Then yes, they can.
- * If you mean "Can someone be recognized as and called a Setian by theTemple
- of Set's administration, Priesthood, or general membership without being a
- member of the Temple of Set?" Then no, they cannot.
-
- This evoked the question "Why not?" I responded with the following two
- definitions:
-
- Setian (n)
- A member of the Temple of Set.
-
- setian (adj)
- 1. action, statement, or belief inspired by the philosophy of Xeper and/or
- the being or idea of Set.
- 2. action, statement, or belief compatible with inspiration by the
- philosophy of Xeper and/or the being or idea of Set
-
- 6.3 Why are we here?
-
- Here" may be any digital forum -- you may be reading this on a web site, a
- newsgroup, or FTP archive. I've tried to generalize the answer to apply to
- most situations. For that matter, "here" may also apply to Pagan
- gatherings, meetings in hotels, new age fairs, etc. These questions are
- examined in the REF document.
-
- 6.4 Miscellaneous
-
- There isn't much in this section, and it all resides in the REF document at
- this time.
-
-
-
- >> 7.0 Contact and Information
-
- 7.1 Formal and Official Contact
-
- - Postal Address: Temple of Set, P. O. Box 470307, San Francisco, CA 94147
-
- - Electronic Mail: At this time, you may send email to the Executive
- Director c/o balfaq.ed@xeper.org
-
- - The Priesthood of Set: To contact a member of the Priesthood, send your
- request by postal mail to the Executive Director, who will forward it to
- an appropriate member of the Priesthood. (That member of the Priesthood
- may not indulge in electronic mail capabilities, so postal mail is
- usually a requirement here.)
-
- - Copyrighted material
-
- Almost all of the Temple of Set's internal documents are copyrighted and
- intended for internal distribution only. We do release some material for
- public consumption from time to time, but other material is not
- released. We have problems from time to time with people copying or
- publishing our copyrighted material. We'd appreciate anyone and everyone
- who helps us maintain our intellectual property rights.
-
- See the REF document for comments concerning the _Book of Coming Forth
- by Night_, _Crystal Tablet of Set_, and other publications.
-
- 7.2 Informal Contact
-
- - "My name is ... and i wish find a Setian Priest in my area to inquire
- as to joining the Temple."
-
- Information on how to join the Temple of Set is readily available at
- the Temple's web site, by following the General Information and
- Admissions Policies links.
-
- To ask the Executive Director if she can help you contact a Priest of
- Set in your area, a) find her email address above, b) send her your
- request, including your postal address and/or phone, so our local
- Priesthood can contact you (they may not have email).
-
-
- - Electronic Mail mailing list(s)
-
- Xepera-l <http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/archives/xepera.html> is the
- only public mailing list hosted by Setians. Moderation is minimal,
- topics can be anything of interest to Setians, and participation is
- open to all who are not openly hostile to the Temple or to Setians.
- Visit its informational web page for subscription information.
-
- - Internet newsgroups
-
- - alt.satanism
-
- alt.satanism is a newsgroup for discussions of satanic philosophy,
- religion, organizations, activities, etc. Most Setians avoid the
- newsgroup because of the high level of juvenile behavior that we run
- into there. However, there are a few Setians who can be contacted
- through that newsgroup.
-
- - alt.pagan
-
- alt.pagan attracts several Setians who belong to that community. We
- prefer to avoid discussing simply Setian philosophy and religion or
- Satanism in alt.pagan, since those are more appropriate to
- alt.satanism, but the relationships between Setian philosophy and
- religion and other Pagan philosophies and religions are on-topic and
- suitable for that newsgroup.
-
- - soc.religion.paganism
-
- soc.religion.paganism is a well-moderated newsgroup in which the
- same topics can readily be discussed. There are probably fewer
- Setians on this newsgroup than on the other two, but there should be
- enough visiting soc.religion.paganism to hold a meaningful
- discussion when necessary.
-
- - FIDO/PODS echoes
-
- The Setian Discussions echo (tagname: SET, and previously named "Base
- of Set" was the only FTN (Fido Technology Network) echo hosted by
- Setians concerning Setian philosophy or the Temple of Set. Moderation
- was minimal, and topics could be anything of interest to Setians.
- Participation was open to all who were not openly hostile to the Temple
- or to Setians. This echo was carried on the FIDO North America
- backbone, and by most major hubs within PODS. It was carried in
- Australia by both FIDO and PODS, and in Germany (and perhaps other
- areas of Europe) by PODS. Unfortunately that echo closed down in 1999,
- and is no longer operational.
-
- - World Wide Web sites and pages
-
- - The Temple of Set's "official" World Wide Web site is
- http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/index.html; most sites dealing with the
- Temple of Set can be found through links from this site.
-
- - The Order of the Trapezoid maintains its own web site at
- http://www.trapezoid.org/
-
- - FIDO/PODS bulletin board systems: There used to be quite a few bulletin
- board systems owned and run by Setians, but it seems that all have them
- have disbanded or gone to mail-only operations. We also used to host a
- Setian Discussions echo, as part of the FIDO and PODS networks. (PODS
- is dedicated to Pagan activities and discussions.) That echo is no
- longer operational.
-
- 7.3 Friendly and Neutral Others
-
- Though I've often quoted from others' responses to frequently asked
- questions, still this document is just one person's compilation concerning
- the Temple of Set. Anyone who needs a more comprehensive view should
- contact one or more of the other Setians (above, or better through
- Xepera-l), and perhaps one or more people who aren't Setian. A few people
- who are active online, whose independent views concerning the Temple of Set
- at this time appear to be informed and reasonable, are listed in the REF
- document. Please note that neither I nor the Temple of Set have much
- influence over nor agree with everything these people say.
-
- 7.4 Unfriendly Others
-
- The REF document identifies a few people whose messages, documents, or
- web pages you're likely to run into on the Internet, and who are biased
- against the Temple of Set for a variety of reasons.
-
- 7.5 Getting More Information
-
- - General Information Letter
-
- The current General Information letter (including membership information
- and policies) is available upon request. Write to: Executive Director,
- Temple of Set, Post Office Box 470307, San Francisco, CA 94147, USA. Or
- provide a *postal* - not E-mail - mailing address to: balfaq.ed@xeper.org
-
- There are copies of that letter floating around cyberspace, available on
- various FTP sites and on BBSs. Unfortunately, most of them are out of
- date, since the introductory letter is updated semi-regularly, and the
- files on these unrelated sites aren't. The primary site known and
- guaranteed to maintain a current copy is the WWW site maintained by
- a Priest of Set, http://www.xeper.org.
-
- - Computerized archives
-
- Over the years, a number of other files pertaining to the Temple of Set
- were made available. These were generally intended for limited
- distribution, but over time were archived on various Internet and FTN
- sites along with material /about/ the Temple of Set which did not
- originate /from/ the Temple of Set. Many of these files contain dated
- information; the accuracy and authenticity of these is doubtful. In
- future revisions of this document, comments about these files may be
- added (if you bring the need for same to our attention).
-
- - However, be warned that a lot of files of questionable value are
- floating around the 'net. Check the source for each document, and if
- you have questions about its value, ask about it on the Xepera-l
- mailing list. The REF document discusses at least one such example
- of this.
-
- - Archives hosted by Setians
-
- - ftp://ftp.xeper.org
- Reference: mailto://webmaster@xeper.org
- Note: This is the only FTP site both managed by a Priest of
- the Temple of Set and dedicated to the Temple of Set at this
- time to our knowledge. The reliability of other FTP sites
- will be lower -- they will not be as accurate nor current.
- As other Setian sites are identified they will be listed at
- http://www.xeper.org
-
- - Other FTP sites
- - FTP://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/ToS
- 10/1997: the most recent files found were dated 1994.
- 9/1999: The site URL has changed (capitalization only),
- and the most recent files at this time are dated 1996.
- It does have a 1994 copy of the Temple's reading list.
- - FTP://nic.funet.fi/pub/doc/religion/occult/magick/thelema/ToS
- (this is the original slopoke tree moved to funet)
-
- - Obsolete FTP links (no longer useful)
- - FTP://etext.archive.umich.edu/pub/Quartz/occult/set
- Reference: mailto://ftp@etext.archive.umich.edu (Paul Southworth)
- October, 1997: I could not find the Quartz/occult directory
- November, 1997: It appears that all files dealing with the ToS have
- been removed from this site because of their age.
-
- 7.6 Those Stories About Us
-
- Despite our general policy of keeping a low profile, sometimes rumors about
- us do get spread, generally by people who dislike or fear us for some
- reason (perhaps because so little is known about us, or simply because of
- our non-Christian belief system, or for other reasons). If anyone (perhaps
- someone else at a location of one of our formal meetings, or someone you
- meet on the 'net, or some other acquaintance) should ask you any of the
- following questions, it's good to be able to give them the correct answers.
-
- 7.6.1 A Cult?
-
- "Is this a cult?" No. Some people may define "cult" to mean any
- non-Christian religion, and then yes, we don't believe in the Christian
- religion. But most people reserve the word "cult" to you mean something
- dangerous to society or its members, and no, we're not a cult since we are
- beneficial to our members, and we're not anti-social by any means.
-
- The REF document contains more discussion on this topic.
-
- 7.6.2 Satanists?
-
- "Are you Satanists?" A lot of people say yes, and a lot of people say no. A
- lot of Setians say yes, and a lot of Setians say no. See the REF document
- for this discussion.
-
- 7.6.3 Naziism and Fascism
-
- Are you fascists? Nazis? No. See http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/nazitrap.html
- or http://www.necronomi.com/magic/satanism/fascist.set.txt for one member's
- discussion of this question [as of July 6, 1998, the necronomi.com copy was
- not found online].
-
- 7.6.4 Presidio
-
- What about the Presidio stories?
-
- On August 14, 1987 CE the San Francisco home of Lilith and Dr. Aquino was
- raided by San Francisco Police officer Glen Pamfiloff on a search warrant
- obtained as a consequence of the accusations of Army chaplain Lawrence
- Adams-Thompson that the Aquinos had kidnapped and sexually abused his
- stepdaughter as part of the Presidio of San Francisco day-care witch-hunt.
-
- These claims were investigated in depth by the SFPD, the FBI, and the US
- Army CID. No charges were ever made in any jurisdiction, and the evidence
- has shown Dr. Aquino and Lilith Aquino to be innocent of any such activity.
- Full details can be read in the alt.pagan post, dated Sun Jun 02, 22:14,
- From : scratch@gladstone.uoregon.edu, Subj : Re: Curio courts the CAW.
-
- 7.6.5 Other Occultists
-
- - Why should Wiccans, Druids, and other types of Pagans defend those who
- call themselves "Satanists" against the Christian majority?
-
- I've never understood why Wiccans, Druids, and others might think we
- want their defending. There are ethical and social reasons to do it, and
- that's why Setians generally defend other Pagans against discrimination
- and other forms of attack, but Satanists don't need others to defend
- them -- Satanists would be happy if other Pagans would simply stop
- buying Christianity's lies and attacking the Satanists as if allied with
- Christianity's blind bigots.
-
- There's a little more discussion of this in the REF document.
-
- - "Are you witches?" That depends upon your definition of a "witch." We do
- explore activities which many people would call "magic," such as
- telepathy, divination, and methods of strengthening our souls and
- spirits through mental and spiritual discipline. However, modern witches
- usually believe that their magical powers come from one or more gods or
- goddesses, and many Christians believe these powers come from the devil.
- We don't believe in any such gods or goddesses or devils. Most modern
- witches claim we are not witches.
-
- - Perhaps the most important point to know and remember about us is that
- we believe a primary requirement of self-improvement and individual
- Xeper is to be honorable and ethical. We do not tolerate any illegal
- activity. We do not tolerate any illegal drugs, and we frown upon
- excessive use of legal substances like tobacco and alcohol. We believe
- in individual freedoms, and respect everyone else's desire to live life
- the way they want to, asking in exchange only the freedom to be able to
- live life the way we want to.
-
- We do enjoy companionship and camaraderie. At our various conclaves,
- many of us will gather in private rooms, local restaurants, and the
- hotel lobby, and we'll just talk for hours, about almost anything. Some
- of our people will even sometimes forget to go to sleep, being so
- wrapped up in talking to people they see only once or twice a year.
-
- We enjoy life, we enjoy growth, and we enjoy each other. If you spend
- time with Setians, you'll find that most of us smile a lot, honest
- smiles, reflecting the enjoyment we find in life.
-
- - What about Magda Graham? This is discussed in the REF document.
-
- 7.6.6 The Setian Illuminati
-
- These topics are explored in the REF document.
-
-
-
- >> 8.0 Miscellaneous
-
- 8.1 Miscellaneous Links
-
- - FBI Special Agent Kenneth Lanning's /Investigator's Guide to Allegations
- of "Ritual" Child Abuse/:
- http://www.necronomi.com/magic/satanism/FBI-ritual-abuse-report.txt and
- http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/lanning.9201.html [as of July 6, 1998, the
- necronomi.com copy was not found online]
-
- - The Temple of Set's Reading List from the Crystal Tablet of Set (an old
- version, but better than nothing):
- ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/Reading_list/
-
- 8.2 FAQ/REF Sources
- - Setian Discussions echo FAQ. author: Balanone, version: Dec 30, 1996
- - "More About the Temple of Set" web page. author: Balanone, version: Nov
- 25, 1996
- - The alt.satanism FAQ file. author/editor: Lupo the Butcher, Version 2.3,
- January 7, 1996
- - Temple of Set alt.satanism FAQ. author: Dr. Michael Aquino, version: Oct
- 10, 1995
- - Misc email from Xepera-l mailing list
- - Misc email from newsgroups and echos
-
-