(460)   Wed 10 Aug 88 22:51                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part i
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:50e7 110ab664

        Someone asked about child abuse in the contemporary 
churches. This
        is what I typed in for another network...

        In File 18 many accusations and allegations are made. These
    allegations are quasi-legal in nature. I think we need to ask 
some
    quasi-legal questions in return.

        Is there any evidence?

        Have there been or are there any current investigations by 
local
    authorities? Sometimes authorities will say that an 
investigation is on
    going but won't comment.

        Have there been any indictments?

        Have their been any arrests?

        Have there been any confessions?

        Has there been any convictions?

        Has there been an sentencing?

        Now for some evidence, investigations, indictments, arrests
    confessions, convictions, and sentencing... These are highly
    abbreviated articles compiled by the Freedom From Religion 
Foundation
    and reprinted in "Freethought Today".  The Freedom From Religion
    Foundation has written a book, "Betrayal of Trust, Clergy Abuse 
of
    Children", that addresses this topic.

        Idaho Statesman 4/21/88...
        Father Mel Baltazar, notorious for molesting a boy hooked 
up to a
    kidney dialysis machine at a Napa, Calif. hospital and another 
boy in
    double-leg traction at a Boise hospital wll be paroled from his 
7 year
    prison term. A 20-year history of unprosecuted abuse was 
unraveled
    during his trail in 1984.

        No source listed...
        Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland claimed, in 
writing about
    molesting priests, that "Sometimes not all adolescent victims 
are so
    "innocent"; some can be sexually very active and aggressive and 
often
    quite street wise."

        The Specator 5/9/88 and Amherst Daily News (Novia Scotia)...
        A clergy seminar of child sexual abuse and incest at Brock
    University, Ontario, Canada, concluded that the church is 
implicated in
    such abuse. Vince Pinpura, a social worker at St. Catharines 
General
    Hospital, said 8 of 10 members of an incest counseling group 
connected
    the church with incest; one was abused by a father who was a
    minister... Another woman told of the anguish of being sexually 
abused
    by her clergy father from the age of two., the congregation 
blind to
    her pain, and another preacher telling her "just to forgive." A 
nun
    warned of misusing "bogus spirituality."
        In June, a Canadian women's inter-church group released a 
study.
    Hands to End Violence Against Women, sying male-dominated 
churches,
    Christian theology and selective interpretation of scripture 
are at
    least partly to blame for violence against women.

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Still Changing... (I don't write these, He 
does!) (Opus 1:
128/23)

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(461)   Wed 10 Aug 88 22:53                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part ii
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:50e7 110ab6a1


        Atlanta Constitution 4/15/88
        The clergy is required to report suspected sexual abuse of 
children
    in only 5 states, Miss., Ore., New Hamp., Conn. and Nev. 
However 16
    other states implicitly require clergy reporting.
        Yet there is no known case of a district attorney 
prosecuting a
    minsister for failutre to abide by mandatory child abuse 
reporting
    laws.
        Several prosecutors have considered prosecution of 
non-reporting
    clergy, including DeKalb County District Attorney Robert 
Wilson. The
    R.C.C. in in the eastern Atlanta suburb is accused of a coverup 
for not
    reporting suspected molestation by Rev. Anton Mowat, even after
    victims' parents alerted them to the abuse last fall, and two 
priests
    had conveyed similar suspicions a year earlier. {The loop hole 
is that
    if the priest or minister is teaching or counseling they are 
obliged to
    report. If the child simply reveals sexual abuse to ministers ie.
    confessions, they are not obliged.}

        Atlanta Constitution 4/15/88
        Former priest turned psychologist A.W. Richard Sipe, 
Baltimore,
    said a 25 year study he conducted shows that about 2% of all 
priests
    "show sexual excitment by fantasizing about or engaging in sexual
    activity with children." (Rev Thomas Doyle has projected that the
    figure may be as high as 3,000--one out of 18 priests or 16 per
    diocese--which is closer to 6%.)
        Catholic apologists deny any complicity in covering up 
illegal
    activities.

        Atlanta Constitution 4/15/88
        Being a Catholic priest is "one of the best positions you 
can be go
    into [if you are a pedophile]. What better position could you 
be in to
    win peoples trust?" says Sharon Moody, commanding officer of 
the Crimes
    Against Children Unit for the Cobb County Police Department, 
Georgia.

        Columbus Ledger-Enquirer 5/28/88
        Rev. Tony ("Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no 
harm")
    Levya, a southern revivalists investigated by the FBI for 
heading a
    3-man ring prostituting young boys, has used Christian radio 
station
    WEAM in Columbus, Ga.  to raise funds for his defense. Rev. 
Levya asks
    his followers to "sacrifice $100, $500, $1,000, $8,000 , even 
more, if
    God speaks to you" for his defence.
        Federal authorities allege that his crusades gave him and 
fellow
    abusers Rias E. Morris, organist, and Rev. Freddie M. Herring
    oppurtunity to sexually abuse numerous boys in Virginia, Georgia,
    Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Ohio 
and
    Indiana. He faces up to 65 years in prison and $550,000 in fines.

        Seattle Post-Intelligencer 3/23/88
        The notorious Community Chapel & Bible Training Center, a 
sect

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Still Changing... (I don't write these, He 
does!) (Opus 1:
128/23)

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(462)   Wed 10 Aug 88 22:54                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part iii
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:50e7 110ab6d4

    based in Burien, Wash. near suburban Seattle, not only mentally 
abused
    children with doctrines of demonology and stunted education in 
their
    backward and repressive classrooms, but involved children in 
sexual
    abuse, according to reporter Mary Rothchild. The Center, 
beseiged by
    civil suites by ex-members claiming abuse, including women 
charging
    sexual exploitation, recently deposed it founder Rev. Donald Lee
    Barnett on charges of promiscuous adultry.
        In 1986, after followers complained, Child Protective 
Services met
    with Burien officials, spelling out guidlines, for example, 
that the
    church policy condoning French kissing of children was 
unacceptable.
    Three counselors were convicted of failing to report child 
sexual abuse
    in 1987.

        New York Times 5/23/88, New York Daily News 5/27/88, Newsweek
    5/30/88, Denver Post 5/20/88, Newsday 6/11/88
       Rev. Thoma Streitferdt, 59, a white Pastor in charge of the 
mostly
    black 700-member True Church of God in Harlem, was charged with 
rape
    and sodomy of two young sisters (ages 14 and 16) in his 
congregation.
        Law enforcement officials charge that Streitferdt told 
females
    worshippers that they could end up in hell if they refused his 
sexual
    advances, and raped at least one woman during premaritial 
counseling.
        Although his congregation was working class, Streidtferdt 
lived in
    a 1.4 million waterfront estate on Long Island, and owned 
property
    financed by contributions illegally coereced from church-goers. 
He and
    his family had exclusive rights to drive three church-owned
    Mercedex-Benz autos. Yet his tax returns in 1987 listed income 
of just
    several thousand dollars.
        The church required members to turn over tax records, and 
to tithe
    10 percent as a condition of membership, increasing that tithe 
to 30
    percent every third year. He also controller the finances of 
many of
    his members by keeping their savings at a bank set up through his
    church. Members were told that if they were not buried under 
church
    auspices at an additional fee in the church cemetary that "they 
would
    not go to heaven."

        San Gabriel Valley Tribune 6/18/88
        Rev. Randall Wayne Brewer, a youth minister of Faith 
Community
    Church in West Covina, Calif.,  is charged with 3 counts of oral
    copulation with a Redlands teenager who said he was bribed and 
molested
    after being befriended at home Bible studies in 1985. The 
youth, now
    17, testified that Brewer gave him $200 from a church checking 
account
    for running naked across an empty church hallway in a game called
    chicken. "I was told  to tell everyone that I got the money for 
doing

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Still Changing... (I don't write these, He 
does!) (Opus 1:
128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(463)   Wed 10 Aug 88 22:56                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part iv
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:50e7 110ab71b

    work at the church."
        Embarrassment prevented the boy from reporting the 
incidents, but
    he finally confided in his girlfriend and his mother. A trial is
    scheduled in mid-June.
        In May the family filed a multi-milion dollar suit against 
Brewer
    and the chruch for failure to tell new members that others had 
been
    previously abused. Brewer had previously plead no contest to 
"sexually
    annoying" another boy and had been placed on probation.

        Washington Post 5/13/88
        U.S. Rep. Floyd Flake, pastor of Allen Africian Methodist 
Episcopal
    Church in New York, and a first term Democrat, is accused of 
harassing
    a church assistant into leaving her job because she ended a 
sexual
    affair with her.
        Thelma M. Singleton-Scott complained that a panel of 
"elders" at
    the 4,000-member church held a "kangaroo court" review of the 
charges
    in January. She is now demanding back wages and Flake's ouster as
    pastor. She said that the church bishop was involved in 
offering her
    hush money.

        Amherst Daily News (Novia Scotia) 6/16/88, The [Hamilton] 
Spectator
    6/14,16/88
        Msgr. John Monagahan, 80, of Nelson, B.C., was sentenced to 
4 years
    in prison after pleading guilty to fondling 17 girls and young 
women
    from 1959 to 1987, ranging in age from 6 to 21, usually in 
hospitals or
    private homes. Many of the victims said they had told their 
parents of
    the assualts but were not believed because Monagahan was 
considered a
    "near saint."
        Nelson police say they have identified more than 50 victims.

        Florida Times-Union 5/13/88 and 6/9/88
        Rev. Joe Marino, host of Christian talkshow "Inner Visions" 
in
    Jacksonville, Fla., and youth minister/counselor at Beaches 
Chapel in
    Neptune Beach, plead no contest to custodial sexual battery and
    soliciting sex from a 16 year old member of his church. Other 
charges
    were dropped. The abuse was disclosed after a victim from the 
church
    had attempted suicide.
        Marino was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be suspended 
after 5
    years.
        A second Duval county minister, Rev. Roy Lynn Gaskins of 
Edgewood
    Heights Baptist Church, was accused of forcing a 13 year old 
boy at
    gunpoint to have sex.

        New York Times 6/10/88
        Former Mormon missionary Arthur Gary Bishop, 36, was 
executed on
    June 10th in Utah for killing 5 boys (ages 4-13) for sexual
    gratification, saying he was "misled by Satan."

        New York Times 5/14/88
        Rev. Bernard Lynch, 41, and Brother Timothy Brady, 41, are 
indicted
    for sexually abusing students at a Catholic preparatory school  
in the
    Bronx, Mount St. Michael Academy. Lynch, a former campus 
chaplain, is

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Still Changing... (I don't write these, He 
does!) (Opus 1:
128/23)

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(464)   Wed 10 Aug 88 22:58                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part v
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:50e7 110ab751

    believed to be in Ireland. Brady "was removed last summer" to a 
Marist
    retreat in Arizona, according to the Bronz D.A.'s office.

        Kansas City Times 6/1/88
        Barry L. Deaton was charged with taking indecent liberties 
with a
    child for abducting a 14 year old girl from a gathering of 
Youth for
    Christ of Greater Kansas City.

        [Little Rock Arkansas] Gazette 6/10/88
        Rev. J.D. Henderson, 51, of Russellville, Ark., was 
convicted of
    molesting twin 6 year old girls, and sentenced to 4 years in 
prison.
    Henderson is an ordained Free will Baptist minister.

        Daily Camera, [Boulder, Co.] 5/21/88
        Former Sister Mary Kregar and the Catholic Diocese of 
Brownsville,
    Col. were sued by a man who claimed his marriage was destroyed 
by the
    lesbian nun who seduced his wife while church officials did 
nothing to
    prevent it. A jury ordered the diocese to pay 1.5 million to 
Steve
    Voolverton on May 20.

        Tampa Tribune 5/31/88
        Rev. Clevand "Rapper" Mack, 24, of Tampa. Fla., was charged 
with
    sexually abusing 2 young boys during "Bible lessons", including a
    charge of sexual battery which carries a possible death 
sentence. He
    struch a boy in the face when he tried to flee.

        [Rome] Daily Sentinel 5/28/88
        Rev. Leon Dupree, 47, pastor of Lily of the Valley Church 
of God in
    Christ in Rochester, NY, is charged with first degree sexual 
assualt
    and first degree burglary of a 26 year old woman. She said he 
was armed
    with a hammer and struck her with a screwdriver. Dupree was 
convicted
    of second degree manslaughter in a 1978 drunken driving 
fatality and
    served time in state prison.

        Sunday Messenger [Athen, Ohio] 3/6/88
        In 1978, Bessie Turner had $18,000 in the bank, $3,000 in 
cash at
    home, her house in Murry City, Ohio, a life insurance policy 
and a
    monthly income of $654. After 10 years of answering the pleas 
for money
    from evangelists Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Whittington, Jim Bakker, Don
    Stewart and others, she had exuasted her savings account, 
cashed in her
    life policy, gone hungry to send her grocery allowence to the 
hungry
    children invoked by the evangelests, and has nothing lest but her
    monthy income from renting her home. She  was forced to move in 
with
    her step grandson and wife. "I was trying to feed the children. 
That's
    what Jimmy [Swaggart] said. Them poor little babies. Too see 
how they
    looked--I could hardly take it." Now Ms. Turner, although still 
a frim
    believer, says: "I won't have anything to do with any of them 
again. I
    think they are all alike. I think they are all thieves."


---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Still Changing... (I don't write these, He 
does!) (Opus 1:
128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(465)   Wed 10 Aug 88 23:00                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part vi
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:50e7 110ab813

        "Ammond, you should try to locate copies of the December 
30th and
    31st San Jose Mercury-News from last year. I have been told 
that it
    contains a most impressive expose on the subject -- thirty-five 
court
    cases in the last five years, and a number of attempted 
cover-ups.
    Perhaps somebody in San Francisco can do a library search for 
you --
    some libraries keep microfiche of the local papers."

        Anyone on the left coast want to look these articles up?

        There seems to be many more cases than are reported. 
Victims try to
    bring the various organizations round but generally get 
stiffed.  That
    is until the victims go public.

        There is of course the ripple effect to consider also. In a 
recent
    tv talk show in Seattle on KING-TV, while talking about abuse by
    priests in the Seattle diosece, hosts Susan Michaels and Cliff 
Lenz got
    a shocker. A woman in the audience reported that she had been 
abused
    not by a priest but by her brother, who was abused by a priest 
IN THE
    SEATTLE DIOSECE. After investigation it was revealed that the 
priest
    was an abuse victim himself.

        Maryalyce Elbert was the victim of the victim. After this 
public
    expose' the diocese finally gave the name of the priest as Rev. 
James
    McGreal, age 65, whose criminal conduct was well known, having 
worked
    at 10 parishes and 2 hospitals. One ironic mistake leads to 
another
    with the priest being sent to treatment in the late 70's, after 
which
    he was sent to a hospital to abuse again. The priest was sent 
to a
    "Catholic program in New Mexico". He was then placed in another 
parish
    with several other priests aware of his condition. In four 
months he
    was suspected of grooming another boy for victimiziation. It is 
rather
    ironic that he was at Queen of Angeles Church in Port Angeles, 
under the
    supervision of one Rev. Conn, now facing charges himself for 
sexual
    abuse of altar boys. Rev. James McGreal abused people with 
impunity for
    30 years.

        Continuing on with the show. Sherry Matulis spoke about 
being raped
    at the age of 5 by a church deacon; and narrowly escaping another
    attack at the age of 12.

        A shakey woman in the audience told of being continuily
    incestuoulsy abuse by her father, a souther preacher who 
attacked her
    on saturdays nights. She had to sit in a pew and watch him 
preach on
    sundays. Her efforts to expose and depose her father have as 
yet been
    unsuccessful.

        Rev. Paul Conn, mentioned previously, is accused of molesting
    multiple altar boys under the ages of 14. The Church responded by
    offering counseling to the victims BY OTHER PRIESTS in the 
parish.

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Still Changing... (I don't write these, He 
does!) (Opus 1:
128/23)

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(466)   Wed 10 Aug 88 23:02                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part vii
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:50e7 110ab84a


        The Seattle archdiocese has admitted to a third 
unprosecuted and
    unnammed pedophilic priest now under treatment for his condition.

        I would like to point out that all these victims spent many 
painful
    years trying to correct the problem. They were all stonewalled 
with the
    only success coming after public exposure.


---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Still Changing... (I don't write these, He 
does!) (Opus 1:
128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(467)   Thu 5 May 88  9:52                              
By: Brad Hicks
To: All
Re: MagickNet Echos
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0 2303c362
This message will appear in all of the MagickNet echos.

There has obviously been some misunderstanding, both among sysops 
and among new users, about the MagickNet echos.  For sysops, this 
is unforgiveable, as ALL sysops were required to read and agree to 
MAG-POL.TXT, which outlines the guidelines in great detail.  Users 
who are in doubt are also referred to that document, but let me 
summarize some points that have been ignored or violated recently:

TOPICS OF THE ECHOS:

The topic of all three echos is Neopaganism, Witchcraft, and 
Magick. However, the three echos differ as follows:

  MAGICKNET    - General discussion
  MUNDANE      - Off-topic chatter by participants in MAGICKNET
  METAPHYSICAL - Magazine-article-quality posts

This is the METAPHYSICAL echo.

ACCESS TO THE ECHOS:

This is NOT a backbone or general distribution echo.  It may ONLY 
be distributed locally and even then notification of new nodes MUST 
be sent to the coordinator, myself, at 1:100/523.  Out-of-town 
connections MUST be cleared in advance.  All three echos MUST be 
distributed together.

Finally, sysops are REQUIRED to ensure that only persons who will 
properly use it may post to the Metaphysical echo.  Any mechanism 
which works is fine, but the recommended one is to make it 
read-only and have people upload text files for the sysop to 
convert into messages. Sufficiently high validation will also work. 
 UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should first-time callers be permitted to 
post to Metaphysical.

I hope that this message will clarify things for all of you.  
Systems which violate these guidelines, or any others in 
MAG-POL.TXT, repeatedly will be evicted from the echo.  Thank you 
for your compliance.

                    - Brad Hicks, MagickNet Echo Coordinator

P.S.  I =hate= playing the hard guy, but somebody's got to maintain 
order here.  Please don't make me do this again soon.

--- Sirius 0.50
 * Origin: WeirdBase * St. Louis * 1-314-741-2231 * (Opus 1:100/523)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(468)   Fri 12 Aug 88 18:29                             
By: Brad Hicks
To: All
Re: THE CHURCH OF ALL WORLDS IS LYING (Reposted By Request)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0 2303c364
              THE CHURCH OF ALL WORLDS IS LYING
                 J. Brad "Talespinner" Hicks

[Please distribute this information to all applicable media, as it 
concerns a matter of no small importance to the Pagan/Magickal 
community. - JBH]

The following material has been sent out by Ayisha Homolka of the 
Church of All Worlds.  For the sake of reference (and honesty) I 
quote the xeroxed cover letter and the entire document below:
 _________________________________________________________

 dear friends,

   If this resolution is adopted by any Pagan ecumenical
 conferences/festivals, ect [sic].... or by any
 Pagan/Wiccan organizations/churches that have legal
 status--
 please send confirmation to the following address, so you
 can be added to the list.
      Thanks much
           Blessed Be
                Ayisha Homolka

 Church of All Worlds
 Box 1542
 Ukiah, CA. 95482
 _________________________________________________________

 Resolution to be circulated for adoption by Pagan and
 Craft groups, and subsequently to be issued to the media,
 police, and the Cult Crime Impact Network:

 We, as practitioners of Pagan and Neo-Pagan religions,
 including Wicca (also known as Witchcraft) practise [sic]
 a positive, life-affirming faith that is dedicated towards
 healing, both of ourselves and others, and of the Earth.
 As such, we do not advocate or condone criminal
 activities.  We absolutely condemn the practises [sic] of
 child abuse, sexual abuse, substance abuse, and any other
 abuse that does harm to the bodies, minds or spirits of
 individuals.  We offer prayers and support for the healing
 of the victims of such abuses.  We recognize the divinity
 of Nature in our Mother the Earth, and practise [sic] our
 rites of worship in a manner that is ethical, legal and
 safe.  We will not tolerate slander or libel against our
 churches, clergy, or congregations, and are prepared to
 defend our civil rights with such legal action as we deem
 necessary and appropriate.

 This resolution adopted unanimously at the following Pagan
 ecumenical conferences:

 Ancient Ways
 Heartland Pagan Festival
 Pagan Spirit Gathering

 Approved by the following Pagan and Wiccan organizations:

 Covenant of the Goddess
 Church of All Worlds
 United Wiccan Church
 _________________________________________________________

This document contains AT LEAST one lie that I know of my own 
witness: this resolution was NOT adopted unanimously at the Pagan 
Spirit Gathering.  This resolution was presented there first to the 
Pagan Ministers' Seminar, at which it was agreed that discussion 
would be postponed until the entire resolution had been posted on 
the bulletin board where it could be read at leisure and 
considered.  This never happened.  At the Saturday Village Meeting, 
Ayisha Homolka stood up again, read a document to the crowd, and 
called for a vote.

This was the first time most people there had heard of the 
resolution. It was read out loud once.  Virtually no time was 
permitted for discussion;  only one person got away with speaking 
against it (me), and that only by jumping up and shouting.  Selena 
Fox and Ayisha Homolka did everything possible to ram-rod this 
through as fast as possible, calling for a vote before any real 
debate could occur.  Considering that it had Selena's public 
support and boasted the signature of the Covenant of the Goddess, 
it should come as no particular surprise that it passed.  It passed 
overwhelmingly.  It did =NOT= pass unanimously!

I am not even prepared to testify that the resolution above was the 
document read out loud at the Pagan Spirit Gathering.  I distinctly 
recall at least one sentence that is not there now; perhaps it was 
only in Ayisha's personal remarks but I recall a sentence after 
"... healing of the victims of such abuses" that continued on to 
say that we, the (alleged) signatories would do "everything within 
our power" to assist the police in hunting down the actual 
perpetrators of these crimes.

I objected to that clause, and I objected loudly.  In this, I had 
the backing of Frank Medina, from Wisconsin Governor's Task Force 
on Gang and Occult Crime, who pointed out the futility of swearing 
to hunt down those accused of a crime when there is only the 
flimsiest evidence that the crime even exists!  Now that clause 
appears to be gone.  It is possible that my memory is wrong, since 
I was never permitted to see a written copy until now ... but could 
it be that the Church of All Worlds decided that they could get 
away with claiming "unanimous" support by editing it afterwards to 
accomodate the spoken disagreements?  If so, then they are 
demonstrating a sad lack of understanding of what it means to agree 
to a document!

Even if they were able to somehow rewrite the document to remove 
that particular clause, there is much here that I oppose.  Do not 
make the mistake of thinking that I might ever have voted for 
anything like this document!  I will object to any attempt to let 
the State decide what is and isn't a legitimate part of the Craft!  
Many misguided self-proclaimed "leaders" of the Craft have gone on 
television over and over again to proclaim that the Real Craft 
doesn't do anything illegal. Does that mean that if someone (like 
Z. Budapest) gets arrested for giving tarot readings, these people 
want to throw her to the wolves? The State can point to documents 
like this and say, "See, it obviously isn't part of your religion 
because your own leaders say you're not into anything illegal."  
And then you can say good bye to ALL of the Constitutional freedom 
that we've fought side-by-side for almost three years to preserve.

And of course, reading a document from the group founded by Tim and 
Morning Glory Zell that condemns substance abuse is like hearing 
Jim Bakker denounce people who are rich, or hearing Jimmy Swaggart 
preach against lust.

I have it on very good authority that this document contains at 
least one other direct lie.  Jim Crowley, a member of the board of 
directors of the United Wiccan Church, has assured me that not only 
has the United Wiccan Church not approved this document, but that 
=no meeting has been held to even consider the subject=.  This is a 
total fabrication.

There may be yet a third direct lie in this.  Michael Fix, who was 
at the Heartland Pagan Festival, called this report "absolute 
poppycock." He and his wife (former CAW member Carolyn Clark) 
arrived on Friday evening and he said that nothing of the sort 
happened, to his knowledge.  How can this have been adopted 
=unanimously= at a gathering where two fairly prominent Witches 
from this region never even heard of it?  Was it even =discussed= 
at the Heartland Pagan Festival?  Or is this another whole-cloth 
fabrication?

All I know that as far as this writer is concerned, the credibility 
of Ayisha Homolka and the organization currently using the name 
"Church of All Worlds" has no more credibility left than John W. 
Todd, or any other proven liar.

[Electronic mail replies to this file will be replied to; some 
postal replies will be replied to if a stamped, pre-addressed 
envelope is included and I can make time.  I can be reached via the 
FidoNet at 1:100/523; via UseNet/uucp at 
decvax!noao!asuvax!stjhmc!100!523!Brad_Hicks; via CompuServe at 
[76012,300]; via modem (up to 2400 bps) at 1-314-741-2231; or via 
U.S. Mail to 11215 Sugartrail Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63136.]

--- Sirius 0.50
 * Origin: WeirdBase * St. Louis * 1-314-741-2231 * (Opus 1:100/523)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(469)   Tue 16 Aug 88 12:03                             
By: Farrell Mcgovern
To: Ammond Shadowcraft
Re: Re: Clergy Abuse of Children, part vii
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:292f 11106076

 AS>        The Seattle archdiocese has admitted to a third 
unprosecuted
 AS>and unnammed pedophilic priest now under treatment for his 
condition.
 AS>
 AS>        I would like to point out that all these victims spent
 AS>many  painful  years  trying  to correct the  problem.  They  
were  all
 AS>stonewalled with the only success coming after public exposure.

    If  I  don't post it here, please remind me...Here in Ottawa we 
 had  a
 very  public  case  about  a Father Dale  Crampton  who  would  
take  young altarboys out to a cottage the church owned and 
sexually abuse them. I will have to look up the dates, the 
"newspaper" (if one could call the local rag that,  it being a good 
example of "Disco-Journalism") here is  called  "The Citizen", 
there is a chance that you local libarary might have a  copy/back 
issues since Ottawa is the capital of Canada...The Parish's that he 
 served at  were St. Elisabeth and St. Maurice. He was given a  
suspened  sentance, and  the  Church  has him in "seclusion". But 
please bash me  on  the  head
(metaphorically  speaking)  if  I forget to post  a  transcription  
of  the
 article(s) here.

 ttyl
     Farrell

---
 * Origin: Solsbury Hill:Home of ’ristic Computer Consultants (Opus 
1:163/523)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(470)   Thu 18 Aug 88 21:43                             
By: David Rice
To: All
Re: When Will I Die? Astrology Article
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:3002 1112ad7b
     "Please,  come  in,"  you  say with warmth and a smile,
standing up to greet your client.  This morning you find  it
particularly difficult to smile, what with the rent past due
and the bills piling up. but you manage.  Your prefabricated
smile  turns  genuine  when  your client looks up and smiles
gamely back.  You take her by the elbow and guide her to the
plush vinyl chair.  Taking a seat yourself, you  say  "Thank
you very  much  for coming today.  I've been working on your
chart, and I feel we have much to share this morning."   You
offer her coffee or tea.  She declines.

     You  get  two  sentences  into your carefully rehearsed
allocution before she interrupts.

     "Excuse me, there was something else I wanted  to  talk
about."   You  pause while she looks at her right shoe. "Ah,
I'd like to, ahum," she begins, switching her  gaze  to  the
left  foot,  about where her second toe from the right would
be, as if she could see through the leather.    She  crosses
her arms. "I want to know when I'm going to die."

     You  have  been  asked this question many times before,
and know what to say.  You wait a  moment  to  collect  your
thoughts, and give her your answer.

     What will your answer be?

     "To  Tell  Or  Not  To  Tell?" has long been a favorite
subject for Astrologers who love to argue.  Often  one  will
find  an astrologer who loves to switch sides just to be The
Pain in the Ass at the annual astrology convention.    Other
astrologers,  who have learned to shut up and sit quietly at
parties, will just smile inertly at  you  if  you  ask  this
question, with  a  superior  grin  on their ugly mugs.  This
last mutation is usually the most annoying.

     Still, the debate is a valid one.  One astrologer  will
tell  you  that  to tell a person when she or he will die is
often the catalyst to making it happen.   Another  will  say
that  the  astrologer  has  the responsibility to answer the
client's questions truthfully and  honestly.    And  another
will  argue  that  it  isn't possible to note one's death in
one's chart.  And yet a fourth will choose  any  combination
of these scenarios, based in direct proportion to the amount
of alcohol consumed at the Johndro Award Dinner an hour ago.

     Perhaps  the worse advice I've ever heard an astrologer
tell his client when asked the question "When will  I  die?"
was:  "When  you wish to," then going on to offer unearthly,
immaterial, bodiless, incorporeal, insubstantial, spiritual,
preternatural, "New Age" metaphysical pabulum.   How  inane!
How  utterly,  abysmally worthless advice when one is living
here in the Real World!   Many  astrologers  feel  a  person
chooses  when  to  be  born, die, and every event in between
before the person incarnates.  But your  client  didn't  ask
"What's your opinion on why a person dies?"  Your client has
asked  a  very personal question, the answer which you offer
may be vitally important to her or him.

     Another way of answering this question  is  the  "Judo"
approach.   That  is,  taking  the  energy  embodied  in the
question and deflecting it away from you, thus  freeing  you
from answering.    The  format  of  the answer could be: "We
can't see death in a chart.  That's strictly Hollywood-movie
astrology," and continuing with the session.  Or perhaps "My
teacher doesn't believe it's possible, so we  never  discuss
it."

     There  are  many  schools  of astrology that teach that
one's death is very  much  possible  to  discover  in  one's
chart.   Indian  astrologers using the Novian chart look for
death of the native out of hand: If they didn't, the  client
would  look  elsewhere  for  an astrologer (their most asked
question is "When will my children  be  born,"  followed  by
"When will I die."  See Warren Murphy's "Indian Astrology").

     And  then  there is the view that one's chart will only
show the deaths of  those  around  one  (parents,  siblings,
friends).   Using  this train of thought, the astrologer can
answer the question "When will  I  die?"  by  examining  the
charts of those around the client.  I feel this is valid, as
I've  seen  charts  of  widows  who  had  "dying" issues and
adjustment concerns in their charts at  the  time  of  their
husbands  deaths,  but  their  husbands charts often showing
little more than periods of leisure and learning!  [Since  I
feel  that  Jupiter  will  trigger my own death, I find that
Jupiter triggers the deaths of those charts I  examine.    A
classic case of drawing like charts to oneself.]

     Or,  if you prefer using just the client's radix, there
are many astrologers who put in the Part of Death,  Part  of
Suicide,  Part  of  Poison,  Part  of  Peril,  and  Part  of
Misfortune in the chart.  Directing these to the angles, the
argument goes, times those periods when the client  must  be
on guard  for mayhem, adversity, and tragedy.  I enjoy using
the Uranian Placement Hades, as he  worsen  every  thing  he
touches [personal observation- for medical astrologers, please
look over the Uranians: They were postulated in the trenches
of World War I, and are excellent for personal mishaps].

     Given  the  belief  that the astrologer can determine a
client's death, should the astrologer tell the client?  That
depends on how much responsibility the astrologer wishes  to
take upon  herself / himself.  Putting aside such thought of
incurring "bad Karma" at causing the client to  bring  about
her  /  his own death, think about the possibility that you,
the astrologer, could be wrong!

     A scenario: The client is 35 years old, and, though you
don't know it, will live to be a ripe old 70.  He  comes  to
you  and asks the question "When, kind sir, will I die?" and
being the hard working, much experienced astrologer that you
are, you say back to him  "Well,  now.    You'll  drop  dead
January 17, 1992.    That gives you another 7 years.  You'll
die at age 56.  Was their anything  else?"    For  the  next
seven  years, below conscious thought, the client is getting
ready to die.  When January rolls around  he  will  1)  Drop
dead,  or 2) Get Horribly sick and almost die, 3) Send you a
post card saying "Ha, ha, ha, fooled you!",  or  perhaps  4)
Kill YOU out of general principles.

     Suppose it  was  number  1?  You told him to die and he
did.  Is that the reason you've worked so hard to  determine
one's death?   This extreme case could be considered murder.
Why not be a liar and just say "You'll live to be 110,"  and
let the client die at 70?  That way the client is not around
to demand his money back, and your ass is covered.

     Well,  OK. You don't wish to lie to your clients, and I
hope you don't.  Here's what * I * would do, as  I  find  it
works.   Make  a  list  of  no less that 20 periods when the
client should be extra careful.    Include  the  period  you
believe the  client  will  die.    Then throw in five or six
"easy" periods as well.  Tell the client  that  these  dates
are those  she or he should watch out for her / himself.  Be
damn sure you include time periods beyond a reasonable  time
that  one  may  expect to live (that is, list a time span or
two where the client is 110 or 120 years old).  It  is  very
important  to ask the client to call you back (or visit you)
after these periods and get her / his input  on  how  things
are going.

     "But,"  you  say, and rightly so, "that could cause the
client to have hardship she or he may not have been  'meant'
to have!"  Being forewarned, I reply, is better than getting
one's teeth kicked in.  Make a list of safety practices, and
list  the  periods  extra  care must be taken on top of this
list.

     ". . .  You wait a moment to collect your thoughts, and
give her your answer."

     "The best I can do," you truthfully say,  "is  to  give
you periods  where  you  must be extra careful.  I feel, and
past experience has born me out, that  one  may  step  aside
when harm approaches.  This is a list of precautions I would
like you to take."  You hand over a list, keeping a copy for
yourself. "At the top," you continue, "is things I think you
must do  a  few  weeks before these periods.  Make sure your
car's breaks are in order, have  a  doctor  look  you  over,
etc."   You  pause. "The second part of this list are things
to do during these time spans.  Always  wear  a  seat  belt,
take extra  care in the bathroom, etc."  You quickly go over
the list, and make sure the client understand.

     Be sure the client knows that she or he may  bring  the
subject  of  death  up  again at any time in the future, and
continue the session.

     You close the door after showing your client out.   The
familiar  warmth  inside comes to you, as it does after many
successful sessions.  Such potential in that chart, in  your
client!   What  a  horrible  disservice, you think, it would
have been to answer her question "When will I die?"  with  a
number and a date.


---
 * Origin: Astro-Net 714 662-2294 Not For Pagans Only! (Opus 
1:103/503)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(471)   Sat 13 Aug 88 22:17                             
By: Edd Cates
To: All
Re: Welcome to Metaphysical
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:8d04 b220110d

ATTENTION:  If you are new to the MagickNet echos, please read this 
entire
message before proceding.

SYSOPS:  If you are using ConfMail or another echomail processor 
which
allows you to skip messages at the beginning of an echo (perhaps by
adjusting the date of this message to something outrageously far in 
the
future), let me encourage you to make this message #2 in all three 
of the
MagickNet echos.  If you need help figuring out how to do that, 
drop a net-
mail message to any of the hubs.


MAG-POL.TXT version 1.0                Effective Date: 01 Mar 88

                       Introduction to the
                NEOPAGANISM, WITCHCRAFT AND MAGICK
                     Echo Conference Network

1.  Overview
In November of 1985, Senator Jesse Helms and Representative Robert 
Walker
each introduced legislation that would have prohibited tax-exempt 
status
for any church or religious organization that practiced "sorcery" 
or "had a
substantial interest ... in the promotion of witchcraft."

The affect that these bills had on the magickal community was 
electrifying.
Groups and traditions that otherwise hated or distrusted each other 
banded
together into one large network, bound together by the telephone 
and by
U.S. Mail, to block their passage.  It took over a year, but 
finally both
bills were dead. They seem unlikely to return soon.

In early 1986, a programmer named Jeff Rush wrote a FidoNet extension
called EchoMail.  It electrified and revolutionized the FidoNet 
community
every bit as much as the Helms Amendment and Walker Bill did the 
magickal
community.

In the very earliest days of EchoMail, Brad Hicks, sysop of 
WeirdBase, a
Discordio-Pagan bulletin board on the FidoNet in St. Louis, Missouri
(1:100/523) came up with the idea of finding every possible Pagan and
magickal contact person who could dial into the FidoNet, and 
connect them
all together, ideally via an EchoMail conference.  So he advertised 
quietly
for such people in several articles in FidoNews.
Initially, three other systems replied.  In Berkeley, California, 
Josh
Gordon was operating a bulletin board for the Ordo Templar Orientis 
called
ThelemNet (125/93 then, 1:161/93 now).  In Gardner, Massachusetts, 
a local
astrologer named MizMoon had a horoscope area on Dave's Fido 
(1:101/27).
And on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, a hippy named Gene Clayton 
replied
that he didn't know much about the subject but surely was interested.

 <Continued In Next Message>
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: Dragon's Bane(1st QuickBBS/Netmail - 
Evansville)812-428-4985 (1:11/21

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(472)   Sat 13 Aug 88 22:21                             
By: Edd Cates
To: All
Re: Welcome to Metaphysical (Continued)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:8d04 b2a0110d

From these four systems was formed the very first EchoMail 
conference set
up to discuss a specific, non-technical subject: the MAGICK EchoMail
Conference.  In its first month, it garnered only a few dozen 
messages.  It
has since grown beyond belief, to 40 or more systems and dozens of
messages per night.  To accomodate the increase in traffic (and the
continuous stream of the new and curious), the Neopaganism, Withcraft
and Magick conference was separated into its three current components
(MAGICKNET, METAPHYSICAL, and MUNDANE) in March of 1988, almost 
exactly
two years after it was founded.


2.  Content of the Neopaganism, Witchcraft and Magick Conferences


2.1  MAGICKNET...... Neopaganism, Witchcraft & Magick

This remains the normal Neopaganism, Witchcraft & Magick echo. 
Newcomers
and the casually curious are welcome.  As an aid to such folks, we 
will
compile a few messages' worth of standard questions and answers 
which will
be automatically re-posted to the echo every month. However, 
discussions of
only marginal relevance to the topic(s) will be strongly encouraged 
to move
to MUNDANE.


2.2  METAPHYSICAL... Neopaganism, Witchcraft & Magick (formal)

This portion of the echo is intended to encourage members of the 
magickal
community to discuss points in common and points of difference in 
detail;
to promote scholarship and depth of thought in the magickal 
community. Only
serious discussions are permitted here;  casual questions and 
discussions
should be moved to MAGICKNET, and discussions of marginal relevence 
should
be moved to MUNDANE.


2.3  MUNDANE........ Neopaganism, Witchcraft & Magick (chatter)

Many members of the original Magick echo derived great pleasure and
satisfaction from being able to discuss mundane and political 
matters with
other members of the magickal community.  Unfortunately, left 
unchecked
such discussions can tend to crowd serious magickal discussions.  
To allow
both types of dialog to exist side-by-side, the MUNDANE echo was 
formed.
If a discussion starts in either the MAGICKNET or the METAPHYSICAL 
echo
that is irrelevant to their topics, the parties to that discussion 
will be
=strongly= encouraged to move the discussion over to MUNDANE (if not
completely away from the Neopaganism, Witchcraft and Magick 
Conference).

This should not be confused with a wide-open general chatter echo.  
While
the topics may range freely, only members of the magickal community 
or
those with interests in magickal topics are encouraged to post here.

<Continued In Next Message>
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: Dragon's Bane(1st QuickBBS/Netmail - 
Evansville)812-428-4985 (1:11/21

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(473)   Sat 13 Aug 88 22:23                             
By: Edd Cates
To: All
Re: Welcome to Metaphysical (Continued)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:8d04 b2e0110d

3.  Rules of the Neopaganism, Witchcraft & Magick Conference


3.1  Nodes Required to Provide All Three Echos

All systems which distribute this conference or make it available 
to the
public are required to carry all three echos.  Mail-only and/or point
systems which do not distribute the Neopaganism, Witchcraft and 
Magick
conferences or make them publically available are exempted from 
this rule
but are strongly encouraged to carry all three echos in order to be 
able to
follow discussions which are moved to other tracks.


3.2  Notify Coordinator of Local Distribution

Any system carrying all of the MagickNet echos may further 
distribute them
to any private or FidoNet node within their local calling area.  
However,
they are required to notify the coordinator of this hookup at once, 
and to
distribute to that node or point the current version of this 
document.


3.3  Request Permission for Non-Local Distribution

No system except the main hubs (1:100/523, 1:161/93, 1:282/341) may
distribute all or part of the MagickNet echos to a node or point 
outside
their local calling area without first securing permission from the
coordinator.  (The other two hubs may do so, but should notify the
coordinator soon as possible.)


3.4  No Illegal Messages

No message which is blatantly illegal in content shall be entered 
into the
MagickNet echos.  The only exception will be for messages regarding
legitimate religious practices or beliefs which are or may be made 
illegal,
in violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and 
the U.N.
Statement on Human Rights.


3.5  No Harrassing Messages

No message which is intended to harrass someone because of their 
religious
beliefs, or to convert them to another religion, shall be entered 
into any
of the MagickNet echos.  No exceptions will be made to this rule, 
even in
the MUNDANE echo.


3.6  No Irrelevant Messages

No message which is irrelevant to the topics of Neopaganism, 
Witchcraft,
and Magick shall be entered into MAGICKNET or into METAPHYSICAL.  
For this
rule, a warning will be issued, and in general the conversation 
will be
permitted to continue in the MUNDANE echo.

<Continued In Next Message>
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: Dragon's Bane(1st QuickBBS/Netmail - 
Evansville)812-428-4985 (1:11/21

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(474)   Sat 13 Aug 88 22:28                             
By: Edd Cates
To: All
Re: Welcome to Metaphysical (Continued - Final)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:8d04 b380110d

3.7  No Personal Insults

No message which contains unnecessary profanity or personal insults 
shall
be entered into any of the MagickNet echos.  Only one warning will be
issued to any violator.  (If you wish to continue to insult each 
other,
please use personal FidoNet mail.) This includes messages in the 
MUNDANE
echo.


4.  Enforcement

If a user of any bulletin board system or point operator under a 
Fidonet
node naively violates one of these rules, it is the responsibility 
of the
local sysop to take whatever action is necessary to prevent it from
happening again.  In the event the local sysop is unaware of the 
violation,
the coordinator will notify him or her.

If the sysop of the local node does NOT take such action, or is the 
person
responsible for the violation, then the coordinator will request that
system to leave the MagickNet echos at once. If it does not, then 
the co-
ordinator will request the system by which it is linked into the 
MagickNet
echos that they cease to deliver messages to or accept messages 
from that
system, and it will be forcibly exiled from the echos. Anyone who 
knowingly
provides a "feed" to a sysop who has been exiled from the MagickNet 
echos
will suffer a like fate. Likewise, if the exiled system's feed 
refuses
to cut the link, the link above the feed will be cut - as high up 
as is
necessary to successfully exile the offending node.

In all but the most obvious and gross of cases, the coordinator 
will seek a
consensus, or at least an overwhelming majority, of the sysops and
contributing users in the MagickNet echos before taking drastic 
action.

If this seems harsh, it needs to be pointed out that the until and 
unless
the International FidoNet Association and/or the FidoNet Coordinators
change the rules, this is the ONLY means available to keep order 
within an
echo conference.


5.  The Coordinator

From its earliest beginnings, the Magick Conference has been 
coordinated
and moderated by Brad Hicks from his BBS, WeirdBase at 1:100/523
(314-741-2231).  As of this date, Brad still coordinates all three 
echos,
although this may be subject to change in the future.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: Dragon's Bane(1st QuickBBS/Netmail - 
Evansville)812-428-4985 (1:11/21

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(475)   Sat 20 Aug 88 18:51                             
By: Anne Niven
To: All
Re: animal allies
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:e6c5 1114967d
 To: MagicEcho Users From: Anne Newkirk Niven Re: This Article

 This article will be appearing soon in SageWoman Magazine,  and  I 
wanted  to  share it with y'all on the MagicEcho.  Hope  that  you 
enjoy  it and that Metaphysical was the correct place to  put  it. 
Blessed Insect, Anne


                      Power from the Earth:
                 My Experience with Animal Allies


     The  first  animal ally to make himself known to me  was  the
 unicorn. As it happened, I was a child when Galadrial arrived, and 
had  no  experience which could give me an  understanding  of  the 
being who kept me company on my long,  lonely walks back and forth 
to  school.  Especially since my companion wasn't visible.  But  I 
knew,  even then (I must have been about 10 or 11) several things: 
that  Galadrial  was real,  that he was my  friend,  and  that  my 
relationship  with him was a special one that not a lot of  people 
would understand. I was an archetypal bookworm in those days, from 
a very stress-filled home,  and an incurable romantic.  And I  was 
horse-crazy.  (Like a great many girls my age.) As I look back, it 
seems little wonder that the being who took a friendly interest in 
me, gave me encouragement and love, and a sense of personal worth, 
chose to show himself as a unicorn.

     It was not until many years later, in my mid-twenties, that I
 first  heard  about totems or power-animals or animal  allies.  By 
then  I was in my first year of a Master's program at a  Bay  Area 
Christian  seminary,  taking  a  class  from  a  wonderful  United 
Methodist shaman. (I don't think "shaman" is title she uses in her 
professional life as a lay minister in the church.  But, as far as 
I'm concerned,  the title fits.) Somehow, my class project came to 
be that of finding my animal totems. Somehow, I never doubted that 
I  had  animal allies - I just didn't consciously  know  who  they 
were.

     The process of discovering my animal allies took many  weeks.
 During  the process of meeting each ally,  I spent a good deal  of 
time getting to know them. In each case, I had a plaster life cast 
of my face made while comming with my ally.  I listened to  music, 
used  incense  and scented oils,  and generally tried  to  immerse 
myself  in  the essence of the ally.  Once the mask  was  done,  I 
further molded, painted and formed the mask into a likeness of the 
animal  - so that I now have masks which I can wear which  fit  my 
face on the inside, and reflect my allies on the outside.

---
 * Origin: PostBoard- Your source for quality printing on RECYCLED 
papers. (Opus
 1:125/77)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(476)   Sat 20 Aug 88 18:52                             
By: Anne Niven
To: All
Re: animals, contiued (2 of 5)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:e6c5 1114969d
 One  good example of an initial meeting with an ally was  the time 
I recognized the Hawk of the East. One good example was how I 
recognized  the  Hawk of the East.(Certain of my allies  are  more 
private  than  others,  and  do  not  wish  their  personal  names 
published.  As  with  any  valued friend who  might  make  such  a 
request,  I am honoring this one.)  He came to me as I was waiting 
for a streetcar in San Francisco,  out by Ocean Beach. One moment, 
I  was searching the East for my guardian there;  the next I  felt 
his wings overshadow my soul, and his name was ringing in my ears. 
The Hawk's power is awesome, fierce, and directed. It is the power 
of thought;  undisturbed by emotion,  will, or physical concerns - 
like  the  light of a laser or the blade of a  sharp  knife.  Hawk 
rules the East,  the realm of the mind, the element of Air and the 
dawning glory of morning. When I cannot think clearly, I call upon 
him, and his advice is always right to the point. He is also a bit 
cynical and predatory - but nobody can see farther or fly higher.


     Firecat  was the next ally to make herself known to  me,  and
 she remains one of my strongest allies.  Her power can rip through 
my  life  in  unpredictable ways,  yet she  is  my  most  powerful 
physical protector. Her form is that of a leopard, with fiery eyes 
and  razor  sharp claws.  Hers is the power of the  will,  of  the 
inborn desire to survive, to master any circumstance. When I lived 
in Berkeley and had to walk at night in neighborhoods where I  did 
not feel safe, I called on all my allies - but Firecat was the one 
whose  prowling presence most strengthened my courage.  She  rules 
the South, the realm of passion and will, the element of Fire, and 
the burning heat of noontime.

     Deepwave  and Greatsong are whales.  What more can I  say?  A
 mated  pair,  deeply in love with each other and with  the  entire 
planet, their watery passion swirls through my life like the tides 
of  the ocean in which they make their home.  Presiding  over  the 
West,  the  realm of emotion,  the element of water and  the  long 
hours  of afternoon and sunset,  their presence helps me  to  live 
with  my  emotions  rather than be overcome  by  them.  I  have  a 
tendency  to ride my feelings like a rollercoaster - but  Deepwave 
and  Greatsong  help  me to experience a sense of  joy  and  peace 
underlying the waves of emotion.

---
 * Origin: PostBoard- Your source for quality printing on RECYCLED 
papers. (Opus
 1:125/77)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(477)   Sat 20 Aug 88 18:54                             
By: Anne Niven
To: All
Re: animals, continued (3 of 5)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:e6c5 111496c3
 She  Who Roars rules the North,  the element  of  Earth,  the 
realm  of  the  physical,  and the time  of  midnight.  In  a  way 
unlike any of the others,  She is the Goddess in my life. The best 
way for me to describe my reaction to Her is awe.  It is rare  for 
me to call upon her, perhaps because I am still afraid of her, for 
her presence makes clear to me that I will someday  die.  Yet,  at 
certain times, it is only She who can comfort me. Her form is that 
of a great She-Bear;  and while I hesitate to approach her immense 
body, powerful claws and threatening teeth, I find when I lay down 
in  her embrace that she is the most tender and loving of  all  my 
guardians.  I devoutly hope that when I approach Her for the  last 
time  in  this  life,   I  will  be  granted  the  opportunity  to 
consciously give myself into her care.

     Always  the  outsider,   Shadowsinger  the  Wolf  prowls  the
 perimeter of my being.  She dwells primarily in the underworld  of 
dream,  fantasy  and  nightmare,  where  she roams  as  a  sentry, 
offering  early  warnings when there is danger to me  or  those  I 
love.  She is of no one element, direction, or time - but her dark 
and beautiful presence is a part of all of them.

     The  center  of my circle of allies is held by  the  Unicorn,
 whose name has changed since I first met him.  Filled with a clear 
light  that includes the darkness and colors of the other  allies, 
he  stands  at the center of my psyche  like  a  large,  brilliant 
crystal, concentrating and balancing their energies, helping me to 
maintain  my  balance  and  centeredness  among  all  the  varying 
influences on my life.

    My most recently discovered ally is very timid.  This one (who
 changes  gender from time to time) is a small animal,  whose  only 
defense against predators is to run away and hide.  I was  unaware 
of  this  deeply  hidden ally until a vision journey  in  which  I 
prepared  to face that part of myself which most deeply  terrified 
me.  I sat calmly,  waiting for some terrible beast,  an  enormous 
monster  - and out into the middle of the sacred circle  hopped  a 
tiny baby rabbit.  I was very surprised.  I couldn't believe  that 
this little,  nameless one was my shadow ally, the one whom I most 
greatly feared.

     But then the depth of its fear struck me. Having called on my
 other  allies  to  protect me,  I was at the center  of  a  circle 
surrounded  by  fierce beasts  - a sharp-taloned  hawk,  a  hungry 
leopard,  enormous whales,  a great she-bear, a prowling, circling 
wolf.  No wonder my rabbit ally was terrified!  It struck me then, 
how very frightened I was of being small,  helpless,  and alone  - 
just like a tiny baby rabbit.

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(478)   Sat 20 Aug 88 18:55                             
By: Anne Niven
To: All
Re: animals continued (4 of 5)
St: 
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@EID:e6c5 111496e4
 The   unicorn  was  nowhere  in  sight  -   having   abruptly 
disappeared when the rabbit arrived.  This struck me as odd at the 
time,  but I didn't understand the significance of this fact until 
writing  this  account.  The Unicorn is the center  of  power  and 
energy in my center - but hidden beneath that gleaming light is my 
deepest,  smallest  self,  the one who fears being  abandoned  and 
helpless  and powerless.   The two are intrinsicly the  same,  two 
faces of the one Being at my center.

     As I cradled my shadow self, still quivering with fear in the
 center  of the circle,  I had an idea.  Carefully,  I carried  the 
rabbit over to the East,  where the Hawk sat,  watching intensely. 
Then,  drawing my hands over her body,  I cast a glamour upon  the 
tiny rabbit so that, to the hawk, it appeared that a baby hawk lay 
before  him.  Immedietely,  his  eyes lit up and  he  covered  the 
fledgling with his wings,  welcoming her to the circle. Around the 
circle I went,  letting each of my allies welcome and nurture  the 
tiny,  frightened one as their own child.  When I was finished,  I 
held her in her own form as I dissolved the circle and bid each of 
my allies farewell.  Finally, the tiny rabbit hopped back into the 
shadows from which she had appeared, and the vision was ended.

      It may be obvious by now that I experience my animal  allies
 as actual beings.  I also understand  them to be the embodiment or 
personification  of  different  aspects  of  my  Self.  These  two 
different  understandings of their nature are  not  contradictory, 
but complementary,  similar to my understanding of the Goddess and 
God.  They are part of us - and we are part of them. So, too, with 
animal allies.  Whether I view them as aspects of my psyche or  as 
beings  whose  reality is different than mine,  I  treat  them  as 
respected elders.

     There  are  several  ways in which I  experience  my  allies.
 First,  at times, they act as if they were physically present. For 
example,  when I'm walking alone (perhaps in an unfamiliar  place) 
and feel in need of protection,  I call my allies to my aid.  They 
appear,  each from their own direction,  consult with me, and then 
fan out as scouts or guardians to protect me from whatever  danger 
may be lurking in their direction.  Although I never see them with 
my  five  senses,  their  presence is very apparent  to  me  as  a 
physical  one,  if  not  entirely  on  this  plane  of  existence; 
surrounded by the Hawk,  Firecat,  the Whales, and Bear, with Wolf 
prowling the perimeter and the Unicorn (and Rabbit) at my  center, 
I  feel much more protected and able to move ahead.  (I might  add 
that  my  five  senses seem somewhat  heightened  with  my  allies 
present,  and I have never yet been harmed in any way while  under 
their protection.)

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(479)   Sat 20 Aug 88 19:05                             
By: Anne Niven
To: All
Re: animals, final (5 of 5)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:e6c5 111498a4

 The  second way I experience my allies is when  one  of  them
 inhabits my physical body for a short period of time.  This occurs 
with  my  consent,  in  a kind of exhilerated  or  altered  state, 
usually brought on by drumming and dancing.  Occasionally,  it can 
have unexpected results.  I remember one time at a reggae dance in 
a  club,   when  I  allowed  Firecat  to  take  over  during   one 
particularly powerful song.  When the song ended,  She didn't want 
to leave - she wanted to dance some more!  My body,  however,  was 
exhausted,  and  I had quite an internal struggle.  When my  lover 
intervened,  and  took me outside for some air,  I bit  him.  (Not 
hard,  fortunately!) That was the last straw,  and I rather firmly 
banished Firecat for the remainder of the evening.  These sorts of 
experiences are rare,  but powerful;  I still remember that  dance 
with  excitment,  even  if  I  feel a  bit  chargrined  about  the 
aftermath!

     I  also experience the presence of my allies when I am  on  a
 vision  journey  or  dream quest.  At times  they  act  simply  as 
guardians,  as I described in my account of my first meeting  with 
my rabbit ally.  At other times, they allow me to take their shape 
while  on  a  vision journey;  as the time when I  flew  over  San 
Francisco in the Hawk's form.

     Finally,  there are times when my allies seem to be  internal
 beings,  reflecting  different  aspects  of my Self  with  whom  I 
consult when making decisions or am in need of advice. Whom I call 
upon depends on the circumstances and my moods - for example, when 
overwhelmed  with emotions I often ask Greatwave and Deepsong  for 
help  -  but if I am trying to make a rational decision  and  feel 
panicked,  the Hawk of the East usually comes to my aid. And so it 
goes  - different allies filling different functions,  but each  a 
respected  and  honored companion - even friend.

     I feel closer to some allies than others at different  times;
 and  there are times when some of them even go away for a while  - 
but,  like  true friends,  we always seem to get  together  again. 
I've  read  in some books on Shamanism that it's not  possible  to 
have  more than one ally at a time,  or that one  must  constantly 
guard  against  losing  one's allies;  but  this  hasn't  been  my 
experience.  I  feel  very  fortunate to have  met  these  special 
beings,  who have taught me so much about myself and this  planet, 
and I hope that my introduction of them to a wider group of people 
will  help  spread  the blessings they have brought  to  my  life.


---
 * Origin: PostBoard- Your source for quality printing on RECYCLED 
papers. (Opus
 1:125/77)

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(480)   Mon 22 Aug 88 18:46                             
By: Rowan Moonstone
To: All
Re: Halloween pamphlet
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:524a 111695cf
                          The Origins of Halloween
    In recent years, I have seen a number of pamphlets put out by 
various Christian organizations dealing with the origins of modern 
day Halloween customs. Being a Witch myself, and a student of the 
ancient Celts, from whom we get this holiday, I have found these 
pamphlets woefully inaccurate and poorly researched. In an effort 
to correct some of this erroneous information, I have spent several 
months researching the religious life of the ancient Celtic peoples 
and the survivals of that religious life in modern day times. 
Listed below are some of the most commonly asked questions 
concerning the origins and customs of Halloween. Following the 
questions is a lengthy bibliography where the curious reader can go 
to learn more about this holiday than space in this small pamphlet 
permits.
 1. Where does Halloween come from?
      Our modern celebration of Halloween is a descendent of the 
ancient Celtic fire festival called "Samhain". The word is 
pronounced sow in, with "sow" rhyming with cow.
 2. What does "Samhain" mean?
      The Irish English dictionary published by the Irish Texts 
Society defines the word as follows :" Samhain, All Hallowtide, the 
feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the 
close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting 
till May, during which troops( esp. the Fiann) were quartered. 
Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From 
it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne( Snow 
Goddess)(1) . The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as 
"Hallowtide. The Feast of All So.Sam+Fuin=
 end of summer."(2) Contrary to the information published by many 
organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to 
indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were 
Gwynn ap Nudd for the British, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish 
did not have a "lord of death" as such.
  3. Why was the end of summer of significance to the Celts?
     The Celts were a pastoral people as opposed to an agricultural 
people. The end of summer was significant to them because it meant 
the time of year when the structure of their lives changed 
radically. The cattle were brought down from the summer pastures in 
the hills and the people were gathered into the houses for the long 
winter nights of storytelling and handicrafts.
 4. What does it have to do with a festival of the dead?
    The Celts believed that when people died, they went to a land 
of eternal youth and happiness called Tir nan Og. They did not have 
the concept of heaven and hell that the Christian church later 
brought into the land. The dead were sometimes believed to be 
dwelling with the Fairy Folk, who lived in the numerous mounds or 
sidhe( pron. "shee") that dotted the Irish and Scottish 
countryside. Samhain was the new year  to the Celts. In the Celtic 
belief system, turning points, such as the time between one day and 
the next, the meeting of sea and shore, or the turning of one year 
into the next were seen as magickal times. The turning of the year 
was the most potent of these times. This was the time when the 
"veil between the worlds" was at its thinnest, and the living could 
communicate with their beloved dead in Tir nan Og.
 5. What about the aspects of "evil" that we associate with the 
night today?
     The Celts did not have demons and devils in their belief 
system. The fairies , however, were often considered hostile and 
dangerous to humans because they were seen as being resentful of 
men taking over their lands. On this night, they would sometimes 
trick humans into becoming lost in the fairy mounds, where they 
would be trapped forever. After the coming of the Christians to the 
Celtic lands, certain of the folk saw the fairies as those angels 
who had sided neither with Gor or with Lucifer in

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(481)   Mon 22 Aug 88 19:01                             
By: Rowan Moonstone
To: All
Re: Halloween, pt. 2
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:524a 11169836
 their dispute, and thus, were condemned to walk the earth until 
judgment day.(3)
   In addition to the fairies, many humans were abroad on this 
night, causing mischief. since this night belonged neither to one 
year or the other, Celtic folk believed that chaos reigned and the 
people would engage in "horseplay and practical jokes"(4)This 
served also as a final outlet for high spirits before the gloom of 
winter set in.
 6. What about "trick or treat"?
     During the course of these hijinks, many of the people would 
imitate the fairies and go from house to house begging for treats. 
Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical 
jokes being visited on the owner of the house. Since the fairies 
were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was 
frequently left for them on the steps of the house, so the 
homeowner could gain the blessings of the "good folk" for the 
coming year. Many of th households would also leave out a "dumb 
supper" for the spirits of the departed(5) The folks who were 
abroad in the night imitating the fairies would sometimes carry 
turnips carved to represent faces. This is the origin of our modern 
Jack-o-lantern.
 7. Was this also a religious festival?
    Yes. Celtic religion was very closely tied to the Earth. Their 
great legends are concerned with momentous happenings which took 
place around the time of Samhain. many of the great battles and 
legends of kings and heroes center on this night. Many of the 
legends concern the promotion of fertility of the earth and the 
insurance of the continuance of the lives of the people through the 
dark winter season.
 8. How was the religious festival observed?
    Unfortunately, we know very little about that. W.G. 
Wood-Martin, in his book"Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland" 
states,"There is comparitively little trace of the religion of the 
Druids now discoverable , saye in the folklore of the peasantry, 
and the references relative to it that occur in ancient and 
authentic Irish manuscripts are, as far as present appearances go, 
meagre and insufficient to support anything like a sound theory for 
full development of the ancient religion."(6)The Druids were the 
priests of the Celtic peoples. They passed on their teachings by 
oral tradition instead of committing them to writing, so when they 
perished, most of their religious teachings were lost. we DO kn ow 
that this festival was characterized as one of the four great "Fire 
Festivals" of the Celts. Legends tell us that on this night, all 
the hearth fires in Ireland were extinguished, and then re-lit from 
the central fire of the Druids at Tlachtga, 12 miles from the royal 
hill of Tara. This fire was kindled from 'need fire" which had been 
generated by the friction of rubbing two sticks together as opposed 
to more conventional methods common in those days. (7) The 
extinguishing of the fires symbolized the "dark half" of the year, 
and the re-kindling from the Druidic fires was symbolic of the 
returning life hoped for, and brought about through the 
ministrations of the priesthood.
 9. What about sacrifices?
     Animals were certainly killed at this time of year. This was 
the time to "cull" from the herds those animals which were not 
desired for breeding purposes for the next year. Most certainly, 
some of these would have been done in a ritualistic manner for the 
use of the priesthood.


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(482)   Mon 22 Aug 88 19:15                             
By: Rowan Moonstone
To: All
Re: Halloween, pt. 3
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:524a 111699e3
 10. Were humans sacrificed?
     Scholars are sharply divided on this account, with about hald 
believing that it took place and half doubting its veracity. Caesar 
and Tac itus ceratinly tell tales of the human sacrifices of the 
Celts, but Nora Chadwick points out in her book" The Celts" that"it 
is not without interest that the Romans themselves had abolished 
human sacrifices not long before Caesar's time, and references to 
the practice among various barbarian peoples have certain overtones 
of self righteousness. There is little direct archaeological 
evidcence relevant to Celtic sacrifice."(8)
 Indeed, there is little reference to this practice in Celtic 
literature either. The only surviving story echoes the story of the 
Minotaur in Greek legend. The Fomorians, a race of evil giants said 
to inhabit portions of Ireland before the coming of the Tuatha de 
Danaan, or 'people of the Goddess Danu", demanded the sacrifice of 
2/3 of the corn, milk, and first born children of the Fir Bolg, or 
human inhabitants of Ireland. The  De Danaan ended this practice in 
the second battle of Moy Tura, which incidentally took place on 
Samhain.
 11. What other practices were associated with this season?
     Folk tradition tells us  of many divination practices 
associated with Samhain. Among tyhe most common were divinations 
dealing with marriage, weather, and teh coming fortunes for the 
year. lThese were performed via such methods as ducking for apples, 
and apple peeling. lDucking for apples was a marriage divination. 
The first person to bite an apple would be the first to marry in 
the coming year. apple peeling was a divination to see how long 
your life would be. The longer the umbroken apple peel, the longer 
your life was destined to be.(9) In Scotland, people would place 
stones in the ashes of the hearth before retiring for the night. 
Anyone whose stone had been disturbed during the night was said to 
be destined to die during the coming year.
 12. How did these ancient Celtic practices come to America?
   When the potatoe crop in Ireland failed, many of the Irish 
people , modern day descendents of the Celts, immigrated to 
america, bringing with them their folk practices, which are the 
remnants of the Celtic festival observances.
 13.We in America view this as a harvest festival. Did the Celts 
also view it as such?
     Yes. The Celts had 3 harvests. Aug 1, or Lammas, was the first 
harvest, when the first fruits were offered to the Gods in thanks. 
The Fall equinox was the true harvest. This was when the bulk of 
the crops would be brought in. Samhain was the final harvest of the 
year. Anything left on the vines or in the fields after this date 
was considered blasted by the fairies, or pu'ka, and unfit for 
human consumption.
 14.Does anyone today celebrate Samhain as a religious observance?
    Yes. many followers of various pagan religions, such as Druids 
and Wiccans observe this day as a religious festival. They view it 
as a memorial day for their dead friends and
 does the national holiday of Memorial Day in May.It is still a 
night to practice various forms of divination concerning future 
events. Also, it is considered a time to wrap up old projects, take 
stock of ones life, and initiate new projects for the coming year. 
As the winter season is approaching, it is a good time to do 
studying on research projects and also a goot time to begin hand 
work such as sewing, leather working, woodworking, etc. for Yule 
gifts later in the year.


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(483)   Mon 22 Aug 88 19:28                             
By: Rowan Moonstone
To: All
Re: Halloween, conclusion
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:524a 11169b89
 15. Does this involve human or animal sacrifice?
    Absolutely NOT! Hollywood to the contraty, bolld sacrific is 
not practiced by modern day followers of Wicca or Druidism. There 
may be some people who THINK they are practicing Wicca by 
performing blood sacrifices, but this is NOT condoned by reputable 
practitioners of the modern day Neo Pagan religions.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-
                     FOOTNOTES
 (1) Rev. Patrick Dineen," An Irish English Dictionary"(Dublin,     
   1927),p937
 (2)Malcolm MacLennan,"A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionaty 
oif the Gaelic Language"(Aberdeen, 1979),p279
 (3)W.G. Wood-Martin,"Traces of the Elder Faiths of I
 Port Washington, 1902, p5.
 (4)Kevin Danaher,"The Year in Irela",(Cork,1972),p.214
 (5)Alwyn& Brinley Rees,"Celtic Heritage"(New York,1961),p90
 (6)Wood-Martin,p249
 (7)Rees& Rees,p90
 (8) Nora Chadwick,"The Celts"(Harmondsworth,1982),p151
 (9)Madeleine Pelner Cosman,"Medieval Holidays and Festivals,"(New 
York,
 1981),p.81
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
                    BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Bord, Janet & Colin,"The Secret Country", London:Paladin Books, 1978
 Chadwick, Nora,"The Celts", Harmondsworth:Penguin Books, 1982
 Coglan, Ronan,"A Dictionary of Irish Myth and Legend,"Dublin,1979
 Cosman, Madeleine Pelner,"Medieval Holidays and Festivals,"New 
York:Charles Scribner's Sons, 1981
 Danaher, Kevin,"The Year in Ireland," Cork: The Mercier Press,1972
 Dineen, Rev. Patrick,S,,M.A,"An Irish English Dictionary", Dublin: 
The Irish texts Society,1927
 MacCana, Proinsias,"Celtic Mythology", London:The Hamlyn 
Publishing Group Limited, 1970
 MacLennan, Malcolm,"A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of 
the Gaelic Language", aberdeen: Acair and Aberdeen University 
Press,1979
 MacNeill, Maire',"The Festival of Lughnasa",Dublin"Comhairle 
Bhealoideas Eireann,1982
 Powell,T.G.,E."The Celts",New York:Thanes & Hudson,1980
 Rees, Alwyn and Brinley,"Celtic Heritage, Ancient Traditions in 
Ireland and Wales,"New York:Thanes & Hudson,1961
 Sharkey, John,"Celtic Mysteries",N.Y.: Thames and Hudson, 1975
 Spence, Lewis,"jBritish Fairy Origins", Wellingborough:Aquarian 
Press, 1946
 Squire,Charles,"Celtic Myth & Legend, Poetry & Romance,"New 
York:Newcastle Publishing co, Inc. 1975
 Toulson, shirley,"The Winter Solstice",London:Jill Norman& 
Hobhouse, Ltd, 1981
 Wood Martin,W.G.,"Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland, Vols I & 
II,
 Port Washington:Kennikat Press, 1902
 (c) copywrite 1988, Rowan Moonstone
                     P O Box 21058
                     OKC. OK 73120
 Permission is granted for use by pagan groups and on pagan BBS 
systems.All
 others must contact the author prior to use.


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(484)   Sat 3 Sep 88  0:34                              
By: Rob Lea
To: Rowan Moonstone
Re: you don't know what you're talking about
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:de40 11230457
 1.  Do you know Patrick Ford?
 2.  A very close family member of mine is working on her Ph.D. in 
Celtic Studies at Harvard.
 Sahmain is really pronounced "saw when". Sidhe is pronounced 
"sheeth", with the "th" as in "then".  It also means "truth".  
Arawn is not a god of the dead.  He is a minor character in the 
Mabinogi who comes from Annwfyn and befriends Pwyll.  British 
language evolved into the Welsh language.  Sahmain is the Irish 
name for this festival.  The Welsh name differs.
 (CONTINUED)


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(485)   Sat 3 Sep 88  0:42                              
By: Rob Lea
To: Rowan Moonstone
Re: (Continued)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:de40 1123055a
 Fianna were outlaws.  Read "The Wisdom of the Outlaw" by Nagy.  
Finn MacCumail was the leader of a fiann.  Gwynn ap Nudd is the 
Welsh cognate of Finn, which means "bright and shining".  He is not 
a Celtic god of the dead.  He was a figure in early Welsh 
literature who closelfy resembles Finn.


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(486)   Wed 7 Sep 88  7:21                              
By: David Rice
To: All
Re: Patter Of Tiny Feet
St: Pvt  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:3002 11273aa3
* Nightmare On Baker Street.

         Yes, there IS  a  devil.   Just like Billy said.  An
evil so hostile, so inimical, so putrid and  vile  it  is
unmistakable.   The stench of it's perversity so wretched
as to be indefinable.  I know this for fact, as I've been
sorely afflicted by this demon,  learning  it's  foulness
firsthand.  This is My Story.

     It  all  began  with  the  patter  of  tiny,  teeny,
eenie-weenie Army boots.  Laying alone and cold one night
(as every night for the past  28  years),  the  noise  of
their  passing  waifed  lightly,  almost like the sound a
rose petal might make falling onto  a  plush  cotton  bed
cover,    to   come   to   rest,   subliminal   in   it's
perfidiousness, in my left ear drum.

     "Hark," I said.  I speak  like  this  when  sleeping
alone. "Pray, tell.   What's this I doth hear?"  I sat up
from my mat,  deliberately,  almost  dilatorily,  pulling
back the sheet from my naked body (I sleep like this when
sleeping alone).    Hands  shaking  ever  so tenuously, I
gained my feet, determined to investigate.

     Head cocked slightly to catch  the  faint  sound,  I
made  my  way,  bare of body and unarmed, into the living
room.   The  microcosmic  Army  utterances  got   faintly
louder.  I   was   on   the  right  track.    Cautiously,
circumspectly, warily, I made my way to the kitchen.    I
snapped on the light.

     Oh, the  horror  of  that  moment!  It will haunt me
like a vision of damnation, a specter of abhorrence,  the
very definition of repugnance, for the rest of my days!

         "Ants!"  I cried. "Woe! I've got ants!"  I cried and
cried again.

     Thus  began  the  wretched  exploit, a mere ten days
ago.  As you no doubt know, my Creed charges  me  that  I
"Harm  none," which I comprehend to include animals (even
demonic  ones   such   as   fleas,   roaches,   termites,
Christians, and  yes,  even  ants).    This  is the major
reason I circumnavigate flesh as food.  Once  one  has  a
bevy  of  ants,  how  does one go about, well, exorcizing
them without harming them in the process?

     I could call  in  a  team  of  hit  men  to  do  the
dastardly dead  in  my stead.  Or my Dad, who enjoys such
work as decimating living, breathing, happy creatures.  I
have visions of the spray can vomiting  virulent,  toxic,
clouds of death at the inhabitants of my kitchen counter,
with hordes of screaming, terrified denizens of the night
yelling  out  "Save  the women and larva first!" in their
tiny little throats.  Yes, Dad would like that.

     A second  method  could  be,  perhaps,  the  dreaded
Localized Flooding  Of The Masses Technique.  This is one
I abhor almost as much as gassing them  to  death.    You
know the  trick.    Taking  a coffee mug, filling it with
water, and roaming the  kitchen,  eyes  at  floor  level,
looking for  a  tiny  victim to do in.  When one presents
itself, you hit it with well over three billion times its
body weight in H^2O. The little devil  kicks  its  little
paws (er, do ants have paws?) to no avail, going down for
the third,  and  final, count.  Perhaps you smile at this
point. (Pop would.) The main attraction of this system is
that  there  aren't  any  vile  chemicals   to   mop   up
afterwards.  Just decaying carcasses by the hundreds.  If
you  have  a  wet / dry vacuum, give it a spin around the
counter top.  I personally hate having  to  deal  with  a
pool  of  ants  floating calmly, placidly, belly up, feet
dangling  in  the  air,  pain-twisted  fingers   pointing
incriminatingly at  me.    I can just see the wee devil's
family tossing a wreath into the pool of water, to  watch
it float out with the tide.

     There are  many  more  popular  methods.   The Zippo
Lighter  Fiasco,  the  Big  Thumb  Dance  Of  Death,  the
Offering  Of  Dissolution  (a  variation of the Spray Can
system,  where  a  pile   of   choice,   hearty,   tasty,
nutritious,   violently   deadly   food  is  left  as  an
Offering), and Rolled Newspaper Delivery System  just  to
name a few.

     Is the  an  end  to  this  sad tale?  Well, all that
could be done to combat this wickedness  has  been  done.
The trash bag is outside at the curb, waiting to not only
pollute  some  distant,  remote  toxic waste dump, but to
attract a larger following  of  demon  spawned,  militant
ants and  other hellish beasts.  And I've stopped eating,
in the hopes that once the present  ants  finish  carting
off  all the spilled leftovers on the floor (and whatever
was left for them in the fridge), they will  grow  hungry
once again and haunt someone else for a while.

                                                                               
   David Rice
                                                                               
   (1:103/503.0)


---
 * Origin: Astro-Net 714 662-2294 Not For Pagans Only! (Opus 
1:103/503)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(487)   Thu 13 Oct 88  0:28                             
By: David Rice
To: All
Re: ISAR Part One
St: Pvt  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:a5d6 114d0380
* A Your Type

                                                                
David Rice
                                                    (1:103/503.0)


     I  peered  through  the  dirty  window, trying to gauge what
awaited me inside.   The  summons  mentioned  something  about  a
"refund"  and  gave  an  address  on the lower end of seventeenth
street, Falwellvill.  I'd been eating canned soup for dinner  the
past  few months, and could not afford to pass up any offer which
would help me make it from one pay check to the next.  My  intent
gaze  could  not penetrate the foggy haze which covered the plane
glass; My trepidation grew.  I glanced again  at  my  watch,  and
discovered I  was  over a minute late.  Clutching my courage with
one hand, and tightening my resolve with the other, I opened  the
door and went in.

     The waiting  room  was  small.  Perhaps fifteen feet square,
with four dirty chairs placed contumeliously  around  an  equally
filthy card  table.   The closed door against the far wall had no
knob that I could discover with my cursory  glance.    The  thick
window,  imbedded  in the plaster next to the door like a cyst on
an old man's butt,  appeared  bullet  proof;  A  young,  harried,
tight-lipped  woman  stared fearfully through it's wavy entrails,
no doubt making me look as innocuous, as shapeless as she.

     "Name!" the shape demanded through the  three-inch  diameter
wire  mesh  placed squarely in the center of the vacuous surface.
The sound might have reminded one of a stifled fart.    I  leaned
forward to  the  wire  port hole to speak my name; Ms.  Shapeless
jerked back sharply, as if I had attempted to  bite  her.  "Rice,
David  M.,"  I screamed into the orifice, articulating precisely.
She  took  another  step  back,  paused  to   digest   this   new
information, stepped  forward.    With  a  long stretching reach,
loathing to get any closer to me despite the barrier between  us,
she pressed  a  button  under  the window.  A loud buzzing issued
from the door. "Go in!" the shapeless shape demanded.

     I pressed against the door, opening it slowly, wondering  if
whatever Ms.   Shapeless  was  afraid  of might get me, too.  The
door opened into a short, empty, expressionless, blank hall, with
yet another door at the very end.  How Ms.   Shapeless  got  into
her cage was a mystery, as there seemed to be no door leading her
way.  Cautiously I walked down the hall and opened the door.

     This  room  was  slightly  larger  than  the  waiting  room.
Furniture included one desk, two chairs,  a  computer.    At  the
computer  sat  a man wearing nylon pants (the legs came up almost
to his knees), nylon socks (which were limp around  his  ankles),
and  a nylon shirt (open at the neck, buttoned tightly around his
paunch waist).  His shoes were missing.

     He jumped to his feet, as if  caught  at  some  misdemeanor.
Striding up  to him with my hand out, I smiled warmly at him.  He
stared at my hand as if it were a snake, snatching his behind his
back out of reach.  Putting the desk between us, he  motioned  to
the far chair.   Shrugging to myself, I sat down.  Mr.  Nylon sat
as well.  I waited.  I couldn't catch his eyes.

     Mr.  Nylon pushed a few papers around his desk, twitched his
right cheek spasmodically a few time, and shoved a paper over the
desk's surface at me like a threat.  "Sign  at  the  bottom,"  he
intoned, in  a  stressed voice.  I tried to catch his eyes again,
and failed.

     Having nothing to lose, I assumed, I picked up the paper and
examined it.

         United Farmers Of Ohio                             $35.00
         Childless Parents Of Utah                          $25.00
         Animal Liberation Organization                    $175.00
         Save The Parrots League                            $16.00

         . . . . The list began.

     "What?"  I muttered more to myself than to  the  "gentleman"
across  the  desk.  "Just sign it," he groaned, his tone sounding
like "Are you  gonna  give  us  trouble  too?!"    His  tonicity,
intending to demean, humiliate, and shame, ground into my nerves,
causing rebellion to swell up in my veins.  I started to scan the
list   from  the  top  again,  reading  as  slowly  as  possible,
determined to look for any reason at all not to sign.

     Black Hockey Players Dental Alliance               $83.00
         Republican Party                                    $0.23
         Richard Nixon Acquittal Confederacy                $10.00
         Horseless Carriage Restoration Coalition           $15.00

         . . . . The list continued.

     "What?"  I muttered again.

     "It's your refund!"  Mr.  Nylon snarled. "Every damn  penny!
And 8 percent  interest.  Just sign there at the bottom."  Making
as if to lean across the desk to point to where I should sign, he
jerked to a stop half out of his chair.  The action was curiously
like a person who dropped a quarter in the outhouse  and  decided
he didn't  want  to  retrieve it that badly.  The thought that he
could have gotten close enough to touch me  seemed  to  make  him
shiver ever so slightly.

     Clown Union March For Independence                $65.80
         Tammy Bakker Plastic Surgery Fund                  $0.02
         Second House Neptune Endowment                    $32.00
         Dolly Parton Back Brace Support Group             $45.00

         . . . . The  list yet continued. At the  bottom of the paper
was a sub-total, what  I had to assume was 8 percent of it (being
somewhat poor in the art of mathematics), and a grand total.

     "My refund?"  I asked. "Refund?  This is  a  list  of  every
charity  I've  ever  given time or money to in the past 25 years.
Why a refund?"


---
 * Origin: Astro-Net 714 662-2294 Melenkurion abatha! (Opus 
1:103/503)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(488)   Thu 13 Oct 88  0:28                             
By: David Rice
To: All
Re: ISAR Part Two
St: Pvt  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:a5d6 114d0387
     The paunchy pile of nylon snorted angrily. "You  know  why!"
His  piggie, watery eyes flitted across my forehead, and scurried
away again, not  quite  making  eye  contact.    His  hands  made
wringing motions.  I took a deep breath.

     "No.  Why?"   I  demanded.   I considered the possibility of
leaving, but curiosity sometimes pays for  the  cat  food.    Mr.
Nylon  grimaced, winced his eyes insolently. "Because your a Your
Type!" he snapped.  This time he did manage to look at  my  eyes,
defiantly,  hostilely,  just  a second, before snatching his gaze
away again. "It's obvious!"  Another deep breath. "A  what  type?
I'm a what?"  I wanted to get to the bottom of the issue quickly.
I'm  not  one to call a harlot a "social worker" if "whore" would
suffice.

     "A Your Type!  You and Your Kind!    The  gall  you've  got,
giving money  to  these  fine,  lawful,  NORMAL people!  How dare
you?!"  This time he stared directly into my eyes, hotly, with  a
gaze  full  of  blistering  hate  and detestation, demanding with
speechless violence an answer to why  I  choose  to  be  a  "Your
Type," whatever  that  was.  I was still ignorant to what we were
talking about.

     "What do you mean about being 'My Type'?"  I wanted to leave
now, but anger started to replace the rebellion in my blood.

     "You're a. .  .  "  he  paused.  "You're  a  =Witch=!"    He
ejaculated   finally,   defiantly,   accusingly.   "You   ride  a
motorcycle!  You live  in  a  house  full  of  subversive  books!
You've  been seen talking to. . ." he shuddered ". . . lesbians!"
His pallid, flaccid, doughy face was turning red. "You  sleep  in
your back yard  instead of inside!  Like an animal!  You drive an
MG, for God's sake!  What the hell do you mean, 'What do you mean
"My Type"'?!"

     "Auhh. . . ."   I  began,  mind  reeling.    But  he  wasn't
through.

     "You voted  against  Brother Robertson!  You don't eat meat!
You and  Your  Type  don't  conform!    You're  an  Anarchist,  a
throwback to evolution!  You don't belong here, we don't want you
here, and  we  sure  as  hell  don't  want  your  money!"   I was
beginning to get the picture, slowly. "You're an Astrologer!    A
godless heathen!  You protested the draft!  You listen to Country
and Western  music!    You talk to your vegetables before you eat
them!  God only knows what else you do to your vegetables. . . .!

     "You don't want my money?  These  charities  don't  want  my
money?  Because I'm  a Pagan?  Because I'm a vegetarian?  Because
I like the stars?  Because Falwellian  Politics  makes  me  throw
up?"

     "Yess!"  he  hissed  through  clenched cuspids. "These fine,
respectable, normal, =conforming=  charities  don't  want  to  be
connected to  a Your Type in any way, shape, or form.  They don't
want any kind of support from a Your Type at all!  How  dare  you
offer them your money and time?!  YOUR money!  YOURS!?"

     "So they're sending me back my contributions. . . . " This I
couldn't conceive. "With interest. . . ."

     "Yesssss!" he hissed again.

     "Because my  girl  friends  are gay?  Because I like British
cars?"

     "Yesss, yesss!"

     "Because I apologize to apples for biting them, telling them
to take a deep breath and close their eyes first.  .  .  ."    He
flinched and seethed at this, blowing hot air through his flaccid
lips.  ".  .  .  and  yell  at  people  who deliberately stomp on
snails?"

     "Yesss, yesss, all that!  A freak!  An  insult  against  God
and nature!    You  haven't  been  to  church, a =real=, =normal=
church =ever=!  Not only that, you've started  your  OWN  church!
You  worship  a  Supervisor  at  your  work, for god's sake, as a
goddess!"  My eyes narrowed dangerously.  That was going too far.

     "You leave  Cezanne  out  of   this!      She's   perfection
personified, and worthy of worship. . . ."

     "See?!  You  admit  to  being  a  Your  Type!"  He threw his
weight into his chair, leaned back, and glared at me.   I  stared
at him speechlessly.

     "Sign  the paper, take the money, and get out!" he demanded.
I didn't even hesitate.

     "No."

     "What!"

     "I said, 'No.'" I got up to leave.

     "You have to!  You will!  It's yours!   We  won't  take  it!
Give it to some damn perverted Your Type group!"

     I walked to the door.  A poster was taped to the back, which
I  had  missed  when entering the room. "America: Love It Or Fuck
You!" it said, with the Statue Of Liberty standing proudly in it.
Her middle finger was raised  in  traditional  "Giving  Them  The
Bird" posture.  They had gotten to her, too.

     "Use  the money to buy yourself some shoes," I said, closing
the door after stepping through.  As I passed Ms.  Shapeless  she
glared at  me hatefully,  but  I hardly  noticed. "Sad fools,"  I
added, stepping out into the street. I felt dirtied, in need of a
shower.


---
 * Origin: Astro-Net 714 662-2294 Melenkurion abatha! (Opus 
1:103/503)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(489)   Wed 19 Oct 88 17:38                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All
Re: Vatican Burns Starhawk (1 of 4)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 11538cd2

 VATICAN GAGS NEW-AGE PRIEST FROM OAKLAND
 By Don Lattin
 Chronicle Religion Writer
 (from the San Francisco Chronicle, page A1, Tuesday, October 18, 
1988)

 The Rev. Matthew Fox, an avant-garde Oakland priest who has 
blended New
 Age philosophy with Roman Catholic teachings, has been sentenced 
by the
 Vatican to a year of public silence, according to a published 
report.

 National Catholic Reporter, a liberal weekly newspaper, reports in 
its
 current edition that -- effective December 15 -- Fox has been 
ordered
 not to speak publicly or to publish his writings for a year.

 Fox, the founder of the Institute in Culture and Creation 
Spirituality
 at Holy Names College in Oakland, was out of town and could not be
 reached for comment.  He has scheduled a press conference for 
Thursday
 in San Francisco.

 In 1985, when news of a possible Vatican investigation surfaced, Fox
 said he was "not upset if people call me a heretic".

 "Joan of Arc was condemned, burned at the stake and then declared a
 saint", the popular Dominican priest said at the time.

 Fox, 47, has upset conservative Catholics by hiring as faculty 
members
 a certified masseuse, a yoga teacher, a Zen Buddhist and a 
self-described
 witch named Starhawk.

 His writings, including a popular book entitled "Original 
Blessing," have
 criticized traditional Roman Catholic doctrine for its 
"overemphasis" on
 sin and redemption.

 Mysticism and Feminism
 ----------------------

 Fox has forged a curriculum with a heavy emphasis on Christian 
mysticism,
 feminism and environmentalism.  His writings have been under 
review by
 the Vatican's powerful Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, whose Congregation
 for the Doctrine of the Faith ordered the Rev. Charles Curran 
dismissed
 in 1986 from the faculty of Catholic University in Washington, 
D.C., for
 doctrinal liberalism.

 Ratzinger's action against Fox could revive tensions between the 
Vatican
 and the U.S. church -- conflicts that made headlines during the 
Curran
 controversy and after Rome took disciplinary action against liberal
 Seattle Archbishop Raymond Huntshausen.

 According to the report in the Register, a nationally distributed
 independent Catholic news magazine, Fox will partially defy the 
Vatican
 order by taking a one-semester sabbatical rather than a yearlong 
leave.

 "This work is just too pressing to be postponed until a neurotic 
papal
 regime dies out", Fox is quoted as saying.

 Fox added that the Vatican action is "a compliment.  It shows that 
our
 influence is growing so much that they feel threatened."

 (more)

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(490)   Wed 19 Oct 88 17:39                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All
Re: Vatican Burns Starhawk (2 of 4)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 11538cec

 Negotiations with the Vatican
 -----------------------------

 Officials with the Diocese of Oakland referred questions about Fox's
 sentence to the Rev. Donald Goergen, the Dominican's provincial
 superior in Chicago, who oversees Fox's work.  Goergen could not be
 reached for comment.

 Dominican officials have been negotiating with Ratzinger's office --
 which was once called the "Holy Inquisition" -- for at least three 
years.

 According to the Register, the Vatican has ordered Holy Names 
College
 to sever its ties with Fox's institute.  Officials at the school, 
founded
 in 1868 by the Sisters of the Holy Names, said they will issue a 
statement
 after Fox's press conference on Thursday.

 Fox's ideas draw heavily on the ideas of Meister Eckhart, a German
 Dominican mystic who died in 1327 -- and who had his own problems 
with
 Vatican officials.  Two years after his death, many of Eckhart's 
writings
 were condemned as heretical by Pope John XXII.

 Fox has denied that his idea about "creation spirituality" is the 
same
 as pantheism -- the idea that "everything is God and God is 
everything."

 Pantheism, a major component of much of the so-called New Age 
thinking,
 is considered a heresy by the Catholic church because it denies 
God's
 transcendence.

 Scores of Catholic priests and nuns have attended classes and 
seminars
 at Fox's institute, which awards master's degrees in spirituality. 
 Fox,
 who founded his institute in 1978 at Mundelhein College in Chicago
 before moving here in 1983, has also become a popular speaker on the
 New Age lecture-workshop circuit.

 (here endeth the lesson)

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(491)   Wed 19 Oct 88 17:40                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All
Re: Vatican Burns Starhawk (3 of 4)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 11538d00

 SHOWDOWN BETWEEN VATICAN AND PRIEST
 By Don Lattin
 Chronicle Religious Writer
 (from the San Francisco Chronicle, Wed. October 19, 1988, page A6)

 In one corner is the Rev. Matthew Fox, the upbeat Oakland priest 
whose
 unorthodox ideas about sin and spirtuality have made him the self-
 appointed Roman Catholic emissary to the New-Age movement.

 In the other corner is Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican's
 doctrinal watchdog and commanding general of the pope's campaign to
 purge liberals, Marxists, and other "heretics" from Roman Catholic
 schools and seminaries.

 Church officials yesterday confirmed reports that Ratzinger's 
office,
 the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has ordered
 the avant-garde Oakland Dominican to cease his writings and public
 speaking on "creation spirituality".

 According to the Rev. John Gerlock, the vicar provincial of the
 Dominican office in Chicago, Ratzinger's office has also demanded 
that
 Fox sever his ties with the Institute in Culture and Creation
 Sprituality, which Fox founded in Chicago in 1978, and moved to Holy
 Names College in Oakland in 1983.

 Despite Rome's concerns, Gerlock said an internal review by the
 Dominican order has "concluded on the whole and on balance that 
there
 is not sufficient reason to condemn the work or silence the writer."

 Gerlock said Fox -- who is scheduled to respond to the Vatican 
charges
 at a press conference in San Francisco tomorrow -- has merely 
agreed to
 take a "sabbatical" beginning this December, but will not recant his
 ideas or cut his ties with the Institute.

 Rome vs. New-Age
 ----------------

 His showdown with Rome promises to put the spotlight on a subtle, 
but
 nevertheless significant, trend in North American Christianity -- an
 opening up by some churches to the Eastern mysticism and modern
 paganism of the New-Age movement.

 "When Vatican officials think of ecumenicism," Gerlock said, "they 
think
 of groups like Lutherans and Methodists -- not witchcraft and other
 archaic spiritualities."

 Fox's writings, including his 1983 "Original Blessing", have 
sought to
 draw connections between medieval Christian mystics and such 
seemingly
 diverse philosophies as prehistoric shamanism and modern feminism.

 Gerlock said Vatican officials specifically ordered Fox to 
"dissociate
 himself from wicca, the ideology of Starhawk, a self-described 
witch."

 Starhawk, who has served as a part-time faculty member at Fox's 
institute,
 is a popular speaker, workshop leader and author of several books,
 including "The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of 
the
 Great Goddess."

 (more)

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(492)   Wed 19 Oct 88 17:40                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All
Re: Vatican Burns Starhawk (4 of 4)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 11538d12

 Vatican Action
 --------------

 Gerlock said the Vatican action against Fox began with a letter from
 Ratzinger in September to the Rev. Damian Byrne, the international
 superior of the Dominican order in Rome.

 Beside mentioning Starhawk, Ratzinger also questioned Fox's 
denunciation
 in "Original Blessing" of the church's "overemphasis" on the 
doctrine of
 original sin and redemption.

 "Matt has a large appeal because he's taking a more positive 
approach to
 the Christian tradition," said one leading Dominican theologian in 
the
 East Bay, who asked to remain anonymous.  "He doesn't emphasize the
 negative aspects of the faith, but stresses the goodness of creation
 and God's graciousness."

 Sister Lois MacGillivray, president of Holy Names College, said in a
 statement released yesterday that Fox "has asked for and received a
 sabbatical leave for the spring semester."

 (here endeth the lesson)

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(493)   Tue 18 Oct 88 19:31                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Book Review (1 of ?)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 11529bee
 THE MURDERED MAGICIANS: THE TEMPLARS AND THEIR MYTH
 by Peter Partner
 (Great Britain, 1987, The Aquarian Press)
 
 The library of the occult gets fatter every day.  Here in the 
belly of the
 New Age, the average bookstore carries "ancient secrets" and 
"hidden wisdom"
 by the metric ton.  But literature ABOUT the occult, of the 
history of
 occult ideas and their influence on important people, is skimpy 
and often
 unreliable.  It's hard to find an honest scholar among the 
mystagogues and
 Fundamentalists.  We have Dame Francis Yates, a gem of a historian 
who cares
 about things that would make most academics turn up their noses.  
And now we
 have Dr. Peter Partner.  As we bow three times in the direction of 
Dame
 Frances, it must be said that Dr. Partner is a better writer.  An 
alchemist
 would envy his ability to turn the junk of history into gold.
 
 THE MURDERED MAGICIANS starts off on familiar ground.  We meet the
 historical Templars themselves, fresh from the Crusades, returning 
to
 France, getting rich in the Church market and drawing the wrath of 
the
 odious Philip the Fair.  There is the famous midnight arrest and the
 subsequent "trial".  There are the usual confessions of heresy and 
sodomy
 extracted under torture.  Then there is the stake, where most 
accounts of
 the Templars end.  In Dr. Partner's history of ideas, though, the 
stake was
 just the beginning.
 
 Jacques de Molay and his cohorts did not rest easily in their 
graves.  As
 the years passed, Templar stories and rumors became grander with 
each
 telling.  Finally, these illiterate Crusaders from the lowest 
ranks of the
 aristocracy emerged as powerful sorcerers who used ancient magical 
secrets
 for their own mysterious ends.  At least that's what everybody 
thought.
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139
/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(494)   Tue 18 Oct 88 19:34                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Book Review (2)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0e53 11529c44
 There had been charges of black magic from the start.  In the 
"trial" itself, the Templars were accused of worshipping an idol 
called "Baphomet"
-- a French corruption of "Muhammad" -- which they supposedly 
picked up from
 the Muslim conquerors of the Holy Land.  (Of course, the idea that 
ANY Muslim would worship an image of Muhammad says more about the 
parochial mentality of the European Church than anything else.)

 In the 1500's, the magical fame of the Templars spread from the 
pen of Henry Cornelius Agrippa, a sort of Renaissance Shirley 
McClaine whose works were highly popular and influential.  In DE 
OCCULTA PHILOSOPHIA, Agrippa set about classifying the "good" and 
"bad" schools of magic.  He placed the Templars in the latter 
category, along with the Gnostics and folk witches.

 The Templar myth did not attain its full potency until the 
eighteenth century.  If it seems odd that occult gossip would 
thrive in the Age of Enlightenment, it must be remembered that 
Reason was just one part of the Enlightenment hodge-podge.  Alchemy 
and Cabala seemed just as important to the educated minds of the 
day.  Also, the new liberal climate produced a lot of nostalgia for 
the good old days of noble status and "chivalry".  Thus we see 
Elias Ashmole, chemist, bibliographer, and one of the founders of 
the Royal Society of London, writing sentimentally of the Templars.

 At this stage, the Templar myth gets mixed up with Freemasonry.  
Masons of the period traced their heritage back to the Crusaders 
who, they supposed, were privy to the mystical knowledge of Egypt 
and Greece.  It seems inevitable that they would bring in de Molay 
and company.

 According to Dr. Partner, "The birthplace of Templarism was 
Germany, where the egalitarian and rationalist thrust of 
Freemasonry was resisted by an old-fashioned and rank-dominated 
society, and there was a demand for a version of the Masonic craft 
acceptable to conservative doctrine and Gothic taste."


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139
/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(495)   Tue 18 Oct 88 19:37                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Book Review (3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0e53 11529ca1
 Under the tutelage of such Masters as Samuel Rosa and George 
Frederick Johnson, "Provost-General of the Templar Order of the 
Scottish Lords", Templarism went far beyond the relatively simple 
edifice of traditional Masonry.

"The invention of the Templar myths amounted to a patent to create 
new noble
 titles. ...  Johnson and Rosa, as 'Heads' of their Orders, created 
elaborate hierarchies with hundreds of such knightly titles."  And, 
incidentally, earned a tidy living in the process.   By the last 
decades of the century, Europe was dotted with competing Templar 
lodges, each claiming to possess the True Secret.

 The end came with both a bang and a whimper.  For one thing, the 
Templarist Masons were afflicted by the stagnancy that is the 
hallmark of the occult:

"The successively unveiled mysteries of the Order had yielded 
nothing but
 boring ritual; the alchemists had made no discoveries; the Templar 
lands would never be returned.  No one expected to identify the 
long-concealed Unknown Superiors.  The thirst for mystical 
illumination remained, but hope of quenching it at the Templar 
spring was over."

 Furthermore, there was the spectacular scandal of the "Bavarian 
Illuminati", the pet conspiracy of that Jesuit-haunted secular 
humanist, Adam Weishaupt. Dr. Partner dispels any notions of 
co-fraternity between the Illuminati and the Templarists.  True, 
Weishaupt had recruited some members from the crumbling Templar 
lodges, but otherwise the two groups had opposing styles and aims.

"There was no direct continuity between the Strict Templar 
Observance and
 the Bavarian Illuminati at all.  The aristocratic mumbo-jumbo of 
the Templar lodges pandered to the confused conservatism of the 
German nobles and had a great deal in common with the mumbo-jumbo 
of the Rosicrucians, to whose ideas the Illuminati were absolutely 
opposed."


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139
/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(496)   Tue 18 Oct 88 20:04                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Book Review (4)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0e53 1152a088
 Such nit-picking hardly mattered, though, especially after the 
French Revolution when all secret societies seemed to be part of a 
single gargantuan evil.  Those days saw the beginning of modern 
conspiracy theory. Pamphleteers such as Friedreich Nicolai and 
Augustine de Barruel offered lurid exposes of the secret societies. 
 For these zealots, "it all connects":  Templars, Illuminati, 
Masons, Gnostics, Cathars, Manicheans, and the other enemies of 
normalcy and the status quo.  The gaps in logic never seemed 
important; it was all grist for the mill as one pamphleteer 
reprinted the wooly ideas of another.  The tradition continues to 
this day with the intellectual descendants of Nicolai and Barruel 
advertising in THE SPOTLIGHT and other right-wing tabloids.

 With the suppression of the Illuminati, German Templarism 
slumbered for a hundred years.  There was a flurry of Templar 
activity in France under Napoleon and in the United States with the 
Civil War general Albert Pike. But, for the most part, nineteenth 
century Templarism thrived in its rightful soil: the land of 
literature and myth.

 The Templar myth could have been made for the Romantic period.  It 
had everything a Romantic could want: the middle ages, chivalry, 
pre-Christian wisdom, wicked clergymen, sex, and plenty of Gothic 
shudders.  Indeed, the list of nineteenth century artists who 
contributed to the Templar myth or were influenced by it reads like 
a "Who's Who":  Balzac, Walter Scott, Disraeli, Wagner, Edward 
Bulwer-Lytton, and Gabriel Rosetti, of whom Partner says "He knew 
hardly anything of the heresies which had in fact existed in the 
middle ages, but he made up for this by inventing new ones on a 
generous scale."  When Templarism revived in Germany at the end of 
the century it had come a long way from the humble actuality of 
Jacques de Molay.

 The modern Templar revival was largely the work of a journalist 
named Theodore Reuss and, later on, the British occultist Aleister 
Crowley.  Their Order of the Temple of the Orient (O.T.O.) 
continues to this day with chapters in most of the United States 
and several European countries. O.T.O. literature claims a 
connection with the medieval Order of de Molay and it emphasizes 
the "sexual magic" that the Templars supposedly picked up from the 
Gnostics or Indian Yogis or whomever.  In any case, the popularity 
of the O.T.O. seems to be growing, which demonstrates once again 
the hardiness of this remarkable myth.


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139
/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(497)   Tue 18 Oct 88 20:05                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Book Review (5)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0e53 1152a0a2
 Aside from its durability, the Templar myth has been astonishingly 
adaptable.  Where one group hates and fears the Templars for their 
purported demonology and unusual sexual practices, another group 
rallies to their defense for the same reasons.  (Of course, few 
people question whether demonology and unusual sexual practices 
ever happened.)  To quote Dr. Partner:

"The shifting history of Templarism, with its movements from one
 interpretation of the Templar story to another, reflects the 
original Masonic confusion between the parable and the truth the 
parable was supposed to represent.  But it also reveals the way in 
which men fulfill their spiritual needs in a way which broadly 
corresponds to an earlier pattern, but which is nevertheless made 
in their own image.  Nothing is more misleading than the claim that 
there is an immemorial esoteric tradition which places antique and 
prehistoric wisdom at the disposal of the adept. It is true that 
some esoteric principles derive from a philosophical tradition of 
great antiquity.  But students of the supposed hidden truths are 
also men of their times, and they have employed esoteric ideas in 
the service of interests and concepts which have changed from one 
generation to another.  The tradition as applied to the Templar 
myth has proved to be Protean in its mutability.  The Templars have 
been benign, rational sages for one generation, demonic Satanists 
for another, wise, wealthy technocrats for a third."

 In other words, a Rorschach blot.


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139
/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(498)   Tue 18 Oct 88 20:05                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Book Review (6)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0e53 1152a0b6
 Does it matter if the Templar myth is true or false, profound or 
silly? Apparently not.  What matters is that people believe.  And 
the Templar myth has attracted some very influential believers, 
often with unpleasant results.

"Secret society myths are usually concerned to suggest the 
influence of
 small, powerful groups which work invisibly.  But the political 
importance of such myths is their effect on the general currents 
and atmosphere of public opinion.  It can be shown from the history 
of Templarism that small, private groups of people who profess 
esoteric doctrines with a political flavour, and sometimes practice 
eccentric rituals, do from time to time exist.  So far as 
Templarism is concerned, the political and social effect of such 
groups has been negligible.  What matters to society is the vague, 
disquieting effects either of propagandists who spread alarming 
reports of secret society conspiracies, or of esoteric publicists 
who diffuse ideas of the miraculous and the marvelous, and give the 
impression that social change can easily be accomplished by the 
workers of wonders."

 The fate of the original Templars may be history's best argument 
against secrecy.  On the other side of the myth, those "who spread 
alarming reports of secret society conspiracies" seem doomed to 
their own sad fate.  The moral might be "Choose well your myths."


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139
/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(499)   Tue 18 Oct 88 20:06                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Book Review (7 of 7)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0e53 1152a0dd
 In all the hub-bub, it's easy to misplace the historical Knights 
of the Temple.  When he returns to Jacques de Molay and company, 
Dr. Partner is as eloquent as he is sane:

"The unromantic truth is that the Templars of the Middle Ages made 
not the
 slightest attempt to build the Temple of Wisdom, unless that 
Temple is defined as that of the Catholic Church.  The end of the 
Templars arose not from the operation of demonic forces but as a 
result of their own mediocrity and lack of nerve.  A handful of 
them measured up to the terrible challenge which confronted them, 
but most, including their leaders, at the moment of trial proved to 
have nothing much to say.  In the Holy Land the Templars had been 
brave soldiers but rather short-sighted politicians, who in no way 
conformed to the high standards which their nineteenth-century 
admirers ascribed to them.  The most striking characteristic of the 
medieval Templars was their ordinariness; they represented the 
common man, and not the uncommon visionary.  Mozart's noble Masonic 
opera, THE MAGIC FLUTE, holds out the vision of a Temple of Reason 
and Nature presided over by a ruler- seer, Serastro.  If the Temple 
of Serastro is ever to be built, and if man is to live in some 
state of Mozartian harmony, it may be on principles in which the 
Freemason ideal has had a part, but it will not be based on the 
ideals of the medieval Templars."

---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139
/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(500)   Sat 22 Oct 88 21:16                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All
Re: Starhawk's New Power Animal -- The Fox (1 of 3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 1156aa18

 OAKLAND PRIEST TO DEFY VATICAN
 By Don Lattin
 Chronicle Religion Writer
 (From the San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Oct 88, page A3)

 Accusing the Vatican of "spiritual sloth" and "creeping fascism", 
the Rev.
 Matthew Fox said yesterday that he will defy Rome's demand that he 
recant
 his unorthodox views on "creation spirituality."

 At a packed press conference in San Francisco, the avant-garde 
Oakland
 theologian said he also will defy the Vatican's order that he fire
 Starhawk, a self-proclaimed witch and "goddess movement" leader, 
from
 the faculty of his Institute in Culture and Creation Spirituality.

 Fox -- a feminist, mystic, and outspoken environmentalist -- has 
agreed,
 however, to a request from his Dominican superiors that he refrain 
from
 preaching, teaching, and public speaking during a sabbatical 
beginning
 December 15.

 It appears unlikely, however, that Fox's temporary silencing will 
satisfy
 the demands of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican's chief 
doctrinal
 watchdog and prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine 
of the
 Faith.

 "I believe that power, rather than theology, is the real issue in 
this
 case," Fox said.  "The very act of silencing theologians instead of
 engaging them in dialogue is a sign of institutional violence."

 'Dangerous and Deviant'
 -----------------------

 At yesterday's press conference, Fox released a number of documents
 related to the Vatican's four-year probe into his writings and the
 institute, located in Oakland's Holy Names College.

 Among the documents is a Sept. 17, 1987, letter from Ratzinger to 
the
 Rev. Damian Byrne, the international superior of the Dominican 
order,
 in which Ratzinger calls Fox's ideas "dangerous and deviant".

 Ratzinger calls Fox's 1983 book "Original Blessing" an "altogether
 personal, gratuitous and subjective interpretation of Christian
 spitituality."

 Ratzinger accuses Fox of "citing what he likes in the Bible and
 interpreting it in his own way."

 Fox, a witty iconoclast and author of 11 books, is a popular speaker
 at open-minded Christian churches, seminaries and eceumenical
 organizations.  His blending of medieval Christian mysticism, Native
 American spirituality, transpersonal psychology and other techniques
 of the "human potential movement" has made him popular on the New 
Age
 lecture circuit.

 In his criticism of Fox's work, Ratzinger said, "It is 
characteristic
 of his approach to marshal a broadly diverse group of spiritual 
writers
 to advance his own brand of spirituality over and against that of
 original sin and redemption."

 Ratzinger also said Fox's sympathetic views about homosexuality are
 "neither inspired by the Scriptures, nor by the doctrine of the 
Church."

 (more)

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(501)   Sat 22 Oct 88 21:17                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All
Re: Crazy Like a Fox (2 of 3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 1156aa35

 'Spiritual Sloth'
 -----------------

 In a lengthy repsonse to Ratzinger written on August 8, Fox said the
 cardinal's congregation "has not done either its intellectual 
homework
 or its inner work."

 "I detect a kind of intellectual sloth in those who condemn without
 studying and a spiritual sloth in those who accuse without feeling,"
 Fox wrote.

 "The Vatican -- like any organization -- is not God, cannot be 
God, and
 will ultimately fail in its attempts to be God," Fox told Ratzinger.

 Fox released a letter showing that a group of conservative 
Catholics in
 Seattle -- a chapter of an organization called Catholics United 
for the
 Faith -- had notified the Vatican of Fox's unorthodox work.

 The Seattle CUFF chapter is the group whose successful campaign 
led to
 the Vatican's unprecedented 1986 disciplinary action against liberal
 Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen of Seattle.

 Vatican Policy Questioned
 -------------------------

 In his letter to Ratzinger, Fox questioned why the vatican 
"ignores the
 advice of its most pastoral bishops and leaders of religious 
orders."

 "Instead," he wrote, "it listens to theologically illiterate 
fanatics
 who behave like religious thugs."

 In defending his hiring of Starhawk, Fox told Ratzinger that he 
finds
 "the rancor toward witches to be unbelievable -- as if Christians, 
in
 killing anywhere from 300,000 to 3 million through the centuries, 
have
 not had enough of witch hunts."

 Fox cited a Second Vatican Council declaration that it is "foreign 
to
 the mind of Christ to discriminate or harass persons because of 
their
 religion," saying the church fathers "did not make an exception of 
the
 native European religion of Wicca (witchcraft)."

 "When it (the Second Vatican Council) acknowledges that 'from 
ancient
 times down to the present there has existed among diverse peoples a
 certain perception of that hidden power which hovers over the course
 of things', it does not make an exception to the Wicca tradition,"
 Fox wrote.

 (more)

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(502)   Sat 22 Oct 88 21:18                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All
Re: A Fox in the Chicken Coop (3 of 3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 1156aa4a

 Other Outcasts
 --------------

 At his press conference, Fox said he is "honored" to be in the 
company
 of other theologians whom the Vatican has tried to silence.  He 
mentioned
 the Rev. Charles Curran, who was fired from the faculty of Catholic
 University in Washington, D.C., for his liberal views on birth 
control,
 homosexuality and other church teachings, and the Rev. Leonardo 
Boff,
 of Brazil, who was put under one year of public silence for his
 writings on "liberation theology."

 During his sabbatical of public silence, Fox said he plans to 
travel,
 "get a lot of sleep," write and visit sympathetic church thinkers in
 Africa and Latin America.

 "Maybe Father Boff and I will have a party where no one speaks," Fox
 joked.

 No Sufficient Reason
 --------------------

 In another statement released yesterday, the Rev. Donald Goergen, 
the
 Chicago-based provincial superior overseeing Fox's work, said he and
 several other Dominican theologians have exmained Fox's writings and
 "do not think there is sufficient reason to prohibit him from 
speaking
 and writing."

 Nevertheless, they and Fox have agreed to a request by the Rev. 
Byrne,
 the worldwide Dominican leader, that Fox "take a year's sabbatical 
to
 reflect on his work and to consider the full efefct of his work on 
the
 church."

 Fox predicted that Rome's attempt to eradicate his teachings will
 backfire.

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(503)   Sat 22 Oct 88 22:23                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All Psi-Believers
Re: The Randi Challenge (1 of 2)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 1156b2f2

 This statement outlines the general rules covering my offer 
concerning
 psychic, supernatural, or paranormal claims.  Since claims will vary
 greatly in character and scope, specific rules must be formulated 
for
 each claimant.  However, _claimants_ must agree to the rules set 
forth
 here before any formal agreement is entered into.  A claimant will
 declare agreement by signing this form before a notary public and
 returning the form to me at 12000 NW 8th Street, Plantation, FL
 33313-1406.  The eventual test procedure must be agreed upon by both
 parties before any testing will take place.  I do _not_ act as a 
judge.
 I do _not_ design the protocol independently of the claimant.  
Claimants
 _must_ identify themselves properly before any discussion takes 
place.
 _All correspondence must include a stamped, self-addressed 
envelope_.

 I, James Randi, will pay $10,000 (U.S.) to any person or persons who
 demonstrate any psychic, supernatural, or paranormal activity of any
 kind under satisfactory observing conditions.  The demonstration 
must
 take place under these rules and limitations:

        (1) Claimant must state clearly in advance just what powers 
or
        abilities will be demonstrated, the limits of the proposed
        demonstration (so far as time, location, and other variables
        are concerned), and what will constitute both a positive and
        a negative result.

        (2) Only an actual performance of the stated nature and 
scope,
        within the agreed limits, is acceptable.

        (3) Claimant agrees that all data (photographic, recorded,
        written) of any sort gathered as a result of the testing may
        be used freely by me in any way I choose.

        (4) Tests will be designed in such a way that no judging
        procedure is required.  Results will be self-evident to any
        observer, in accordance with the rules agreed upon by all
        parties in advance of any formal testing procedure.

        (5) I may ask the claimant to perform informally before an
        appointed representative, if distance and time dictate, for
        purposes of determining if the claimant is likely to perform
        as promised in the formal test.

 (continued)

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(504)   Sat 22 Oct 88 22:27                             
By: Tim Maroney
To: All Psi-Believers
Re: The Randi Challenge (2 of 2)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:954a 1156b360

        (6) I will not pay for any expenses incurred, such as
        transportation, accomodation, or other costs.

        (7) Entering into this challenge, claimant surrenders any
        and all rights to legal action against me, as far as this may
        be done by existing statutes.  This applies to injury, 
accident,
        or any other damage -- physical, emotional, and/or financial
        or professional -- of any kind.

        (8) Prior to the commencement of the formal testing 
procedure,
        I will give my check for the full amount of the award into
        the keeping of an independent person chosen by the claimant.
        In the event that the claimant is successful under the agreed
        terms and conditions, that check for $10,000 (U.S.) shall be
        _immediately_ surrendered to the claimant, in full 
settlement.

        (9) A copy of this document is available free of charge to 
any
        person who sends the required stamped, self-addressed 
envelope
        to me requesting it.

        (10) This offer is made by me personally and not on behalf of
        any other person, agency, or organization, although others 
may
        become involved in the examination of claims and others may 
add
        their reward money to mine in certain circumstances.

        (11) This offer is open to any and all person in any part 
of the
        world, regardless of sex, race, educational background, 
etc., and
        will continue in effect until the prize is awarded, or 
until my
        death.  My will states that, upon my death, the award 
amount will
        be held in escrow and in charge of the Committee for the
        Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, in 
Buffalo,
        New York, which is then empowered to continue the offer for a
        period of ten years after my demise, after which time the
        award amount can be used for whatever purposes it desires.

        (12) Claimant must agree upon what will constitute a 
conclusion
        that he or she does _not_ possess the claimed ability or 
power.
        This rule _must_ be accepted by the claimant without 
reservation.



        ___________________________          
___________________________
        Notary Public                        Signature

---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(505)   Sun 30 Oct 88 15:48                             
By: Estrose Maiesa
To: Tim Maroney
Re: Re: The Randi Challenge (2 of 2)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:c3d1 115e7e11

        Tim, well, I have a rather simeple question to ask you. 
Let's say that there is no magic, or psychic abilities as you or 
anyone else here knows it.Rather, the science of Bhera existed long 
before any life in this slice existed.When I say slice, just 
associate it with the word demension, that's the closest English 
word to describe it. Now, $10,000 is not enough, not even 
close...But it sounds as if you would give anything in order to 
have proof...If it's not important to you to share you knowledge 
with other people and gain fame, than continue reading...
 
     I can take you to slice one, two, or four...Three is what you 
are currently occupying... In order to take you there, you must 
agree to be a follower of Ghirma...Which means you will be a sort 
of slave for about 50 years, but your life expectancy will be 
increased to about four or five centuries depending on your health 
and age....Now, there is more payment than that, you will NEVER 
return to your origin, and you must sacrifice your 'fire'.When I 
say 'fire', I mean it's like the force that drives you on to exceed 
your normal capabilities which is essential in the afterlife...You 
will lose this when you die, so you really have nothing to worry 
about...I came into this world as a fetis, and have grown... Soon I 
will return to my home and regain the powers and substance that 
were taken from me by Ghirma....I can not promise you that you 
won't be born with the same color, race, or handicapps if any...But 
you will end up there....There must be no one else around when I 
take you, for they will be eternally doomed with us...I must sneak 
you in sort of, and a great disturbance would disrupt the balance 
and the out come could allert the King which would be 
devestating...If you simply want to see if I'm telling the 
truth....follow these instructions to the utmost... Go into a room 
with ONE mirror....It must be pitch black in the room...No lights 
at all....No other people...no cameras....Put your back to the 
miiror and say "I love Ghirma" ten times and then immediately after 
say "I hate Ghirma" ten times, and the scream "I rule you, my blood 
flows thicker" and then turn around and put your hand through the 
mirror... Warning- everything must be followed precisely and any 
injuries you happen to come across, I am not responsible for...


---
 * Origin: IBM_Tech_Fido (Opus 1:322/1)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(506)   Wed 2 Nov 88  9:44                              
By: David Rice
To: All
Re: The Dark's Post
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:6c59 11624d8a

Here's the post from "The Dark," posted as requested.   --DMR
 
 
TO: David Rice
 
FROM: The Dark
 
SUBJECT: The Laws Of Evil Concerning The Prctices Therin.
 
The Laws Of Evil:
The First Law: The forces in all 
things must balance,therefore 
for all Good Things there is an 
oppisite Evil.
The Second Law: Evil is the 
motivating force of man and in 
being is also the most powerful. 
It dominates all Things 
perverting what is Good Through 
Her mediums when the occasion 
arises.
The Third Law: There is no 
Devil!This term is only used to 
represent a great force of evil. 
Contrary wise there is no God.
The Fourth Law: Evil is aslo 
known as Chaos. Chaos reigns as
the most powerful force.It is 
from Chaos that ALL things are 
born. If you can control Chaos
you can control ALL things.
  
  
 These are The Laws Governing 
the primal forces. These are the
strictures. If these strictures
be made known the the control 
for them shall be made known.
  
  
  David, Please read over this
and post this view. Please make
any editing choices you feel 
need to be made and please 
notify me of them.
       
         Thanx,
           The Dark One
    
P.S. Why Are you pissed?


---
 * Origin: Astro-Net 714 662-2294 Melenkurion abatha! (Opus 
1:103/503)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(507)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:31                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, a Pagan religious system
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

@EID:87fa 116ab3e2
What follows is a document sent to me by J. Santiago. It is on 
Santeria and may be a good example of a pagan religion as opposed 
to neo-paganism.

The number of followers of these systems is rather large. In Rio 
there is an estimated 40,000 centers alone. A center fairly equates 
to a Coven.



---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(508)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:33                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All 
Re: Santeria. part 1 of 9
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:71f9 116ab42d

                "The Afro-Antillian Religion of the Lucumis..." 
                                   by JSR:. 

   On the history of Santeria... 
 
    It was in the days of the conquest...manpower was needed  to 

cultivate  the  land  and to work hard,  very  hard.  The  native 
inhabitants  of  this  newly   discovered land  enslaved  by  the 
conquerors were dying by the hundreds every day. The solution, to 
bring  slaves from Africa...it was the XVI century.  Slaves  were 
brought by the thousands during the XVI-XIX centuries to the  new 
world, to what is today Central and south America, the Caribbean 
and the southern  portion  of  North  America.  These slaves came 
mainly from the south western  coastal  region of Africa,  region 
in were the nations of the Yorubas, Arara and Lucumi dwelled. 

    These Africans were strong,  clever, highly independent hard 

working  beings  who were also very  religious.  Among  the  many 
brought to the new world there were artisans,  musicians and most 
important:   priests,   doctors  and  sorcerers  who  were  three 
independent  classes  often  confused  as being  the  same  thing. 
Priests  were in charge of the religious life of the  members  of 
his nation or tribe; doctors took care of the physical health and 
sorcerers  were a kind of "outlaw priests" who almost  invariably 
lived  outside  of the villages.  Doctors and priests  worked  in 
common  accord:  the doctor took care of the physical  while  the 
priest  took  care of the spiritual.  Many  times  however,  both 
functions   were   performed  by the priest but not the other way 
around. The sorcerer offered his services for any  purpose;  that 
is,  to perform  good  or evil,  being to perform  evil  that his 
services were most often sought. 

    Secret  societies  or Brotherhoods formed a  very  important 

part  of  the  communal life.  Men formed  artisans  brotherhoods, 
hunting  and  fishing brotherhoods in were the art  of  each  was 
taught.  Women  also had their own "Sisterhoods" in were the arts 
and skills of becoming a good wife were taught.  There were  also 
religion oriented brotherhoods whose members had to belong to the 
"clergy".  Even  the  sorcerers  belonged and promoted their  own 

versions of these brotherhoods. 

    These nations lived very close to the coast, for fishing and 

hunting game was ample and also because they felt protected  from 
the   attacks  of  several other warrior  nations  that  lived 
inland.  As  a  matter  of  fact many  of  the  slaves  who  were 
eventually  brought  to  the  new world  were  prisoners  of  war 
belonging  to defeated tribes on wars with other African  nations 
who sold them to the slave traders.  But their security was short 
lived...because the white men came. 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(509)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:34                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, part 2 of 9
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:71f9 116ab44c


    The   Africans  who  were  brought  to  (what  is  now)  the 

Caribbean,  Central  and South America were in a  sense,  lucky. 
Here  they found almost an identical weather,  flora and  similar 
fauna  that  enabled them to quickly adapt to their own  ways  of 
"thinking" and to some extent, of living. And it is at this point 

that the history of modern day "Cult of the Orichas" (cult of the 
saints) begins... 

    Customs  and traditions of the white men were forced on  the 

new inhabitants;  particularly, religious ones: Catholicism. They 
had  no  choice,  it was submission or to face certain  death...so 
they yielded...aparently, for the similarities among the catholic 
way  of  worship and their own became  quite  obvious.  When  the 
catholic priest spoke of Jesus they saw "Olofin"; when they spoke 
of God they saw "Olordumare";  when they spoke of the Holy Spirit 
they  saw "Baba Nkua" and so it was with the rest of the Catholic 
Saints... So it was that under a disguise of conversion they were 
able  to sustain and even promote their  ancestral  religion:"The 
religion of the Orichas (Saints)". 

    Another factor  that  contributed  to  the  proliferation of 

their religious practise was that of "sympathetic" masters. These 
usually were slaves masters who owned their health (or the health 
of any other family member) to  a  "local"  Santeria priest (they 
were expert  herbalists).  On  other  occasions, African sorcerers 
helped some of  these  owners  get  out of embarrassing situations 
with the help  of their "magic" (namely, manufacturing of potions 
for poisoning,  for   inducing sleep, as stimulants, for inducing 
abortions, etc. etc.).  These  particular  type  of help was only 
given when the sorcerer was certain that the master who requested 
his  services  (Thru the intervention of a friendly slave who was 
the link between  the  sorcerer and the master) could be trusted; 
sorcerers didn't dare to take the initiative of using their magic 
against  any  of  the  white   men,  for  the  price if known was 
severely high: Death by torture; sometimes, "Blanching", that is, 
taking the skin off the  live  slave  exposing  the white portion 
underneath. In any  case  it  was  complete  annihilation  of his 
family, himself and any other slaves suspected of helping him. 

    In Cuba and some portions of the Caribbean this religion is 

known as "Santeria" or The religion of the Saints. In Haiti it is 
known as "VooDoo", in Brazil is "Macumba" and in some portions of 
the  lesser antilles "Candomble".  The differences in naming this 
religion has its roots in history itself... 

    Spain,  Portugal  and France were the commanding  colonizing 

nations  of  these portions of the  new  world.  Spain  colonized 
Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, Cuba, Mexico and some other countries 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(510)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:35                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, part 3 of 9
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116ab47c

in  central and south America.  Portugal did the same with Brazil 
and some portions of the lesser antilles. France colonized Haiti, 
Guyana and also some of the Lesser Antilles. 

    The   "slave  hunting  grounds"  for  Spanish,   french  and 

Portuguese slave traders as mentioned before was the south western 
coast  of Africa.  However,  they avoided as much as possible each 
other, so they not only "captured" African slaves who belonged to 
different African nations,  but after their capture and in  order 
to  survive  the  slaves learned and adapted  the  languages  and 
cultures of their captors. 

    Spanish  colonies  slaves  came mostly from the  Yoruba  and 

Lucumi  nations,  as well as the slaves of  Portuguese  colonies. 
French colonies received a high influx of slaves belonging to the 
Arara  nation;  however,  these  groups  were  not  culturally  or 
linguistically  entirely  homogeneous. Yoruba was the name  of  a 
language spoken by many small kingdoms who collectively then  were 
referred  as the Yoruba nation.  Lucumi is a compound word of  the 
Bantu dialect: luku- many, mi- a suffix to indicate a town, people 
together,  so  "Lucumi"  means  many people.  Arara  was  also  a 
language   spoken  by  many  kingdoms  and  those  kingdoms  were 
referred  to as the Arara nation.  Slaves learned the  languages 
and dialects of other slaves and of course, the language of their 
captors.  Thru  this  interaction  the different  names  for  the 
religion  of  the   Orichas  developed,  and  also  many  of  the 
ritualistic  and dogmatic differences of this religious system of 
today has its roots in that same inter-cultural exchange. 

    Santeria,  VooDoo,  Macumba and Candomble are just different 

names  for the "same" religious practice,  that is,  "the cult of 
the Saints" which is also called "The Lucumi Religion" or "Yoruba 
religion".  There  is  also  another name by  which  Santeria  is 
referred to:  "The Society of Ocha" (the society of the saint) but 
this name is not widely used. 

    While developing in the grounds of the new world, the Lucumi 

religion  acquired the "flavors" imparted by their mixed  African 
practitioners  of each particular area.  In Cuba it developed  as 
Santeria,  in Haiti as VooDoo and in Brazil as Macumba.  Not only 
the names are different;  but some of  the  ceremonials,  rituals 
and  general religious practices differ.  Santeria is a  word  in 
Spanish  which means "the religion of the Saints",  and saints in 
Yoruba  is "Orichas" or "Ocha";  Voo-Doo is accepted  as  meaning 
Voo- "introspection",    Doo- "into   the   unknown".    Although 
Catholicism  influence  can  be  strongly felt  in  todays  Afro- 
antillian religions, they still conserve, to a high degree, their 
original  African ritualistic  and ceremonial practices.  This is 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(511)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:36                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, part 4 of 9
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116ab498

particularly true when speaking on the rituals of VooDoo. 

    Today,  Nigeria  occupies  the  original  territory  of  the 

Lucumis  and Yorubas,  and there is the sacred city of  Ife,  the 
holy  city  of all practitioners of the religion of  the  Orichas 
(Saints).  Ife  is  considered  by  the adepts  as  the  original 

dwelling of the saints of the religion;  there they can not  only 
find  several  holy  places but also trace descendants  of  great 
Babalochas (High priests) and even descendants of Ochas (saints). 

                              *** 

              On the "Theology" of the Lucumi Religion. 

    The Lucumi religion  has dozens of entities called "Saints", 

and are these saints the  deities of the religion. Each saint has a 
domain  of  power  and  spheres of influence, which the santero 
shares thru his interaction with them. 

    In  the  Yoruba  religion "saints" have a more  diverse  and 

broader meaning than the Christian use of the term.  Orichas  are 
treated  and  considered  "gods" by the adepts  of  Santeria.  In 
Santeria orichas "work" to cure the sick, to foretell the future, 
solve conflicts,  remedy tough situation,  join marriages and  to 
reconcile  enemies;  that  is,  to establish harmony and  provide 
advise.  They  perform "miracles" which are very hard to  explain 
but  whose effects are undeniable.  So the true  Santero  "works" 
only for good...but what about those who call themselves Santeros 
and perform evil?...Well, lets go back to history... 

    Among  the  slaves brought to the new world there were  some 

African  sorcerers  who  found an  excellent  ground  amidst  the 
thousands  of  slaves  in the colonies in were to  exploit  their 
abilities and recruit adepts.  They were feared in their homeland 
and  they also became feared in the new world.  It was very  easy 
for them to find followers and recruit pupils among these oppressed 
people. These "Kimbiambus-Sua Musu" and "Kimbiambu-Sua Kai" (male 
and female sorcerers) formed secret societies or brotherhoods who 
evolved  parallel  to  Santeria  and  eventually  some  of  these 
societies  "blended",  giving birth to  a  perverted,  desecrated 
version  of  "Santeria".  Regretfully many of todays'  so  called 
"Santeros" belong to this variation of the Lucumi religion... 

    Some of  the  Orichas  in  Santeria  were the souls of those 

who  died  who  by their merits were granted "power"  to   become 
"Saints". However, the majority of them have become such by their 

direct  blood  link  with  the original or  first orichas created 
by Olordumare (God). 

     Africans believed in immortality;  but in a  very  peculiar 

way...According  to Lucumi tradition,  when a man died,  he first 
went to see Olofin (Jesus) who after weighting his acts on  earth 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(512)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:37                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, aprt 5 of 9
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116ab4b4

rewarded him with eternal life in the following way: 

         1- He  was  transformed into rain,  and in this way  he 
            returned  to  earth  looking for  a  river  and  then 
            flowing  to the bottom he transformed himself into a 
            "rock". 

         2- After  a  period of time (usually three months)  his 
            family   went  to  the  river  accompanied  by   the 
            Babalocha.  His  closest relative and the  Babalocha 
            get  into  the  river (all this forming  part  of  a 
            sacred ceremony). 

         3- Once  in the water (all dressed in white)  and  with 
            the  permission  of  Babalocha who  assists  him,  his 
            relative closing his eyes, introduced his right hand 
            into it until he touch a "rock"; his relative had to 
            "feel" the "spirit" living in it. 

         4- This  rock  was immediately covered with a  piece  of 
            cloth  of the favorite color of  the  deceased,  and 
            after   returning,   it  was  received  with   great 
            enthusiasm by those present. 

         5- They  carried it back to their house and with  great 
            reverence  it  was deposited in  a  container.  This 
            container  represented the "room" or "body" in where 
            the spirit lived. 


    These  "rocks" where called "Otanes".  And it is because  of 

this  that the saints are not worshiped in the form  of  statues, 
they are worshiped in the form of "rocks".  A variation exists in 
Voodoo  in  where saints can live in trees,  and such  are highly 
respected  and worshiped.  The trees that serve for this  purpose 
are called "Arbresrepoisors",  and there is usually a pedestal or 
basin  encircling  the  foot of the tree.  Square  or  triangular 
niches are recessed into the pedestal and in them lighted candles 
are  often  placed,  surrounded by consecrated  food  offered  in 
sacrifice.  These  trees are decorated and even painted with  the 
favorite colors of the gods to whom they belong. 

    These  Otanes  were  the  property  of  the  family  of  the 

deceased,  and  they  took  care and worshiped them  by  bringing 
offerings  and food to them.  It was the belief that  they  could 
help  and  sometimes intercede with the Orichas in favor  of  the 
family. Sometimes it happened that "miracles" began to occur, and 
then  these  Otanes  became "famous" and highly esteemed  by  the 
people.  With  time  myths began to surround the  properties   of 
these  Otanes,  and from those myths legends  developed. 

    In  Voodoo,  the belief is somewhat different.  According to 

its tradition, the soul of the death reascends to heaven and then 
becomes a star.  If,  for whatever reason,  the soul of the death 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(513)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:38                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, part 6 of 9
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116ab4d1

becomes canonized, he becomes a "Saint", thus eventually becoming 
part of the "Pantheon of the Saints". 

    In  Haitian VooDoo saint is "Loa" and in Brasil is  "Macun". 

The  interaction of the Adept with the Ocha (or Loa) is the basic 
unit of Santeria. It is thru this interaction that the santero is 
able  to  work.  As a general rule,  the "Illaguao"  (or  novice, 
apprentice)  only  "makes"  one Ocha as  his  principal  deity  of 
action  during  the  initiatory ritual.  This happens  after  the 
Orichas  are consulted by the "Babalao" (High priest) as to  whom 
is the Ocha that this Illaguao is entitled to.  Later,  after the 
Illaguao  becomes  a santero he may request permission  from  his 
Ocha  to "make" more Orichas. 

    The personal power a Santero develops (thru his ritual work) 

is known as "Ache" and in order to develop it he must follow  all 
ceremonial  and ritualistic rules and guidelines belonging to his 
Ocha,  and of any other Oricha he may be working with. Every Ocha 
has  its  rules;  rules and attributes that touches  almost  every 
aspect of life. He has his own colors, foods, beverages, animals, 
utensils,  etc..  Also,  when performing ritualistic work,  close 
attention has to be paid for following the hierarchical order  of 
the orichas;  that is,  the santero,  or Omoricha (priest) has to 
begin  any  work  by doing those rituals belonging  to  the  most 
important of the orichas he is working with and proceeded following 
their  hierarchy  as  related  to  one  another.  In  VooDoo  the 
religious  leader  or  priest  is called "Houn'gan"  if  male  or 
"Mam'bo"  if female and in santeria "Omoricha" or  "Olouboricha". 

To  give  you  an  idea lets see this hierarchical diagram  of  a 
yoruba pantheon: 










                             Olordumare 
                           (Supreme God) 
                                 ^ 
                                .  . 
                               .    . 
                              .      . 
                             .        . 
                        Obatala     Oduduwa 
         (The most pure creator)    ( First king of the earth, 
                             .        Ile Ife) 
                        Yemaya      Argayu 
         (Mother of 16 Orichas)     ( Husband of Yemaya) 
                             .         . 
                        Orumila     Chango 
         (Fortuneteller son of      ( Fourth king of the Yoruba 
         Yemaya)             .        Nation, master of fire, 
                             .        son of Yemaya) 
                             .         . 
                          Ogun       Osun 
         (master of iron, laborious  ( Guardian, son of Yemaya) 
          son of Yemaya)     .         . 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(514)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:39                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, part 7 of 9
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116ab4ed

                             .         . 
                         Oshosi      Ochun 
         (Hunter son of Yemaya)      ( Master of the river and 
                             .         of money, Daughter of 
                             .         Yemaya) 
                             .         . 
                            Oya      Olokun 
              (Master of storm)      ( Goddess of the sea, 
                             .         Daughter of Yemaya) 
                             .         . 
                              .       . 
                               .     . 
                                .   . 
                                 Iku 
                               (Death) 





Note:  The  above  chart  is  not  a  fixed  one;  it  will  vary 
depending on the ritual of santeria practised. 

    "Olordumare Nzame" is the principal deity of santeria, which 

represents God;  in Voodoo, is called "Legba Ati-Bon" which means 
"wood  of justice" and is represented in the  "Oum'phor"  (Voodoo 

temple) as a wooden center-post, "Poteau-mitan". The potaeu-mitan 
is  located exactly in the middle of the "peristyle" (inside area 
of  the  temple)  whose entire length is decorated  by  a  spiral 
design   representing   two   serpent-gods:    "Danbhalah   Wedo" 
(representing  perfection) and "Aida Wedo" (representing all  the 

knowledge  of  the gods).  Also inside the oum'phor  (temple)  we 
could find the "Pe" or stone-altar and on the floor of the temple 
the  "Veves",  which  are designs traced upon  the  ground  whose 
purpose are to attract the loas to descend to earth. 

    The  orichas use various methods for manifesting  themselves 

to  the  santero.   The  most  important  being  by "riding"  him 
during the ceremonials and rituals. Other methods at hand are the 
use of sea shells and four pieces of coconut. 

    The  "riding" method is one in which the Loa (in VooDoo)  or 

Ocha  (in santeria) takes possession of the adept.  The personality 
of the host changes to that of the Ocha "riding" him; the orichas 
all  have  their  own personality  and  particular  traits  which 
becomes  manifested thru the Santero during the periods were  the 
ocha is possessing him. 

    The  other  methods of communication are the use  of  shells, 
"Medilogun" and four pieces of  coconut,  "Obi".  After complying 

with  the necessary rituals the Santero rolls the shells and their 
resulting positions are "interpreted". The four pieces of coconut 
are used in the same way as the shells. These methods can be used 
for  divination  as  another  one  rather  unknown:  the  use  of 
dominoes.  In  Africa  they had a game which played  a  lot  like 
dominoes  called  "Quenken",  and the numbered pieces  were  used 
for  divination by interpreting the numbers that came up with the 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(515)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:40                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, part 8 of 9
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116ab509

meaning attributed to each one. 

    For  effective oral communication the santero must  speak  to 

the Ocha in his vernacular: Yoruba or Lucumi. He can speak to the 
Ocha  in  another  language  if he doesn't know  well  yoruba  or 
lucumi, but this will diminish the Ache (power) in the work. 

    The  adept  of santeria has also to pay close  attention  to 

some  particular details such as the way he dresses and the  food 
he  eats.  For example the santero may be called to refrain  from 
eating certain types of food belonging to the orichas; this is to 
show  respect  and  to demonstrate his devotion  for  them   Also 
clothing becomes affected;  the santero should dress according to 
the  rules of his principal ocha or the orichas he may be working 
with.  In  addition,  the  santero  must take good  care  of  his 
ritualistic  necklaces  or  "Elekes",  whose  colored  beads  are 
representative  of the colors of the ocha.  Some of these  elekes 
may be carried on all the time,  while some others are to be worn 
only  when  performing  ritualistic  work.   Thru  all  of   this 
interaction  the Ocha and the santero develops a Father-son  type 
of relationship. 

    When an "Illawao",  apprentice in santeria or "Mam'bo Caille" 

in VooDoo is initiated,  the one who has directed the ceremonial, 
usually the Omoricha (priest) or Babalocha (high priest)  becomes 
the godfather of the new adept. That is if he doesn't already has a 
 "sponsor"  who has agreed beforehand to become his  godfather. His 
duties are those of a counselor and guide helping him in  his 
journey. 

    Sometimes  ceremonials calls for offerings of various kinds, 

including  animal  sacrifices.   These   offerings  are  just   a 
demonstration of respect,  recognition, and sometimes for payment 
(for a favor) to the orichas or Ocha in question. Drum music also 

plays  a very important part on the ceremonials.  These drums are 
consecrated  and only played during ritual work;  they  may  have 
different  physical  dimensions.  In Santeria they are  known  as 
"akonko"  (big drum) and "itole" (small drum),  in Voodoo  ritual 

thy are known as "Manman" (largest drum), "Grondez" (middle sized 
drum) and "Ka-Tha-Bou" (small drum). The large or small drums are 
played depending on the ceremony or ritual performed. 

    When  dogmatic  differences  or  complaints  happen  between 

omorichas  (priests),   a  "Cabildo"  (meeting,  gathering  of  a 
council)  is called by the omorichas or Babalaos (high  priests). 
These  are presided by the older babalochas.  All differences are 
settled there. 

    All  of  the  organized religions have some type  of  sacred 

writings,  and the religion of the lucumis is no exception. Their 
tales  or  "Patakies"  are writings that illustrate  all  of  the 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(516)   Thu 10 Nov 88 22:41                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Santeria, by J. Santiago, part 9 of 9
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116ab526

different aspects of the Yoruba religion. The un-written compendium 
of this patakies is known as "Ifa".  So this patakies are stories 
with a moral-spiritual message or lesson. 

    Modern  day  santeria has its adepts spread all over  north, 

central and south America.  It is no longer an isolated religious 
phenomena of the Antilles.  Florida,  Cuba,  Haiti, Brazil and to 
some  extent  Puerto Rico are, however, the most active posts  of 
Santeria. But true Santeros are scarce; for santeria has not only 
suffered the fusion with such un-welcomed guests,  "The societies 
of  the  sorcerers",  but also it has suffered the influx of  un- 
worthy  people  in  its ranks.  Santeria today  is  not  only  a 
religion;  its  a  brotherhood  with a rich legacy of  myths  and 
legends as the teaching media for its adepts.  A legacy left from 
the slaves of yesterday to the free men of their tomorrow... 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(517)   Sun 13 Nov 88  0:56                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Update of Handling the media, part 1 of 7
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116d0701


              _REACTIVE_RESPONSE_AND_PROACTIVE_ENCOUNTER_ 
                      _Dealing_with_the_Media_ 
 
       This is a description of what WindFire Coven does to attract 
   positive media coverage: 
 
       During the latest period of Satanism hysteria the energies 
   were flowing in a negative direction as far as Wicca is 
concerned. 
   The media loves controversy and knows that to have controversy 
   they must present more than one side of any given issue. 
   Consequently when planning some report that may be negative in 
   context they will go out of their way to present another view of 
   that same issue. 
 
       Reactive Response 
 
       This, of course, is reactive not pro-active in nature. This 
is 
   how WindFire got the media exposure the last two times. I'll 
start 
   with the Denver channel first. 
 
       It was a few weeks after File 18 was given to each member of 
   WindFire that we dedicated a full moon ritual for magickal work 
   toward a solution.  WindFire is not structured so every member 
got 
   to focus their power in their own way toward the solution. The 
   solution was to promote a positive understanding of Wicca in the 
   local mundane communities. 
 
       The very next day, not 24 hours after the ritual, we got a 
   call from channel 7, Denver. They were in the Springs and wanted 
   to talk to some witches about ley lines and power spots.  The 
two     person crew was at Celebration Book Store but the attendant 
didn't 
   want to be on. Fortunately the store attendant had our number 
and     called us. We talked with the camera crew and arranged an 
   immediate interview. 
 
       Two considerations are important here. The first is that 
just     like any other form of magickal work the magick takes it's 
own 
   form.  So be ready for anything. And two, when the media calls 
   they usually will not wait around for interviewees. Be prepared 
   for anything, at any moment. When the lightning strikes... 
 
       Channel 7 told us that they were doing the interview to 
   balance out some of the reporting on Satanism, but they didn't 
   stress the fact that the report was about Satanism. Further we 
   didn't know enough to ask what the focus and content was for the 
   report.  Always ask what the focus of the report is.  You may 
find 
   yourself, just like WindFire, shocked that we are being 
visually,     if not verbally, associated with Satanism. 
 
       For the interview, be positive. I can't stress that enough. 
   Smile and let them see that you are sincere in your faith in the 
   Goddess. Laugh. All the reporters see in Satanism is somber 
faces, 
   confessing their sins. Let them know that you are happy with 
your     path. Stress the difference between patriarchal monotheism 
and 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(518)   Sun 13 Nov 88  0:57                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Update of Handling the Media, part 2 of 7
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116d0738

   pre-Christian, pre-Hebrew Goddess religion.  Have your resources 
   ready for the reporter to look at if they need a quote for 
   something. Trot out your tools and instruments if you feel 
   comfortable with that.  They love to see the various tools. You 
   don't have to show them all or any of your tools but it sure 
helps 
   them get a picture of what is going on. 
 
       The media people like robes so wear your best. Covert groups 
   that have fears about discovery of illegal activities will not 
don 
   their robes or show their tools. By doing so you show that you 
are 
   not aligned with covert, illegal, fearful groups. And by 
   disassociation you show that you are doing nothing illegal or 
   dangerous. 
 
       There are three parts of the interview: the preview, the 
   personal interviews and the ritual. In some or perhaps most 
cases, 
   the ritual can be left out. [Please note that these terms are 
   descriptive of their function, not their technical names. The 
   reporters may have a different technical name for them.] 
 
       The preview is a time for the reporter to get to know the 
   members of the group, circle or coven. They will talk to you for 
a 
   period of time. For WindFire that was about an hour for each 
   camera crew. Please remember to be civil as a group and not 
blurt     things out all at once. Believe me it's hard not to do 
that in the 
   excitement. During the preview the reporter will select who they 
   want to interview. 
 
       Personal interviews last about 10 minutes. The reporter will 
   generally select different questions for each interviewee. Be 
   prepared for some hard and personal questions. At the end of the 
   personal interview the reporter will sometimes ask if you have 
   anything particular to say to the public.  Please don't waste 
this 
   opportunity. Have a personal message ready for the public. 
 
       The ritual can be anything you feel comfortable with. We 
   generally choose a related focus such as increasing 
understanding     in the mundane public. The camera crews seem to 
like this. Be 
   patient, they may want you to duplicate some particular action 
for 
   different camera angle. Accommodate them when you can.  We got 
   through a partial ritual before the second camera crew ran out 
of     tape. Don't forget to complete the ritual before them before 
you 
   let them leave. Be complete. 
 
       Remember that there are generally two people in a camera 
crew, 
   the reporter and the camera operator. When the reporter is 
   previewing the coven have another witch talk to the camera 
   operator, telling them what the tools are for and what incenses 
   and crystals are used. Be discrete but talk to each and every 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(519)   Sun 13 Nov 88  0:59                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Update of Handling the Media, part 3 of 7
St: 
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@EID:71f9 116d0767

   camera crew member because they all have input into the editing 
of 
   the tape. If the reporter has a good feeling about the coven but 
   the camera person thinks you stink you may have visual problems 
   later. Make sure each and every camera crew member goes away 
with     a warm fuzzy feeling. 
 
       Offer them refreshments. They will generally refuse alcohol 
   but water, sodas, coffee and fruit juices are welcomed.  Help 
the     crew as much as they will let you. If they need cables or 
   furniture moved, do so. 
 
       Now for Channel 13 in Colorado Springs.  This reporter was 
   doing a report on Satanism alone. Unfortunately the ONLY 
resource     she had was James McCarthy in Boulder. The reporter 
used the "S" 
   word, the "W" word and the "P" word all in the same sentence 
   without differentiating between the three. Admittedly the 
context     of the sentence was ritual. Still no differentiation 
was made. We 
   started a telephone campaign and had about 15 people call the 
   newsroom at the station and complain. 
 
       Here it is especially good to not bitch unless you have a 
   solution. If you complain to a reporter do not leave them 
hanging     with no way to clean up the mess. Talk to them, give 
them your 
   phone number so they can call you back later. They are busy 
   people. Try to make sure they can successfully reach you, not 
your 
   children, not your message machine, not your dog. If you give 
them 
   your number and they don't call you back, call them. Find out 
what 
   the problem is. 
 
       During the phone campaign we left the reporter numerous ways 
   to contact us.  She did and we scheduled a time for the 
   interviews. We scheduled it for our regular weekly meeting time 
so 
   that all the members could be there and a generic ritual could 
be     filmed.  Members who didn't want to be on film were situated 
so 
   that their faces were not on camera. The camera crew will do 
this     for you. They don't want to inadvertently expose unwilling 
and 
   innocent people to possible harassment. 
 
       On the appointed day the camera crew showed up fashionably 
   late. We went through our usually horror story about being 
   butchered by the media in the past and they (both crews) were 
   sympathetic to our concerns.  Don't be afraid to stress how 
badly     the media has treated witches, but don't bore them; 
everyone has a 
   story to tell but boredom is out these days. 
 
       Let them see a generic ritual with a generic focus. The 
   immediate focus was understanding in the local community. That 
   works well so you might want to try that with your group or 
coven. 
   It impresses the camera crew so that they will be a little more 
   interested. 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(520)   Sun 13 Nov 88  1:00                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Handling the Media, part 4 of 7
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:71f9 116d080a

 
       Proactive Encounter 
 
       Proactive means acting before something happens and puts you 
   in reactive response mode. 
 
       Perhaps the best thing to do is to put together a packet 
that     you can send to your local media: Tv. stations, radio 
stations, 
   and newspapers, which also include your local neighborhood 
   weeklies if you're brave enough. 
 
       Send a well put together packet to these medias and be sure 
   they can get in touch with you on a few days notice. You might 
   have more than one contact for your group, circle or coven. 
   WindFire has three or four. 
 
       I suggest for this packet that you include three or four 
brief 
   statements from willing coven members, a longer essay on Wicca 
   with resources, the New Woman article, some artwork and poetry. 
   Include also a reading list of your favorite Wiccan authors. Be 
   sure to include names and numbers to call back.  While the 
   reporters won't read everything they will probably read the 
brief     statements from your coven members and look at the 
reading list. 
   You might suggest book stores the reporters can find the reading 
   list books at. 
 
       The main time of the year for reactive procedures is 
   Halloween. Funnymentalist just love to hammer us during Samhain. 
   So be proactive and let the media know how you view Samhain. 
Send     the media an article about Samhain about two weeks before. 
Let 
   them know that there are other views and that the funnymentalist 
   are slandering a perfectly good holiday. 
 
       In fact you could emphasize any holiday/s that seems 
   appropriate for your area or group. Include your resources 
and/or     xerox copies of other articles you may find, with 
copyright if 
   needed, on any holiday you deem appropriate. 
 
       Reactive Response Summary 
 
       Be prepared to act at any moment if they should call you. Be 
   positive, smile and laugh a lot.  Talk to all the camera crew 
   members. Let them know your concerns, stress the problems of the 
   past but don't offend the media people.  Make it a magickal time 
   for all the people involved including the camera crews. Remember 
   to augment your mundane activity (interviews) before hand with 
   magickal work. 
 
       Proactive Encounter Summary 
 
       Prepare a good information packet. Sound like you know what 
   you are talking about. Don't be mousey. Be aggressive and call 
   them if you feel the need.  Make sure they can return a call to 
   you successfully. If you get an interview be positive and firm. 
   Media people are strong people, they like other strong people. 
Be     prepared to act at any moment when they call you.  Devote 
some 
   personal and collective magickal time for magickal work to 
attract 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(521)   Sun 13 Nov 88  1:01                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Updated Handling the Media, part 5 of 7
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:71f9 116d082b

   positive media attention. 
 
       I'm sure that you will be challenged by the opportunities 
your 
   magick will bring you.  The Goddess will bring your efforts to 
   full fruit if you are ready to support Her when the time comes. 
   It's not an overused saying to state that we should be prepared 
   for the effects of our own magick. 

       AN UPDATE OF IMMEDIATE CONCERN 
        
       Just before Halloween Channels 5/30 in Colorado Springs 
   interviewed WindFire Coven in the pro-active mode. The reporter 
   was concerned that her boss wanted a sensationalized segment on 
   witches to go with segments on Satanism and various local New 
Age     groups and psychics. She told us that she would try to talk 
her 
   boss out of sensationalizing the segment. No guarantees were 
given 
   and we accepted her word that she would try her best to 
represent     us fairly. WindFire Coven was filmed for four or five 
hours for 
   the 3 minute segment and some promotional footage. 
        
       Some problems arose in the promotionals and broadcast that 
we     didn't anticipate. 
        
       In the promotionals various members were visually associated 
   with Satanism by default, that is, Wiccans and Satanists were 
   shown together in the same promo without distinction. This 
caused     quite a lot of concern when clients and associates of 
those 
   involved either refused to speak to the involved or blamed them 
   for some unspecified hardship in their lives.  To complicate the 
   matter one members face was overdubbed with a hags cackling.  
This 
   hurt the member greatly as she is nothing like the voice 
   indicated. 
        
       MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PROMO IS YOUR OWN WITH NO VISUAL 
   ASSOCIATION TO ANY OTHER SEGMENT WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND 
   PERMISSION. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR MEMBERS FACES AND VOICES REMAIN 
   INTACT THROUGH THE PROMO AND BROADCAST. GET IT IN WRITING UNLESS 
   YOU ARE WILLING TO SEE THIS HAPPEN TO YOUR COVEN. REFUSE THE 
   INTERVIEW IF NECESSARY. 
        
       During the broadcast and promos various tools, icons and 
   artifacts, including a piece of copyrighted artwork, were used 
in     others segments without our permission. 
        
       MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TOOLS, ICONS, ARTIFACTS AND ARTWORK ARE 
   NOT USED IN ANOTHER CONTEXT WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND 
PERMISSION. 
   GET IT IN WRITING UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO SEE YOUR TOOLS, 
ICONS, 
   ARTIFACTS AND ARTWORK PROFANED BY USE IN AN INAPPROPRIATE 
CONTEXT. 
        
       Another problem arose when the editors inserted a Christian 
   into our segment who said that Wicca was inappropriate because 
it     is not Christian. When asked why such was done the reporter 
   replied that it is good journalistic practice to offer two sides 

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(522)   Sun 13 Nov 88  1:02                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Update of Handling the Media, part 6 of 7
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:71f9 116d084b

   of an issue. WindFire Coven feels that should a contemporary 
   religion be represented, such as the Jewish or the Mormon faith, 
   the station would not be as quick to put in dissenting views. We 
   feel that Channels 5/30 leaned toward promoting the 
stereotypical     image of witches by having a Christian define 
what we are and are 
   not. Such cannot be allowed to continue any longer. 
        
       MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SEGMENT IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE. DO NOT 
   ALLOW THE EDITORS TO INSERT DISSENTING VIEWS IN YOUR SEGMENT. 
   DISSENTING VIEWS CAN BE PRESENTED IN ANOTHER SEGMENT DEDICATED 
   ENTIRELY FOR DISCUSSION OF DIFFERENCES. MAKE SURE THAT WICCA IS 
   REPRESENTED BY WICCANS, NOT BY CHRISTIANS, NOT BY NEW AGERS, NOT 
   BY LOCAL PSYCHICS. TAKE CONTROL OF THE INTERVIEW BEFORE IT TAKES 
   CONTROL OF YOUR COVEN. 
        
       Blessed Be! 
 
       Copyright (c) Ammond Shadowcraft Oct. 1988 

       -------- 
       This is an sample form to be used when reporters come to 
your     home to interview your circle or coven. 
    
       -------- 
  WRITTEN AGREEMENTS AND GUARANTEES FOR INTERVIEW WITH WINDFIRE 
COVEN 
                   Dated: ________________________ 
 
       Note: For the purpose of this Agreement WindFire Coven is 
   termed the Interviewee and ______________________ is termed the 
   Interviewer. 
                
        
       The Interviewee agrees to accept reporters from the 
   Interviewer into their homes and/or sacred space to witness and 
   report seasonal and/or generic rituals, to photograph and film 
   tools, icons, artifacts, artwork, poetry and songs, to interview 
   the Coven and individual members, for a period not to exceed 24 
   hours, providing that the following agreements are made: 

        
       The Interviewer will employ the usable or airable video 
   footage filmed, photographs and/or recordings of/during this 
   interview for any segment and/or report as a singular complete 
   segment and/or report and in such a way as to retain the 
original     context and atmosphere intended by the Interviewee.  
No other 
   individuals, religious faiths and/or religious groups will be 
   included in this segment/report without the express permission 
of     the Interviewee. 
        

       The Interviewer will employ the usable or airable video 
   footage filmed, photographs and/or recordings of/during this 
   interview for any promotion as a singular complete promotion and 
   in such a way as to retain the original context and atmosphere 
   intended by the Interviewee. No other individuals, religious 
   faiths and/or religious groups will be included in this 
promotion     without the express permission of the Interviewee. 
        

---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(523)   Sun 13 Nov 88  1:03                             
By: Ammond Shadowcraft
To: All
Re: Update of handling the Media, part 7 of 7
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:71f9 116d0869

                        
       The Interviewer will treat all persons, tools, icons, 
   artifacts, artwork, poetry and music filmed, photographed or 
   recorded as integral parts of the interview and will not use any 
   cassette, video or photographic representations of these 
   persons/items in any other context or external segment, report 
or     promotion without the express permission of the Interviewee. 
        
       
   ____________________________________________________ 
   For WINDFIRE COVEN                     (Interviewee) 
        
        
   ____________________________________________________ 
   For __________________________________ (Interviewer) 

        
   ____________________________________________________ 
   Witness 
        
        
   ____________________________________________________ 
   Witness 
        
        
   ____________________________________________________ 
   Witness 


---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(524)   Sat 19 Nov 88 13:47                             
By: Oz Tech
To: All
Re: Set in Egyptian Theology
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:077f 11736df0
Set was one of the earliest Egyptian deities, a god of the night
identified with the northern stars.  In the earliest ages of
Egypt this Prince of Darkness was well regarded.  One persistant
token of this regard is the Tcham scepter, having the stylized
head and tail of Set.  The Tcham scepter is frequently found
in portraits of other other gods as a symbol of magical power.

In some texts he is hailed as a source of strength, and in
early paintings he is portrayed as bearer of a harpoon at the
prow of the boat of Ra, warding off the serpent Apep.  Yet the
warlike and resolute nature of Set seems to have been regarded
with ambivalence in Egyptian theology, and the portrayal of this
Neter went through many changes over a period of nearly three
thousand years.  Pictures of a god bearing two heads, that of
Set and his daylight brother Horus the Elder, may be compared to 
the oriental Yin/Yang symbol as a representation of the union
of polarities. In time, the conflict between these two abstract
principles came to be emphasized rather than their primal union.

Set's battle with Horus the Elder grew from being a statement of
the duality of day and night into an expression of the political
conflict among the polytheistic priesthoods for control of the
Egyptian theocracy.  This was rewritten as a battle between Good
and Evil after Egypt expelled the Hyskos in the 18th Dynasty.
Some say the Hyskos were Asiatic invaders, and others say they
were an indigenous minority that seized control of the nation.
This tribe ruled Egypt for a time and happened to favor the Set
cult, seeing a resemblence to a storm-god of their own pantheon

The Set cult never recovered from this identification with the 
Hyskos.  Images of Set were destroyed or defaced.  By the time
Greek historians visited Egypt, wild asses, pigs, and other beasts
identified with the Set cult were driven off cliffs, hacked into
pieces or otherwise slaughtered at annual celebrations in a spirit
akin to the driving out of the Biblical scapegoat.   The report
of these historians is often thought to be a valid account of a
a timeless and immutable theocracy , but just looking at the
frequency with which the ruling capital moved to different
cities (each being a cult-center) is enough to dispel this idea.
One controversial Egyptologist has suggested that the worship
of Set might have predated the concept of paternity.  Later cults
incorporating a father god would reject this fatherless son.
This introduces another bizarre factor in the transformation of the
Night/Day battle between brothers into an inheritance dispute
between Set and Horus the Younger. Any book on Egyptian myth you
pick up contains the gory details of this cosmic lawsuit, which
includes things that make DYNASTY look like a prayer breakfast.
I have always been intrigued, though, that while all books affirm
that Set tore Osiris to pieces, everybody knows about Osiris, and it
is quite hard to collect the pieces of the puzzle that is Set.
Egyptologists have never agreed what the animal used to symbolize
Set actually is.  Since the sages of ancient Egypt did not use an
unrecognizable creature to represent any other major deity, we
may guess that this is intentional, and points, like the Tcham
sceptre, to an esoteric meaning.

Oz Tech


---
 * Origin: IBM_Tech_Fido (Opus 1:322/1)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(525)   Sat 19 Nov 88 18:43                             
By: Oz Tech
To: All
Re: Set in Egyptian Theology - References
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:1a18 11739561
Budge, E.A. Wallis. THE GODS OF THE EGYPTIANS.
Grant, Kenneth. CULTS OF THE SHADOW.
Graves, Robert. THE WHITE GODDESS.
Ions, Veronica. EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY.
Massey, Gerald. THE NATURAL GENESIS.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. THE DEVIL.

Oz Tech


---
 * Origin: IBM_Tech_Fido (Opus 1:322/1)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(526)   Wed 23 Nov 88 15:38                             
By: Martha Brummett
To: All
Re: Crystal Bawl (1/3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:5dbb 7cd81177

    from Volume 12, #11 of  "Westword - Denver's News & Arts Weekly"

                             CRYSTAL BAWLS
                             by Nancy Clegg

     The  path  to new-age enlightenment leaves  no  stone--or  
profit--
unturned.

     Last  month, several hundred people each gave up $300 ($325 at 
 the 
door)  and  a  weekend  to  attend  "Into  the  Crystal  
Dreamtime",  an 
"initiation  workshop"  presented by best-selling  new-age  author  
Lynn 
Andrews at the Tech Center Hyatt Regency.  Some came from as far 
away as 
Columbia, Florida, and Canada in their search for meaning.

     Beginning with her 1981 book, _Medicine Woman_, Andrews has  
carved 
out  a  hefty  portion of the female spirituality  field.   She  
regales 
readers  with her sojourns into Canada, Mexico, and Australia  to  
study 
with native medicine women.  While the adventures often have the 
surreal 
quality  of  Carlos Castenada's "Don Juan" books,  Andrews  insists 
 her 
adventures truly took place.  These include such  
credibility-stretchers 
as a ritual evisceration by Aussie sky deity Oruncha, who made  
meaning-
ful  designs on the ground with Andrews' intestines before placing  
both 
her innards and several healing crystals back inside her body.

     Fortunately  for Andrews, most of her initiates were  
concentrating 
on larger truths rather than a few petty details.  Though she's 
lectured 
occasionally,  this four-city (Los Angeles, Denver, San  Francisco, 
 and 
New York City) tour is Andrews' first foray into the serious 
business of 
teaching revelations to large groups.

     She  read slightly reworked sections of her fifth and  most  
recent 
book, _Crystal Woman_, detailing her studies with Australian  
aboriginal 
"Clever Women", the shamanic healers in that culture, while 
participants 
in  the  pricy  workshop lay in the dark as  Andrews  directed  
them  to 
imagine aboriginal sandpaintings, Oruncha and the Goowawa (small  
fairy-
like people).

     When  Andrews  dispensed  with the  imaginary  and  re-entered 
 the 
material world, she ran into trouble.  "Throughout the weekend 
initiates 
will  be placing their experiences inside crystals to have  as  
powerful 
tools   of   remembering,"  the  seminar  information   had   
announced, 
instructing  participants  to bring five of the clear quartz  
rocks.   A 
basic  tenet  of new-age thinking is that rocks  can  store  
information 
that's mentally projected into them, just as minute crystal chips  
store 
information inside computers.

     The  stones  are  also used by some alternative  healers  to  
focus 
energy  and  move it through the body.  Sure enough,  "learning  
how  to 
prepare  your  body  and  energy field to work  with  crystals"  
was  on 
Andrews' agenda.

--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: The Phoenix * Multi-User TBBS * Parker, CO (303) 
841-9570  (104/739)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(527)   Wed 23 Nov 88 15:39                             
By: Martha Brummett
To: All
Re: Crystal Bawl (2/3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:5dbb 7cfd1177

     But  no  one would have needed more than the  required  
quintet  of 
crystals if Andrews' exercises hadn't gone through rocks like 
tissues at 
an allergy-sufferers convention.  In one designed to rid 
participants of 
negative  thoughts,  they were urged to concentrate  on  their  
unwanted 
psychic  debris, "picturing it as dirty, murky, brown sludge," and  
then 
breathe  the image of this glop into the crystal, which would  
shoot  it 
into the earth to be neutralized.

     Everyone  breathed.   "After doing this," Andrews  continued,  
"you 
should  always cleanse the crystal by soaking it for at least four  
days 
in salt water."

     Scratch one crystal.

     Another  exercise called for people to scrub down  their  
partner's 
bad vibes with a rock.

     Soon participants were in dire need of a fresh supply of  
crystals.  
Coincidentally, early in the initiation a spokeswoman had told  
everyone 
about  the  handy "gift shop" next door, where they could  purchase 
 not 
only crystals, but shamanistic drums, rattles, tapes, and jewelry.  
 She 
warned  them to stay away from another crystal concession off the  
hotel 
lobby.   The shop wasn't authorized, she said, and its  stones  
weren't, 
either.    "This  isn't  connected  with  us,  they're  here  over  
 our 
objections, *very much* over our objections," she told the initiates.

     The  four vendors that travel with us have Lynn's  approval,"  
says 
Paul  Andrews (no relation), whose Whole Life Promotions  organized 
 the 
tour.   "We know what they're selling and these are  products  
connected 
with  the  seminar...If other people suddenly show up  later,  they 
 can 
misrepresent  themselves  as being officially connected to Lynn,  
as  if 
she's vouching for their products."

     So  it must have been to protect the purity of the initiation  
that 
Paul  Andrews  went downstairs and started shouting  at  Sylvia  
Osgood, 
longtime  Denver  teacher, healer, and crystal dealer,  who'd  
rented  a 
small  hotel  conference room from which to peddle  her  pebbles.   
"I'm 
still so upset just thinking about it I'm almost shaking again,"  
Osgood 
says.  "They were very threatening."

     "He  (Andrews)  kept saying, "I want you out of here," and  he 
 was 
really  yelling,"  she remembers.  Osgood says she  told  Andrews  
she'd 
written  Whole  Life  weeks before to arrange her shop,  but  had  
never 
received a reply.

     Next  came  Delia, the woman in charge of  the  seminar's  
official 
vendors.   Though she kept the volume lower than Paul Andrews  had, 
 her 
message  was  the same.  "She said, 'We really have  a  problem  
here,'" 
Osgood  recalls.  "I offered to move upstairs and pay them a  
commission 
as  soon as I'd cleared enough to cover the rent on this room, but  
they 
absolutely  refused  to even discuss that."  Instead, "when  I  
wouldn't 
leave, they went to the hotel management and tried to get me thrown 
out."

--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: The Phoenix * Multi-User TBBS * Parker, CO (303) 
841-9570  (104/739)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(528)   Wed 23 Nov 88 15:41                             
By: Martha Brummett
To: All
Re: Crystal Bawl (3/3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:5dbb 7d261177

     The  hotel  stuck up for Osgood.  "If, say, an oil company  
does  a 
convention here, they may ask that no competitors run opposing 
events at 
the  same time.  They have to let us know their wishes on that  
well  in 
advance,"  says the Hyatt's Sara Smith.  "Then, if we have to turn  
down 
business  by honoring their request, the original company is  
contracted 
to pay us the rental on the space the other group wanted to take.  
Whole 
Life  never mentioned that they didn't want other groups in here, 
so  we 
rented space to Osgood.  Of course we didn't ask her to leave.  She 
 had 
a legal right to be here."

     Osgood  says the animosity surprised her, particularly since  
she's 
received  better vibrations at other new-age events.  "I went in 
with  a 
few  local  vendors to rent space last year when  Shirley  MacLaine 
 was 
here.   She doesn't travel with a big group of people and she was  
happy 
to have us here at the site," she says.

     "Nancy,  Nancy,  Nancy,  why  on earth are  you  dwelling  on  
this 
negative  aspect?" sighs Paul Andrews when told of  Osgood's  
complaint.  
"I  don't  want to give it that kind of energy or focus any more  
of  MY 
time on this kind of negativity."  (Translation from new age 
buzz-speak: 
Nancy, I don't like that question.)

     He  continues: "We have no letter from that woman in our files 
 and 
what  she says or doesn't say at this point doesn't  really  
matter...We 
made it clear to her that we didn't want her there.  I felt it was  
just 
so incredibly rude of her to set up her stuff."

     Particularly when it was cutting into Andrews' business.   
Official 
salespeople  as  dense  as  the  official  products  they  were  
hawking 
frequently  quoted prices three to ten times what the same  stone  
might 
cost in area metaphysical/new age shops.

     A few days before, I'd seen a little girl purchase a hefty 
chunk of 
calcite  for  $2.50  at one of those shops.   At  Andrews'  
concessions, 
calcite a fraction of that size was going for $21.

     You weren't paying for service, either. "What's citrine used  
for?" 
I  asked one salesman, a big, curly-headed guy with a turquoise 
ring  as 
big as my VW.

     "I  can't really remember all its attributes," he said.   
Actually, 
he couldn't remember any of them.  "I usually look 'em up in my 
book."

     "Got a book handy?" I queried.

     He didn't.  "Really, any of these stones--or any stones--will  
have 
different properties depending on the person using it.  That's all  
very 
flexible  and spontaneous and any rock you use will change as  you  
work 
with it.  Any rock can stand for anything, you know."

     Just as any part of a new-age seminar, however mundane, can 
have  a 
hidden  meaning.   "Everything that happens was meant to  happen,"  
said 
Lynn  Andrews several times during the initiation.  "We are  
responsible 
for *everything* that happens to us."

     And let the chips fall where they may.

--- TBBS v2.0
 * Origin: The Phoenix * Multi-User TBBS * Parker, CO (303) 
841-9570  (104/739)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(529)   Mon 31 Oct 88 21:29                             
By: Dick Sells
To: All
Re: Meta-physical/Magick
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:b116 115fabb4

Could Meta-Physical possibly be what some folks would describe as 
magick with a 'K' without being D&D???  If so, speak (type) up!


---
 * Origin: SHOWBOAT! Where the Grown Folks Play (404) 861-3498 
(Opus 1:362/703)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(530)   Fri 9 Dec 88 23:57                              
By: Inanna Seastar
To: All
Re: Dianism (1 of 3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:187c bf391189
This is an article I wrote for PROTEAN SYNTHESIS, a semi-private 
newsletter after it was solicited by the editor:

DIANISM IN A NUIT-SHELL

     Recently, I got back in touch with my teacher after nearly two 
years and 
dropped a couple of bombshells on her:  I had changed gender 
identity and had 
come together with two other women to form a Dianic coven.  When 
the initial 
shock wore off, Rita sent me a complete run of Protean Synthesis 
and a 
solicitation for this article.
     Several years ago I subscribed to several stereotypes 
regarding "those 
peculiar Dianics".  They were thealogically unbalanced, they hated 
men, they 
denied that men had souls, they were all lesbians, they couldn't 
spell (in the
orthographic sense; no one has yet accused Dianics of inability to 
work 
magick), etc. etc.  When I came together with my covensisters, I 
realized that
these notions were at most partially true and some cases were 
patently false.
     I believe there are only three valid generalizations that can 
be made 
about Dianics:  1) We are all feminists.  2) We all look to the 
Goddess(es) 
far more than to the God(s).  3) We are all eclectics.  Note well 
that there 
are plenty of non-Dianic feminist Witches, non-Dianic eclectics, 
and non-
Dianics who are primarily Goddess-oriented.  There are also 
doubtless a good 
many feminist, Goddess-oriented eclectics who do not choose to call 
themselves
Dianic.  In my own case I use the "If it quacks like a duck, it 
probably is a 
duck" argument, as well as the fact that my HPS learned the Craft 
as a Dianic 
and runs Dianic rituals.
     Some of the stereotypical generalizations I can dismiss out of 
hand.  I 
don't know of a single Dianic who denies that men have souls.  Even 
Z Budapest
doesn't believe that piece of tripe anymore!  It is true that 
Dianism is 
particularly attractive to separatists, and many separatists 
actually hate 
men.  Many Dianics are lesbians.  Some misspell words like "woman", 
women", 
"egalitarian", and "holistic" on purpose.  Not all fit these, 
however, and I 
think that Z Budapest in her younger, or spiritual bomb-throwing, 
days 
represents an extreme and a small minority.  There are a number of 
males 
involved in Dianism, and some of those are men [NB:  I use the 
terms "man" and
"woman" to indicate gender identity, that is, how one's heart, 
mind, and/or 
soul are configured.  I use "male" and "female" to indicate 
physical sex, that
is, how one's plumbing is configured.  I hope this dispels 
confusion.].

   (continued)

--- Gnome v1.20
 * Origin: The Lizard King--Inanna Seastar's Place (1:104/45.5)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(531)   Fri 9 Dec 88  0:01                              
By: Inanna Seastar
To: All
Re: Dianism (2 of 3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:187c 291189
    Thealogical and magickal imbalance is not so easily dismissed 
and needs 
to be addressed further, as that is the most valid objection that 
thoughtful 
Witches have to Dianism.  The apparent imbalance comes from the 
Dianic 
emphasis on Goddess-worship, often to the complete exclusion of 
God-worship.  
This upsets many Witches' sense of polarity balance.  The 
resolution of this 
apparent imbalance lies in the consideration of other polarities 
than 
sexual and/or gender as the primary polarity.  There are indeed 
many other 
polarities to consider:  true-false, life-death, dark-light, 
rational-
mystical, creation-destruction, order-chaos, and good-evil, to name 
but a few.
One problem with the masculine-feminine polarity is that there is a 
strong 
tendency to express all other polarities in terms of it.  The 
Chinese were 
particularly fond of this, and mapped everything they liked into 
the yang 
side, and everything they disliked or feared into the yin side, the 
patriarchal no-accounts!  
     One thing I have discovered is that if you look hard enough, 
you can find
goddesses to fit both ends of most polarities.  Some even occupy 
both ends 
simultaneously.  Inanna, my matron goddess, is a good case in 
point.  She is 
the Sumerian goddess of love, war, wisdom (which she won in a 
drinking bout!),
adventure, the heavens, the earth, and even of death (in the guise 
of her dark
aspect, Ereshkigal).  A very busy lady indeed is Inanna.  At this 
point it 
becomes largely a matter of personal preference rather than of 
polarity, 
whether one chooses a god or a goddess to occupy a particular place 
in a 
ritual.  
     No Dianic I know of denies the existence of the God.  Indeed, 
He gets 
mentioned as the consort of the Goddess with some frequency in Z 
Budapest's 
HOLY BOOK OF WOMEN'S MYSTERIES, which is close a thing as there is 
to a Dianic
version of the Gardnerian Book of Shadows.  He is there, and 
sometimes we will
invoke Him, when it is appropriate.  He makes His own path, and we 
follow our 
own, and when they cross naturally we honor Him and do not avoid 
Him.  We also
do not force the paths to cross simply to lend an artificial 
balance to a 
ritual where none is really needed.

   (continued)

--- Gnome v1.20
 * Origin: The Lizard King--Inanna Seastar's Place (1:104/45.5)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(532)   Fri 9 Dec 88  0:02                              
By: Inanna Seastar
To: All
Re: Dianism (3 of 3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:187c 5b1189
    Now that I have spilled a good deal of ink over what Dianism is 
not, I 
should now say a few words about what it is:  a movement of 
feminist, 
eclectic, Goddess-oriented Witches.  
     Feminism:  This covers a vast multitude of virtues and sins.  
I do not 
think the stereotypical radical lesbian separatist is as common as 
is 
believed.  Moderate to liberal feminism is probably far more 
common, even 
among Dianics.  Certainly my own coven contains no separatists!  
There are too
many nice men out there, even though surveys have shown that 70% or 
more of 
all men are potential rapists.  The nice ones are found among those 
who are 
not in that repulsive majority; you just have to look to find them. 
 One of 
the places you might find such nice men is in Dianic covens!  Some 
are mixed 
groups, at least some of those of the branch founded by Morgan 
McFarland.  My 
own is something of a mixed up group, I suppose.  While we do not 
currently 
have any men in the coven, two of the three of us were born male 
and still 
have original-equipment plumbing.  The Goddess and our HPS accept us 
unreservedly as women.  
     Eclecticism:  If there is one dictum of Z Budapest's that 
bears repeating
to everyone in the Craft, and which gets followed by many, it is 
"When in 
doubt, invent."  Dianics tend toward creative ritual, drawing from 
any and all
possible sources.  I have yet to see a Dianic equivalent of the 
Gardnerian 
Book of Shadows, nor do I ever hope to see one.  
     Goddess Orientation:  I've discussed this at some length while 
talking 
about polarity.  There are some wags who have said that Dianics are 
nothing 
but matriarchal monotheists.  I tell you three times:  The Dianic 
Goddess is 
NOT Jehovah in drag!  The Dianic Goddess is NOT Jehovah in drag!  
The Dianic 
Goddess is NOT Jehovah in drag!  A much closer analogy would be 
that Dianics 
have taken the Classical pantheon and reclaimed most of the roles.  
This, 
too, is oversimplifying, but it is not nearly as wide of the mark 
as the usual
criticism.  At some point I may write up a long exegesis on the 
Dianic 
Goddess, but not here.  My own personal involvement with Her comes 
from a 
great feeling of comfort I do not find elsewhere.  She feels right. 
 I have a 
great deal of difficulty accepting known rapists (most of the 
Olympian males 
are this, especially Zeus, Hades, and Pan!) into my personal 
pantheon.  I also
feel a personal vocation from the Mother; it is rather incongruous 
to me to 
embrace a male deity wholeheartedly when the Goddess comes to me 
and calls me 
Her daughter.  This goes doubled, redoubled, in pentacles, and 
vulnerable for 
lovers of women.
     I hope this little discussion of Dianism-in-a-Nuitshell has 
proved 
enlightening to you.  It is not a path for everyone, but it is a 
valid path 
for some, and in considering it I hope that you can now ignore the 
garbage 
that has been put forth in the past as "data" regarding it.

                              Inanna Seastar
                              Birdsnest Coven



--- Gnome v1.20
 * Origin: The Lizard King--Inanna Seastar's Place (1:104/45.5)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(533)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:36                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (1)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b548d

              Donald Triumph and the Eye of Osiris
 
                               or
 
                     The Man With Nice Hair
 
 
 
        It is said that all shopping malls are but aspects of the
One True Mall.   This old myth gives comfort to the shopper. 
Yes, they say, we shop on the material plane... but those
numerous East Townes, Parkways, Ridgeviews, and Valley Fairs are
just entry points, gates to the Other Mall that lies beyond. 
 
        The Alhazred brothers never believed this story.  The owners
of Shambala Plaza, "The World's Largest Shopping Mall and
Recreation Bunker", were merchants, which is to say that they
were realists.  
 
        Still, as befitted the twin sons of a pre-OPEC rug merchant,
the Alhazred brothers never fully abandoned the old ways.  They
were romantic and even superstitious in their own mercenary
fashion.  The djinn of commerce could be appeased, certainly. 
And, if the Promised Mall was only a metaphor, then let the
splendor of Shambala Plaza be the promise fulfilled on earth: a
mansion of many levels where an endless procession of fashion-
conscious houris come to shop for bodies of saffron and perfume,
houris who never perspire and who have unlimited credit.  With
Allah as their venture capitalist, Shambala Plaza would become
the Mall To Be.
 
        On a crisp day in October, Bob and Frank Alhazred toured the
aisles of their kingdom in a sedan chair borne by artificial
eunuchs.  They paused to admire the intricate mosaic patterns on
the chute of the giant water slide.  Largesse poured from the
automated teller machines.  Justice reigned.
 
        One by one, the shopkeepers of Shambala, who had travelled
from many lands to pitch their storefronts in the oasis of
dreams, came out to make obeisance to their passing landlords. 
The Wazir of Wal-Mart bowed low, a flame bristling around his
fez.  It was said that he secretly practiced Lutheranism, but
what did that matter if he paid his rent on time?
 
        As Bob and Frank left the crowds and headed for the harem in
the third sub-cellar under the racquetball courts, Frank (or Bob)
cast an uneasy glance at the entrance to the newest anchor, the
Department Store of Forbidden Things, and wondered if it had been
wise to let space to the smooth American with the unpleasant
smile.
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(534)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:39                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (2)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b54e7

                             * * *
 
        The world knew that Donald Triumph had two passions in life:
making love to his splendid wife Margo and naming things after
himself.  His autobiography, The Triumphs of Triumph, hints at
nothing deeper than a taste for middle-period Barry Manilow
records.  It does not speak of the master plan to replace all
heads of state with clones of Margo; of the scheme to route all
international electronic funds transfer through the behemoth
computer, the Donald 2000; of the Department Store of Forbidden
Things; or of Triumph's final exaltation, through a very
expensive process of akashic fluoridation, into an Avatar of
Godhead.
 
        In their sumptuous boudoir in the penthouse of Donald Tower,
Margo gazed at her Avatar through adoring, Spaniel-like eyes.  He
was so handsome, so profound, so mystical, so rich, so... so
Triumphant!
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(535)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:41                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b5525

                              * * *
 
        "Would whoever left a camel in the men's room at Burger King
please come to the hospitality vault?"
 
        "Rosicrucians to the initiatory chamber!  Rosicrucians to
the initiatory chamber!"
 
        "Attention Forbidden shoppers, we have a blue light special
on Eyes of Osiris in Sundries."
        
        How to explain the popularity of the Eye of Osiris?  It was
bigger than Rubik's Cube, bigger than TM, bigger than Elton John.
The Eye had two obvious attractions for teenage consumers: it was
cheap and it gave visions.  The adolescent patrons of Shambala
Plaza made their opinions on the subject quite plain:
 
        "So this really gross guy asks me out and I'm going like 'No
way!' but then I saw this really awesome Eye on his dashboard and
he saw me looking at it and he goes 'Wanna look at my Eye?" and
I'm like, 'Okay', so we drove out to the parking lot behind
Wendy's and looked at his Eye all night."
 
        Parents hated the Eye.  A grassroots organization called
Mothers Against Mysticism ("Teach your kids to say 'Yes,
M.A.M.'") tried to have the Eye banned, claiming that the visions
it offered were of a suggestive nature.  This attempt failed,
although they did manage to force the 7-11 chain stores in
several Southern states to distribute the Eye with the following
sticker:
 
        WARNING:  The hallucinations produced
        by this product may not be in
        accordance with community standards.
        Parents may wish to substitute other,
        more wholesome hallucinations.
 
Owners and managers were delighted with the increase in sales,
and began placing warning stickers on snack foods and magazines. 
 
        Profits in the rest of Shambala Plaza were down.  Tourists
ignored the underwater mosque and the giant water slide.  They
came in greater and greater numbers, only to stay in their hotel
rooms, locked in with the trinkets they purchased at the
Department Store of Forbidden Things.  The shopkeepers spoke of a
jihad.  There was confusion and despair among the aisles of
Shambala.
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(536)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:43                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (4)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b557c

                              * * *
 
        Dreams had been of little concern to fourteen year-old Sammy
Van Wonk.  As a young child, he had had his share of running in
place while perused by Hollywood movie monsters.  But his
adolescent dreams were mostly pleasant, wish-fulfilling material. 
He would make a dozen touchdowns, drive a Trans-Am, or beat up
his ten year-old brother "Nerd Face".
 
        Now, though, when Sammy got under the blankets and closed
his eyes, he prayed that he would be spared another visit from
The Man With Nice Hair.
 
        The horror had begun with the first dream.  In it, Sammy lay
paralyzed in bed, his eyes fixed on the door that led to the
hallway, knowing with cold certainty that HE was about to open
the door and come in.
 
        The next night, the door was open.  The hallway was empty,
but Sammy knew that he was not alone in his bedroom.
 
        The next night, the source of Sammy's fear was standing in
the corner of the room: a tall stranger in an expensive suit with
well-kept teeth and flawlessly styled hair.  He was grinning.
 
        The next night, he was standing at the foot of the bed.  The
next, he was beside Sammy, leaning over and whispering something
that Sammy couldn't make out.  He understood the point, though;
the stranger wanted him to look at something, something that
Sammy knew he didn't want to see.
 
        He wanted to tell somebody about the dreams, but how could
he?  His parents would just ground him and the counselor at
school would finally have a reason for keeping him back a grade. 
He decided to risk telling his idol: Bud Rump, the star athlete
of the ninth grade.
 
     He found Bud in the hall between classes, talking to a small
group of younger boys.  Their big eyes and slack jaws showed that
Bud had found something especially morbid to tell them.  Sammy
wandered past them nonchalantly.
 
        "... and on the next night, the Grinning Guy is in your
room, and on the next night he's by your bed..."
 
        It was all over school: "The Grinning Guy, The Icky Dream
Guy, The Creep Who Wants To Show You Something."  Truth has many
names, even in Junior High School.
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(537)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:46                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (5)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b55c5

                              * * *
 
        Bob and Frank Alhazred sat in the dimly lit, mahogany-
paneled luxury of their office, contemplating the balance sheets
in silence.  Finally, Bob or Frank spoke.
 
        "My brother, I do not trust the Donald one with his
Forbidden Department.  He is the bad apple that makes the money
turn into the leavings of goats.  We must cast him from our
pleasant oasis into the desolation of his sorry fate."
 
        "But how, my brother?  He has the favor of the demons of the
media."
 
        "We have favor ourselves."
 
        "But to invoke the Most High in such a way would be an
offense to the Prophet."
 
        "My brother, I do not mean the Most Merciful... I mean the
other one."
 
        "My brother, that is blasphemy!"
 
        "My brother, that is the bottom line!"
 
        This appeal to the realities of the market brought a long
pause.  Finally, the brother who had spoken last opened a large
cabinet made of a wood darker than the mahogany gloom of their
office.  He removed a small statue, an archeological curiosity of
great age.  It had very long teeth and claws.
 
        The origin of this object was obscure.  However, throughout
the centuries, verbal tradition had always connected it with one
of the stranger tales of the Prophet Mohammed.  
 
        As the story goes, upon his triumphant conquest of the city
of Mecca, the Prophet went to the Mosque of the Kaaba where he
found the Black Stone surrounded by a circle of 360 pagan idols. 
In his fury he raised his staff and pointed it at the nearest
statue.  The idol vanished.  One by one, Mohammed turned the
graven images to air.
 
        The legend goes on to say that the Prophet spared only two
of the 360 statues: an image of the Virgin Mary and one of her
son the Christ.  
 
        For most of the Faithful, the story ends there.  But for the
heirs of the Alhazred family, and for countless unfortunates
before them, the legend was extended to include a third idol
spared from the staff of Mohammed, an image of a deity so
terrible that even the Blessed Prophet himself was frightened of
it.  This was the statue that now occupied the attention of the
twin owners of Shambala Plaza.
 
        "If you will speak the words, my brother," said Bob or
Frank.
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(538)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:49                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (6)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b5629

                              * * *
 
        Sammy Van Wonk needed a weapon, a weapon that would work in
dreams, a magical weapon.  He remembered something he had seen at
Forbidden: the Genuine Ceremonial Dagger with the molded head of
Bela Lugosi.  It was $4.98.  Perfect.  But that meant getting out
to Shambala Plaza, which is the only reason that he agreed to go
shopping with his mom Cookie and his brother Nerd Face.
 
        Riding in the back seat of the family Toyota, Sammy glowered
at Nerd Face and half-consciously fumbled with the amulet that he
wore under his sweatshirt.  The amulet itched.  Then it got warm. 
Then it spoke:
 
        "Gaze into the Eye of Osiris!"
 
        Funny, it had never done that before.
 
        "What was that, Sammy?" his mother asked.
 
        "Just my Walkman, mom."
 
        "No it isn't mom," taunted Nerd Face.  "He's got an Eye! 
He's got an Eye under his shirt!"
 
        "GAZE INTO THE EYE OF OSIRIS!"
 
        "Mom!  It's telling him to gaze into Osiris!"
 
        Sammy gripped the chain and pulled the amulet out of his
shirt.  It was glowing!  He looked into it and saw dollar bills
whirling in a black wind.
 
        "Mom!  Mom!  He's doing it!  He's gazing into Osiris!"
 
        His brother's voice faded in the whirlwind and the Toyota
grew dim as Sammy looked up at a huge black skyscraper crowned
with lightning.  At the summit stood The Man With Nice Hair.  He
seemed very pleased to see the thousands of youngsters milling
around the foot of the tower, each wearing an Eye on a necklace
or bracelet or headband.  It was time for the apotheosis.  
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(539)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:51                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (7)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b566c

        Sammy felt the strength drain from his arms and knees.  As
he fell to the pavement, with the others crumbling beside him, he
watched his life flow out of the Eye on his chest.  All the
things and memories -- his collection of Batman comics, the
skinned elbow that he got from falling out of a tree, the endless
hours of color television, the face of his teacher demanding to
see his homework -- gushed out of the Eye and spiraled up into
the air towards the man on the tower, who seemed to grow larger
and larger.
 
        "Ha ha HA!" thundered the Man With Nice Hair.
 
        Then... something else: voices chanting in a funny accent.
 
        Sammy looked up, beyond the tower, into the blue that
deepened into dark violet.  The stars came out, remote and aloof,
twinkling into being one by one as they had always done.  But
something was different this time; the stars were moving.  Sammy
watched, his eyes frozen in place, as the stars shifted and
regrouped, coming together like billiard balls in a film played
backwards.  The stars coalesced into a sky-spanning, gibbering,
demonic grin.
 
        Then... something more: a woman in a long black dress,
standing on a balcony near the top of the building, waving her
arms and yelling something at the man at the summit.
 
        "Loook behiiiind youuuu!"
 
        "Huh?" said the man, pausing at the threshold of divinity. 
He turned around to see the maw of stars close on him.  His brief
scream was cut short.
 
        Lightning hit the skyscraper.  The upper floors exploded.
The woman in the black dress blew into the night and tumbled
howling to earth, followed closely by the charred body of the man
who would never be a god.
 
        Then:
 
        "BRRRRAAAAAPPP!"
 
        Across countless dimensions, an archetype of primordial evil
belched.
 
        Sammy opened his eyes in the Toyota.  Nerd Face was shaking
him and his mom was yelling.
 
        "Samuel Van Wonk!  If your father ever finds out that you
were gazing into Osiris... "
 


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(540)   Sun 11 Dec 88 10:52                             
By: Geoff Gilpin
To: All
Re: Donald Triumph (8 of 8)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:9cdf 118b5698

                             * * *
 
        The Brothers Alhazred were pleased with their work.  After
sealing the doors of their former anchor with steel bolts and an
odd star, they retired to their office to enjoy a special reward. 
True, alcohol was forbidden by the Prophet, but this was a day
among days, and, after such achievement, Mohammed himself would
hesitate to deny Bob his Gallo Chablis and Frank his Harvey
Wallbanger.  
 
        They toasted the demise of Donald Triumph.  They toasted
their tenants, a servile lot once more.  They toasted the
computer printout that showed the cash flow rising to Heaven. 
They toasted the American state of Minnesota, which would soon be
covered by their newest mall.  After the third drink, they
invented "The Great Alhazred Plan for the Transformation of
Nature" and toasted it with a fourth.  They toasted the ancient
idol, which seemed to wear an unusually contented expression.
 
        Perhaps it was Kismet, or perhaps it was their differing
tastes in the forbidden liquor.  In any case, in their last
moments of existence, Bob and Frank Alhazred attained
Individuation.
 
        "My brother," said Bob, "was your face always so... so
luminous?"
 
        "My brother, my face is the same as my face has always been,
but surely your teeth were never so... so long and pointed."
 
        Bob spilled his wine as he watched his brother transform
into the Angel of the Lord.  Frank put down his Harvey Wallbanger
and raised his arms to protect himself from Bob, who was now the
grinning mouth of stars that had devoured a would-be Avatar. 
They flew at each other's throats.
 
        The brothers fell to the floor, wrestling and pummeling each
other with their fists.  First Bob was on top, then Frank, then
Bob again...
 
        They fought for the rest of the day and on into the evening
and the next morning.  They battled long after the electricity
went out, long after the shopkeepers folded their storefronts to
depart for foreign lands.  It is said they battle there still,
far beneath the ground in a darkened office, way below the daylit
world where busy shoppers pause to whisper of the ruins at the
edge of town, of the silent, decaying halls that had been the
splendor of Shambala Plaza and the glory of the Department Store
of Forbidden Things.


---
 * Origin: Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (414) 
735-2513 (Opus 1:139/640)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(541)   Fri 9 Dec 88  0:02                              
By: Inanna Seastar Of 282/341
To: All
Re: Dianism (3 of 3)
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:0 23a62215
    Now that I have spilled a good deal of ink over what Dianism is 
not, I 
should now say a few words about what it is:  a movement of 
feminist, 
eclectic, Goddess-oriented Witches.  
    Feminism:  This covers a vast multitude of virtues and sins.  I 
do not 
think the stereotypical radical lesbian separatist is as common as 
is 
believed.  Moderate to liberal feminism is probably far more 
common, even 
among Dianics.  Certainly my own coven contains no separatists!  
There are too
many nice men out there, even though surveys have shown that 70% or 
more of 
all men are potential rapists.  The nice ones are found among those 
who are 
not in that repulsive majority; you just have to look to find them. 
 One of 
the places you might find such nice men is in Dianic covens!  Some 
are mixed 
groups, at least some of those of the branch founded by Morgan 
McFarland.  My 
own is something of a mixed up group, I suppose.  While we do not 
currently 
have any men in the coven, two of the three of us were born male 
and still 
have original-equipment plumbing.  The Goddess and our HPS accept 
us unreservedly as women.  
    Eclecticism:  If there is one dictum of Z Budapest's that bears 
repeating
to everyone in the Craft, and which gets followed by many, it is 
"When in 
doubt, invent."  Dianics tend toward creative ritual, drawing from 
any and all
possible sources.  I have yet to see a Dianic equivalent of the 
Gardnerian 
Book of Shadows, nor do I ever hope to see one.  
    Goddess Orientation:  I've discussed this at some length while 
talking 
about polarity.  There are some wags who have said that Dianics are 
nothing 
but matriarchal monotheists.  I tell you three times:  The Dianic 
Goddess is 
NOT Jehovah in drag!  The Dianic Goddess is NOT Jehovah in drag!  
The Dianic 
Goddess is NOT Jehovah in drag!  A much closer analogy would be 
that Dianics 
have taken the Classical pantheon and reclaimed most of the roles.  
This, 
too, is oversimplifying, but it is not nearly as wide of the mark 
as the usual
criticism.  At some point I may write up a long exegesis on the 
Dianic 
Goddess, but not here.  My own personal involvement with Her comes 
from a 
great feeling of comfort I do not find elsewhere.  She feels right. 
 I have a 
great deal of difficulty accepting known rapists (most of the 
Olympian males 
are this, especially Zeus, Hades, and Pan

--- ConfMail V3.31
* Origin: The Diplomat: Marooned in Realtime (1:124/109)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(542)   Tue 13 Dec 88  0:05                             
By: The Magician
To: All
Re: thanks
St: 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@EID:434a 118d00a5
A while back I requested input of a nature , that would by its very 
nature cause the person or persons to expose them selves to scrutiny
of the public in general. Needless to say the response was very 
encouraging
and the police department has made their selection. In the Pitsburg 
area at this time we have two of the craft working to enlighten the 
police on matters dealing with the white and black arts, also 
providing
information to the authorities on matters of the occult.
     The information being rendered is positive and supporting of 
those in the craft, the fact that the wiccans providing the 
information
are prominent in the community is very encouraging.
     I thank all of you for your response and mat the lady bless 
you for your responses. I thank you for your civic responsibility, 
and your generosity. *************** THE MAGICIAN ************



---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(543)   Thu 22 Dec 88 21:59                             
By: Jack Ofshadows
To: All
Re: Ghosts (1 of 2)
St: 
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Ghosts are imprints,on the enviroment
 or objects,that have an effect on the
 nervous system of people near
 them.Each person percieves the same
 "ghost" differently.Some people SEE
 them,Some people FEEL them, and some
 people Hear sounds,and others are not
 aware that a ghost is present but feel
 a general emotional uneasyness.
   Ghosts may be associated with a dead
 body or strong emotional scene in a
 certain place,but they are not
 conscious,and have nothing to do with
 the afterlife,or souls of the
 departed.
    Another kind of ghost is,what
 magicians call,an astral body.These
 are a rarified aspect of the human
 body,a sort of etheric sheath
 sourounding the body,there is
 literaly tons of information about
 these things,the best sources of
 information about astral bodies are
 on the
 Theosophical movement.They say many
 attributes, but mix it up with a lot
 of neocristian superstition,if you can
 get through the crap.What is
 important,for this msg,is that people
 unconsciously project their astral
 bodies while sleeping,and trained
 magicians can project theirs at
 will.If you walk through the astral
 body of another person,you may feel a
 tingle in your extremities,and get a
 mild electric shocK.Astrals of
 sleeping people are not aware of
 you,but the astrals of projecting
 magicians ARE aware of you,and can
 carry on conversations if you can
 percieve them clearly.
 In addition,a trained magician can
 form his asral to look like anything
 he wants it to,and can decrease its
 browning motion frequency so that
 ANYONE can see it-great for scaring
 the s**t out of someone.


---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

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(544)   Thu 22 Dec 88 22:03                             
By: Jack Ofshadows
To: All
Re: Ghosts (2 of 2)
St: 
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@EID:d9cb 1196b06f

Ghosts have two universal aspects.All
 types produce an electric kind of
 feeling in the body of the
 person(living) near them.I have a
 theory that they are composed of
 elecro magnetic energy. Just before
 they become perceptable,if you listen
 for it,they are preceeded by a high
 pitched audio tone which magicians
 call the Astral Bell.
    Because of my years of carefull
 training,and my years of experience,I
 am senitive to the energy of All
 psychicly charged objects,and can
 easily percieve astral bodies.
So it is easy for me to find the object
 that the energy is attached to.The
 "charge is disapated by heating the
 object,or consuming it by fire,or
 dropping it into a running stream,or
 by a technique that I use.The latter
 technique is VERY exausting,so I use
 it as a last resort.
I can set up a shield perimeter to keep
 out astral bodies,and when
 neccessary,do damage to them.I try
 not to have to do this last thing,as
 it is VERY hazzardous to piss off a
 magician of this sort,they may not be
 able to do anything to me,but in the
 past this kind of person has terrified
 the people closest to me.


---
 * Origin: ThelemaNet - Hail Eris! * (415) 548-0163 (Opus 1:161/93)

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(545)   Fri 6 Jan 89 10:05                              
By: Sean Mccullough
To: All
Re: Preamble of the IWW
St: 
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@EID:6e52 122650af
Dear People,

    Due to certain requests,I am posting the Preamble of the 
Industrial 
Workers of the World. (IWW)


    The working class and the employing class have nothing in 
common!! 
There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among 
millions of working people and the few,who make up the employing 
class,have all the good things of life.

    Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the 
workers 
of the world organize as a class,take posession of the earth and 
the machinery of production,and abolish the wage system.

    We find that the centering of the management of industries into 
fewer and fewer hands makes the TRADE UNIONS unable to cope with 
the ever growing power of the employing class. The TRADE UNIONS 
foster a state of affairs which allows one set of workers to be 
pitted aganst another set of workers in the same industry,thereby 
helping defeat each other in wage wars. Moreover,the TRADE UNIONS 
aid the employing class to mislead the workers into the belief that 
the working class have interests in common with their employers.

    These conditions can be changed and the interest of the working 
class upheld only by an organization formed in such a way that all 
its members in any one industry,or in all industries if necessary, 
cease work whenever a strike or lockout is on in any department 
thereof, thus making....................

             AN INJURY TO ONE AN INJURY TO ALL.

    Instead of the conservative motto, "A fair day's wage for a 
fair day's work", we must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary 
watchword: 

              "ABOLITION OF THE WAGE SYSTEM!!"

    It is the historical mission of the working class to do away 
with 
capitalism.

    The army of production must be organized,not only for the 
every-day 
struggle with capitalists,but also to carry on production when 
capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organizing industrially 
we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of 
the old.



---Taken from the May 1986 issue of _Industrial_Worker_, the 
official 
organ of the IWW. 3435 N.Sheffield Suite 202,Chicago,IL 60657.



---
 * Origin: SMARTNet - Who says OPUS can't Fly? (Opus 1:128/23)

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(546)   Mon 16 Jan 89 14:20                             
By: Steve Earl Of 141/222 Of 141/222
To: All
Re: Poem
St: 
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@EID:5dc9 728e1230
Here is a little something I did after enjoying some gentle snow 
recently. I submit it for your approval. It may be distributed 
(with credits, of course).

                  SNOW

Goddess is beautiful dressed in white
The tiny white crystals that fall through the night
They fall so gentle, don't make a sound
As they drift to Earth and lay on the ground

Looking up, snow melts on my face
as I leave behind the hectic pace
I'm in another world, one of love
communing with the Goddess above

Drawing the power from all around me
one with Her, I truely wish to be
This is the quest for which I strive
It is my reason for being alive

Standing alone, staring at the sky
I feel a tear coming to my eye
The feeling of peace is awesome you see
I feel the Goddess surrounding me


     (C) 1989 - Steve Earl


--- AIBBS v2.25

--- ConfMail V3.31
 * Origin: Excelsior AIBBS - Monroe CT 203-268-1222 [300/1200/2400] 
(1:141/222)

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(547)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:09                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: Mindwash #1
St: 
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@EID:1044 b9201251
Title: Everyday Brainwashing Pt1 (14/18)
From: Tom Betz (ID=70)
Date: Tue Apr 07 09:02:08 1987
        Dick Sutphen is a professional hypnotist who makes a good
portion of his living training other professional hypnotists...
and another good portion selling tapes of his lectures and
"subliminal learning" tapes to help people with their problems.
This file is a transcript of a taped lecture with information he
felt was important enough that he asked for it to be as widely
disseminated as possible, at NO CHARGE. I found it on Illumi-Net
in Decatur GA, and it hit me where I live, so I ask that all who
read it pass it along as widely as possible. I have broken it
up into four parts... please be sure that all four are printed,
uploaded, etc. together, so that none of the information is
lost, for it is all VITAL!
        It could mean the return of free thought to this nation, or
the end of it.
THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND, by Dick Sutphen -- 22.2 KB Persuasion
& Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Mountain Oracle (1:301/9) (1:301/9)

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(548)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:26                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #1
St: 
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@EID:1044 bb401251
Title: Everyday Brainwashing Pt1 (14/18) From: Tom Betz (ID=70) 
Date: Tue Apr 07 09:02:08 1987         Dick Sutphen is a 
professional hypnotist who makes a good portion of his living 
training other professional hypnotists... and another good portion 
selling tapes of his lectures and "subliminal learning" tapes to 
help people with their problems. This file is a transcript of a 
taped lecture with information he felt was important enough that he 
asked for it to be as widely disseminated as possible, at NO 
CHARGE. I found it on Illumi-Net in Decatur GA, and it hit me where 
I live, so I ask that all who read it pass it along as widely as 
possible. I have broken it up into four parts... please be sure 
that all four are printed, uploaded, etc. together, so that none of 
the information is lost, for it is all VITAL!         It could mean 
the return of free thought to this nation, or the end of it.        
  THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND, by Dick Sutphen -- 22.2 KB Persuasion & 
Brainwashing Techniques Being Used On The Public Today
        
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
The Birth of Conversion/Brainwashing in Christian
Revivalism in 1735. The Pavlovian explanation of the three
brain phases. Born-again preachers: Step-by-Step, how they
conduct a revival and the expected physiological results. The
"voice roll" technique used by preachers, lawyers and
hypnotists. New trance-inducing churches. The 6 steps to
conversion. The decognition process. Thought-stopping
techniques. The "sell it by zealot" technique. True believers
and mass movements. Persuasion techniques: "Yes set," "Imbedded
Commands," "Shock and Confusion," and the "Interspersal
Technique." Subliminals. Vibrato and ELF waves. Inducing
trance with vibrational sound. Even professional observers will
be "possessed" at charismatic gatherings. The "only hope"
technique to attend and not be converted. Non-detectable
Neurophone programming through the skin. The medium for mass
take-over.
        
        I'm Dick Sutphen and this tape is a studio-recorded,
expanded version of a talk I delivered at the World Congress of
Professional Hypnotists Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Although the tape carries a copyright to protect it from
unlawful duplication for sale by other companies, in this case,
I invite individuals to make copies and give them to friends or
anyone in a position to communicate this information.
        Although I've been interviewed about the subject on many
local and regional radio and TV talk shows, large-scale mass
communication appears to be blocked, since it could result in
suspicion or investigation of the very media presenting it or
the sponsors that support the media. Some government agencies
do not want this information generally known. Nor do the
Born-Again Christian movement, cults, and many human-potential
trainings.
        Everything I will relate only exposes the surface of the
problem. I don't know how the misuse of these techniques can be
stopped. I don't think it is possible to legislate against that
which often cannot be detected; and if those who legislate are
using these techniques, there is little hope of affecting laws
to govern usage. I do know that the first step to initiate
change is to generate interest. In this case, that will
probably only result from an underground effort.
        In talking about this subject, I am talking about my own
business. I know it, and I know how effective it can be. I
produce hypnosis and subliminal tapes and, in some of my
seminars, I use conversion tactics to assist participants to
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Mountain Oracle (1:301/9) (1:301/9)

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(549)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:27                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #2
St: 
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@EID:1044 bb601251
become independent and self-sufficient. But, anytime I use these 
techniques, I point out that I am using them, and those attending 
have a choice to participate or not. They also know what the 
desired result of participation will be.         So, to begin, I 
want to state the most basic of all facts about brainwashing: IN 
THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MAN, NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN BRAINWASHED AND 
REALIZED, OR BELIEVED, THAT HE HAD BEEN BRAINWASHED. Those who have 
been brainwashed will usually passionately defend their 
manipulators, claiming they have simply been "shown the light" . . 
. or have been transformed in miraculous ways.                  THE 
BIRTH OF CONVERSION         CONVERSION is a "nice" word for 
BRAINWASHING . . . and any study of brainwashing has to begin with 
a study of Christian revivalism in eighteenth century America. 
Apparently, Jonathan Edwards accidentally discovered the techniques 
during a religious crusade in 1735 in Northampton, Massachusetts. 
By inducing guilt and acute apprehension and by increasing the 
tension, the "sinners" attending his revival meetings would
break down and completely submit. Technically, what Edwards was
doing was creating conditions that wipe the brain slate clean so
that the mind accepts new programming. The problem was that the
new input was negative. He would tell them, "You're a sinner!
You're destined for hell!"
        As a result, one person committed suicide and another
attempted suicide. And the neighbors of the suicidal converts
related that they, too, were affected so deeply that, although
they had found "eternal salvation," they were obsessed with a
diabolical temptation to end their own lives.
        Once a preacher, cult leader, manipulator or authority
figure creates the brain phase to wipe the brain-slate clean,
his subjects are wide open. New input, in the form of
suggestion, can be substituted for their previous ideas.
Because Edwards didn't turn his message positive until the end
of the revival, many accepted the negative suggestions and
acted, or desired to act, upon them.
        Charles J. Finney was another Christian revivalist who used
the same techniques four years later in mass religious
conversions in New York. The techniques are still being used
today by Christian revivalists, cults, human-potential
trainings, some business rallies, and the United States Armed
Services . . . to name just a few.
        Let me point out here that I don't think most revivalist
preachers realize or know they are using brainwashing
techniques. Edwards simply stumbled upon a technique that
really worked, and others copied it and have continued to copy
it for over two hundred years. And the more sophisticated our
knowledge and technology become, the more effective the
conversion. I feel strongly that this is one of the major
reasons for the increasing rise in Christian fundamentalism,
especially the televised variety, while most of the orthodox
religions are declining.
        
        THE THREE BRAIN PHASES
        The Christians may have been the first to successfully
formulate brainwashing, but we have to look to Pavlov, the
Russian scientist, for a technical explanation. In the early
1900s, his work with animals opened the door to further
investigations with humans. After the revolution in Russia,
Lenin was quick to see the potential of applying Pavlov's
research to his own ends.
        Three distinct and progressive states of transmarginal
inhibition were identified by Pavlov. The first is the
EQUIVALENT phase, in which the brain gives the same response to
both strong and weak stimuli. The second is the PARADOXICAL
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Mountain Oracle (1:301/9) (1:301/9)

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(550)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:29                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #3
St: 
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@EID:1044 bba01251
phase, in which the brain responds more actively to weak stimuli 
than to strong. And the third is the ULTRA-PARADOXICAL phase, in 
which conditioned responses and behavior patterns turn from 
positive to negative or from negative to positive.         With the 
progression through each phase, the degree of conversion becomes 
more effective and complete. The way to achieve conversion are many 
and varied, but the usual first step in religious or political 
brainwashing is to work on the emotions of an individual or group 
until they reach an abnormal level of anger, fear, exitement, or 
nervous tension.         The progressive result of this mental 
condition is to impair judgement and increase suggestibility. The 
more this condition can be maintained or intensified, the more it 
compounds. Once catharsis, or the first brain phase, is reached, 
the complete mental takeover becomes easier. Existing mental 
programming can be replaced with new patterns of thinking and 
behavior.         Other often-used physiological weapons to modify 
normal brain functions are fasting, radical or high sugar diets, 
physical discomforts, regulation of breathing, mantra chanting
in meditation, the disclosure of awesome mysteries, special
lighting and sound effects, programmed response to incense, or
intoxicating drugs.
        The same results can be obtained in contemporary
psychiatric treatment by electric shock treatments and even by
purposely lowering a person's blood sugar level with insulin
injections.
        Before I talk about exactly how some of the techniques are
applied, I want to point out that hypnosis and conversion
tactics are two distinctly different things--and that conversion
techniques are far more powerful. However, the two are often
mixed . . . with powerful results.
        
        HOW REVIVALIST PREACHERS WORK
        If you'd like to see a revivalist preacher at work, there
are probably several in your city. Go to the church or tent
early and sit in the rear, about three-quarters of the way back.
Most likely repetitive music will be played while the people
come in for the service. A repetitive beat, ideally ranging
from 45 to 72 beats per minute (a rhythm close to the beat of
the human heart), is very hypnotic and can generate an eyes-open
altered state of consciousness in a very high percentage of
people. And, once you are in an alpha state, you are at least
25 times as suggestible as you would be in full beta
consciousness. The music is probably the same for every
service, or incorporates the same beat, and many of the people
will go into an altered state almost immediately upon entering
the sanctuary. Subconsciously, they recall their state of mind
from previous services and respond according to the
post-hypnotic programming.
        Watch the people waiting for the service to begin. Many
will exhibit external signs of trance--body relaxation and
slightly dilated eyes. Often, they begin swaying back and forth
with their hands in the air while sitting in their chairs.
Next, the assistant pastor will probably come out. He usually
speaks with a pretty good "voice roll."
        
        VOICE ROLL TECHNIQUE
        A "voice roll" is a patterned, paced style used by
hypnotists when inducing a trance. It is also used by many
lawyers, several of whom are highly trained hypnotists, when
they desire to entrench a point firmly in the minds of the
jurors. A voice roll can sound as if the speaker were talking
to the beat of a metronome or it may sound as though he were
emphasizing every word in a monotonous, patterned style. The
words will usually be delivered at the rate of 45 to 60 beats
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Mountain Oracle (1:301/9) (1:301/9)

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(551)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:31                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #4
St: 
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@EID:1044 bbe01251
per minute, maximizing the hypnotic effect.         Now the 
assistant pastor begins the "build-up" process. He induces an 
altered state of consciousness and/or begins to generate the 
excitement and the expectations of the audience. Next, a group of 
young women in "sweet and pure" chiffon dresses might come out to 
sing a song. Gospel songs are great for building excitement and 
INVOLVEMENT. In the middle of the song, one of the girls might be 
"smitten by the spirit" and fall down or react as if possessed by 
the Holy Spirit. This very effectively increases the intensity in 
the room. At this point, hypnosis and conversion tactics are being 
mixed. And the result is the audience's attention span is now 
totally focused upon the communication while the environment 
becomes more exciting or tense.         Right about this time, when 
an eyes-open mass-induced alpha mental state has been achieved, 
they will usually pass the collection plate or basket. In the 
background, a 45-beat-per-minute voice roll from the assistant 
preacher might exhort, "Give to God . . . Give to God . . . Give to 
God . . ." And the audience does give. God may not get the money, but
his already wealthy representative will.
        Next, the fire-and-brimstone preacher will come out. He
induces fear and increases the tension by talking about "the
devil," "going to hell," or the forthcoming Armegeddon.
        In the last such rally I attended, the preacher talked
about the blood that would soon be running out of every faucet
in the land. He was also obsessed with a "bloody axe of God,"
which everyone had seen hanging above the pulpit the previous
week. I have no doubt that everyone saw it--the power of
suggestion given to hundreds of people in hypnosis assures that
at least 10 to 25 percent would see whatever he suggested they
see.
        In most revivalist gatherings, "testifying" or "witnessing"
usually follows the fear-based sermon. People from the audience
come up on stage and relate their stories. "I was crippled and
now I can walk!" "I had arthritis and now it's gone!" It is a
psychological manipulation that works. After listening to
numerous case histories of miraculous healings, the average guy
in the audience with a minor problem is sure he can be healed.
The room is charged with fear, guilt, intense excitement, and
expectations.
        Now those who want to be healed are frequently lined up
around the edge of the room, or they are told to come down to
the front. The preacher might touch them on the head firmly and
scream, "Be healed!" This releases the psychic energy and, for
many, catharsis results. Catharsis is a purging of repressed
emotions. Individuals might cry, fall down or even go into
spasms. And if catharsis is effected, they stand a chance of
being healed. In catharsis (one of the three brain phases
mentioned earlier), the brain-slate is temporarily wiped clean
and the new suggestion is accepted.
        For some, the healing may be permanent. For many, it will
last four days to a week, which is, incidentally, how long a
hypnotic suggestion given to a somnambulistic subject will
usually last. Even if the healing doesn't last, if they come
back every week, the power of suggestion may continually
override the problem . . . or sometimes, sadly, it can mask a
physical problem which could prove to be very detrimental to the
individule in the long run.
        I'm not saying that legitimate healings do not take place.
They do. Maybe the individual was ready to let go of the
negativity that caused the problem in the first place; maybe it
was the work of God. Yet I contend that it can be explained
with existing knowledge of brain/mind function.
        The techniques and staging will vary from church to church.
Many use "speaking in tongues" to generate catharsis in some
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Mountain Oracle (1:301/9) (1:301/9)

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(552)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:32                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #5
St: 
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@EID:1044 bc001251
while the spectacle creates intense excitement in the observers.    
     The use of hypnotic techniques by religions is sophisticated, 
and professionals are assuring that they become even more 
effective. A man in Los Angeles is designing, building, and 
reworking a lot of churches around the country. He tells ministers 
what they need and how to use it. This man's track record indicates 
that the congregation and the monetary income will double if the 
minister follows his instructions. He admits that about 80 percent 
of his efforts are in the sound system and lighting.         
Powerful sound and the proper use of lighting are of primary 
importance in inducing an altered state of consciousnes--I've been 
using them for years in my own seminars. However, my participants 
are fully aware of the process and what they can expect as a result 
of their participation.                  SIX CONVERSION TECHNIQUES  
       Cults and humanpotential organizations are always looking 
for new converts. To attain them, they must also create a 
brain-phase. And they often need to do it within a short space
of time--a weekend, or maybe even a day. The following are the
six primary techniques used to generate the conversion.
        The meeting or training takes place in an area where
participants are cut off from the outside world. This may be
any place: a private home, a remote or rural setting, or even a
hotel ballroom where the participants are allowed only limited
bathroom usage. In human-potential trainings, the controllers
will give a lengthy talk about the importance of "keeping
agreements" in life. The participants are told that if they
don't keep agreements, their life will never work. It's a good
idea to keep agreements, but the controllers are subverting a
positive human value for selfish purposes. The participants vow
to themselves and their trainer that they will keep their
agreements. Anyone who does not will be intimidated into
agreement or forced to leave. The next step is to agree to
complete training, thus assuring a high percentage of
conversions for the organizations. They will USUALLY have to
agree not to take drugs, smoke, and sometimes not to eat . . .
or they are given such short meal breaks that it creates
tension. The real reason for the agreements is to alter
internal chemistry, which generates anxiety and hopefully causes
at least a slight malfunction of the nervous system, which in
turn increases the conversion potential.
        Before the gathering is complete, the agreements will be
used to ensure that the new converts go out and find new
participants. They are intimidated into agreeing to do so
before they leave. Since the importance of keeping agreements
is so high on their priority list, the converts will twist the
arms of everyone they know, attempting to talk them into
attending a free introductory session offered at a future date
by the organization. The new converts are zealots. In fact,
the inside term for merchandising the largest and most
successful human-potential training is, "sell it by zealot!"
        At least a million people are graduates and a good
percentage have been left with a mental activation button that
assures their future loyalty and assistance if the guru figure
or organization calls. Think about the potential political
implications of hundreds of thousands of zealots programmed to
campaign for their guru.
        Be wary of an organization of this type that offers
follow-up sessions after the seminar. Follow-up sessions might
be weekly meetings or inexpensive seminars given on a regular
basis which the organization will attempt to talk you into
taking--or any regularly scheduled event used to maintain
control. As the early Christian revivalists found, long-term
control is dependent upon a good follow-up system.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
 * Origin: The Mountain Oracle (1:301/9) (1:301/9)

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(553)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:34                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #6
St: 
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@EID:1044 bc401251
       Alright. Now, let's look at the second tip-off that 
indicates conversion tactics are being used. A schedule is 
maintained that causes physical and mental fatigue. This is 
primarily accomplished by long hours in which the participants are 
given no opportunity for relaxation or reflection.         The 
third tip-off: techniques used to increase the tension in the room 
or environment.         Number four: Uncertainty. I could spend 
hours relating various techniques to increase tension and generate 
uncertainty. Basically, the participants are concerned about being 
"put on the spot" or encountered by the trainers, guilt feelings 
are played upon, participants are tempted to verbally relate their 
innermost secrets to the other participants or forced to take part 
in activities that emphasize removing their masks. One of the most 
successful human-potential seminars forces the participants to 
stand on a stage in front of the entire audience while being 
verbally attacked by the trainers. A public opinion poll, conducted 
a few years ago, showed that the number one most-fearful situation 
an individual could encounter is to speak to an audience. It ranked 
above window washing outside the 85th
floor of an office building. So you can imagine the fear and
tension this situation generates within the participants. Many
faint, but most cope with the stress by mentally going away.
They literally go into an alpha state, which automatically makes
them many times as suggestible as they normally are. And
another loop of the downward spiral into conversion is
successfully effected.
        The fifth clue that conversion tactics are being used is
the introduction of jargon--new terms that have meaning only to
the "insiders" who participate. Vicious language is also
frequently used, purposely, to make participants uncomfortable.
        The final tip-off is that there is no humor in the
communications . . . at least until the participants are
converted. Then, merry-making and humor are highly desirable as
symbols of the new joy the participants have supposedly "found."
        I'm not saying that good does not result from participation
in such gatherings. It can and does. But I contend it is
important for people to know what has happened and to be aware
that continual involvement may not be in their best interest.
        Over the years, I've conducted professional seminars to
teach people to be hypnotists, trainers, and counselors. I've
had many of those who conduct trainings and rallies come to me
and say, "I'm here because I know that what I'm doing works, but
I don't know why." After showing them how and why, many have
gotten out of the business or have decided to approach it
differently or in a much more loving and supportive manner.
        Many of these trainers have become personal friends, and it
scares us all to have experienced the power of one person with a
microphone and a room full of people. Add a little charisma and
you can count on a high percentage of conversions. The sad
truth is that a high percentage of people want to give away
their power--they are true "believers"!
        Cult gatherings or human-potential trainings are an ideal
environment to observe first-hand what is technically called the
"Stockholm Syndrome." This is a situation in which those who
are intimidated, controlled, or made to suffer, begin to love,
admire, and even sometimes sexually desire their controllers or
captors.
        But let me inject a word of warning here: If you think you
can attend such gatherings and not be affected, you are probably
wrong. A perfect example is the case of a woman who went to
Haiti on a Guggenheim Fellowship to study Haitian Voodoo. In
her report, she related how the music eventually induced
uncontrollable bodily movement and an altered state of
consciousness. Although she understood the process and thought
herself above it, when she began to feel herself become
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(554)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:35                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #7
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vulnerable to the music, she attempted to fight it and turned away. 
Anger or resistance almost always assures conversion. A few moments 
later she was possessed by the music and began dancing in a trance 
around the Voodoo meeting house. A brain phase had been induced by 
the music and excitement, and she awoke feeling reborn. The only 
hope of attending such gatherings without being affected is to be a 
Buddha and allow no positive or negative emotions to surface. Few 
people are capable of such detachment.         Before I go on, 
let's go back to the six tip-offs to conversion. I want to mention 
the United States Government and military boot camp. The Marine 
Corps talks about breaking men down before "rebuilding" them as new 
men--as marines! Well, that is exactly what they do, the same way a 
cult breaks its people down and rebuilds them as happy flower 
sellers on your local street corner. Every one of the six 
conversion techniques are used in boot camp. Considering the needs 
of the military, I'm not making a judgement as to whether that is 
good or bad. IT IS A FACT that the men are effectively brainwashed. 
Those who won't submit must be discharged or spend much of their time
in the brig.
        
        DECOGNITION PROCESS
        Once the initial conversion is effected, cults, armed
services, and similar groups cannot have cynicism among their
members. Members must respond to commands and do as they are
told, otherwise they are dangerous to the organizational
control. This is normally accomplished as a three-step
Decognition Process.
        Step One is ALERTNESS REDUCTION: The controllers cause the
nervous system to malfunction, making it difficult to
distinguish between fantasy and reality. This can be
accomplished in several ways. POOR DIET is one; watch out for
Brownies and Koolaid. The sugar throws the nervous system off.
More subtle is the "SPIRITUAL DIET" used by many cults. They
eat only vegetables and fruits; without the grounding of grains,
nuts, seeds, dairy products, fish or meat, an individual becomes
mentally "spacey." INADEQUATE SLEEP is another primary way to
reduce alertness, especially when combined with long hours of
work or intense physical activity. Also, being bombarded with
intense and unique experiences achieves the same result.
        Step Two is PROGRAMMED CONFUSION: You are mentally
assaulted while your alertness is being reduced as in Step One.
This is accomplished with a deluge of new information, lectures,
discussion groups, encounters or one-to-one processing, which
usually amounts to the controller bombarding the individual with
questions. During this phase of decognition, reality and
illusion often merge and perverted logic is likely to be
accepted.
        Step Three is THOUGHT STOPPING: Techniques are used to
cause the mind to go "flat." These are
altered-state-of-consciousness techniques that initially induce
calmness by giving the mind something simple to deal with and
focusing awareness. The continued use brings on a feeling of
elation and eventually hallucination. The result is the
reduction of thought and eventually, if used long enough, the
cessation of all thought and withdrawal from everyone and
everything except that which the controllers direct. The
takeover is then complete. It is important to be aware that
when members or participants are instructed to use
"thought-stopping" techniques, they are told that they will
benefit by so doing: they will become "better soldiers" or "find
enlightenment."
        There are three primary techniques used for thought
stopping. The first is MARCHING: the thump, thump, thump beat
literally generates self-hypnosis and thus great susceptibility
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(555)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:36                             
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to suggestion.         The second thought stopping technique is 
MEDITATION. If you spend an hour to an hour and a half a day in 
meditation, after a few weeks, there is a great probability that 
you will not return to full beta consciousness. You will remain in 
a fixed state of alpha for as long as you continue to meditate. I'm 
not saying this is bad--if you do it yourself. It may be very 
beneficial. But it is a fact that you are causing your mind to go 
flat. I've worked with meditators on an EEG machine and the results 
are conclusive: the more you meditate, the flatter your mind 
becomes until, eventually and especially if used to excess or in 
combination with decognition, all thought ceases. Some spiritual 
groups see this as nirvana--which is bullshit. It is simply a 
predictable physiological result. And if heaven on earth is 
non-thinking and non-involvement, I really question why we are 
here.         The third thought-stopping technique is CHANTING, and 
often chanting in meditation. "Speaking in tongues" could also be 
included in this category.         All three stopping techniques 
produce an altered state of
consciousness. This may be very good if YOU are controlling the
process, for you also control the input. I personally use at
least one self-hypnosis programming session every day and I know
how beneficial it is for me. But you need to know if you use
these techniques to the degree of remaining continually in alpha
that, although you'll be very mellow, you'll also be more
suggestible.
        
        TRUE BELIEVERS & MASS MOVEMENTS
        Before ending this section on conversion, I want to talk
about the people who are most susceptible to it and about Mass
Movements. I am convinced that at least a third of the
population is what Eric Hoffer calls "true believers." They are
joiners and followers . . . people who want to give away their
power. They look for answers, meaning, and enlightenment
outside themselves.
        Hoffer, who wrote THE TRUE BELIEVER, a classic on mass
movements, says, "true believers are not intent on bolstering
and advancing a cherished self, but are those craving to be rid
of unwanted self. They are followers, not because of a desire
for self-advancement, but because it can satisfy their passion
for self-renunciation!" Hoffer also says that true believers
"are eternally incomplete and eternally insecure"!
        I know this from my own experience. In my years of
communicating concepts and conducting trainings, I have run into
them again and again. All I can do is attempt to show them that
the only thing to seek is the True Self within. Their personal
answers are to be found there and there alone. I communicate
that the basics of spirituality are self-responsibility and
self-actualization. But most of the true believers just tell me
that I'm not spiritual and go looking for someone who will give
them the dogma and structure they desire.
        Never underestimate the potential danger of these people.
They can easily be molded into fanatics who will gladly work and
die for their holy cause. It is a substitute for their lost
faith in themselves and offers them as a substitute for
individual hope. The Moral Majority is made up of true
believers. All cults are composed of true believers. You'll
find them in politics, churches, businesses, and social cause
groups. They are the fanatics in these organizations.
        Mass Movements will usually have a charismatic leader. The
followers want to convert others to their way of living or
impose a new way of life--if necessary, by legislating laws
forcing others to their view, as evidenced by the activities of
the Moral Majority. This means enforcement by guns or
punishment, for that is the bottomline in law enforcement.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
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(556)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:38                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #9
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       A common hatred, enemy, or devil is essential to the success 
of a mass movement. The Born-Again Christians have Satan himself, 
but that isn't enough--they've added the occult, the New Age 
thinkers and, lately, all those who oppose their integration of 
church and politics, as evidenced in their political reelection 
campaigns against those who oppose their views. In revolutions, the 
devil is usually the ruling power or aristocracy. Some 
human-potential movements are far too clever to ask their graduates 
to join anything, thus labeling themselves as a cult--but, if you 
look closely, you'll find that their devil is anyone and everyone 
who hasn't taken their training.         There are mass movements 
without devils but they seldom attain major status. The True 
Believers are mentally unbalanced or insecure people, or those 
without hope or friends. People don't look for allies when they 
love, but they do when they hate or become obsessed with a cause. 
And those who desire a new life and a new order feel the old ways 
must be eliminated before the new order can be built.         
        PERSUASION TECHNIQUES
        Persuasion isn't technically brainwashing but it is the
manipulation of the human mind by another individual, without
the manipulated party being aware what caused his opinion shift.
I only have time to very basically introduce you to a few of the
thousands of techniques in use today, but the basis of
persuasion is always to access your RIGHT BRAIN. The left half
of your brain is analytical and rational. The right side is
creative and imaginative. That is overly simplified but it
makes my point. So, the idea is to distract the left brain and
keep it busy. Ideally, the persuader generates an eyes-open
altered state of consciousness, causing you to shift from beta
awareness into alpha; this can be measured on an EEG machine.
        First, let me give you an example of distracting the left
brain. Politicians use these powerful techniques all the time;
lawyers use many variations which, I've been told, they call
"tightening the noose."
        Assume for a moment that you are watching a politician give
a speech. First, he might generate what is called a "YES SET."
These are statements that will cause listeners to agree; they
might even unknowingly nod their heads in agreement. Next come
the TRUISMS. These are usually facts that could be debated but,
once the politician has his audience agreeing, the odds are in
the politician's favor that the audience won't stop to think for
themselves, thus continuing to agree. Last comes the
SUGGESTION. This is what the politician wants you to do and,
since you have been agreeing all along, you could be persuaded
to accept the suggestion. Now, if you'll listen closely to my
political speech, you'll find that the first three are the "yes
set," the next three are truisms and the last is the suggestion.
        "Ladies and gentlemen: are you angry about high food
prices? Are you tired of astronomical gas prices? Are you sick
of out-of-control inflation? Well, you know the Other Party
allowed 18 percent inflation last year; you know crime has
increased 50 percent nationwide in the last 12 months, and you
know your paycheck hardly covers your expenses any more. Well,
the answer to resolving these problems is to elect me, John
Jones, to the U.S. Senate."
        And I think you've heard all that before. But you might
also watch for what are called Imbedded Commands. As an
example: On key words, the speaker would make a gesture with his
left hand, which research has shown is more apt to access your
right brain. Today's media-oriented politicians and
spellbinders are often carefully trained by a whole new breed of
specialist who are using every trick in the book--both old and
new--to manipulate you into accepting their candidate.
--- QuickBBS v2.03
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(557)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:39                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
Re: mindwash #10
St: 
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       The concepts and techniques of Neuro-Linguistics are so 
heavily protected that I found out the hard way that to even talk 
about them publicly or in print results in threatened legal action. 
Yet Neuro-Linguistic training is readily available to anyone 
willing to devote the time and pay the price. It is some of the 
most subtle and powerful manipulation I have yet been exposed to. A 
good friend who recently attended a two-week seminar on 
Neuro-Linguistics found that many of those she talked to during the 
breaks were government people.         Another technique that I'm 
just learning about is unbelievably slippery; it is called an 
INTERSPERSAL TECHNIQUE and the idea is to say one thing with words 
but plant a subconscious impression of something else in the minds 
of the listeners and/or watchers.         Let me give you an 
example: Assume you are watching a television commentator make the 
following statement: SENATOR JOHNSON is assisting local authorities 
to clear up the stupid mistakes of companies contributing to the 
nuclear waste problems." It sounds like a statement of fact, but, 
if the speaker emphasizes the right word, and especially if he makes
the proper hand gestures on the key words, you could be left
with the subconscious impression that Senator Johnson is stupid.
That was the subliminal goal of the statement and the speaker
cannot be called to account for anything.
        Persuasion techniques are also frequently used on a much
smaller scale with just as much effectiveness. The insurance
salesman knows his pitch is likely to be much more effective if
he can get you to visualize something in your mind. This is
right-brain communication. For instance, he might pause in his
conversation, look slowly around your livingroom and say, "Can
you just imagine this beautiful home burning to the ground?" Of
course you can! It is one of your unconscious fears and, when
he forces you to visualize it, you are more likely to be
manipulated into signing his insurance policy.
        The Hare Krishnas, operating in every airport, use what I
call SHOCK AND CONFUSION techniques to distract the left brain
and communicate directly with the right brain. While waiting
for a plane, I once watched one operate for over an hour. He
had a technique of almost jumping in front of someone.
Initially, his voice was loud then dropped as he made his pitch
to take a book and contribute money to the cause. Usually, when
people are shocked, they immediately withdraw. In this case
they were shocked by the strange appearance, sudden
materialization and loud voice of the Hare Krishna devotee. In
other words, the people went into an alpha state for security
because they didn't want to confront the reality before them.
In alpha, they were highly suggestible so they responded to the
suggestion of taking the book; the moment they took the book,
they felt guilty and responded to the second suggestion: give
money. We are all conditioned that if someone gives us
something, we have to give them something in return--in that
case, it was money. While watching this hustler, I was close
enough to notice that many of the people he stopped exhibited an
outward sign of alpha--their eyes were actually dilated.
        
        SUBLIMINAL PROGRAMMING
        Subliminals are hidden suggestions that only your
subconscious perceives. They can be audio, hidden behind music,
or visual, airbrushed into a picture, flashed on a screen so
fast that you don't consciously see them, or cleverly
incorporated into a picture or design.
        Most audio subliminal reprogramming tapes offer verbal
suggestions recorded at a low volume. I question the efficacy
of this technique--if subliminals are not perceptible, they
cannot be effective, and subliminals recorded below the audible
threshold are therefore useless. The oldest audio subliminal
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(558)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:41                             
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technique uses a voice that follows the volume of the music so 
subliminals are impossible to detect without a parametric 
equalizer. But this technique is patented and, when I wanted to 
develop my own line of subliminal audiocassettes, negotiations with 
the patent holder proved to be unsatisfactory. My attorney obtained 
copies of the patents which I gave to some talented Hollywood sound 
engineers, asking them to create a new technique. They found a way 
to psycho-acoustically modify and synthesize the suggestions so 
that they are projected in the same chord and frequency as the 
music, thus giving them the effect of being part of the music. But 
we found that in using this technique, there is no way to reduce 
various frequencies to detect the subliminals. In other words, 
although the suggestions are being heard by the subconscious mind, 
they cannot be monitored with even the most sophisticated 
equipment.         If we were able to come up with this technique 
as easily as we did, I can only imagine how sophisticated the 
technology has become, with unlimited government or advertising 
funding. And I shudder to think about the propaganda and commercial 
manipulation that we are exposed to on a daily basis. There is
simply no way to know what is behind the music you hear. It may
even be possible to hide a second voice behind the voice to
which you are listening.
        The series by Wilson Bryan Key, Ph.D., on subliminals in
advertising and political campaigns well documents the misuse in
many areas, especially printed advertising in newspapers,
magazines, and posters.
        The big question about subliminals is: do they work? And I
guarantee you they do. Not only from the response of those who
have used my tapes, but from the results of such programs as the
subliminals behind the music in department stores. Supposedly,
the only message is instructions to not steal: one East Coast
department store chain reported a 37 percent reduction in thefts
in the first nine months of testing.
        A 1984 article in the technical newsletter, "Brain-Mind
Bulletin," states that as much as 99 percent of our cognitive
activity may be "non-conscious," according to the director of
the Laboratory for Cognitive Psychophysiology at the University
of Illinois. The lengthy report ends with the statement, "these
findings support the use of subliminal approaches such as taped
suggestions for weight loss and the therapeutic use of hypnosis
and Neuro-Linguistic Programming."
        
        MASS MISUSE
        I could relate many stories that support subliminal
programming, but I'd rather use my time to make you aware of
even more subtle uses of such programming.
        I have personally experienced sitting in a Los Angeles
auditorium with over ten thousand people who were gathered to
listen to a current charismatic figure. Twenty minutes after
entering the auditorium, I became aware that I was going in and
out of an altered state. Those accompanying me experienced the
same thing. Since it is our business, we were aware of what was
happening, but those around us were not. By careful
observation, what appeared to be spontaneous demonstrations
were, in fact, artful manipulations. The only way I could
figure that the eyes-open trance had been induced was that a 6-
to 7-cycle-per-second vibration was being piped into the room
behind the air conditioner sound. That particular vibration
generates alpha, which would render the audience highly
susceptible. Ten to 25 percent of the population is capable of
a somnambulistic level of altered states of consciousness; for
these people, the suggestions of the speaker, if
non-threatening, could potentially be accepted as "commands."
        
        VIBRATO
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(559)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:42                             
By: Geoff Beneze
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       This leads to the mention of VIBRATO. Vibrato is the 
tremulous effect imparted in some vocal or instrumental music, and 
the cyle-per-second range causes people to go into an altered state 
of consciousness. At one period of English history, singers whose 
voices contained pronounced vibrato were not allowed to perform 
publicly because listeners would go into an altered state and have 
fantasies, often sexual in nature.         People who attend opera 
or enjoy listening to singers like Mario Lanza are familiar with 
this altered state induced by the performers.                  ELFs 
        Now, let's carry this awareness a little farther. There are 
also inaudible ELFs (extra-low frequency waves). These are 
electromagnetic in nature. One of the primary uses of ELFs is to 
communicate with our submarines. Dr. Andrija Puharich, a highly 
respected researcher, in an attempt to warn U.S. officials about 
Russian use of ELFs, set up an experiment. Volunteers were wired so 
their brain waves could be measured on an EEG. They were sealed in 
a metal room that could not be
penetrated by a normal signal.
        Puharich then beamed ELF waves at the volunteers. ELFs go
right through the earth and, of course, right through metal
walls. Those inside couldn't know if the signal was or was not
being sent. And Puharich watched the reactions on the technical
equipment: 30 percent of those inside the room were taken over
by the ELF signal in six to ten seconds.
        When I say "taken over," I mean that their behavior
followed the changes anticipated at very precise frequencies.
Waves below 6 cycles per second caused the subjects to become
very emotionally upset, and even disrupted bodily functions. At
8.2 cycles, they felt very high . . . an elevated feeling, as
though they had been in masterful meditation, learned over a
period of years. Eleven to 11.3 cycles induced waves of
depressed agitation leading to riotous behavior.
        
        THE NEUROPHONE
        Dr. Patrick Flanagan is a personal friend of mine. In the
early 1960s, as a teenager, Pat was listed as one of the top
scientists in the world by "Life" magazine. Among his many
inventions was a device he called the Neurophone--an electronic
instrument that can successfully programm suggestions directly
through contact with the skin. When he attempted to patent the
device, the government demanded that he prove it worked. When
he did, the National Security Agency confiscated the neurophone.
It took Pat two years of legal battle to get his invention back.
        In using the device, you don't hear or see a thing; it is
applied to the skin, which Pat claims is the source of special
senses. The skin contains more sensors for heat, touch, pain,
vibration, and electrical fields than any other part of the
human anatomy.
        In one of his recent tests, Pat conducted two identical
seminars for a military audience--one seminar one night and one
the next night, because the size of the room was not large
enough to accommodate all of them at one time. When the first
group proved to be very cool and unwilling to respond, Patrick
spent the next day making a special tape to play at the second
seminar. The tape instructed the audience to be extremely warm
and responsive and for their hands to become "tingly." The tape
was played through the neurophone, which was connected to a wire
he placed along the ceiling of the room. There were no
speakers, so no sound could be heard, yet the message was
successfully transmitted from that wire directly into the brains
of the audience. They were warm and receptive, their hands
tingled and they responded, according to programming, in other
ways that I cannot mention here.
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(560)   Fri 17 Feb 89 23:44                             
By: Geoff Beneze
To: All
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St: 
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       The more we find out about how human beings work through 
today's highly advanced technological research, the more we learn 
to control human beings. And what probably scares me the most is 
that the medium for takeover is already in place! The television 
set in your livingroom and bedroom is doing a lot more than just 
entertaining you.         Before I continue, let me point out 
something else about an altered state of consciousness. When you go 
into an altered state, you transfer into right brain, which results 
in the internal release of the body's own opiates: enkephalins and 
Beta-endorphins, chemically almost identical to opium. In other 
words, it feels good . . . and you want to come back for more.      
   Recent tests by researcher Herbert Krugman showed that, while 
viewers were watching TV, right-brain activity outnumbered 
left-brain activity by a ratio of two to one. Put more simply, the 
viewers were in an altered state . . . in trance more often than 
not. They were getting their Beta-endorphin "fix."         To 
measure attention spans, psychophysiologist Thomas Mulholland of 
the Veterans Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts, attached young 
viewers to an EEG machine that was wired to shut the TV set off 
whenever the children's brains produced a majority of alpha waves. 
Although the children were told to concentrate, only a few could 
keep the set on for more than 30 seconds!         Most viewers are 
already hypnotized. To deepen the trance is easy. One simple way is 
to place a blank, black frame every 32 frames in the film that is 
being projected. This creates a 45-beat-per-minute pulsation 
perceived only by the subconscious mind--the ideal pace to generate 
deep hypnosis.         The commercials or suggestions presented 
following this alpha-inducing broadcast are much more likely to be 
accepted by the viewer. The high percentage of the viewing audience 
that has somnambulistic-depth ability could very well accept the 
suggestions as commands--as long as those commands did not ask the 
viewer to do something contrary to his morals, religion, or 
self-preservation.         The medium for takeover is here. By the 
age of 16, children have spent 10,000 to 15,000 hours watching 
television--that is more time than they spend in school! In the 
average home, the TV set is on for six hours and 44 minutes per 
day--an increase of nine minutes from last year and three times the 
average rate of increase during the 1970s.         It obviously 
isn't getting better . . . we are rapidly moving into an 
alpha-level world--very possibly the Orwellian world of 
"1984"--placid, glassy-eyed, and responding obediently to 
instructions.         A research project by Jacob Jacoby, a Purdue 
University psychologist, found that of 2,700 people tested, 90 
percent misunderstood even such simple viewing fare as commercials 
and "Barnaby Jones." Only minutes after watching, the typical 
viewer missed 23 to 36 percent of the questions about what he or 
she had seen. Of course they did--they were going in and out of
trance! If you go into a deep trance, you must be instructed to
remember--otherwise you automatically forget.
        I have just touched the tip of the iceberg. When you start
to combine subliminal messages behind the music, subliminal
visuals projected on the screen, hypnotically produced visual
effects, sustained musical beats at a trance-inducing pace . . .
you have extremely effective brainwashing. Every hour that you
spend watching the TV set you become more conditioned. And, in
case you thought there was a law against any of these things,
guess again. There isn't! There are a lot of powerful people
who obviously prefer things exactly the way they are. Maybe
they have plans for?
                        <<End of Article>>
--- QuickBBS v2.03
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