The Black Flame Vol. 2 No. 4
Full uncorrected text (3/17/25) of The Black Flame Vol. 2 No. 4.
THE BLACK FLAME
VOLUME 2, NUMBER 4 $3.00 WINTER SOLSTICE, XXV A.S.
THE QUARTERLY FORUM FOR SATANIC THOUGHT. AFFILIATED WITH THE CHURCH OF SATAN
IRON YOUTH
by Peter H. Gilmore
Satanists are continually accused by the media and hysterical Christian fanatics of child recruitment. They tell grim tales of slavering Satanists lurking about playgrounds and schoolyards in search of apple-cheeked innocents who are to be kidnapped and then brainwashed into becoming servants of Satan. These feeble folk simply can't catch on to the fact that we find them, as well as the rotten fruit of their loins, to be unredeemably mediocre and not even worth pondering, let alone inviting into the Church of Satan. Such fantasies must stem from wishful thinking; these drones dearly hope that they will be considered important enough to get our attention. To such I say, "Dream on!"
The youths that interest us are our own children, doubly blessed with fine genetic material as well as receiving the appropriate love, care, discipline and education to become part of the world's elite. As we move into the year XXVI, we find that many Satanists are in the process of raising a cherished second generation of Satanists. These young individuals are not forced into Satanism, but are raised to employ an open and questioning approach to all things, particularly religions and philosophies. Children do not take part in Satanic rituals save, should the parents so desire, for a Satanic Baptism which celebrates the glorious carnality that gave rise to this precious new life.
We don't allow children to participate in ritual workings until they have gained a full understanding of the principles involved and can contribute to the actual process. Parents may mark the occasion of the young adults' stage of maturity, wherein they first take part in ritual, through a Satanic Confirmation ritual which welcomes the individual as a conscious magician and dedicated Satanist. This ritual should stress the nascent talents that the confirmee will work to develop through the application of Will, to become a true member of the elite.
Satanist parents are acutely aware of the great responsibility in their hands of giving their children the proper guidance to separate the diamonds from the dross in the overwhelming mass of information now available. They are careful to let their children know that they have few, if any, peers amongst the herd through which they must pass with utmost caution. They teach them to study all things, not to worship anything above themselves and those whom they value. They are taught to revel in their animal nature, and to study the nature of the human animal with great care, as Mankind does exist as a society which must be comprehended in order to master the methods of achieving personal desires.
Above all, our children will be encouraged to discover and develop their unique aptitudes, to explore many alternatives and chose that which each loves best. They shall surely inherit the globe as well as the stars, living lives full of success and pleasure.
We Satanists are here to stay and our iron youth, splendidly self-confident and disciplined, are the keys to the gateway into eternity. I have seen the glorious strength through joy radiating from the faces of our next generation and confidently predict that tomorrow, indeed, belongs to us.
Any and all articles, letters, essays or commentary submitted to this publication yet demonstrating an ignorance of the principles and ideas in The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey will be ignored
SIGMUND FREUD: HIS LINKS TO SATANISM
by Reuben Radding
Freud has today been virtually discarded by many individuals on the basis of a few of his miscalculations and excesses, yet Freud was the pioneer, the daring man who discovered much of what we now consider to be either common knowledge or hidden fact.
In going back and reading the bulk of Freud's work, I have found there to be quite a few links in thought or practice with Satanism and Satanic philosophy. Let's begin with one of my favorite quotes: "A man should not strive to eliminate his complexes but to get into accord with them: they are legitimately what directs his conduct in this world."
Hey! Doesn't this sound a lot like turning your liabilities into advantages? Or transforming alienation into exclusivity? This is a key point many have missed, not only in Freud's writings but also in Satanic theory and practice, as it seems to go against their conception of problem solving. This process, of liability becoming advantage, can be something into which many would naturally fall, such as the masochist finding consenting outlets for his/her urges, or the deformed man becoming a renowned circus attraction. More on this later.
Those of you who have read The Church of Satan, by Blanche Barton, have probably noticed the inclusion of Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams on the reading list. This is a terrific place for Satanists to begin their exploration of Freud. Magicians have always been dream interpreters. This book was one of Freud's major turning points since one of its primary assertions is that the functioning of dreams provides systematic evidence of the Unconscious. Freud was forced, in this volume, to defend two theories at once. His basic conclusion that "dreams represent the fulfillment of wishes..." is not as simplistic as it sounds. Wish fulfillment in dreams is often so disguised that one is frequently apt to miss its occurrence. Freud provides many perplexing examples and case studies to illustrate his findings. For Satanists, this does not mean that you will now be equipped to interpret others' dreams, but it will give you splendid ammo and resources to learn from your own dreams about your hidden desires or impulses. After all, isn't the true meaning of the word "occult," that which is hidden?
We've all heard of the "Freudian Slip," right? Well, the real name of this phenomenon is Parapraxis, and it is the primary focus of Freud's book The Psychopathology of Everyday Life. This often quite humorous volume investigates slips of the pen, speech disturbances, and how they can relate to the unconscious. Compleat Witches will notice how this can be utilized in determining things about a person that remain hidden. Some examples given are very obvious in their revelation while other require much examination (provided) into their function.
Satanists are not entity-worshippers and neither was Freud. Enemies of blind belief in gods or devil will find much to embrace in Freud's The Future of An Illusion. In it, he endeavors to identify the psychology of religion and theology. While there is some room for argument here, it's important to me that I ask myself questions raised in this work. Many Satanists would likely benefit from similar self- questioning. If we are the ones always asking "why?" mightn't we also ask ourselves the same thing?
Possibly my favorite, out of the works of Freud that I've read, is Civilization and Its Discontents. Very often I encounter people who, for one reason or another, claim to despise modern civilization. While I agree that there is room for drastic improvement, this out and out contempt for the world is something I am dismayed with. Freud investigated this situation and what civilization is and means. This might give you, as it did me, some clues into your own alienation. Then align yourself! As Satanists we are of an alignment, a way of living in harmony with our personal nature. This is something to have pride in. It's not enough for me to take the name of Satanist. If I, or we, are truly walking the left hand path, it is vital to know what this path touches in you and not let go of that which brings you joy or achievement.
Since alienation from the herd is one of the acknowledged keys of Satanism, I think we should get to know our personal alienated cores. We do this in our rituals. It is one of the primary functions of ritualization. To borrow from Ayn Rand, to say "I am a Satanist" you must first learn to say the "I." Who are YOU?
I could go on at length regarding psychology and Satanism, but the real goal of this discourse, and of my enthusiasm here, is to get you to read Freud for yourself. I'd like for my fellow children of the night to seek and discover their own personal rewards in these and other volumes. Let's put to rest the idea that Freud is bullshit. How many denouncers of Freud do you know who have never read one of his books?
Men are not gentle, friendly creatures wishing for love, who simply defend themselves if they are attacked...a powerful measure of their desire for agression has to be reckoned as part of their intrinsic instinctual endowment. Sigmund Freud
The "If" of Destruction
by A Toplin.
Destruction rituals, or curses as they are more popularly known, are Satanism's biggest box office boast: When Karla LaVey appeared last Halloween on the Joan Rivers Show, Joan spent most of her time grilling the Church of Satan's High Priestess about the famous curse that killed Sam Brody and, unfortunately, Jayne Mansfield. While Miss LaVey tried determinedly to emphasize that her father had also performed a very effective compassion ritual for the health of Jayne's son, Joan kept swerving things back to "that curse."
When Church of Satan representatives appear anywhere in the media, both the hosts and audience members repeatedly ask: "Can you put a curse on someone? Could you hurt me, right now?" Because of the emphasis our movement makes on dark over light, strength over weakness, the herd cowers in our presence, fearful of attracting attention and provoking the dreaded "curse."
A waste of time, of course. These people are cursed with themselves. But if we ever got started...
I have recently had contact with Satanists of many different age and experience levels. I've noticed that among our younger constituents, there is a tendency to rely heavily on the destruction ritual as proof of magical ability. This is, to an extent, understandable. Young adults in American society are in a position now where they have almost no control over their own lives or situations, yet have all the desires, abilities and intelligence of many their senior. When threatened, it is extremely tempting for a young Satanist to solve his problems with a destruction ritual. He can now strike back, and because of his youthful fervor, his rituals are often extremely effective and the results swift. I would say that of the of Satanists I've met, most will tell you that their first ritual was a curse, that it worked, and that they were thus hooked on Satanic magic.
But we all grow up. We stop putting curses on people who cut us off in traffic, on the boss for not giving us a raise, etc. In fact, destruction rituals are few and far between; I've participated in maybe three in my fifteen years as a Satanist. They were placed upon very particular individuals, people who had crossed my path and blocked my way. But not just blocked it; in fact, there will be people during your life who will mess things up for you but good, and yet, when examining the situation from a rational point of view, you can see that a curse is not really what's required. This person might actually be better at something than you are, or did what he did by accident or simply for his own gain. In other words, his actions weren't "personal."
But then there are those others. If you're lucky, you'll only meet a handful before you're old. I call them hungry souls. A hungry soul appears in your life, maybe at your job, in a club, or right in your own family, and he takes an immediate, special interest in you. You have something he wants, and while it might seem to be your job, your reputation, girlfriend, prestige, whatever, what it really is, is your life force. You're a Satanist; you brim over with animal charisma, effectiveness, purpose, joy. Most people just perceive you as a good person to have around to help things get done and make life interesting. But a hungry soul wants to steal this rare and tempting black flame that's spilling out of you. He hates you because he's so miserable himself. It's nothing you've done to him; it's you. And so he tries to trip you up, denigrate, negate you in every way. It can extend from petty annoyances, to character assassination. I've watched one hungry soul devote his entire life, his money, career, reputation and personal happiness to stealing the Satanic flame from another man. But it hasn't worked, and will never work.
This is the person for whom you perform a destruction ritual. You can't be his friend; you can't redirect of rehabilitate him. You can only get rid of him because he will not stop, ever.
And a proper destruction ritual is not fun time. You don't call up all your witchy friends for coffee, cake and a DR. You bring one of two close associates together, those who can share and therefore amplify your pain and anger at this person. And as you stand before the Sigil of Baphomet, wherever you have chosen to locate it, you re-experience the anguish and frustration all over again, for as long as it takes. If feeling sorry for yourself is an indulgence, then this is where you indulge completely. Then you begin.
Every religion has, if you go back in their canon far enough, a destruction ritual. The Catholics have performed funeral Masses for living enemies, and rabbis in Israel have recently revived an ancient Hebrew prayer that calls for the death of an enemy. Retribution is the way of the human animal; we are evolved from predatory beasts who took what they wanted by force and destroyed their enemies to enjoy their booty in peace.
So when traveling in open territory, bother no one. But if a hungry soul deliberately blocks your path, well, the only law is fang and claw!
Hail Satan!
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"WE SPECIALIZE IN THE UNUSUAL"
ODDITORIUM
by Peggy Nadramia
Apocalypse Culture edited by Adam Parfey. (Feral House, Los Angeles, 1990; softcover, 362 pages, $12.95).
This is the latest, expanded and revised edition, and includes eighteen new articles while deleting twelve from the first version. It is therefore well worth your while, even if you were lucky enough to purchase the first edition. Joe Coleman's painting still graces AC's cover.
J.G. Ballard claimed this book "the terminal documents of the twentieth century;" in his diatribe against Satanism, Painted Black, Carl Raschke claimed that "apocalypse culture emanates from the conviction that nothing must be denied or shielded from the light of day." Indeed, the essays here explore necrophilia, castration, eugenics, lycanthropy and much more. It is an attempt, on one level, to catalog the ideas and individuals who stand and live in direct opposition to, as Parfrey says, "the imperium of overpopulation, capital and stupidity... Apocalypse ups the ante."
The book is divided this time into two sections: Apocalypse Theologies and The Invisible War. Anton LaVey contributes the title essay for the second half, and the Abraxas Foundation and Boyd Rice are also contributors.
Don't crawl into the back of an occult shop to find the spurious Necronomicon; go to a clean, well-lighted bookstore and pick up Apocalypse Culture. It's all the forbidden lore you'll need. To order direct, see Feral House's ad elsewhere in this issue.
The Atrocity Exhibition by J.G. Ballard. (Re/Search, San Francisco, 1990; large-format softcover, 127 pages. $13.99).
This is a new, revised edition with annotations and commentary by the author, plus four additonal stories, profusely illustrated and including photos. If you're a Ballard reader, this is something you'll want or your personal library.
Ballard writes of a future gone mad, but his fictions are merely extrapolations of our present-day realities, of the flaws in our myth and belief systems. He peoples his cracked and dry landscape of America with icons like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Elizabeth Taylor. Artist Phoebe Gloeckner and photographer Ana Barrado evoke the sterility here quite beautifully. You may order The Atrocity Exhibition directly from Re/Search, 20 Romolo, #B, San Francisco, CA 94113. Price includes shipping.
The Fenris Wolf, Issue Number Two, edited by Carl Abrahamsson. (Psychick Release PCP, Stockholm, 1990; softcover with dustjacket, 103 pages, no price listed).
A soft little grey book, but potent and seeded with information and inspiration. For those unfamiliar with Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth, they are a bunch of very nice people concerned with Thelema and personal magical achievement, and with spreading their ideas through such media as music, books and film. Articles in this issue include "The Satan Game," an analysis of the recent Christian hysteria, "In Defence of Satanism" by editor Carl Abrahamsson and "The Horns of Dilemma" by Dr. Anton LaVey. Lest you think that Satanism is usually the topic, or the only topic, the issue also contains work by Genesis P-Orridge, Jack Stevenson and Tim O'Neill. I particularly enjoyed Stevenson's companion pieces, "15 Voices From God" and "18 Fatal Arguments,'" both compiled from newspaper accounts in the late Seventies. Inquire of the price, with three IRC's (that's International Reply Coupons, y'all; they're like gift certificates for stamps at the other end -- if the P.O. tells you they don't know what they are, put the lash to them!) to: Psychick Release PCP. P. O. Box 26067, S-10041 Stockholm, Sweden.
The Fifth Path, Issue Number One, edited by Robert Ward. (The Fifth Path, Carmichael, Calif., 1991; softcover, 48 pages, $3.50 cover price).
The Mission Statement here is interesting: "To challenge people to think and question what they know, what they believe, what they're told; To Examine Music, Religion, Politics, Philosophies, Literature, Arts, Etc., From Opposite Ends of The Spectrum Dealing With Ideas Important, Amusing, Annoying and Offensive." Sounds like they're off to a good start. So what's in here? Mucho reviews of music and books, including Boyd Rice's "Music, Martinis and Misanthropy" and The Secret Life of a Satanist by Blanche Barton. There are also several interviews, including one with Zeena LaVey, in which she affirms that she has stepped down from her position as High Priestess and spokeswoman for the Church of Satan to operate the Werewolf Order, now based in Europe. The Werewolf Order, she states, prohibits its members from affiliation or collaboration with any other groups, including the Church of Satan. I think $5.00 will cover price and postage for The Fifth Path; their address is: P.O. Box 1632, Carmichael, CA 95609-1632.
Extremist Groups in America by Susan Lang. (Franklin Watts, New York, 1990; 155 pages; ISBN 0-531-10901-1). Reviewed by Nemo.
This book has large print and few pages, but don't be deceived! Within you will find a balanced and richly informative report on the history, present, and probable future of angry bigots in North America as well as a few other Western culture regions. Included is a quick psychological sketch of the causes of bigotry in addition to a brief summary of the universal message of almost all such groups, to wit:
"You've been cheated. There is a widespread conspiracy against us. The conspirators are sexually corrupt. Doom is just around the corner. Capitalism and Communism both threaten us. We can't trust the foreigners. Our enemies are low animals. There is no middle ground. There must be no polluting of blood (we must remain racially pure). But with disaster around the corner, what can you do? The situation is too urgent to permit the luxury of thought. Everybody is against me (they're trying ot shut me up)."
I would suggest that if you are ever to encounter this approach you should, as a Satanist, realize you are in the presence of someone who wishes you to join his herd and be led to the slaughter. Some elements of this pitch may be (and are!) true, but the issue of abandoning "the luxury of thought" should be the tip-off. In any herd activity the first thing to go is the mind.
The analysis of the more current changes within the KKK have important lessons for us all. The Klan is finding that by substituting three-piece suits for robes, and religion for night-riding, they are making in-roads in acceptance and growth that were denied them just a few short years ago. By masking their intentions as a religion called the Identity Movement, Klan members like Thom Robb not only find it easier to present their ideas to people who would never consider the Klan but gain free access to public cable television stations across the country.
I found this book very useful in uncovering some fairly obscure trivia in its overview of dozens of far right and left extremist groups. Where did the name Posse Comitatus come from? Exactly when did Lyndon LaRouche switch from being a left-wing communist to attempting alliances with neo-nazis, generic white supremacists and the KKK? Why did Tom Metzger, creator of the White Aryan Resistance, personally contribute $100 to Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam and in what ways do they share common goals?
As Satanists, we always need to see past the hype to get to the truth behind events. A careful reading of this book offers a number of clues to recognizing the controlling hand behind all of America's extremist groups. If nothing more, I found the book worthwhile as a documentation of herd mentality and control in these last years of the twentieth century. A good book!
Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven by Uta Ranke-Heinemann, translated from the German by Peter Heinigg (Doubleday, 1990; hardcover, 360 pages; $12.95) Reviewed by Wolf.
A history of two thousand years of Roman Catholic teachings about sex, this book is probably the most devastating indictment of Christianity ever written by a Christian theologian. It is an excellent source of ammunition for debate against defenders of Christianity. The author combines a biting wit with a detailed knowledge of her subject; it's a good read.
The essence of Christian morality is revealed to be a demonization of sex more extreme and lurid than most of us could dream up even for a fantasy novel. At best the vile pleasure was grudgingly tolerated because of the need to continue the species. Thomas Aquinas, the most influential theologian since Augustine, held masturbation, oral sex, and homosexuality to be worse than rape, because they exclude the possibility of conception (p. 197), and penance books often set harsher penalties for oral sex or contraception than for premeditated murder (p. 149). A Christian Roman emperor decreed death by burning for homosexuality, while a 15th-century preacher urged the same punishment for all non-reproductive sexual acts, even between husband and wife (p. 207).
The book is enlivened by many ludicrous quotes from medieval pedants. One example, from the 13th century C.E.: "When a holy man has carnal knowledge of his wife and the pleasure that befalls him in the course of it in no way pleases him, but rather is hateful to him, then such commerce is without sin. This, however, seldom happens." (p. 159).
Throughout history the Church has resorted to the most brutal tactics to win its war against human nature. When the Popes first decided to impose priestly celibacy in the 11th century C.E., for example, they provoked a near-rebellion by outraged priests whose marriages were thereby abrogated. Ultimately the Church enforced its decree by empowering local authorities to imprison or enslave the wives of priests.
That the cited attitudes no longer dominate modern life and law is due more to the declining influence of Christianity than to any profound change in its dogma. Indeed, the Church continues to decree new insanities to keep up with the modern world. For example, in 1916, the Vatican commanded that if a husband tries to have sex with his wife using a condom, she must resist him "as she would a rapist" (pp. 287-9). The present Pope, John Paul II, has declared that even a husband with AIDS may not use a condom with his wife, even after her menopause; if he cannot stomach lifelong abstinence, better to risk infecting her than to avail himself of the forbidden device (p. 298).
The author clearly favors a massive reform of Christianity, not its overthrow. However, any such reform would seem to require the repudiation of virtually every major figure in the history of Christian theology, and would still not address the religion's failings in other areas, to which Dr. LaVey and others have called attention.
Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven ranked among XXIV's best-sellers in Germany, where it was first published. One can only hope it will find as wide an audience here. It would be difficult for any open-minded person to read this book without concluding that the entire Christian belief system is an irredeemable mess and needs to be scrapped.
The Prisoner (television series) Reviewed by Andre T. Soly.
If readers of TBF haven't heard of the British series The Prisoner, they're missing one of the most Satanic programs of the twentieth century.
The height of it's[1] popularity was seen in the 1960's while it slowly diminished late into the '70's and can be seen today on most public broadcasting channels. If you have not seen the pilot episode of the series, here is a brief synopsis of the eponymous character's predicament that serves as an introduction.
The Prisoner (played by Patrick Mcgoohan[2] who also produced the series and directed several episodes) was the top intelligence agent for the British Secret Service (spoken of only as the "Agency") a role similar to that which he played in the earlier series Secret Agent. One day he decides that he will resign, and it is implied that this is because he has finally seen behind the "game" of espionage and is sick of his hand in it. After handing in his resignation, he is quickly abducted and imprisoned on an island known only as "The Village" (reminiscent of a Disneyland form of environment) whose only inhabitants are ex-agents from agencies all over the world who know too many dangerous secrets or sensitive data. Nobody can escape this island due to an organically created sentinel in the form of a large, roaring sphereoid and everyone's name is deleted and replaced by a number.
Patrick McGoohan (#6) defies his situation and the imposed herd conformity as Number 2 attempts to break McGoohan's will and force him to confess why he resigned. To squeeze the confession from Number 6 seems to be the only priority task assigned to Number 2, and after each unsuccessful attempt the present Number 2 is replaced by a new interrogator (played by new actors in each episode.) The final Number 2 is played by Leo McKern in a wonderful two part finale that explores the reason for the lack of there being a Number One.
McKern undertakes the arduous confessor role as he uses psychological techniques pioneered by Freud, Neitzsche, Jung and Pavlov. Number 6 comes close to becoming a Nietzschean superman as he finally triumphs over his captor's psychodramatic techniques and jailor-imposed herd conformity. His most famous line, a Satanic motto, is "I will not be pushed, filed, indexed, stamped, briefed, debriefed or numbered. I am not a number. I am a free man!" This motto outlines the satanic attitude against the crashing waves of herd mentality.
For people who enjoyed this series and its enigmatic surrealism, and wondered what became of the Prisoner after the final episode, there is now an illustrated authorized sequel entitled The Prisoner - Shattered Visage published by D.C. Comics Inc., 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10103. It sells for $19.95 (U.S.) and $25.95 (Canada).
The Occult Conspiracy by Michael Howard. (Destiny Books, Vermont, 1989; perfect bound paperback, 183 pages with a 13 photograph layout - drawings throughout, $10.95) Reviewed by Andre T. Soly.
This book should be re-titled Occultists Who Influenced Society. It deals with the Knights Templar. The Rosicrucians, various Hell Fire Clubs, and Freemasonry. Michael Howard beautifully details each of the above groups in their successes and failures while unveiling political plots. The Masons and the Illuminati are implicated as having plotted and executed their plan for the French revolution while foolishly advocating the religious Reformation of England.
Howard chronicles the sudden upsurge of occult activities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries which includes such people as Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. Sifting through hushed-up sordid material he brings to light the P2-Vatican, Mafia scandal and the ever-present "threat" of Masonic dignitaries and spies infiltrating the Papacy.
Among the photos there is an excellent time-line which basically depicts the highlights of of the book. Howard dives headlong into the obscure rumors of occultism during World War II as he traces such activities as Crowley employed by British Intelligence, New Forest witches suppressing the invasion of Britain, psychic wars waged against the Reich, et al.
A plethora of goals achieved by occultists are contained within the end-pages of this book and Howard's bibliographic notes are the most extensive ones I've ever seen regarding a documentary such as this. A must for the history buff.
SACRED WAR, a CD produced by Cornel Hillmann for Gymnastic Records, Gym #205, featuring various artists. Available for $20 from Gymnastic Records, BCM Box 3673, London, WC1N 3XX, U.K. Reviewed by Alan Driscoll.
This omnibus CD originally compiled under the working title "The Demonic Revolution" is a compendium of apocalyptic music with selections from Death in June, Savage Republic, Yeht Mae, Up/Rotor, Super Heroines, Mephisto Waltz, Sol Invictus, and most interestingly a cut from NON's Japanese ritual performance "Total War" as well as Dr. LaVey performing his own "Hymn Of The Satanic Empire." This is, of course, a must for every Satanists' music collection. The music here ranges from danceable tunes and Industrial darkness to marching anthems, a sort of soundtrack for your next End of the World party. The graphics are outstanding in the accompanying booklet with ravishing color promotional spots for the artists as well as contact addresses. Prominently figuring on the cover, as well as the disc itself, is the family seal of Karl Wiligut. An intriguing collection.
The Sun at Night by Roger Williamson. (The Vann Press, Minneapolis, MN, 1989; paperback, 123 pages, $6.95 + $1.00 S&H). Reviewed by Louis Pierre Garou.
This brief novel, told in first person narrative, recounts the magical evolution of John Barry, a dreamer who goes from Rock musician to ceremonial magician. The magical techniques involved are drawn from the "classical" Golden Dawn school of thought which here focus eventually on the recognition of Lucifer as the agent that is present in matter, and inside each individual, which animates and purifies it. We are given an intimate tour of Barry's relationship with Vivian, and follow this apprentice as he is prepared for initiation into the Order of the Morning Star by his mentor Randolph Vann. The development of Barry's consciousness, both forwards and backwards, is told with vivid, well sculpted prose. This novel was written while the author listened to specific pieces of music which are listed should the reader care to have a soundtrack for the book. While not a depiction of Satanism, nevertheless some Satanic concepts are present. Christianity is vilified herein as an abomination and points of Satanic view are revealed to Barry at one of the climaxes of his journey. This novel would certainly interest anyone familiar with a broad range of magical practice. A tastefully and well crafted small press effort.
NAOS, A Practical Guide to Modern Magick by Thurston West. (Coxland Press, Berkshire, U.K., 2 ring binder, 248 pages, $59, [$53 to readers of TBF quote this issue when ordering] + $7 S & H). Reviewed by Louis Pierre Garou.
This is quite an unusual format for a book concerning magical techniques; bound in a 2 ring binder it is like amanual for computer software. It claims to present for the first time a series of exercises and techniques called the "septenary tradition" that have long been unavailable to the public. There is also a statement that this material is not for sale to those under 18 years of age, no doubt because of the chapter on sexual magic. Mr. West is a member of the Order of Nine Angles, the U.K. group that practices what they call "traditional" Satanism. Their approach to magic has two forms: external - controlling elements outside the practitioner and internal - concerned with the development of the practitioner's consciousness. Techniques are discussed in a straightforward manner ranging from the three stage initiation (involving coitus as well as a difficult physical goal) to the "Star Game" which is an actual game played on seven boards intended to develop magical skills and develop certain higher consciousness levels. The Tarot is also employed as well as a system of chanting. All in all it does function as a guide to a wide genre of hermetic magic. This book is rather steeply priced, but would be of interest to those who are concerned with alternative esoteric magical systems. Included along with this book was a slim (14 pages) journal entitled Balder, the monthly journal of a Private Brotherhood. This publication takes septenary concepts and links them with Norse traditions. While this is available only to members, it seems from a publishers note that this is available for $68 per year membership, which includes postage. Both of these publications are available from Coxland Press, The Studio, Chalkpit Farm, Englefield RG7 SEE, Berkshire, U.K.
EXEAT (Thormynd Press, P.O. Box 4, Church Stretton, Shropshire, U.K.; 8 pages - stapled at the edge; $7 each, $10 subscription). Reviewed by Louis Pierre Garou.
Here is another offering from the O.N.A. group which intends to explore taboo subjects, the Left Hand Path, and anything tending to disrupt, undermine and destroy conventional views, ideas, and morality. This they do with an article which explores incest which finds some elements of it to be acceptible, a curse used against large businesses and political groups which involves sending actual letters informing employees or party members that a curse has been placed upon them, as well as a personal discussion of a sexual relationship with a young girl "embodying the Goddess." Also included is an article on the "Sinister Path" as well as a contact sheet which lists organizations and publications. The price is high for such a brief publication with minimal production values, but they do live up to their intentions, regardless.
The Mephisto Blues, a blues rock opera by Scott Stets, Bristol Community College of Fall River, 18 May, 1990. Reviewed by Scot Stets.
This piece, written, directed, and musically directed by Scott Stets (BCC Music Club President and Church of Satan member), updates the Faust legend, leaving out the clichéd Christian "guilt-trips" of earlier versions.
The Mephisto Blues begins in the blues heartland of the Mississippi River Delta, where Randy Owens meets and jams with Satan (Scott Stets) at a cross-roads on a moonless night, his guitar playing is thus improved. The climax of the show's battle of society (Christianity) vs. rock & roll (Powers of Darkness) for Owens' soul is reached in a fiery musical duel. He dies in a plane crash, leaving his soul to Satan, but this is left to the audience's decision.
This play deals not only with religious themes, but with the dangers of a rock & roll lifestyle (drugs, marriage breakups, unscrupulous record company promoters and club owners, etc.). The Faustian myth was chosen to reflect the principles in Dr. LaVey's "Nine Satanic Statements."
This performance was greeted by outstanding reviews. Upcoming productions by the BCC Music Club include Aleister Crowley's The God Eater scheduled for late spring of 1991, while a play based on Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth is currently being written by Mr. Stets. Those interested in further information on these events may contact Scott Stets at P.O. Box 5374, Fall River, MA 02723-9998.
The Heretical Inquisitor, Volume 1, #1 & #2. Newsletter edited by Damigeryron. (P.O. Box 2042, Fairview Hts., IL 62208. Six pages, corner stapled) Send a long Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope for a sample copy. Reviewed by Louis Pierre Garou.
The purpose of this slim, but pithy, newsletter is stated to be a forum for the opinions of the editor. This is no lie, as he takes time to discourse on such topics as politics, racism, chaos magick, music, humor, education and whatever else happens to strike his fancy. The writing is clear and his perspective on various issues is interesting. He welcomes submissions of articles, as well as letters, but does not guarantee that he'll print them.
Overall, the directness and honesty of this presentation is refreshing. Check it out.
Deja Vu Books and The Grimoire Bookshop, Catalog #18. (31 Trafalgar St., Brighton, BN1 4ED, U.K.) Reviewed by Peter H. Gilmore
We received this fascinating catalog from the Angled Isle which includes rare and out-of-print tomes, as well as recent releases, covering a broad range of magical and occult topics as well as related areas of interest. This is certainly a treasure trove for the collector who is willing to invest in some unique rarities. The listing is also well annotated. Send four IRC's for a sample catalog.
The Church of War (C.O.W.A.N.), Box 15, Altadena, CA 91003. Recorded Information Hotline: (213) 288-6996. Reviewed by Peter H. Gilmore.
I was quite surprised and delighted to receive a number of communiques from this organization which has a philosophy and world view strikingly similar to the Church of Satan. Here are some quotations from their literature to whet your interest.
"We seek to forge a path outside the wasteland of religionism and godism. We do not reject all aspects of religion, however. We feel that ritual, Psymbology, and many other aspects of the religious life are valid even to atheists such as ourselves... We see ritual not as a vehicle for requesting assistance from gods, but as a way to focus our energies, a way to look inside." (Communique 29, The Manifesto of Atheist Paganism).
"There is no immovable set of rules that governs COWAN. We have no dogma, only a process....the NAI PROCESS. An ever evolving outlook. To those who would simply be followers, we invite them to look elsewhere. They will find many a shepherd seeking to enlarge their herd of sheep. For those who see life as an ongoing all-out WAR, perhaps these brave few have finally found a home. It is time for despair to end and tactics to begin." (Communique 35, The Cult of COWAN).
"While COWAN makes many a foray into Deviant realms, we have little patience for most who claim to be fellow travelers... Worst of all the armchair deviants are the assorted Occultists... These trendoids latch onto any occultic tangent that offers them a creepy, spooky, haunted house thrill. One day its Voodoo, one week Crowley, one day "Wicca", but most painful of all: Satanism... These subhuman imbeciles, who do NOT (and never will) understand even one word of Anton LaVey's philosophy, deserve nothing but abuse and terror." (Communique 36, Beyond Deviance Towards Dignity and Substance).
These active individualists are even making a sortie into public access television. Send them $5.00 for some of their elegantly produced communiques. They have recognized a common ground with us and we would do well to reciprocate.
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THE CHURCH OF SATAN
by Blanche Barton A History of the World's Most Notorious Religion!
Where Satanism has been, its present state, and where it is going, plus a guide to ritual magic and formation of groups and grottos.
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EVERYTHING SPIRITUAL IS SOMETHING...CARNAL!
by Reuben Radding
By the mystic's terms, or lack thereof, I suppose I could be wrong, but I have heard no good argument to disprove my assertion - that everything, or every experience that people call "spiritual" is really something carnal in disguise. First, let's define "carnal." Random House Dictionary:
"Of the body or flesh."
The American Heritage Dictionary:
"Relating to the desires of the flesh; not spiritual."
And how do the same two sources define "spiritual?"
"The incorporeal part of human beings as a whole or of individuals, as the soul."
"Of or pertaining to the life-giving principles of human beings."
That makes me wonder whether this should be an argument about the existence of souls. Basically, I'll have to concede that I don't know if there are souls. How could anyone know? It can more easily be disproved than proved. But even disproving their existence is like trying to disprove that little pink elephants live in another galaxy somewhere. I doubt it, but I couldn't prove it.
Okay, obvious question: how do we know what we know? Through the perceptions of our senses and/or minds. How do we know we're right? The law of identity: A is A, something exists when you can assign it objective characteristics. So, if you say you've had a spiritual (not of the body) experience, how did you perceive that experience? Isn't to experience it to defy the existence of said experience? If you experience something with your senses you are using a vital part of your body, your mind.
Emotions are not tools of cognition. One acquaintance of mine says she knows that there is some force or faculty that is unknowable. If it is unknowable, how does she know it exists? She feels it exists. This contradicts her previous statement that this faculty is unknowable. If you can know of its existence then it isn't unknowable. Can your emotions tell you whether the phone in your neighbor's house is ringing right now?
I one "new age" magazine that I won't name, I recently read an article on "Dolphin therapy." The woman who wrote the article insisted that when she swam with dolphins they knew what her problems were, and that they addressed her spiritual "issues." Now I'm not going to tell you that swimming with dolphins isn't pleasurable. Nor would I venture to say that you can't learn anything from it. But you'll have to work pretty hard to convince me that dolphins know what your hangups are.
People will often refer to a particularly emotional experience as a spiritual experience, or sometimes persons will claim to have reached a higher "spiritual plane" than that which they had previously inhabited. Claims such as these are usually made about the emotions they encountered while doing a one-hundred-percent carnal activity such as having sex, getting intoxicated, meditating, or even ritualizing! Why not just admit that whatever it was you were doing, was exciting -- maybe the most exciting thing you've ever encountered? This seems to me to be fallout from the Osmoconsciousness programming of the masses. People these days feel they must make some kind of excuse for not only having carnal desires, but for enjoying them too!
Satanists enjoy our animal natures to the fullest and don't try to make excuses or ask for forgiveness. Satanists understand that carnal life is most precious because it is not eternal. Satanists understand that one of the most significant differences between our religion and that of the white-lighters, Moslems and occultniks, is our acknowledgement that our carnality needs no justification. I suggest that those still hazy on this subject turn to page 83 of The Satanic Bible.
As for the emotional or "spiritual" charge you get when fulfilling your carnal desires -- enjoy it! Emotions are only useful when you use them! Use them often! Life is too short to withhold pleasure from yourself.
Remember the Seventh Satanic Statement::[3]
"Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his 'divine spiritual and ethical development,' has become the most vicious animal of all!"
LAMP OF THOTH
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РОРЕKАВОВ
by Richard de Lago
Popekabob displays the Roman Catholic pontiff skewered on the fin of a 1959 Cadillac, a luxurious vehicle symbolizing the Satanic virtues of strength, efficacy, indulgence and style, piloted by Dr. LaVey.
The phallic fins impale the head of the herd with derogation for all he represents. Dr. LaVey embodies the efficacious, intellectual individual who, here scornfully surveys the scene before him of the emaciated, impotent Christ dangling limply on a cross, whose foundation is an irrational cube that cannot exist in three-dimensional form. This illusory figure exemplifies the sophistry and deceit of the founding premises of Christian dogma as well as the irrational demands its tenets exert on the gullible victims who succumb to its specious lies. This blockish cube is also a visual metaphor for the mental blockage and self denial caused by the repression of the so-called deadly sins such as pride, greed, lust, and all things passionate and pleasurable.
Repression is the yoke of religion, a bondage to its demoralizing joylessness, and is here depicted as Dürer's "Praying Hands" are chained to the block. These hands signify the Christian who shackles himself to a repressive, suffocating dogma that subverts and sabotages the integrative function of his mind. "Sin," the repressed or disowned natural and authentic emotion, creates subconscious pain, thinking impairment and self-alienation.
The "key" to freeing oneself from that lockup is Satanism, depicted quite literally here, as a symbolic agent of reason and "human wisdom" freeing the thrall from from the yoke of religion. Ironically, this passage from the New Testament (1 Corinthians: 17) has some truth. "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel - not with words of "human wisdom," lest the cross be emptied of its power."
Reason and human wisdom give one the power of intellectual efficacy. To quote Ayn Rand, "To experience the efficacy of one's own mind is the most profound pleasure and deepest need of mankind."
The dodecahedron surmounting an inverted cross refers to the Satanic symbolism inherent in certain Platonic concepts.
Heaven gapes wide, with trumpeting seraphs heralding the fraud of the sobbing milksops Swaggart and Bakker, mocking the vileness, sham, and hypocrisy of televangelism and Christianity in general. A flatulant fanfare resonates throughout the vapid void of the heavenly realm.
My name writ large is the final embodiment of my Satanic pride and egoism. Hail Satan!
What you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
DARK LILY
The Reality of the Left Hand Path
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SATANISM IN AMERICA
How the Devil Got Much More Than His Due
by Shawn Carlson & Gerald Larue
HERE IS THE COMPLETE, UNADULTERATED STORY OF A NATIONAL SCANDAL.
NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE BIZARRE TRUTHS ABOUT THOSE SPREADING THE SATANIC RUMORS CAN BE TOLD: THE CONNECTIONS WITH POLITICAL EXTREMIST LYNDON LAROUCHE AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT, THE DOCUMENTED SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS OF MANY OF THE "SURVIVORS," THE WORKING OF EXTREMIST CHRISTIAN POLICE OFFICERS AGAINST MINORITY RELIGIONS AND MUCH MORE.
TO ORDER, SEND $14.45 ($12.95 + $1.50 shipping) TO: GAIA PRESS, P.O. BOX 466, EL CERRITO, CA 94530-0466
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A NOTICE TO OUR READERS:
The Black Flame has, over its two years of existence, striven to release issues at the solstices and equinoxes but we've often been delayed by numerous factors. We've noticed in this last year, that most of the material foreach issue has been arriving at the intended release date. We are therefore acknowledging this by making the equinoxes and solstices the deadlines for submissions for each issue. We will then typeset, print and mail the issue as soon after these dates as possible. We welcome submissions of articles, poetry, reviews, and artwork pertaining to the theory and practice of Satanism as embodied in the writings of Dr. Anton Szandor LaVey. All submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size and postage to return material which we find to be unsuitable. We look forward t o many exciting years ahead. Hail Satan!
THE KING IN YELLOW
by Max
Around the mid-1920's, Robert W. Chambers, a writer of hack romance novels, published several short stories of a rather eerie and surreal nature, with a common theme holding them together -- a mysterious tome, a play known as The King in Yellow. The protagonists of these stories suffered horrible consequences after reading the play. Seeing "the Yellow sign" preceded madness, sorrow and death. The stories never reached the popularity of Chambers' other works, and even today, the book is available only through used bookstores, and can be so difficult to obtain that it indeed appears to be cursed. H.P. Lovecraft found, read and was influenced by a copy of the work.
In 1980, Anne McCaffrey published a collection of short stories titled Alchemy and Academe (Del Rey Press), which included a story called "More Light," by the late James Blish. In the story, Blish attempted to reconstruct the "lost" text of the play, The King in Yellow, in a dreamlike and sinister work which has inspired the following ritual.
PREPARATION: A TRAPEZOID IS DRAWN ON THE FLOOR OF THE RITUAL CHAMBER. THE ROOM IS ILLUMINATED WITH RED AND YELLOW LIGHTS. DURING THE SOUNDING OF THE GONG, CELEBRANTS CHANGE PLACES IN OPPOSING ARMIES. THE FEMALE CELEBRANT WEARS A GAUDY HEADDRESS AND QUANTITIES OF JEWELRY. THE MALE CELEBRANT MAY WEAR A PSEUDO-EGYPTIAN COSTUME OR A PLAIN BLACK ROBE. THE MUSIC? CARL ORFF'S "CARMINA BURANA" (OF COURSE!)
THE CEREMONY BEGINS IN THE CUSTOMARY MANNER, AS DESCRIBED IN THE SATANIC BIBLE. INFERNAL NAMES ARE TO BE SELECTED FROM THE WORKS OF H.P. LOVECRAFT (HASTUR, NYARLATHOTEP, CTHULHU, YOG SOTHOTH, ETC.). AFTER THE BENEDICTION, THE CELEBRANT CONTINUES.
CELEBRANT: In a time before the Romans, in a time before the Greeks, there lives a race predating both and yet existing in no time at all. In a place near the lake of Halia -- a place existing in the periphery of our dreams - through the mist lies the city of Hastor and its mirror image, Alar, two lands with double suns and equal moons. Which city is real and which is an illusion? A stalemate is in effect. time has ceased. Progress has ceased. Destruction has ceased.
ALL: All has ceased
CELEBRANTS NOW CHANGE POSITION AND FORMATION IN THE TRAPEZOID. BELL OR GONG IS STRUCK.
FEMALE CELEBRANT: All moves forward only through succession. Who will inherit the black stars? They radiate nothing but the night. Who will take my crown from me? Who will receive the diadem and with it the Yellow Sign?
ALL: Have you seen the Yellow sign?
FEMALE CELEBRANT: When it is received, it is come for. All is dreaded. The phantom of truth comes forth... who is he? Is he the giver of eternal life or the bringer of fearful death?
ALL: Life or death? (ALL CELEBRANTS ENTWINE FINGERS)
FEMALE CELEBRANT: Between the mirroring cities on the twin lakes of Hali and Dehme, came one night a city on the lakes. The city bore four singularities:
ALL: It appeared only in the night.
No person could tell its exact location or where in this world it existed.
When the moons appeared the towers of that city appeared behind the moons, not in front of them.
FEMALE CELEBRANT: All who gaze upon that city shall know its name.
ALL: Carcosa!
GONG IS STRUCK. CELEBRANTS CHANGE FORMATION AND PLACES.
FEMALE CELEBRANT: Do you know the Yellow Sign?
ALL: The Yellow Sign? It stirs us, it is in our blood.
FEMALE CELEBRANT: For when the King is called, fear him not, for fear will impede you. They who will fear the King and his smothering and inhuman tattered robes perish into eternal madness. Do you know the Yellow sign?
ALL: We shall not perish!
FEMALE CELEBRANT: Some wear the mask of self-deceit to hide from the King. Do you know the Yellow Sign?
ALL: We care not to hide!
FEMALE CELEBRANT: Those who would hide mock the King and shall die, Do you know the Yellow Sign?
ALL: We acknowledge the King. We shall never perish!
FEMALE CELEBRANT: The soft and mushy grip of the King, like rotting flesh, is upon us. In the distance Carcosa glows as if aflame. Shall we flee, for now our wish and dreams are demanded?
ALL: We shall demand. We are not afraid.
GONG IS STRUCK.
ALL: Yhtill! (FATHER OF DREAMS)
GONG IS STRUCK.
ALL: Yhtill!
GONG IS STRUCK.
ALL: Yhtill!
CELEBRANT: Along the shore the cloud waves break
The twin suns sink behind the lake
The shadows lengthen... In Carcosa!
Strange is the night when the black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies,
But stranger still is ... Lost Carcosa!
Songs that the Hyades shall sing,
Where flap the tatters of the King
Must die unheard in. Dim Carcosa!
Song of my soul, my voice is dead,
Die though unsung, as tears unshed
Shall dryand die in. Lost Carcosa!
FEMALE CELEBRANT: Lie not to yourself or be doomed to wear the pallid mask. Put not your life in the hands of the living God.
ALL RAISE LEFT HAND IN THE SIGN OF THE HORNS.
ALL: Put not your life in the hands of the living God.
PROPER ENOCHIAN KEY IS READ.
CEREMONY IS ENDED IN THE STANDARD MANNER.
A MAGUS EVOKING ANGER
Dedicated to Kenneth Anger
By the child of the Scarlet Whore and Crowley's toxic pipe-smoke
I command you to appear before me, the frequencies are at fever pitch
It is through the fifth plane of the Trapezoid that you travel, It is I the Magus that evokes
Leave behind the lunar babe, the moonchild, born unto the Babylon bitch
Your silent rituals captured on celluloid, status never higher than underground tabloids
Wielding power with your semantic hands, unaccountable followers throughout the land
Incarnating the gods tethered to your whim, how bold for a non-mortal!
The sigil of the Templar Knights is that of my working
I have opened the door, pass through quickly, smoke spews from the portal
It is in the Abbey of Thelema where you will find me, forces all around me "tis[4] in the dark they are lurking
Brach-adoo! You have arrived! Lend an ear so that you may learn of a plan of your own devising
Using my talons to rend my face, it is, I the Beast, strong and true It is the Magus that is summoned, the Summoned the Magus; It is I that follow, not you
The world gasps, the narrow-minded people shout at the sight of Lucifer Rising
by Andre T. Soly
PRINTS OF DARKNESS
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T-Shirt: $15.00, Sweatshirt: $25.00
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TRAPEZOID CANDLE HOLDER
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Send checks or money orders in U.S. Dollars to:
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FERAL HOUSE
The Magician's Dictionary
An Apocalyptic Cyclopædia of Advanced Magic(k)al Arts and Alternate Meanings
by E. E. Rehmus
Demystifics the linguistic & philosophic convolutions of contemporary occultism. "Surprising and delightful ... I am learning from the book, something I have not said of anything since Cosmic Trigger and Valis."—Frater Belarion, Abrasax.
$12.95 ISBN: 0922915-01-6The Secret Life of a Satanist
by Blanche Barton
Rare photos and rarer revelations pepper this insider's biography of Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan. Includes LaVey's how-to on lycanthropic transformation.
$19.95 (Cloth) ISBN: 0922915-03-2The Satanic Witch
by Anton Szandor LaVey
Rips the lid off the forbidden knowledge of seduction and manipulation.
$9.95 ISBN: 0922915-00-8Tortures & Torments of the Christian Martyrs
by Rev. Antonio Galonio
The most gruesome Catholic document in history, augmented by remarkable illustrations by today's most outré artists and a myth-busting article on the Crucifixion by pathologists at the Mayo Clinic.
$12.95 ISBN: 0922915-02-4Apocalypse Culture
Edited by Adam Parfrey
A much-expanded edition of the underground phenomenon: "These are the terminal documents of the 20th Century."—J G. Ballard.FERAL HOUSE • PO Box 861893 • Los Angeles, CA • 90086-1893
(Add $1.50 per book for shipping. Send S.A.S.E. for The Feral House Intelligencer newsletter.)
ABRASAX
A PUBLICATION OF THE ORDO TEMPLI BAPHE-METIS
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September, December, March and JuneFour Issues: $20.00
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Corpus Christi, Texas 78403-1219 USA(Please make checks and money orders payable to: James M. Martin.)
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THE CASUAL VIEWER WILL LONG BE UNABLE TO PURGE THESE GRIM, STARTLING IMAGES FROM THEIR MEMORY.
TO TOP OFF THIS SPELLBINDING PRESENTATION IS A RARE APPEARANCE BY ONE OF THE WORLD'S FOREMOST AUTHORITIES ON THE MACABRE... THE EVER FASCINATING DR. ANTON SZANDOR LAVEY! THE FORMER CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHER AND CONTROVERSIAL AUTHOR OF "THE SATANIC BIBLE" IS THE HOST AND NARRATOR OF "DEATH SCENES"... THIS IS THE DEFINITIVE NO-HOLDS-BARRED IMMERSION INTO A CRUEL, SAVAGE REALITY MOST CHOOSE NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE. "DEATH SCENES" FORCES IT'S[5] AUDIENCE INTO A FACE TO FACE CONFRONTATION WITH MAN'S MOST INHUMAN ATROCITIES!
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TENDERS OF THE FLAME (Part 1)
by Wayne Hill
The fall of the Classical World was one of the greatest tragedies witnessed by men of knowledge. Its murder at the hands of Christians cast European into a darkness which ruled unchallenged for 1500 years. Even now, the pallor of the dungeon and the catacomb, with which the nascent Christian faith replaced the collective edifice of the Ancient World they had smashed into pieces, has not entirely subsided. But even after such a vile desecration, men still draw nourishment and inspiration from the ideals and creations of those formidable thinkers, both men and women, who remain largely unidentified. The bits and pieces, the ruins and fragments of their achievements - lovingly gleaned from from the dustbin of history by their students and admirers, lead directly to the rebirth of science and the creation of the modern world. How is it that so little could inspire such greatness from so many? Where would we be now, if the knowledge of the Classicists had not been destroyed, but - continued?
Men will ever ponder what might have been; and mourn. But as to how the ancient knowledge managed to survive at all - or rather the memory of it, and in some sense its spirit - that is a much easier question to answer. While it is true that the "bones" of the ancient world have told us much about the "nature of the beast" so to speak, it becomes ever more obvious to those with a heartfelt interest in history, that some of this knowledge never perished in the first place. Everywhere one looks are glimpses, evidence of this knowledge having survived. Into whichever historical stage one glances, one notices the battle between the "haves" and the "have-nots." Throughout history, small assemblies of people or single individuals of fame can be seen who "knew too much," when compared to the mindless intellectual squalor of their Christian contemporaries and adversaries. It is to these various and, for the sake of survival in a hostile and ignorant Christian society, secretive groups to which we shall now turn our attention. But first, what do the history books tell us?
Historians know that the Arab civilization of the Middle Ages preserved a considerable portion of the knowledge of the ancient Hellenes (who shall be the focus of our inquiry), as well as that of their imitators and admirers, the Romans. In fact, it is due to their love of andrespect for knowledge and resultant copying (preservation), that virtually all of the writings of these ancient Greeks survived and became known to us. For this one act alone, must this Arab civilization receive the thanks and admiration of all subsequent people who love knowledge for its own sake.
In the Europe of the time, such literature was automatically damned by the church and almost completely destroyed. Indeed, the name by which the ancient Greeks called themselves, the Hellenes, came to mean "demon" in Christian phraseology. Had the Arabs not preserved this material then all, rather than about 80%, of these writings would now be lost to us. During the Renaissance Europeans searching for knowledge discovered what the Arabs had, and promptly translated them into European languages. These works then drove them to new heights, and inspired a quest for truth, a love of knowledge, and a desire for demonstration which is the foundation of our present modern scientific age. And still these works have things to say to us as well.
It is equally certain, as I hope to demonstrate, that there were other avenues of preservation by which some of the knowledge of the Classical world managed to survive. While it is true that there are few individuals that can be pointed to as holders or teachers of knowledge, the evidence tends to reflect the situation of the people of Europe both economically and politically. Flowers do not spring from poor soil; neither do miserable men express joy.
Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, a long, dark night descended upon Europe during which the Church ruled with an iron fist. Freedom of thought was impossible. Economically, feudal serfdom was considered to be a great improvement over the condition of people during this period. It is undoubtedly the worst period Europe had ever known. Hellenistic thought and knowledge was virtually absent from the historical record of this time.
Only after the return of some form of order, and a measure of financial prosperity, do we see any indication that - somehow - the bulb of the Hellenistic knowledge had endured the long, dark winter of the mind that had descended over Europe. About 1200 C.E., this continent began to slowly awaken from the poisonous intoxication of Christianity and the resultant hangover, during which men were obsessed with "the end of the world and the coming of the kingdom of Christ." This mania peaked around 1000 C.E., which the Christian leaders thought was a good round number upon which the likely. It came and went, but the world survived, so men began to desire to live again.
A new hunger awakened, for worldly goods, thus the trade routes expanded, and with this outside contact came new knowledge. Centers of merchants sprang up to handle the trading and also shipbuilding and other industries associated with the mercantile process, the first modern cities. Military technology was stimulated to experiment and conceive new inventions. With all of these innovations came a need for "know how," and wealth, thus leisure. Idleness, the Devil's think-tank, was available to certain individuals. All of these things created the need for technical knowledge, as well as leisure time for reflection, conjecture, and speculation. The stage was set for a reappearance of Hellenic/Pythagorean knowledge.
Even the Church, having given up the notion - at least temporarily - that the world was going to end, and having benefitted from the newfound wealth of its parishioners, decided to lavish money on the great stone churches we call cathedrals. They even overcame their fear of the Roman hydraulic organ (now modified, and used in private castles for dancing) to the eternal gratitude of all their later worshippers, and installed these instruments in their new churches. In order to build these magnificent structures, a thorough knowledge of mathematics and structural engineering was required. The Church found such people, and the cathedrals we now enjoy were built at their orders. The Church Fathers are usually credited with these feats, but what is not as well known today is who the builders really were, and from whence did come their highly advanced knowledge of math.
Cologne Cathedral, which was started in the 1200's in Köln, Germany, could serve as an apt example of the knowledge possessed by these ancient stone-masons. Throughout this building there are logical and consequential relationships of width to height reflecting an advanced mathematical technology and a thorough understanding of structural engineering. Modern architects, upon inspecting this structure, have no explanation as to how these supposedly ignorant medievals could ever have happened to hit upon the perfect combinations. That is because their estimation of the knowledge of that time is based only upon what is apparent. The knowledge possessed by the Church is furthermore well known. The only way to shine some new light on this subject is to do what we shall now try to do; minutely examine the actual designers and builders themselves.
All the famous structures built during this period were designed and constructed under the strict supervision ofthe trade union, of the time: the Masonic Guilds. Guilds were self-regulating and self-contained associations of men of similar trades. Apparently due to economic considerations, they jealously guarded their trade secrets; this is why what they actually knew has engendered much speculation. Most modern historians do not credit them with any sort of advanced understanding of science, engineering, or mathematics, attributing their brilliant successes to some sort of guesswork or luck. That would seem to be an objective viewer a rather simplistic explanation. Common sense would tend one towards the opinion that if they did the dance, they must have known the steps, so to speak. Perhaps the Christian bias of most prominent historians inclines them to skip lightly over the knowledge of the guilds; especially if there is any reason to question their moral status. As we shall see, there is abundant evidence that the guilds were not only not Christian, but anti-Christian. More on that later. It is worthy of noting that the Masonic Guilds of the middle ages were the ancestors of those mysterious associations we now call Masons, or "Freemasonry."
Economic considerations were not the only reason the guilds were so circumspect in regards to their knowledge. If the Church, all-seeing and ever suspicious, even suspected any non- Christian hanky-panky, then destruction could be swift in the coming and utterly devastating. The fate of De Molay and his order of the Knights Templar is probably well known to readers of The Black Flame. And it is readily apparent that the guilds had much to hide.
Many craftsmen and engineers of that time claimed to have been assisted by demons, especially when they were "stuck" on a problem they could not solve. By demons, these men meant the classic Hellenic idea of "daimones," who acted as assistants to mankind, aiding him in his evolution towards "higher things" - that is, as sources of inspiration. Many guild members privately spoke of demons who came in by stealth at night, assisting on a project or sometimes even finishing a difficult job, or doing a test-piece given to the journeyman as a test for master-craftsmanship. Some claimed demons assisted in the drawing up of architectural plans for cathedrals, and sometimes even helped in the construction of these buildings. "Friendly" demons compensated for errors made by forgetful or careless builders. Medieval literature is filled with tales of such assistance, and the famous "pact with the Devil" is surely well-known by all.
Some of the most famous buildings in Europe were recipients of such "demoniacal midwifery." The upper chapel (Kaiserkapelle) of Nuremburg castle, Deil's Dykes in England and Scotland, and the wall of the castle Vizelle are better-known examples of a list too long to mention in its entirety. In Germany there are many bridges of that time referred to as teufelbrüke or Devil's bridges. The prices paid by the recipient of assistance, in these demonic pacts, are only hinted at. The Duc de Les Diguieres sold his soul for demonic help. For his assistance in the construction of the bridge of Saint Cloud, near Paris, a "devil" was promised the soul of the first creature crossing the completed span. Satan was cheated of his reward, however, when a black cat was sent across the bridge upon its completion.
Upon the doors of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris were installed iron doors of the most wondrous construction. The design was extremely complicated and delicate, resembling lacework more than ironmongery. The designs covered four doors, each 22 x 13 feet. There were no seams of any sort in this ironwork. As welding had not yet been invented, the only explanation seems to be that the work was "finished" by a metal file or files. But that would likely have taken decades. Modern ironworkers who saw them found them miraculous and inexplicable, almost willing to accept the tale about demonic assistance. The work of the doors was in fact ascribed to a demon named Biscomet, who offered his assistance on the iron doors for the soul of the craftsman who was making them. He agreed to this price, but later escaped the debt on a technicality. The demon was unable to finish a middle doorway through which the Holy Sacrament passed during ritual processions. Unfortunately, this ironwork no longer exists. A photograph of it, taken about 1860, is in the possession of one Grillot de Givry and was published in the book Witchcraft, Magic and Alchemy (Dover Publications, New York, 1971), by de Givry himself.
Such technically inexplicable accomplishments have abounded in history. And so has inspiration from the Dark Side, as late as the early 20th Century, in fact! A famous Indian Brahmin mathematical genius, Srinivasa Ramanujan, was renowned for his almost mystical intuitive knowledge of equations. He told the European mathematician, G.H. Hardy, that he got his equations from a daimon or "Dakini," of Durga, and that this entity was known also to his mother and family. In the East, unlike the West where the Church tried to destroy it, the Dark Tradition was carried on and is still active to this day. Durga is an aspect of the Dark Boundless All, and represents the same tradition and knowledge as that possessed by the Pythagoreans. Ramanujan was not some ignorant savage either, muttering of spirits talking to him. His equations were not only factual, but they were more advanced than anything which was known in Europe at that time. He didn't claim, finally, that the daimon of Durga gave him inspiration; he said the daimon gave him the equations!
Modern historians thus do not know how the guilds were able to accomplish their many feats, but it is evident that their achievements would be no small victories of engineering expertise and construction know-how (with superior durability, no less...) - even for men in our present time. It is obvious that the stone masons of the guilds knew a lot more than anyone has yet given them credit for. And they thrived and continued to survive because they knew the wisdom of silence.
With persecutions and ignorance at its height, the Tenders of the Flame gained an unwanted notoriety in the persons of Dr. Faustus, Paracelsus, and other so-called "alchemists," who were rumored to have achieved the transmutation of lead into gold. Contrary to popular modern-day academic belief, Newton and Boyle, discoverers of mathematical physics, calculus, the laws of gasses, etc., thought of themselves as alchemists. Both of these famous men concealed many of their ideas in elaborate codes, to guard them - not from being stolen, but rather in fear of expropriation by those who would misuse them. Only within the past two years has Boyle's personal file code been cracked, in part. A chemical process contained in the code was duplicated anda[6] golden-colored metal resulted. Boyle had mistaken this for gold, but this was only one process among many actually retrieved by modern researchers.
These were highly sophisticated chemical procedures. All this shows the fallacy in thinking that alchemists were crude and superstitious fools. If they were, why should they be so obsessed with changing lead into gold, when so many other metals look much more like Century, in fact! A famous Indian gold, and (in terms of common sense) have more in common with it, like copper, silver, or beryllium? In all respects except atomic number, gold and lead seem unalike. In fact, they differ by only three, on the periodic table; thus lead is closer to gold than any other look-alike metal, indeed, closer than any other metal.
There was also extant during this time, a great deal of pharmaceutical knowledge, as well as exploration. "Pharmaceutical" is derived from the Hellenic word "Pharmacoeia." The knowledge of the ancient druggists survived, and was further expanded by its adherents in the Middle Ages. Of course, if these people ran into trouble with the authorities, they were very likely to be labeled a witch, as they "played with potions." But despite what was said of them by the Christian authorities, this was a very practical science. Today, we use many drugs which were originally discovered by such people. Their knowledge of drugs may have even had their "dark side." Scopalomine for example, was one of the many consciousness-affecting drugs known to these ancient apothecaries. It is known today as a mind-bending drug which has applications in behavior-modification. Such chemicals may have been used by cults for various purposes, but one thing is certain: someone with a knowledge of biochemistry on this level could be a formidable enemy to those who opposed him.
The reawakening of commerce and trade in the 1200's set into motion a gradual resuscitation of science and knowledge in general, which the Church was unable to halt despite all its efforts. And the guilds were at the forefront of this movement. It was a risky world even so, as Galileo would discover several hundred years later, even at the height of that grand refutation ofthe[7] Church which men now call the Renaissance.
The word "renaissance" means "rebirth." And that is exactly what the Renaissance was; a rebirth of the old Pythagorean (and Hellenic) knowledge, as men of the time realized, hence the name. Before the Renaissance the knowledge was still there, but secretive, subterranean out of necessity for survival. With the Renaissance, the sun could again shine on creations directly inspired by the ancient world. Indeed, in retrospect, the Renaissance almost seems to be some sort of communion between Man and his real/inner roots, a massive festival in which all the great men of the age "let their hair down" and ideas and art abounded like spring flowers. A time of liberation fromthe[8] church-monster it was by all accounts, at least on a personal level. Men of that time stood up, and lines were drawn. The torchbearers of the classical world stood and were counted. It was not an easy thing for these people to do, and was mortally dangerous. Men today praise the Renaissance and rightly so, but what is not understood is this: at the same time that the Renaissance was in full swing, the Church persecutions reached their zenith, with witch trials and mass executions - untold numbers of innocent men and women (our people) died horrible deaths at the hands of the Christians. That the Pythagorean/Hellenic/Satanic men and women were able to pull off such a feat as the Renaissance in the face of the opposition of the Church, has earned them an eternal place in the Hall of Heros. We should never forget how dearly they paid for the freedom they bought for themselves...and for us. Without them, this world would probably still be in the death grip of Medieval Christian Hell-on-Earth. There is no way our debt to them could ever be paid.
Much effort has gone into attempting to explain just why the "Hellenic Spring" of the Renaissance blew through stagnant, enslaved Europe just when it did. The suddenness, the ubiquitousness of it, has perplexed generations of scholars. The standard refrain "diffusion of knowledge" just doesn't seem adequate. I propose a different idea as I have insinuated earlier: it was not so much a rebirth of something dead - rather, it was a liberation of something imprisoned. Europe was reanimated, and awoke. The seeds were already there, already all over. In splendid guild halls and in the humblest cottages, in whispers at a fireside and in the din of the beerhalls, the knowledge had been passed down, passed over, and remained, as a seed waits in the cold winter earth for the warmth of a spring sun to awaken it from sleep, and grow.
As if imitating an orchestra, which constitutes many players who each possess their own copy of the score with which they are familiar, and, on a signal from the conductor, begin to play - Europe virtually instantaneously became a Hellenic workshop: Titian paints; the old Hellenic pantheon receives a new lease on life, running riot through the pages of literature; Monteverdi recouples song and drama (a Hellenic idea) to create the opera; Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns spring up all over Europe like the proverbial mushrooms after a spring rain; philosophy reappears; empiricism and the scientific method awake from their long sleep; Michelangelo resuscitates neo-Hellenic sculpture...it must have been a dynamic, invigorating, wonderful time to live!
To list all of the accomplishments of men during this very brief period of history would take volumes of encyclopedias. Allow me to digress for only a moment here, regarding an aspect of the Hellenes which is not well known, and which only one man came close to rivaling: Michelangelo.
In Hellenic sculpture, figures are rendered in stone with such skill that the folds and pleats of garments accurately reflect the effects of (thus an understanding of) gravity and aerodynamics; a feat even an Archimedes or a Newton would have been proud to claim as his own. These sculptors were able to perfectly render curves formed by hanging objects and garments, which shows that they were familiar with complex curved surfaces which mathematicians refer to as catenaries and parabolas. No other human culture, before or since, has come close to the literal perfections of their statuary, with the exception of Michelangelo.
Thus, the knowledge of Pythagoras and of the Hellenes was, during the Renaissance, to again become a model of everything that is considered excellent, nay; perfect, even - and which was to inspire generations of men and women as well as serving for the foundation of the scientific era we presently inhabit. This knowledge, on whatever level it is grasped, leads one invariably back to the Earth, back to the senses, back to the body, in a literal celebration of being, of which the Hellenes must have been the "patron saints." It would be impossible for anything to be more opposed to them, their spirit, and all they stood for, than the "otherworldly" death-cult of Christianity.
Upon the discovery of new lands in the West (of which the spirit of discovery and hunger for knowledge fired by the Renaissance, had inspired) - it became possible for men and women to leave the Inquisition behind, and find freedom in a new land. Such was possible in the lands we now call America. And they brought their knowledge with them.
(Next quarter Part 2, The New World)
Whenever God erects a house of prayer,
the Devil always builds a chapel there
And 'twill be found upon examination
the latter has the largest congregation.Daniel Defoe
LEX TALIONIS
Lips taut exposing fangs of lethal length
Stalking the streets, a domain concrete and steel are the best grounds
Limitless time, night or day; I sharpen my claws to tensile strength
Hear the wail of the weak and the bloodied in my wake, it is here that my victims can be found
Gazing at my reflection, I revere my victories of past
Scars of wisdom and blood of lust, torn ear and some broken claws
Dressed in black I herd the sheep, walking among them with silent rage, drawing first blood and last
Reaping riches, fame and sound mind, it is the spotlight of center stage in which I soak
Living a philosophy instead of believing one
Guarding my gain with confidence instead of hope
Inheritance of material things other than dreams I will bequeath to my son
Lessons he will learn of dignity, pride and gaining his dreams as he grows to be like me, a social lycanthrope
Andre T. Soly
A prince must possess the nature of both beast and man.
Niccolo Machiavelli
The Fiery Curse
You have reigned from your cross now for two thousand years,
You have stifled our souls with your idiot lies,
But I feel your grip weaken and dare cry out:
I damn you! I damn you! I damn you!
In the name of the flesh that you taught me to hate,
In the name of the ego you taught me to crush,
In the name of the instincts you taught me were sin,
I damn you! I damn you! I damn you!
For my ancestors, brought to your camp by the sword,
For witches and sorcerers, burned at the stake,
For the millions of lives wasted, quaking at Hell,
I damn you! I damn you! I damn you!
For thinkers tormented for speaking the truth,
For Bruno, Copernicus, Darwin Voltaire,
For brave Galilei, Hypatia the wise,
I damn you! I damn you! I damn you!
I fling down the cross, thrust the Pentagram high!
For freedom and honor, for life in the light!
No quarter is offered, no check shall be turned!
I damn you! I damn you! I damn you!
Wolf
CHURCH OF SATAN
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