-Caveat Lector- Editor's Note: "This article, in a slightly different form, appeared in the British publication Dark Lily #13 as a response to the misinformation being spread by TOS in England at that time.... It was speculated that Anton LaVey himself wrote this article (of course, it stylistically is nothing like his writing). [Magister Peter H. Gilmore of the Church of Satan] did indeed write this piece, basing it on research gathered during my many visits to San Francisco as well as my copious correspondence and meetings with Church of Satan members present during these events. This file was occasioned by questions received by our various contacts regarding TOS and its curious, and dubious, claims." PRETENDERS TO THE THRONE: REGARDING THE TEMPLE OF SET by Magister Peter H. Gilmore, Order of the Trapezoid, Church of Satan Throughout the thirty-three years of its existence, the Church of Satan has continued to expand while its character has undergone a number of carefully-planned developmental phases. In the process, we have at times found it necessary to eject individuals who have acted in ways that were not in keeping with our high standards for social behavior. We have also had a small number of individuals freely depart from us, finding our means too challenging to their false images of personal superiority. Neither types are ever missed, as the true elite of talented, highly-motivated, productive, creative, and above all independent individuals still find their way to us. They work to move the world, using Satanism as the fulcrum for their efforts. There have been those who would attempt to imitate us, but they usually discover that our shoes are far too big to fill. Short-lived spinoffs have included The Church of Satanic Brotherhood, Ordo Templi Satanas, Order of the Black Ram, Church of Lucifer, Thee Orthodox Satanic Church and so on. None of these has prospered or even affected the course of Satanism, as they have quickly collapsed due to the lack of energy or direction. Since the death of our High Priest and Founder, even more imitators have emerged, trying to make their way to the center ring. These sorry clowns are banished by their own lack of competence to the side rings, quickly passed over as the discerning look towards us for the genuine star performers. See our Bunco Sheet for tips on how to identify these wannabees. One group formed by ex-members of the Church of Satan which has continued to exist, albeit as a small and fairly clandestine vanity organization riding on the funds provided by its funder, is the Temple of Set. This bunch is significant only in that they have continued to try to ride upon the coattails of the Church of Satan, and indeed even publicly claim to be the successor to and custodian of the Church of Satan. You might have come across some advertisements or writing influenced by these Setians. Don1t be fooled; they are not in any way associated with the Church of Satan and their tales of schism are convenient diversions. Let us examine from whence this group appeared and clear away their false claims. In 1974 C.E. the Church of Satan instituted its fourth phase of development. The thrust of this phase was to reorient the members at all levels to proceed on a far more independent course. Previously we had issued charters for formal Grottos which were small congregations comprised of Satanists in specific geographical regions. It had been discovered that these formal Grottos led certain members to confine their efforts at personal advancement to the realm of the Grotto alone, rather than towards the success in the outside world‹which is of paramount importance to Satanism. Certain members were far more interested in trying to gain elevated rank yet were merely competing in the Grotto1s social arena. They neglected to develop their talents and forge ahead. Many other members were strong-willed individualists who did not mix well with other Satanists. Rather than functioning as bases for the development of Satanic strategies, these groups often became shields against true advancement, filled with huddlers who were solely interested in internecine strife. Not everyone involved fit this picture, but there were enough to make it obsolete as a system of growth. The new phase stressed independent functioning, keeping individuals separated to pursue their own goals. If Satanists used their initiative to find their fellows and wished to informally create groups for socialization and ritual, that was most acceptable. But the momentum for the existence of these informal groups had to come from the social compatability of the constituent members, not geographical proximity. This phase of isolation, which laid the groundwork for a much broader base for Satanism as a movement (seen today especially in the commercial acceptance of Satanic imagery in the popular Heavy Metal music business), was upsetting to the pen-pal and coffee klatsch conclave members, whom it was basically designed to ease out of the way. Michael A. Aquino, at that time the editor of The Cloven Hoof, had attained the IV° and was injecting a strongly supernaturalist bent to the Hoof1s articles. Mr. Aquino had a history of creating documents which he claimed to have transcribed from superhuman entities. These include the Diabolicon (1970 C.E.), a series of statements from Satan, Beelzebub, Azazel, Abaddon, Asmodeus, Astaroth, Belial, and Leviathan, as well as the Ninth Solstice Message (1974 C.E.) which declared Anton LaVey a daimon. Dr. LaVey who, having a firm grasp on the Church1s tiller, began to implement the phase which had slowly been evolving over the previous two years. He had even outlined the basic concepts for this formal phase during the summer of 1972 C.E. in a letter to Aquino, stating that the social Satanists and their limelight-loving priests contribute nothing to Satanism as a movement, and that they would fall by the wayside when they didn1t receive the attention they sought by starting their own churches. LaVey wrote that he had far more respect for his underground clergy who were very productive in the real world. Aquino did not accept this, especially Dr. LaVey1s awarding of priesthoods to non-esoteric, non-public achievers and thus he would no longer be privy to even the small amount of information regarding underground activities that had previously been given to him. LaVey was determined that the status of Church members should reflect their standing in the world outside of the organization. Degrees are not reflective of simple book learning and esoteric knowledge, but the actual application of Satanic principles towards personal advancement. To this end, the Church would honor values given to it in kind with degree recognition as would be deemed appropriate by Dr. LaVey. The achievement of degrees via written tests was not to be abandoned at this time, but this additional means of advancement was now open to the above-ground members. This was formalized by the new phase in 1974 C.E. and outlined to Aquino in May, during one of his rare personal meetings with Dr. LaVey. Aquino did not protest this policy at the meeting and later claimed this alternate route to advancement as a public reason to announce a break with the Church of Satan, accusing Dr. LaVey of selling degrees. He wrote letters to his handful of pen-pal cronies, fellow mystics who had also mourned the new phase, and they too resigned to go off with Aquino and form their own group. Aquino had wanted to start a Second Church of Satan but was thwarted by copyright laws. Instead, recalling his readings of Egyptian history and mythology, he claimed to have invoked Satan (in whom he literally believed as an entity) and to have been answered instead by Set, the actual Prince of Darkness who, through a series of realizations in Aquino1s mind, caused him to record as Set1s answer a document which he titled the Book of Coming Forth by Night. This supernatural revelation supposedly gives him the right to supercede the Church of Satan. Doesn1t that sound familiar? Aquino would like you to believe that the entire Priesthood of the Church of Satan followed him in departing. This is untrue, especially as there were many underground members, including priests and higher, of whom he had no knowledge. His own claims for numbers of departed Church of Satan members continually fluctuates in his own writings. The Church of Satan was at that time, and still continues to be, a large and highly stratified organization with many discreet individuals placed in positions of power. As Orwell had envisioned in his classic 1984, it is not an organization in the usual sense as it is held together by an idea whose time has come, which is indestructible. The departure of less than thirty members can hardly be called a schism. This was instead a welcome housecleaning of an element that had become less than desirable to the future development of the Church of Satan. And thus the fourth phase functioned as planned and Aquino became one of those who, as predicted in 1972 C.E., fell by the wayside. The ex-Satanists who formed the Temple of Set follow a path quite different from that of the Church of Satan, which has never veered from its dedication to rational self-interest, indulgence, and a glorification of the carnal and material. The belief in Set as an actual entity with whom followers may commune is in marked contrast to our disbelief in any external deity figures. They have a consuming preoccupation with rank and status within their organization, thus titles and medallions of degree level are eagerly sought by members to affirm their position in the pecking order of the temple1s internal world (particularly evident at their conclaves). This is not surprising considering Aquino1s background‹a boyhood steeped in military academies and in pursuit of Boy Scout merit badges. The Church of Satan retains its right to grant degrees, but these are still based on an individual1s achievements in the outside world and his level of freedom from herd conformity and independence from forced interaction with the masses. Striving for fancy titles and rankings is not a part of Satanism. The literature of the Church of Satan is published and distributed worldwide to any interested individuals. The Temple of Set prints private literature available only to members, and some of it is limited to those of the correct rank. To further learn about these pseudo-Satanists, you might choose to contact them for information, but be forewarned that real Satanism is not hiding underneath their academic exterior. A worthwhile and informative study by an anthropologist who joined the Temple of Set is The Magicians, by Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D. (New World Books, 308 Spruce St., San Francisco, CA 94118). This will give you insights into their beliefs, practices, and social interactions. Interestingly enough, with the stepping down (for the second time) of Michael Aquino as High Priest of the Temple of Set and the accession of Don Webb, a change in emphasis seems to be emerging. Webb has stated in an article entitled 3Concerning Satanism2 that, 3The Temple of Set has begun the process of distancing from the term ŒSatanism,1 a cultural fad of the latter part of the Twentieth Century of the Common Era.2 We think that is just fine. We have dealt here at length with the Temple of Set to lay to rest their propaganda. They are not associated with the Church of Satan in any manner. We do not see them as being in any way significant to the future of Satanism. Dr. LaVey1s successor, High Priestess Blanche Barton, aided by the Council of Nine and the Order of the Trapezoid, proudly stands at the helm of the Church of Satan, the flagship of the movement launched in 1966 C.E., and oversees the forces which he put into motion. The Church of Satan is the foundry, forging the Iron Will that shall continue to move the minds and hearts of humanity1s elite, who are even now reaching out to claim the future as their domain. They shall be the inheritors of our legacy as well as the writers of our history for the new millenium, and far beyond. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This article, in a slightly different form, appeared in the British publication Dark Lily #13 as a response to the misinformation being spread by TOS in England at that time. It was unsigned, as were all articles in that publication. It was speculated that Anton LaVey himself wrote this article (of course, it stylistically is nothing like his writing). I did indeed write this piece, basing it on research gathered during my many visits to San Francisco as well as my copious correspondence and meetings with Church of Satan members present during these events. This file was occasioned by questions received by our various contacts regarding TOS and its curious, and dubious, claims. ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, All My Relations. Omnia Bona Bonis, Adieu, Adios, Aloha. Amen. Roads End <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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