experienced and respected member of the occult society in
Australia, in response to Isaac Bonewits' article entitled "The
Enemies of our Enemies" in volume XXIV, number 93.
Tenebrae Ars Magica
Who's Enemies?
I was disappointed by the clap-trap expressed in the article
"The Enemies of our Enemies" by Bonewits.
Isaac Bonewits found it astonishing that the Temple of Set is
part of a civil liberties coalition "the alliance for magical
and earth religions". The Temple is after all a magical
religion, so why the astonishment? Lilith Aquino is on the
board of directors, so what! No doubt she obtained this
position because she is well qualified.
Satanists have often been used as scapegoats by Christians --
the myth is continued in this article by a Neo-Pagan.
You will as a Pagan ('Neo' or whatever), be disapproved of by
many Christians and other denominations, regardless of whether
you associate with Satanists or not. Christians base their
faith on one *true* God, and Pagans on Gods and Goddesses -- the
two will always differ in opinion.
Bonewits' comments on what owners of occult shops should and
should not sell is astounding. I think most Wiccans would have
a hard time explaining what they *really* need a ritual knife
for?!
However, more importantly, isn't Bonewits' message really saying
that we (pagans) should 'sell-out' and seek the approval of the
monotheists? Surely if Paganism has a valid message to offer
the world then it is one of 'religious tolerance'.
Pagans really don't need to change or seek the approval of
Christianity. I suggest that it may be Christianity which needs
to change.
What we are really hearing from Bonewits is a form of
'Neo-Fundamentalism'. Usually this is associated with specific
forms of Christianity, Judaism and Mohammedanism, but we are now
hearing this neurotic insecurity more and more frequently in
Pagan circles.
Satanists are not the evil people, as Bonewits would have you
believe. Let's not be naive, there are people from all walks of
life and religious backgrounds who have criminal tendencies.
Quite obviously you cannot logically single out Satanists. I
was disillusioned to see GE publish a lengthy article displaying
someone's personal bias and bitterness. You as publishers owe
your readers the opportunity to see the whole story of why
Bonewits is anti-Satanic.
Quotes --
Eric Zann, letter to the" Religion "1974:
"This one (Bonewits) I remember well. He was the perfect
example of one who has an enormously high I.Q. (potential)
coupled with a total lack of common sense (actuality). He spent
several months standing on a corner in Berkeley with a
bull-horn, given to him by a member of the Church (of Satan), in
the attempt to gain new members to LaVey-ism. He failed; he
brought in none.
"Contrary to popular opinion, Anton LaVey had a great deal of
patience, and at long last it was taxed to the fullest. On one
memorable evening Anton at long last lost his cool and was
obliged to throw him out. If his (Bonewits) most devout
followers could have seen the way that he crawled, and I mean
literally, upon his hands and knees and cried like a baby before
he was finally dumped into the street from whence he came, they
would thoroughly understand this hatred for his one-time Coven
Master.... He did not 'infiltrate' as has been alleged, but
came willingly -- and most noisily -- to most of our activities.
But even so, I do not begrudge I.B. his anger. He was not
mature enough at the time to realize what was going on, and like
a child would throw what amounted to a temper tantrum when
things weren't going his way. All that it took was a heavy hand
to place him on the proper Path. Let us all hope that he
remains there."
Anton LeVay, from" Church of "by Michael Aquino, 1983:
"A bright young man, but stridently boorish to a
self-destructive degree. He came to me at age 19, expecting me
to recognize him as a peer. Due to our 20-year age difference,
I had accumulated more knowledge, experience, abilities, and
material benefits. Hence I did not recognize him as he wished.
He insisted. I told him to go away. Ever since then he has
been spinning his wheels in an attempt to defame and discredit
me. That is the whole story of poor Isaac. Any success he may
attain in life will be goaded by his bitterness at my
rejection..."
And 20 years on Bonewits is still /spinning his wheels/. -- Mr.
Bonewits, where is your *real* magic which might have helped you
go beyond all this by Isaac Bonewits (Pages 116-117):
"It is easy to see there is no difference between the concepts
of 'Black Magic' and 'White Magic' as schools of thought, but
what about individuals? Let's pick something easy like the
murder of the Pope with magic. That is definitely Evil Black
Magic, right? But what if the victim was Adolf Hitler in 1935?
Or Joseph Stalin before his purges? After all murder is murder,
isn't it? Well?...
"/Morals and magic do not mix./ Magic is a science and an art,
and as such has nothing to do with morals or ethics... /Magic
is about as moral as electricity."
(Pages 124-125):
"I may have given some people the impression that I don't like
witchcraft and that all witches are frauds. This is not so. I
don't like *most* witches I meet and *most* of the witchcraft I
find is fraudulent, but this is because the people are usually
caught in the achromatic anti-life bag."
In conclusion, I suggest Paganism /has absolutely nothing to
gain from riding on this person's coat-tails, and much to lose./
Nema, Sydney, Australia