Friday, May 31, 2013

SATANISM & SRIA 1: "Christian" Leaders Obsessed with Magick and the Occult?


SRIA Supreme Magus, John R.Paternoster

Rumors have circulated since 2005 of a "Satanist coup" at the highest levels of leadership of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.R.I.A.).

As a Pagan, the entire discussion seems quite superfluous at first glance. Considering, however, that present S.R.I.A. leaders have already co-opted numerous G.D. leaders in our community, effectively bringing entire orders under their dominion, Golden Dawn members of all faiths have reason to be concerned. 

S.R.I.A. leaders teach a segregationist, "Trinitarian Christians only" view of the Rosicrucian tradition and argue even that the Golden Dawn is "Christian" (See Peregrin Wildoak's argument here). The only way to properly evaluate S.R.I.A.'s 2005 "Satanist coup" schism, therefore, is through a Trinitarian Christian lens.

What is certain is that there was a mass exodus of S.R.I.A. members surrounding a controversial change in leadership when dentist, John R. Paternoster, seized power as S.R.I.A.'s Supreme Magus. The Society did their best to keep the affair quiet, including an alleged cover-up at the highest levels of S.R.I.A. Nonetheless, a certain amount of information did eventually surface on the Internet. For example, "Zac" wrote here in 2006:
"The Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, known in the Masonic world as the SRIA, has been taken over secretly by those adhering to Satanism. 

The Society is presently led by Fra. John R. Paternoster, a dentist from Bishops Stortford in Hertfordshire, who was elected by some of the ruling members of the SRIA in dubious circumstances early in September 2005. But what most members of the Society do not know is that he has been writing regularly for The Oracle – Occult Magazine which is published in London every three months. On the publishers’ website it is claimed to be a serious journal examining the supernatural. 

One of Fra. Paternoster’s first acts on taking up control as Supreme Magus was to appoint another adherent of Satanism, Fra. ‘Mike’ Crowson, to be the Director-General of Studies for the whole Society. He has been advertising his occult practices (based in London) and his connections with fringe groups in The Oracle for some time. He is also the webmaster for the publishers. He claims to be a Christian but refuses to affirm in public any belief in the Trinitarian Christian faith...

...The latest issues of The Oracle are entirely devoted to devil worship, witchcraft, the Black Mass and other similarly obscene topics. They also contain explicit drawings about masturbation and swearing. Fra. Paternoster has written articles for both issues as the ‘Supreme Magus’ of the Society. That is stated quite clearly in print. So the name of the SRIA and therefore of English freemasons generally has been clearly connected with this occult magazine. 

Copies of these magazines were received last month by the Grand Secretaries of the United Grand Lodge of England (in Great Queen Street), The Supreme Council 33° (in Duke Street) and the Grand Lodge of Mark Masons (in St James’ Street). So the leaders of English Freemasonry have known about this Satanic involvement at the top of the SRIA for some time. 

At 2.00 pm on Wednesday 22 February 2006 the General Purposes Committee of the SRIA met in emergency session at the Society’s London headquarters in Hampstead in the presence of Fra. Paternoster and Fra. Crowson. Most of the Committee are appointees of Fra. Paternoster. 

They met to consider several formal complaints against this occult involvement of their leader and his close associate which had been received from other senior Fratres from various parts of the world. Fra. Paternoster, in writing his articles in The Oracle, has been fully supported by the Society’s Deputy Chaplain-General, a non-ordained senior London freemason, Fra. Arthur Craddock, who is also a Past Grand Steward of the United Grand Lodge of England. 

However, what is not generally known is that a few members of the Committee met secretly in ‘The Flask’, a pub just off the Hampstead High Street, before the official start of the scheduled meeting. Later on at the Committee meeting one of these, Fra. Ronald Pike – the Superior of the Order of Essenes and the Chaplain-General of the SRIA – produced a draft hand-written statement setting out the route which they wanted the rest of the Committee to take. So a cover-up had been arranged even before the Committee met formally.

After only about one hour’s discussion and according to the official circulated Minutes, the Committee decided by a vote of only 6 with three abstentions - hardly surprisingly in the circumstances considering who appointed them - ‘that, for the good of the Society, the less said about this the better’ and ‘expressed the view that, in view of the number of resignations that have already taken place, more would cause confusion, particularly among our younger members, which should be avoided at all costs’ – which is just the sort of cover-up which the Church itself has been accused of in the past. 

At the time the Committee had been made aware that the SRIA is known on the internet, for example in Yahoo chat-rooms, as being involved by its ‘Supreme Magus’ with The Oracle – Occult Magazine. Even so they instructed the Secretary-General to circulate their amazingly arrogant decision to all members thereby hoping that this covert intrusion by those adhering to Satanism will be covered up.

But if these leading Fratres know about this appalling infection at the top of the Society, then perhaps others – including ordinary Christian members like yourself should know about it too."
The involvement of S.R.I.A. Supreme Magus, John Paternoster, in the "Oracle Occult Magazine" is easily verified on the Oracle's MySpace page here (The titles of the other articles are quite revealing concerning the above allegations of Satanism).


I already pointed out last week the absurdity of Trinitarian Christian S.R.I.A. leaders and their G.D. puppets arguing that the Golden Dawn is a "Christian" tradition. It should be quite obvious that the Golden Dawn is Non-sectarian, not Christian. The Golden Dawn is a MAGICAL order and Magick has been at all times condemned by Christianity in no uncertain terms.

Unsurprisingly, no S.R.I.A. leader nor any Golden Dawn leader under their dominion has had anything at all to say in defense of their original argument. This is because there is nothing they can say, since there is no rational explanation for Trinitarian Christians to be so obsessed with Magick and Magical orders. To put it simply ...

"Their silence is deafening!"

Instead, as a diversionary tactic, a host of leaders of S.R.I.A. licensed or affiliated Golden Dawn orders, published a barrage of articles (by Donald Michael KraigPeregrin WildoakNick FarrellAaron Leitch, and Morgan Eckstein), each arguing in favor of using Magick for making money and other material gain.

As a Pagan, I have nothing at all against practical Magick.  In fact, I revealed the keys to unlock the entire Golden Dawn system for practical Magick in Chapter 6 of the Ritual Magick Manual. (As a purely technical matter, I do always make clear that spiritual development proceeds faster if a Magician focuses on Magick purely for energetic evolution rather than for material gain, however).

But what about the Trinitarian Christian, present S.R.I.A. leaders' obsession with Magical Golden Dawn orders?
"According to Trinitarian Christianity, the practice of Witchcraft and Magick are regarded as Sins that need to be repented of, confessed, and forsaken."
Anyone who approaches ANY of the “Christian” denominations and asks if that particular group would allow for ANY form of Magick to be performed as part of an approach to Jesus as God, they would be denied. 

If no Christian denomination (including the Anglican church most S.R.I.A. members belong to) will permit Magick to be practiced within the canon of their teachings, then why are S.R.I.A. leaders so obsessed with controlling MAGICAL Golden Dawn orders?

After all:
  • The Christian Bible is filled with injunctions against Magick. For example:
  • The struggle between St. Peter and the Magician, Simon Magus.
  • Leviticus and Deuteronomy prohibit certain kinds of Magick, specifically divination, seeking omens, mediums who commune with the dead, and spell-casters.
  • Exodus 22:18 states: "Do not allow a sorceress to live".
  • Galatians includes sorcery in a list of "works of the flesh".
  • This ban is repeated in the Didache, written during the mid to late first century.
  • Martin Luther shared some of the views about witchcraft that were common in his time. In his Small Catechism Luther taught that Magick was a sin against the second commandment.
  • The Rituale Romanum De Sacramento Paenitantiae specifically lists Magick and Astrology as mortal sins, and illucidates the following for grounds for excommunication from the Church: "Who adheres to Magical beliefs such as the Magic of Cartomancy, Astrology, and all esoteric practices or who converts to other faiths such as Masonry or Rosicrucianism.
Evangelical Christian groups, likewise condemn Magick, Numerous Christian groups even go so far as to condemn ANY form of Magick as Satanism

What would these Christian groups say about people who try to control esoteric orders that teach Magick or even those who advocate Magick for money and material gain?

Are these not Satanists when viewed through a Trinitarian Christian lens?

As Trinitarian Christians, the efforts by current S.R.I.A. leaders to bring Magical Golden Dawn orders under their dominion through trademark licensing and co-opting G.D. leaders makes no sense at all.

Trinitarian Christians condemn Magick, not practice it or teach it.

On the other hand, if the above rumors are true - and S.R.I.A. leadership was indeed toppled by Satanists as rumored in 2005, then the obsession of today's S.R.I.A. leaders with Magick, the Occult, and the Golden Dawn suddenly all makes perfect sense.

At least one thing is certain - Rank and file members of S.R.I.A. deserve some real answers to tough questions!


The Golden Dawn Saga: The Final Chapter: COMING SOON!


Don't miss the surprising final episode of The Golden Dawn Saga, as the runaway smash hit series returns to The Golden Dawn blog!


by David Griffin

Coming Soon!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Pagan Scholarship and anti-Pagan Propaganda

by David Griffin

"Pagans today have NO roots in antiquity!"
"Because we wiped out every trace - We KNOW."

Many Pagans today believe there are no clear links between ancient and modern Paganism. They are convinced there exist only reconstructed Pagan traditions and that any direct, lineal survival of ancient Paganism has been completely debunked by modern scholars.

Such misunderstandings are unsurprising, since modern Pagan research has been misrepresented over and over on Christian websites, blogs, etc. Most Christians are neither involved nor even interested in such shenanigans. There are, however, elements within Christianity that still have not given up trying to suppress Paganism, especially now that Paganism is growing, and are not above using modern propaganda methods to achieve their objective.

Take, for example, the impartial sounding Religious Studies blog. There you find claims that any connection between modern and ancient Paganism has been thoroughly debunked by modern Pagan scholars. Yet on the same blog, you find the historical veracity of Jesus proven by mere quotation of Biblical scripture!

Why is it that aspects of Paganism are subjected to one standard of scrutiny and those of other religions to a completely different yardstick?


Sadly, even "pro-Pagan" scholars are not above such double standards. Take for example, how Pagan "hard polytheists" have recently been branded fundamentalists by Wiccan Sabina Magliocco, Chairperson of the Department of Anthropology of California State University, Northridge, when Magliocco wrote in the article you can read here
"These [Pagan Fundamentalisms] have centered around two hot-button topics: the historicity of Wiccan foundational narratives, and the nature of the gods." -Sabina Magliocco
Sabina Magliocco

Why is it that Pagan hard polytheists are branded fundamentalists, yet Christians, Jews, and Muslims, who likewise believe in the objective existence of THEIR Gods are not likewise denigrated, nor are Hindu hard polytheists for that matter either.

Such a double standard coming from a self-identified Wiccan is unethical enough on its own, but out and out fear mongering about an unspecified and unsubstantiated "Rise of Pagan Fundamentalism" has no place  in responsible academic research.

Let us next examine the foundational narratives relevant to the survival of ancient Paganism, likewise branded fundamentalist by Dr. Magliocco. Note that Magliocco is quite careful to confine her fear mongering about "Pagan fundamentalists" to Wicca, regarding the "historicity of Pagan foundational narratives."

Such caution is thrown to the wind in anti-Pagan propaganda elsewhere describing Pagan scholarship, however. In the article on the Religious Studies blog entitled, The origins of neopaganism and Prof. Ronald Hutton we find, for example:
"Some neopagans, however, claim that their religion is a direct, lineal survival of ancient paganism...  
... How much of this is actually true? In particular, how much of modern Wicca is a genuine survival of ancient paganism?... The evidence shows that Wicca was created by Gerald Gardner and a small number of other middle-class occultists between the 1920s and the 1950s ... 
the Religious Studies article then wildly concludes:
... Paganism as such disappeared from Europe with the spread of Christianity, and did not reappear until the pagan revival got under way in the 19th century."
Ronald Hutton

Note the way the above, anti-Pagan propaganda narrative seamlessly jumps from Prof. Hutton of Bristol University's Department of History's research on Wicca in southern England to the unsupported conclusion that Paganism as such disappeared from Europe with the spread of Christianity.

I am not suggesting that Pagan scholars like Prof. Magliocco or Prof. Hutton are secretly persuing a Crypto-Christian agenda. These scholars are indeed, however, playing directly into the hands of Christian propagdists out to impede the growth of Paganism.

What is it then that contemporary scholarship actually does say - if not that Paganism disappeared from Europe until the 19th Century Pagan revival?

Prof. Magliocco, for example, readily admits that:
"There are very clear links between ancient and modern Paganisms ...  The links can be found in folk customs, in the Western tradition of magic and esotericism, and in art, literature and philosophy." -Sabina Magliocco
This statement is strongly supported by data provided by anthropological informants of my wife, anthropologist/initiate, Leslie McQuade Griffin, as we shall see below. Dr. Magliocco, however, continues:
"As an anthropologist, I am bound by a code of ethics which demands that I put the good of the communities I work with before anything else, including my research program and professional advancement."
I am not questioning Dr. Magliocco's ethics in particular, but the above statement invokes the entrenched belief held by many Pagans that the ethics of academic research can be blindly trusted. This, in reality, is not always the case, as Leslie McQuade shockingly outlines here:
Leslie McQuade Griffin
"As an archeologist, I have had the great fortune to work in some pretty amazing places, from the English Heritage, Eartham Pit dig in West Sussex where Homo heidelbergensis was discovered during the dig, to the Botai dig in Kazakhstan for the Carnegie Mellon Museum of Natural History, where I was told to cover up the discovery of artifacts made of bone which bore a striking resemblance to screw drivers, which would be astonishing for the time period - to the Chatan-cho dig Okinawa where we were ordered to conceal our discoveries by the Japanese government since they didn't like that we found Koreans rather than Japanese.
I left archeology when the sanctity of scientific data was repeatedly sacrificed for political expedience. As a scientist, I wanted no part in such hypocricy."
Thus, when McQuade began to concentrate more on ethnography, she was already aware of the profound role scholarly bias and even political expediency frequently play in academic research. On significant archeological digs, McQuade was ordered to manipulate and suppress data to skew results of research.

On the subject of Pagan survival, HPS McQuade recently wrote:
"Initiates also hid themselves within Christianity itself, transmuting the ancient Egyptian symbols into versions easily hidden in the symbols and tenants of the new, aggressive faith for re-emergence when the time was both safe and right. 
As has been demonstrated by my Italian Pagan informant, Dianus del Bosco Sacro, in his article, “The Great Rite, Hermeticism and the Shamanic-Pagan Tradition of the Sacred Forest of Nemi,” these same initiatic mysteries can be found preserved encoded in divergent symbol systems across centuries, from the frescoes of the Villa of the Mysteries of ancient Pompeii to the symbols of Hermetic alchemy, only to reappear in Leland’s “Aradia: The Gospel of the Witches.” [Fenris Wolf V: Journal for Magical Anthropology, Stockholm 2013] 
In addition to Dianus, Frater Lux E Tenebris, my alchemical Master and point of contact with the Golden Dawn's Secret Chiefs, has additionally agreed to serve as anthropological informant for Leslie's Pagan ethnographic research. Leslie showed the present article to Frater L.e.T. for comment this morning. Frater LeT added the following to conclude the article:
"There is not one form of Paganism, but two that have survived since antiquity. Prof. Magliocco and others are correct in their observations regarding folk customs, cunning folk, etc. These, however, are but remnants of a "low" Pagan tradition, crumbs of ancient wisdom found among ignorant common folk, mixed with superstition, etc. 
There is, however, a pure Pagan current that survived by remaining completely underground. The ancient Pagan Sacerdotal tradition was preserved by initiatic societies, and there is plenty of publicly available evidence of this survival. For example, Pagan thought reached its apogee with Plotinus. From there arise all of the visible teachings that follow. 
Many Pagan mysteries were concealed inside Christianity itself albeit under another name, for example in Gnosticism in the early centuries. We find Pagan teachings again in the writings of Giordano Bruno, the high magic of Tomas Campanella, Marcilio Ficino, and the group gathered around the De Medici family. 
We find Pagan teachings again in Trithemius and Agrippa, who while posing as Christians in order to protect themselves, nonetheless communicated the ancient Pagan Celestial Magick. Just look at the letters his "Christian" friends sent to Agrippa before the publication of his occult philosophy (which contains PAGAN Magick with but a Christian veneer), warning Agrippa to be very careful lest he be arrested, tortured, and burned. 
Paganism was deeply occulted following the edicts of the Emperors so that it might not be destroyed. But even much of the structure of the Christian church itself is Pagan in origin, including the title today used by the head of the Christian church, Pontifex Maximus. 
And these are but the external signs of what was preserved occulted by the Sacerdotal Colleges, later becoming Rosicrucian and the initiatic orders, and transmitted to us today. 
Thus there is not doubt that Paganism has survived. The scholars know this, although they choose to focus on the "low" Pagan tradition  as it survived mixed with superstition in folk magic, etc. To admit the survival of the "high," Sacerdotal Pagan tradition is not in the interest of Christianity." 
The time has come for Pagans to let go of overly naive trust in academia. Academia is never perfectly objective. Scholarly bias nearly always plays a role in research - and even manipulation and supression of data to skew results are not unheard of.

Pagan scholars be should be even more wary how statements they make may be misrepresented by others and turned against our Pagan community, and as far as ethics go, there is no place in academia for fear mongering,

Historians and anthropologists investigating the survival of remnants of Pagan antiquity should examine the Western esoteric tradition more closely.

That no remnants of ancient Pagan "high" Sacerdotal traditions have yet been uncovered, does not necessarily mean they no longer exist.

Scholars may have just been looking in the wrong places...

"A chair? Impossible."
...or sitting on the data all along!

Friday, May 24, 2013

ISIS RISING: Pagan Magick, Anthropology, and Christian Mysticism

by Anthropologist-Initiate
HPS Leslie McQuade Griffin

The difference between magick and mysticism is clear, as they have two completely different methodologies to achieve the same goal. 

Mysticism involves emptying one’s self and asking for a hand up.  Magick pulls one up by one’s own bootstraps, transforming through hard work.  Now how would YOU like to say you entered the next life? 

This is not a matter of pride,  but rather a matter of inclination.  Some people are naturally inclined towards a mystical path and others toward the Magical one.  You see successful vegetarians just as often as you see successful non-vegetarians.  I am most certainly NOT saying that one is better than the other.  These are simply two among several ways of achieving immortality.

Christianity has taken the Egyptian symbols and attempted to claim them for their own.  How peculiar.  When studying geology, I was taught that what comes first in time is oldest.  It is so simple and true that the same ideas are transferred to archaeology and to history.  It forms the basis of modern patent law.  If something came first, it is older than what comes after.  Why, if there is the imago of a goddess breastfeeding a child on her lap, do the Christians call Mary a Holy Mother, but call Isis, who is older and shown in the same manner, a Pagan idol?  This is the Christian attempt to coopt Egyptian symbols and claim for their own.  How can it be more clear?


And the Egyptians did not have a monopoly of the use of this image. Women have been breastfeeding infants since before we were human. One look at a mother gorilla or chimpanzee should sufficiently evidence that.  Divine motherhood is a human archetype, and not the exclusive providence of ANY faith, but most certainly a Pagan symbol long before a Christian one.  Those that claim otherwise can only be described as Historical Revisionists.

Already, in the 1533 translation of The Golden Ass, we find a confusion between Magick and Mysticism.

In the middle of the second paragraph of the third chapter we read:
“Verily shee is a Magitian, which hath power to rule the heavens, to bringe downe the sky, to beare up the earth, to turne the waters into hills and the hills into running waters, to lift up the terrestrial spirits into the aire, and to pull the gods out of the heavens, to extinguish the planets, and to lighten the deepe darknesse of hell. Then sayd I unto Socrates, Leave off this high and mysticall kinde of talke, and tell the matter in a more plaine and simple fashion. “
She is clearly described as a Magitian (sic.), and yet rather than say “Leave off this hight and magickal kinde of talke”, the respondent conflates magic and mysticism by calling  it “mysticall kinde of talke”.  To make the matter more clear, it is as if one person is telling the story of a baseball player, but the person listening to the story says he isn’t interested in hearing a story about cricket!

This exact type of conflation has been going on between adherents of the different schools of immortality for millennia. I find it amazing that in this modern age of science, no anthropologist before me who has been willing to set vainglory aside and swear myself to secrecy for the chance to learn from actual initiates who have carried the initiatic tradition from the Pagan past to our digital present. 

As someone trained in the participant observer method of ethnography, and the experimental method in archaeology, I understand how critical personal experience is in the understanding of certain concepts within social science. 

It is no accident that 100% of the world’s cultures have concepts such as God, Goddess, afterlife, soul, and transcendence.  What is interesting is the number of otherwise good anthropologists who are unwilling to make the conceptual leap from the position of an outside observer to a full participant in the esoteric milieu of the culture being studied.

Many times, those who do are relegated to the derogatory status of  “gone native” or “true believer”.  Granted this has not always been the case.  It only seems to be the case when people are studying Magick and Witchcraft. 

Anthropological journals are teeming with stories about the mystical traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, et cetera.  The people who go native into these mystical traditions are lauded.  Go native into a Magickal tradition, which are most usually Pagan and pre-Christian, and the response is completely different.

This is because of the alleged lack of reliable, repeatable, verifiable data.  This argument quickly devolves into a chest-bumping contest between who has the oldest or most documents. 

In fact, much of the documentation the detractors of Pagan continuance demand is incredibly hypocritical. Do Christians not remember the burning of the library of Alexandria?

The great library of Alexandria contained the best works of Pagan science, Magick, literature, medicine, music and the like.  How can we produce documents, which the people who are demanding we produce them know perfectly well that they themselves burned them?


Moreover, the Christian Emperor Jovian, in 364, ordered the entire Library of Antioch to be burned because it had been stocked with the aid of his non-Christian predecessor, Emperor Julian.


Are they not laughing in our faces, O dear Pagan brothers and sisters!

Laughing in our faces that they have convinced us to distrust the spoken word in favor of documents that have systematically been destroyed for centuries.

During the time when we did still have access to people trained in the spoken word, they began a campaign of destruction and torture to shut our mouths forever.  Do you realize just how many inquisitions there were?

And how in the world have we come to a time when even respected academics set aside historical fact for political expediency by denying their reality?  Lucky the Jews are still with us today with proof of the depraved ends to which some will go to suppress the truths of others.  Even today, there are those who actively deny the truth of the Holocaust, or worse still, seek to minimize and downplay the underlying horror such an event represents.

Jews are our closest brothers and sisters as many of the Egyptian initiatic mysteries were translated into their tongue and preserved through the centuries, albeit filtered through their own cultural matrix. 

Initiates also hid themselves within Christianity itself, transmuting the ancient Egyptian symbols into versions easily hidden in the symbols and tenants of the new, aggressive faith for re-emergence when the time was both safe and right.

As has been demonstrated by my Italian Pagan informant, Dianus del Bosco Sacro, in his article, “The Great Rite, Hermeticism and the Shamanic-Pagan Tradition of the Sacred Forest of Nemi,” these same initiatic mysteries can be found preserved encoded in divergent symbol systems across centuries, from the frescoes of the Villa of the Mysteries of ancient Pompeii to the symbols of Hermetic alchemy, only to reappear in Leland’s “Aradia: The Gospel of the Witches.” [Fenris Wolf V: Journal for Magical Anthropology, Stockholm 2013]


Today, with the opening of the Alpha Omega’s “Egyptian College of Isis,” the initiatic mysteries of Egypt divest themselves of disguises needed to survive two millennia of Christianity.

Today, the mysteries of the Great Mother Goddess, Isis, step forward from dark places, so shine forth again with long forgotten brilliance.

Today, Isis, Lady of Magick and Goddess of 10,000 names, reclaims her rightful throne as Queen of Heaven.

High Priestess Leslie McQuade Griffin
Egyptian College of Isis
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega








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Sunday, May 19, 2013

S.R.I.A. or ALPHA OMEGA: "Is the Golden Dawn 'Christian' or 'Nonsectarian'?"


by Golden Dawn Imperator
David Griffin

Peregrin Wildoak (a member of S.R.I.A, a recent Trinitarian Christian convert, and a highly vocal Mystical Golden Dawn advocate), just published an interesting article about "Christian" symbolism in the Golden Dawn.

You can read Peregrin's complete article HERE. I am concerned about this article because it reinforces the mistaken belief held by many Pagans that the Golden Dawn is "too Christian" to be a valid magical school for Pagans.

Peregrin Wildoak writes:
"Each GD initiate has to engage with and embody the mysteries behind a whole raft of Christian symbols, from the neophyte Red Cross (an ‘Image of Him Who was unfolded in the Light’) to the Cross of Suffering in the Vault ... This engagement means the initiate, and collectively the tradition, is working the mysteries through a Christian based lens more than any other lens. This is why I can describe the RR et AC as a ‘Christian’ tradition."
Peregrin Wildoak

That Peregrin speaks of "mysteries" is quite revealing in itself, as the word itself derives not from Christianity, but from "Mystes," the Greek word used to describe initiates of the ancient Egyptian Isinian tradition. This is described clearly, for example, in the latter part of Apuleus "The Golden Ass."

Peregrin has repeatedly claimed in the past that Professor Ronald Hutton has proven that there are no remnants of ancient Paganism that have survived into the present. In reality, however, Professor Hutton's own research has revealed the survival of numerous remnants of ancient Paganism during the decade since he wrote "Triumph of the Moon."

In his above argument, Peregrin attempts to misportray symbols as purely Christian by ignoring that Christianity itself is but a reformulation of earlier mysteries and traditions. In fact, there is not a single Christian symbol that is uniquely Christian. None exist at all. Each and every "Christian" symbol was taken from other preexisting traditions, reformulated, and used by Christianity. These earlier traditions include Judaism, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and certain ideas from the ancient orient. In other words:

"There is no such thing as purely 'Christian' symbols."

I accept that Christianity reformulated these things for their own use, but there is nothing that is, in fact, original. Christianity created itself on ancient foundations. It is like a man that is seated on the shoulders of true giants - the ancient traditions.

With this, I am not saying that Christianity is not a valid religion nor a good path. On the contrary, is obviously is for certain people. I am saying that, however, as Christianity readily admits, Christianity is a Mystical spiritual path rather than a Magical one.

Contrary to popular misunderstanding, Mysticism and Magic are two quite distinct spiritual paths. I have written extensively already clarifying the differences between Mysticism and Magick (for example here and here). For clarity in the present discussion, however, I repeat the most relevant aspects here, as follows:
"The primary difference between Magick and Mysticism lies codified in the actual methods of practice, together with the Mystical or Magical inclinations of the practitioner. 
The Mystical path refers to the capacity and will of the practitioner to place oneself in a passive position in relationship to eternal Being and the forces of nature, which the Practitioner begins to invoke and pray to, so they may manifest and enlighten one, thus spiritually uplifting and exalting the practitioner.  
The Magical practitioner, on the other hand, does not place him or herself in a passive state towards natural and Divine forces, but rather in an active state. Recognizing the Divine Spark inside oneself, the practitioner actively collaborates with Eternal Being rather than waiting for its manifestations. 
In Mysticism, the practitioner expects Divinity to manifest itself, and to ascend the staircase that leads from below to on high aided by the Divine hand that takes us and leads us ever upwards. 
Magic does not expect this, instead conquering the Inner Planes through one's own effort rather than through Divine aid. Thus, whereas the Mystical approach is one of submission, the Magician instead is a conquerer. 
A perfect example of the Magical path may be found in the Mithraic Ritual deposited in Paris, which shows one such practice of divine Ascension of the Magical initiate. While rising towards Divinity to be received like a prodigal Son or Daughter, the practitioner greets the Gods as equals that gradually appear, not fearing them or subjugating oneself before them, but admonishing them and blandishing them with Magical words that open the gates of heaven. 
Whereas Magick is based on knowledge, Mysticism is based on on ignorance in the literal sense of "ignoring" or "unknowing." In fact, one of the most important mystical texts in all of Christianity, "The Cloud of Unknowing," speaks of making oneself obscure, humble and ignorant before the unmanifest - to remain there, in silence, gradually emptying oneself, while waiting for something or someone (God) to come and fill the void thus created. 
Thus two completely different modalities become evident. Whereas the Mystic reflects the Divine light that is poured out upon him, the Magician generates this light, becoming an emitter himself."  

Proof that Christianity is a Mystical spiritual path and not a Magical one lies, for example, in the prohibition of Magic in the Bible. One poignant example of this is the struggle between St. Peter and the Magician, Simon Magus.

Leviticus and Deuteronomy prohibit certain kinds of Magic, specifically divination, seeking omens, mediums who commune with the dead, and spell-casters. For example, Deuteronomy 18:11-12 condemns anyone who:
"...casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you."
... and Exodus 22:18 states:
"Do not allow a sorceress to live".
Galatians includes sorcery in a list of "works of the flesh". This ban is repeated in the Didache, written during the mid to late first century.
"The practice of Witchcraft and Magic were regarded as Sins by Christians that needed to be repented of, confessed, and forsaken."
Martin Luther shared some of the views about witchcraft that were common in his time. In his Small Catechism Luther taught that Magic was a sin against the second commandment.

I believe that anyone who approaches any of the “Christian” demoninations and asks if that particular group would allow for ANY form of Magic to be performed as part of an approach to Jesus as God, they would be denied.

If no Christian denomination (including the Anglican church Peregrin was confirmed into in 2011) will permit Magic to be practiced within the canon of their teachings, I cannot conceive of how it can be considered a Christian practice. To me, this seems obvious. It would be like asking an Orthodox Jew to allow worship of Jesus within the Temple walls – simply inconceivable.

In fact, the "Rituale Romanum De Sacramento Paenitantiae" specifically lists Magic and Astrology as mortal sins, and illucidates the following for grounds for excommunication from the Church:
"Who adheres to Magical beliefs such as the Magic of Cartomancy, Astrology, and all esoteric practices or who converts to other faiths such as Masonry or Rosicrucianism."
It is important to note that Martin Luther did not turn away from the above, but instead additionally combatted the magical understanding of the way God works with human creatures as promoted among spiritualists of his time.

Evangelical Christian groups, likewise condemn Magic, whereas other Christian groups even go so far as to condemn ANY form of Magic as Satanic. Such groups obviously would, of course, regard Masonic Rosicrucians as Satanists as well, even though they themselves claim to be Trinitarian Christians.

All of these are fundamental internal inconsistencies in the argument presented by Freemasonic Rosicrucians - "that the Rosicrucian tradition is exclusively Trinitatian Christian" - and they have so far completely failed to explain, resolve, or even properly address any of these issues. The same holds even more true for the equally flawed argument that the Golden Dawn is essentially a Christian tradition, as presented, for example, in the above referenced article by S.R.I.A. member, Peregrin Wildoak.

One of the earliest Golden Dawn Adepts, Arthur Edward Waite, also a prominent member of S.R.I.A., recognized these fatal inconsistencies and attempted to overcome them by eliminating all Golden Dawn Magic, and transforming the Golden Dawn into a purely Mystical order which he founded, called the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross. The F.R.C. has now been revived within the Secret College of the S.R.I.A., and shares S.R.I.A.'s "Christians only" view of the Rosicrucian tradition.

Arthur Edward Waite

Nonetheless, none of the above-listed fatal inconsistencies in their philosophical and spiritual positions, have ever been properly addressed by either the S.R.I.A., the F.R.C., and certainly not by any of the Golden Dawn orders the S.R.I.A. today directs and controls.

Has the time not come for the Christian Mystic faction in our Golden Dawn community to once and for all honestly address the fundamental inconsistencies in their philosophical positions on Rosicrucianism, Magic, and the Golden Dawn?

Why is it that Mystical and Trinitarian Christian oriented Golden Dawn orders do not simply admit what they are and abandon Magic and the Golden Dawn as did A.E. Waite with his Fraternity of the Rosy Cross? Such orders would be far more honest to do this. Why do they not? Do they not stubbornly cling to Magic and the Golden Dawn merely as a question of marketing, since Magic attracts so many people?

Let me make this clear. I am not against Mystical orders nor am I against Christianity. I am merely against the dishonesty of Mystical orders pretending to be Magical Golden Dawn orders in order to attract students looking for Magic rather than Christian Mysticism.

One sees the diference between Magical rituals and Mystical Rites clearly already in ancient Egypt, where no Goddess or God is prayed to. Prayer to a Goddess or God is only seen in later dynasties where the influence of Mysticism had gained a foothold in Egypt, to the decadence of earlier, purely magical traditions.

When students approach the Golden Dawn looking for Magical training, is it ethical that they should be lured by mystically oriented orders into a training in Mysticism rather than the training in Magic they were actually seeking?

In the Alpha Omega, we do NOT make Mystics ...
We make MAGICIANS!

Peregrin continues:
"People’s dislike or lack of fit with Christian symbolism often prompts them to want to modify and change the symbols and rituals (which are a way of embodying the mystery of the symbols). However, I think it very unwise to change any symbol until we know and are intimate with the mystery it represents."
I fully agree. This is why we in the Alpha Omega have not at all changed any of the symbols of the Golden Dawn beyond the modifications made by S.L. MacGregor Mathers himself in the early Alpha Omega. The A.O. preserves our Golden Dawn/R.R. et A.C. College perfectly intact as it was passed down to us by Mathers, albeit with our Rituals protected from recent profanation and our Magic supplemented with additional, traditional Golden Dawn Magick given to our Order by our Secret Chiefs.
Peregrin writes:
"In response to some recent silly and strange claims on the net regarding the history of the Golden Dawn"
Since Peregrin and other S.R.I.A. members repeat like a broken record the thoroughly debunked claim that "no evidence" exists of any traditional Golden Dawn Magick other than that published by Regardie, we recently invited our critics (including Peregrin) to come and examine the actual supplemental G.D. Magick and materials from the Secret Chiefs for themselves.

Here is what G.D. members from across the community had to say, who actually came and examined the evidence:

"The supplemental Magick and other materials for the Neophyte grade fit like hand in glove. Some of it is advanced, but when you see it together with the rest of the material it is simple and obvious. You can see that the original material is for learning purposes and the supplemental material is for practical application of the old material. It seems like a natural extension."  
- Frater NTI, Gothenburg, Sweden 
"To anyone who doubts the existence of the physical Secret Chiefs or the authenticity of their Golden Dawn teachings, if you would have attended the Festival, you would have seen it for yourself. I along with many others who did attend, ARE the proof of its power and authenticity."
- Frater O.B., Alvin, TX  
For Pagans who have a problem with symbolism in the Golden Dawn that superficially appears "Christian," the Secret Chiefs have released an entirely separate, Pagan and purely Magical, Egyptian College of Isis within the Alpha Omega. 

Let us be clear. The A.O.'s Egyptian College of Isis is not at all a reinterpretation of Golden Dawn symbolism. This is an entirely separate, completely Pagan based Rosicrucian College with its own distinct and unique Rites, Magic, etc.

Here is what one advanced Golden Dawn Magician had to say about the Magick of the Alpha Omega's Egyptian College of Isis:


"No one is grafting anything onto the Golden Dawn. The A.O.'s Egyptian College of Isis is NOT Golden Dawn. It is purely Egyptian Magick in a separate College of the A.O. and does not pretend to be anything else. The A.O. is obviously much more than merely Golden Dawn. 
I have been practicing Golden Dawn Magick for 11 years. I was quite astonished today when I learned the most basic magical practice of the Alpha Omega's new Egyptian College of Isis. The G.D.'s Rite of the Qabalistic Cross is very powerful, but the Egyptian basic ritual is even better. I was very surprised that one notices changes from the power of this practice immediately." 
- VH Frater S.E.M., Mexico City, Mexico
Peregrin continues:
"The power and transformation inherent in the RR et AC is Rosicrucian. Now there are any number of hermetic, alchemical and occult influences within the [Rosicrucian] manifestos, but the overarching theme, current and religiosity is undeniably Christian."
Where is the proof of the above statement? 

To begin with those who insist on superficially interpreting the symbol of the cross in merely Christian terms, clearly remain ignorant of academic research in this arena. Rene Guenon clearly demonstrated that the symbol of the cross is not uniquely Christian at all, but predates Christianity and was merely adapted by the relatively modern religion.

Rene Guenon's "The Symbolism of the Cross" is a major doctrinal study of the central symbol of Christianity from the standpoint of the universal metaphysical tradition, the 'perennial philosophy' as it is called in the West. As Guénon points out, the cross is one of the most universal of all symbols and is far from belonging to Christianity alone.

We have the cross that is a pre-Crhistian symbol. We have roses that are pre-Christian symbols for Venus. So with these clearly Pagan constituent elements, how can one seriously claim that the Rose-Cross is a purely Christian symbol, when, in fact, it goes far beyond Christianity? Aven Apuleus, who was an important Pagan Magician, caused his protagonist to return to human form by eating roses!

When the cross, the Rose, the Chalice, the Patan, the host, the Madonna with child, and not even the dying and resurrecting savior are not originally Christian symbols, but rather Christian reformulations of ancient symbols used for Centuries by Pagan traditions, how then, pray tell, is the Rosicrucian tradition purely Christian by any strech of the imagination?

There is an additional historical aspect to this question as well. Rosicrucian researcher Susanne Akermann has shown that the earliest copy of the Fama Fraternitatis is not written in German, but in Latin, which she discovered in Italy. Rosicrucian research additionally indicates that what was later published as the "Fama Fraternitatis" by the Tubingen circle surrounding Johan Valentine Andrae was developed from the writings of Tomas Campanella, smuggled by Tobias Hess from Italy where Canpanella was imprisoned by the Vatican.

It is further noteworthy that many of the fundamental ideas in the Fama Fraternitatis are purely PAGAN rather than Christian, many of which are found again in the works of Giordano Bruno, whose Pagan ideas were too much for the church, which therefore burned Bruno at the stake for heresy.

As as a further example, let us take the central story line of the Fama Fraternitatis, the recounting of the initiatic journey of Christian Rosenkreutz. It was Pagan tradition, as is testified to by all of the ancient Pagan philosophers and Magicians, from Pythagoras onwards, to take an initiatic journey in the cradle of the Pagan mysteries.

Christian Rosenkreutz did nothing other than to take a typically Pagan journey, and to code switch it into Christian terms appropriate to the times to preserve the PAGAN mysteries underlying the Fama Fraternitatis.

Peregrin writes making reference to a fundamental tenet of the S.R.I.A. about the nature of the Rosicrucian tradition, as follows:
Of Rosicrucianism, noted S.R.I.A. occult and Masonic historian R.A. Gilbert has the view that: 
"…once one moves away from the Trinitarian Christian approach to this ascent up the Tree of Life, it ceases to be Rosicrucian." (http://www.rosecircle.org/cms/node/36).
S.R.I.A. Grand Archivist
R.A. Gilbert 

Imagine trying to explain Pagan mysteries or to teach Pagan Magic to a closed minded individual in Victorian England. Indeed, the only means of accomplishing such a feat was to disguise the Pagan Magic and teachings with the only symbols that such an individual would understand and be receptive to. 

Indeed, the actual entire original purpose and function of the Golden Dawn was to present Pagan Magic to Victorian England in a form that could get past their Christian blinders. Thus, of necessity, the Golden Dawn is rife with symbolism which, when examined only superficially, appears to be Christian. This, however, does not mean that when you look deeper, you do not find Pagan Magic and mysteries lurking behind.

I am astonished that Peregrin, R.A. Gilbert, and others like them do not appear to as yet even have even recognized the inherent contradiction between their arguments that the Rosicrucian tradition is primarily a Trinitarian Christian one, while they nonetheless profess to be Golden Dawn Magicians, when Magic in all its forms has been forbidden by Christianity since its beginning.

Let me repeat this yet once again. This does not mean that I am against Christianity or even against Mystical orders and schools. On the contrary, there are clearly people who are best suited for Mystical spiritual training.

Trinitarian Christians, for example, will likely find themselves most at home in a purely Christian Mystical order like A.E. Waite's Fraternity of the Rosy Cross or in orders with a Trinitarian Christian requirement like the S.R.I.A. 

Aspiring, MAGICIANS, however, will likely find themselves most at home in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the outer order of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha Omega.

Likewise, aspiring Pagan Magicians seeking purely Pagan magical training will likely find themselves most at home in the Alpha Omega's Egyptian College of Isis.

The A.O.'s Egyptian College of Isis and its Pagan Magic derive not from some fanciful "Inner Planes Contacts," nor is our Egyptian College any sort of academic reconstruction either.

Sir Edward Bullwer-Lytton

Instead this PAGAN Rosicrucian College derives directly from the same Continental European Rosicrucian initiatic source that initiated both Kenneth McKenzie and Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, both of whom are universally recognized, even by the S.R.I.A., as having been initiated into a legitimate Rosicrucian lineage.

Kenneth H.R. MacKenzie

Although it is obviously not in S.R.I.A.'s interest to admit this in public, S.R.I.A. is clearly aware of the legitimacy of this Rosicrucan initiatic source, since it is established historical fact that on several occasions S.R.I.A. attempted to falsely portray both Lord Bulwer-Lytton and Kenneth McKenzie as founders of S.R.I.A., attempting to give S.R.I.A. the appearance of Rosicrucian legitimacy. (This is documented in my previous article entitled "Did W.W. Wescott try to steal the Golden Dawn's Rosicrucian Lineage for the S.R.I.A.?" that you can read HERE).

So, in the end, is the Golden Dawn "Christian" or "Nonsectarian"?

The answer to this question depends a great deal on who you ask. If you ask the S.R.I.A., Waite's Fraternity of the Rosy Cross, or a Christian Golden Dawn advocate like Peregrin Wildoak, you will likely hear the opinion that the entire Rosicrucian tradition is rooted in Christian symbolism and should be reserved exclusively for Trinitarian Christians.

In the Alpha Omega, on the other hand, we are ecumenical and non-sectarian - and therefore open to aspirants of ALL religions faiths. We do recognize, however, that some people will feel a deeper resonance with certain symbol systems than with others.

This is why the A.O. offers more than one Rosicrucian College and Magical training path to choose from. Christians will likely feel more at home in the Alpha Omega's traditional Golden Dawn College, whereas Pagans will likely find a deeper resonance with our Egyptian Pagan College.

In the Alpha Omega, we believe in helping aspirants of ALL faiths to achieve their spiritual goals. We therefore give people a wider range of choices than they will find in other Golden Dawn orders.

Again, I am not saying the Alpha Omega is better than other Golden Dawn orders, although we DO things differently. For example, we offer people a wider range of choices for their spiritual training.

Click HERE to explore our Outer Order, undergraduate level Magical training program, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn!

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