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THE SATANIC LETTERS
OF
STEPHEN BROWN
Volume I
O.N.A.
Ad Satanas qui laetificat juventutem meam
Introduction
Collected here are some of the letters written by a Satanic
Adept over a period of a few years to a variety of individuals with a view
to explaining some of the tenets of traditional Satanism.
Some letters to or concerning this Adept
are also included to give context. All the letters are reproduced from
the originals. [well, not in this e-text version, but in the original they
were... - G.]
It is anticipated that the publication of these letters
will be of interest to those who, for whatever reason, are curious about
Satanism in particular and the Occult in general.
This present volume is the first of a series of projected
volumes containing letters from the Adept who now has the honour of being
the Grand Master representing traditional Satanist groups.
This present selection deals
mainly with the difference between traditional Satanism, as represented
by the Order of Nine Angles, and what has become accepted within the Occult
fraternity as 'Satanism' - as represented by the American group the Temple
of Set, led by Dr. Aquino. For a long time, the ONA was secret and secretive.
In the early part of the eighth decade of this present century, a decision
was taken to gradually make available the methods, philosophy and teachings
of the Order - this
decision being based on Aeonic or sinister strategy. One of the tactics
to be used to try and achieve the strategic aim was to challenge what had
become the accepted notion of 'Satanism' as represented by such groups
as the temple of Set and the Church of Satan.
Accordingly, contacts were established. It should be remembered
that at this time, few details about the teachings and ethods of traditional
Satanism were known to outsiders, and so the ONA was judged to be just
another Satanic group in the Church of Satan/La Vey mould. Gradually, however,
the stark reality of traditional Satanism was made known - via letters
such as the ones published here, via the establishment of an underground
zine ('Fenrir') and via the distribution of works containing the tradition
('The Black Book of Satan', 'Naos' and so on). The earlier curiosity and
tolerance displayed by groups like the Temple of Set soon disappeared as
they began to realize how different the ONA was - how far removed from
what they considered Satanism to be.
Thus, the ONA became, for the Temple of Set and its members,
a proscribed organization. This reaction served to highlight the real nature
of this Temple, as the letters make clear - and threw into doubt, for those
with any sagacity, their version of 'Satanism'.
The difference between the ONA and groups like the Temple
of Set is evident most clearly in the matter of human sacrifice, as the
letters reveal.
P.O. Box 4
Church Stretton
Shropshire
England
7th September 1990 ev
Dear Dr. Aquino,
It was with interest that I read your letter in a recent issue of 'Brimstone'
after my attention was drawn to that magazine by a friend. An open (rather
friendly) reply to some of the points you raised has been sent to the Editor
- I am sure he would send you a copy should you be interested.
However, there are some points which perhaps are best
raised in a private letter. First - and perhaps inconsequential out of
its context - no one has ever claimed to be 'Head' of the ONA: no such
position exists. You statement on this was somewhat surprising because
I felt you would be above using 'Kennel' type tactics re mis-information
about other LHP individuals and groups.
Am I mistaken? Or perhaps the information was supplied by a not altogether
too reliable scource here in the U.K.?
Second - and most important - your mention of the NSS
concerning sacrifice. These were published basically because they form
part of an esoteric tradition, which tradition was being made accessable
to those who might be interested following a decision to publish Order
methods, teachings and traditions. Essentially, such publication lets others
decide what is or is not worthwhile or valuable or interesting from an
esoteric point of view - there is not, within the ONA, any control of esoteric
information as a result of one or more individuals deciding what is 'right'
or 'true teachings' - simply because individuality is the foundation of
the "ONA way". This way is the development of self-insight and magickal
mastery via individuals following the seven-fold way.
But this background aside, you raise an interesting point
in your use of the term 'ethical'. Does Satanism have ethics? And if so,
what are they and who formulates them? By the nature of the Temple of Set
I am led to assume the answer would be affirmative and that it is the ToS
which formulates these. Is this assumption incorrect? If it is not, then
I and some others would offer dissent - based not only on the principle
of individuality mentioned above but also on the reality of there existing
divergent
LHP and Satanic traditions (some of which existed before the foundation
of the Church of Satan). Speaking for myself, I consider debate about ethics
futile in a LHP context - except to express the obvious Satanic assertion
(qv 'The Dark Forces' in "Fenrir" 4) that one essential personal quality
is honour born from the quest for self-excellence and self-understanding.
One either has this personal quality (or the potential to possess it) or
one does not: intellectual debate about it is irrelevant. This quality
is expressed by the way of living an individual follows and as far as the
ONA is concerned this quality is one of those that marks the genuine Satanic
elite from the imitation. Yet we accept that others may disagree since
we feel there can be no religious dogma about Satanism or the LHP: no subserviance
to someone else's ideas or ways of living. Each individual develops their
own unique perspective and insight as a consequence of striving to achieve
Adeptship - a perspective and insight which derives mainly from practical
experience, both magickal and personal. Thus we uphold anarchism.
Hence the publication of the many and various Order MSS.
Yet, all this notwithstanding, I do understand that some may believe that
tactically the time was not right to publish some of these MSS. However,
is the time ever right? Once again, some interesting questions arise. For
example, for the benefit of those groups (like the ToS) which do adopt
a high media profile, is it
necessary and indeed desirable for other groups and individuals on
the LHP to restrict what they say and teach and publish in case such things
are mis-interpreted and/or distorted and used against the LHP in general?
This would imply some sort of concensus among those individuals and groups
on the LHP - a concensus which it seems both the ToS and the Church of
Satan wish to achieve by claiming a religious 'authority'. To this end
there seems to be developing an almost Church-like mentality - with schisms
and prohibitions and proscribing of other groups and individuals. Rather
'Old Aeon' values. If such a concensus is indeed necessary (and I and some
others have doubts whether it is) then it would seem better achieved on
a mutual basis by recognition of diversity and traditions and then the
development of mutual understanding rather than one group trying to impose
its dogma by a religious type belief: such dogma and such belief being
entirely contrary to the basic principles of Satanism and the LHP - self-development
via self-experience.
I and others like me respect your right to promulgate the Setian
philosophy just as I trust you have the sagacity to understand that what
La Vey codified and what the early Church of Satan represented is not the
only form Satanism can take. Satanism existed in many forms long before
La Vey, and the ONA simply represents one such form: a form that has changed
and is still changing - developed as it is and has been by creative individuals
within it. As I mentioned to you in a previous letter some time ago, this
does not mean we claim to be a 'peer' organization with a claim to some
kind of 'authority'. We are simply a small group following our own way
- a way somewhat different from that developed by the Church of Satan and
the ToS. Our tradition, such as it is, is not static - indeed in many ways
the most significant developments (e.g. the Star Game, Grade Ritual codification,
Deofil Quartet) have occurred quite recently. Doubtless these developments
will continue.
When in the past we and others like us have said thing
that others interpret as being 'against' the ToS or La Vey, we were simply
assuming the role of Adversary - challenging what seemed to be becoming
accepted dogma that the only 'real' Satanists are either in the ToS or
the Church of Satan. Such a dogma is an historical absurdity and its acceptance
an affront to the Satanic desire to know and understand and not meekly
believe.
If you have any comments about these matters I would be
interested to read them.
Cordially yours,
[Signed: Stephen Brown]
Temple of Set
Post Office
Box 470307, San Francisco, California 94147
MCI-Mail: 278-4041 * Telex: 6502784041
Michael A. Aquino, Ph.d.
High Priest of Set
October 7, XXV
Mr. Stephen Brown
Post Office Box 4
Church Stretton, Shropshire
England
Dear Mr. Brown:
Thank you for your letter of September 7th.
Under your several aliases every single letter and publication of the O.N.A. is authorized over your personal signature, whether as "pp" or otherwise. Personal contacts by our former Priest Martin [blanked] confirmed that you are the leader, if not indeed the sole member of this institution.
The old Church of Satan used
to play games with mythical officials and executive bodies behind the scenes.
As a senior official of the Church I helped to keep this particular hot-air
balloon inflated, initially assuming that it did no harm and made the Church
a bit more colorful to the membership. Ultimately I became uncomfortable
with it, however, because in the last
analysis it involved deceiving the very persons - the membership of
the Church - who had come to it in good faith depending upon it to not
deceive them, even in so "playful" a fashion.
It was also responsible for
a more serious kind of damage. It enabled Anton LaVey to announce policies
in the name of a fictitious "Council of Nine", or in the name of a fictitious
official, and thus to escape personal responsibility for his actions. Nor
was there any executive body or other official to whom he was accountable.
Had there been, the catastrophe of 1975 might have been averted without
the entire Church of Satan organization having to be scrapped. [Even if
it had evolved into a Setian mode, as in many Lesser Magical ways it was
indeed doing prior to the crisis, it still might have continued as an unbroken
organization - and Anton LaVey might be its High Priest today.]
- 2 -
When the Temple of Set was founded, therefore, the old occult game of "Ascended [or in this case 'Descended'] Masters behind the scenes" was ashcanned along with the other practices of the old Church with which we were ethically uncomfortable. From the moment of its founding, the Temple has made all of its officials and executive bodies a matter of ecord, known to all Setians [and to non-Setians with legitimate interest]. And neither the High Priest of Set nor any other official has the sort of dictatorial power that Anton LaVey had in the Church.
Given the present climate of witch-hunting hysteria in England, publication of a "Satanic ritual" by an avowedly "Satanic" institution which includes human sacrifice is thoroughly irresponsible. In fact it would be irresponsible even in a normal social climate, as the Satanic religion is not and has never been based upon the principle of human sacrifice. [It is Christianity which espouses that principle, sacrificing its god in human form every Easter.]
If you were presenting that ritual text as an example of Christian hate-propaganda against the Satanic tradition, making clear that it has no basis in fact, that would be one thing. But the ritual which you have published makes no such distinctions, and is thus a dangerous "loaded weapon" to be used by any child (of any age) who picks it up. And of course it plays right into the hands of any anti-Satanic maniac who is looking for "evidence" of "Satanic ritual murder". Your argument that the O.N.A. does not consider itself responsible for such uses may satisfy you, but it certainly doesn't satisfy the Temple of Set as guardian of this religion.
Indeed Satanism is an ethical religion, and yes, I do consider the Temple of Set the institution consecrated by Set to stablish and maintain such an ethical environment - which is carefully developed in the Crystal Tablet of Set.
As a non-Initiate of the Temple, you are of course at liberty to dissent from this ethical standard. But neither, by your non-Initiatory status, does the Temple consider you a member of the Setian/Satanic religion. You are, in our eyes, simply one more individual affecting "Satanism" as a personal hobby. In this you may be more or less skilled, more or less articulate, more or less artistic: these we do not judge.
But what we do judge is that in all of this you have not been Recognized by the Temple which exclusively is consecrated by Set. We consider the Temple a sacred institution, not just one of a number of "Satanic clubs" around the world. From 1966 to 1975CE we held precisely this view concerning the Church of Satan, which welcomed the interest and enthusiasm of amateur "Satanists" and "Satanic" groups such as the O.N.A. but considered only its own membership and Priesthood formally deserving of the religious titles they held.
This last point deserves
further elaboration and emphasis. Just because we regard the Temple as
seriously and exclusively as we do does not mean that we hold non-Temple
"Satanic" groups in blanket contempt. Some of them are indeed amateurish
and embarrassing to the Satanic tradition, and the sooner they disintegrate
the better. But others are quite serious and sophisticated, and deserve
our respect and admiration - which are quite freely given when due. Some,
upon encountering the Temple of Set, have voluntarily dissolved and commended
their membership to it. Some have retained their independent
structure and interests while at the same time encouraging/allowing
their members to affiliate with the Temple as a formal religion. Some have
simply gone their own way, maintaining a polite non-acceptance of the Temple's
avowed Infernal Mandate.
The distinction we draw in all cases is dictated simply by our sacred regard for the Priesthood of Set, and the Temple under its care, as established by Set in the Book of Coming Forth by Night. If we did not draw that distinction, then we would be, at our heart, and insincere and fraudulent religion.
Therefore the exclusiveness
of the Temple of Set is not born of either arrogance or competitiveness,
but simply of the utter seriousness with which we regard ourselves. It
is this same attitude which makes the Temple of Set reject any "council
of churches", occult or conventional, for the simple reason that we consider
our religion correct and their incorrect. As is stated
in our informational letter, "they may serve a useful social function
as purveyors of soothing myths and fantasies to humans unable to attain
Setian levels of self-consciousness".
I have re-read the comments
I made concerning the O.N.A. and yourself in Brimstone, and I see nothing
in them that I think should be amended - including the compliment to you
at the conclusion of those comments. You are, from what I have seen of
your writings, an intelligent and creative individual who could become
an influential and respected philosopher of the Left-Hand Path if you can
bring yourself to cast aside all of the fictitious "lumber and wreckage"
with which you are nnecessarily crippling yourself. If I didn't see Setian
qualities in you, I wouldn't even bother to say such things. But just
as in my university classes I speak most bluntly to the students who
do have the intelligence to master the curriculum and aren't doing so,
so I speak thus to you.
Sincerely,
[Signed: Michael Aquino]
cc- Adept John D. Allee, Editor, Brimstone
Shropshire
England
20th October 1990 ev
Dear Dr, Aquino,
Thank you for your letter of October the7th.
I appreciate your comments and before passing on to specific
points raised, would like to make some general
comments.
What I sense (an I use the word advisedly) is that you
and I, despite our differing methods, are fundamentally
trying to achieve the same thing. I here mean in terms of 'esoteric'
magick and not in terms of outward terms or
expressions.
We are both aware of the potential inherent within individuals
and how certain forms, magickal or otherwise, can be used to explicate
that potential, bringing thus an evolution of consciousness both individual
and beyond the individual. Thus are individuals, and 'society', changed
over varying periods of time. You have established and maintained an organization
and imbued it with certain forms, which forms via their various transformations,
create and establish conditions for changes in tine with certain energies.
Because of the nature of this organization, and the energies, there is
a need to maintain a coherence,
a magickal continuity and thus the establishment of a system which
protects the viability of all aspects.
As to myself, I deal with similar forms but make them
manifest in a different way - building in to some of those
manifestations a random or 'chaotic' element and into others a 'numinous'
aspect. Thus, further forms are developed, in both causal and acausal time,
and achieve certain goals, some of which are quite long-term (beyond my
own temporal lifetime at the earliest).
All these energies are 'sinister' (or Left Hand Path,
if you prefer) - at the most simple level this means they enhance our creative
evolution; at another, it means they 'disrupt' already existing forms which
may hinder such evolution and explication of individual potentional.
Where we might (and seem to) differ is in our respective
time-scale for fundamental change and in making some elements more manifest
than others, to achieve specific ends.
Of course, I accept that my understanding may not be complete
(and might possibly be incorrect on some points) as I assume that you,
claiming the title 'Ipssisimus', understand the preceding four paragraphs
without me having to elaborate at length.
You have accepted a "role" within the Temple of Set with
all the duties and obligations implied, and there is much to admire in
this. This of necessity means adhering to the principles of what you describe
as the 'sacred trust' placed in you via-a-vis the 'Infernal Mandate'. Thus
there is a religious attitude and acceptance. All this I myself regard
as natural and necessary, given the vehicle chosen - that is, the Temple
of Set. The way of the ONA is, however, quite different - we see our way
as guiding a few individuals to self-awareness, to Adeptship and beyond,
via various practical and magickal techniques. The emphasis is on guide,
on self-development, on self- discovery. There is no religious attitude,
no acceptance of someone else's authority, and no mystique: the methods,
as divulged in the recently published book 'Naos', are essentially practical.
All this arises from the understanding that changes such as
I mentioned earlier (regarding individual potential) will occur slowly
and for the most part on a small scale for some time to come: bringing
changes to 'society' (a generalization here, for brevity) - and this to
larger numbers of individuals - on the timescale of a century or more.
The present aim of the ONA is to make these techniques
- which give all individuals the means to achieve the next stage of individual
evolution should they so wish - more generally available. These techniques
(the Grade Rituals for example, and the Star Game) will probably and indeed
should be refined and extended in the future, as they have been refined
in their creation over the past decade or so. Older techniques, inherited
by me, have served their purpose - and to an extent have made possible
the present advances, including preparing the way, on the level of mystique,
for a dissemination of the 'new'. To be
more explicit - an 'aura' was created around the ONA (quite deliberately)
by using certain methods, magickal forms, and by publishing certain material.
This aura, existing, becomes transformed - and serves a very useful purpose
on the acausal level. (In simple terms and on an elementary level, it provides
a certain impetus to seek out and try the 'new' techniques, the 'new' way
- on the level of individuals.)
Thus, as the new techniques (and hence the new forms deriving
from them)become more widely distributed, via books such as Naos, the Deofil
Quartet and the Black Book of Satan (these last two due for publication
this Winter Solstice) then the methods used hitherto are no longer needed,
and are abandoned - they have served their purpose. It is the same with
the ONA: once the techniques and the essence are more widely available
then 'membership' as such is irrelevant, since everything is available
and accessable (and this includes past methods and teachings) - the individual
taking responsibility for their own
development ultimately rests with individual desire, just as each individual
must make their own assessment of what is valuable and what is 'ethical/just'
from their own experience, it being the aim of the techniques of the seven-fold
sinister way to provide the character-building, evolutionary, experiences.
There is no pre-judgement by me or anyone, no set rules. The function of
the ONA is now to guide, simply because its members have undergone the
experiences of the way and can speak from a position
of experience - an experience which may or may not be of value to others.
Thus the fundamental difference in our approach. It was
made quite clear to the former Temple of Set Priest you mentioned that
each individual is expected to work on the practical level to achieve his
or her own magickal development - to actually practice magick, to use magickal
and other techniques, rather than just talk about them. This takes quite
a number of years, and is a personal effort. Most people cannot be bothered
- they want easy solutions - and most people who enquired in the past
about the ONA were not prepared to work toward their own self-development.
They either wanted someone else to do it for them (be such a someone a
'Master' or an Infernal Manifestation) or would not/could not undertake
the life-style necessary for achieving genuine Adeptship (such as spending
three months alone under special conditions). Ultimately, their loss.
I, for one, do not believe there is a 'religious' solution
to Adeptship and beyond - a gift, Infernal or otherwise. There is only
self-experiencing, in the real and the magickal worlds, and that is it.
Wisdom is acquired by the alchemical process of internal change over a
period of time: the techniques developed by the ONA may shorten that time
for several decades to perhaps a decade or just under, but they do not
do away with it, just as those techniques make the possibility of such
change available
to all.
For this reason, the ONA does not attempt to define what
is or is not of the Left Hand Path and what is or is not Satanism (or even
what Satan is) - each individual arrives at their own understanding via
experience. Occassionally, as I have mentioned, there may be the adoption
of an adversarial role in order to attack accepted (or even unconscious)
dogmas within the broad spectrum of the LHP movement - but that is as it
should be, for individuals questing after knowledge who refuse to meekly
believe. Once again, a 'role' is only a role, played out in the quest
for understanding.
On the specific point of membership - yes, there is more
than one (not that it really matters anymore now that dissemination is
being achieved). Not many, it is true, but enough - some only beginning
their quests, some more advanced along the way: in this country, in Scandinavia,
in the countries of Europe and elsewhere.
Of course, all this may confirm your opinion that the
ONA is not 'Satanic" (or 'Setian' - this latter I would agree with). Do
you therefore understand 'Satanism' as now the exclusive preserve of the
Temple of Set because of the 'Infernal Mandate' you mentioned? If so, this
raises rather interesting questions regarding 'Infernal' authority, revelation
and such like - questions partly
answered by your use of the term religion. What then of Satanic organizations
which existed before the revelation: such as (to take an odd example) the
Order of Satanic Templars here in England which existed (and was undertaking
Initiations) before the establishment of the Church of Satan? (It later
became known as the Orthodox Temple of the Prince.) Personally, I see Satanism
more as a way of living than as a religion: an attitude to life, and one
which is ultimately personal, striving to ever more.
However, as mentioned above, I believe our ultimate
goals are the same even though our methods may differ. Of course
in this, as in many things, I may be mistaken: I claim no authority,
and my creations, profuse as they are, will in the end be accepted or rejected
on the basis of whether they work (Satan forbid they should ever become
'dogma' or a matter of 'faith'). I also expect to see them become transformed,
by their own metamorphosis and that due to other individuals: changed,
extended and probably ultimately transcended, may be even forgotten. They
- like the individual I am at the moment - are only a stage, toward something
else.
In the interests of sinister fellowship I could arrange
for a copy of 'Naos' (and other works as and when they become available)
to be sent to you, should you be interested.
Enclosed please find a copy of an article due to appear
shortly in the journal 'Balder'. It may make you smile.
Cordially yours,
[Signed: Stephen Brown]
***************
[Editorial Note: In view of the controversy in Occult circles about
using 'pseudonyms' and the desire of certain groups to operate 'underground'
without media scrutiny - a subject mentioned by Dr. Aquino in his letters
and since taken up by a number of others both within and without the
LHP -
the following observations are in order:
*It has been for many centuries an established principle
among LHP Adepts
to work in a reclusive manner in 'secret'. The reason for this is basically
two-fold: the magickal work is mis-understood by 'outsiders' [ and
often
by such people categorized from their own social/political/religious
perspectives] and to try and explain it to non-Initiates was seen as
a waste
of time; and, secondly, it enabled that work to be undertaken without
hindrance from interfering individuals and officials. Without this
secrecy,
the LHP would not have survived. Today, conditions have changed somewhat,
but
still not enough in some areas.
* A labyrinth was created to confuse the merely curious
and those seeking
to disrupt the magickal work and tradition.
* Quite often, LHP Adepts have a 'separate professional'
life (which in
some cases is part of their long-term magickal goals) and the 'stigma'
of
involvement with magick would be detrimental to that. Quite often this
separate life is beneficial to the evolution of the 'Occult' in general
as it
provides opportunities for dissemination (mostly clandestine).
That some individuals have gone 'public' is fair enough
- that is their
decision. But those who prefer or need to work 'underground' in order
to
continue their own reclusive and secret traditions should not be castigated
for many cases they are guardians who can never have a 'public' Occult
role.
Societies, and the individuals within them, are still structured on
the basis
of categories and generalizations.]
First Published 1992 eh
Copyright 1992 eh Stephen Brown & O.N.A. All Right Reserved
PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY:
Thormynd Press
PO Box 700
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
England