But it does suffer a sort of “Life of Brian” – “Catch-22“. When it talks about not wanting followers because it’s the surest way to get a laugh when 50 people in the room cheer at the statement.
None the less. I like it.
“I admit that my visions can never mean to other men as much as they do to me.
I do not regret this. All I ask is that my results should convince seekers after Truth
that there is beyond doubt something worthwhile seeking, attainable by methods
more or less like mine. I do not want to father a flock, to be the fetish of fools
& fanatics, or the founder of a faith whose followers are content to echo my opinions.
I want each man to cut his own way through the jungle.”
-Aleister Crowley
Introduction to Liber 418
Equinox Vol.IV No.2
Taken from the website for Coph Nia Lodge in Eugene, OR.
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I think the point of that is not that we are not asking for people who want to follow but who look at the Lodge as a place to come practice their individual paths together.
Some quote about weaving a tapestry out of individual threads comes to mind. 🙂
The result of this, of course, is the fact that we are small but composed of very dedicated and magickally active people.
But yeah, I can see how that might be construed as Monty-Pythonesque.
(Brian: “You must all think for yourselves!” Crowd: “We must all think for ourselves!!”)
OTOH, you’re not seriously implying that all the other websites out there, that don’t place primacy on individualism, are asking for followers, are you?
Not implying anything at all 🙂
Quite simply I really like the statement. And because of the exact quote from LoB that I couldn’t remember, I felt a sense of amusement tied to the feelings that I got from reading the passage.
Though, my logic professor would love that beautiful example of reverse-logic. That’s well written. If albeit… well, revese-logic 😉
It’s also on the splash page of the L.V.X. web site. I ought to know; I designed the layout and the master art for that web site a million years ago… 🙂
Which brings me to an interesting analysis….
Having looked at that page for more times than I can count… Why is it that I never stopped to read the triangle quote. I just always had the urge to just blow thru the front page.
With no disrespect to your layout or work meant at all. For some reason, something about the page in relation to me, just made me want to get beyond it without really looking at it.
I will have to meditate on that.
Re: Which brings me to an interesting analysis….
*shrug* The fact that there was a splash page was not really my idea. And splash pages are just that: they’re designed for the most part for people to just blow through them.
I think he said blessed are the cheese makers. 😉
I find this statement particularly true. This is what I want from my ‘faith’ as it were. I don’t want to follow someone else’s idea of what any kindof religion should be, though guidelines or pointers on how to achieve success in the journey are helpful. I find that most religions or beliefs of thought get too caught up in do this, do that and that frightens me. I think this was alot of my pulling back from any kind of organization. However, the rituals and the rites of passage MEAN something and work to further you on a path.
my 2 cents.