I have enjoyed this post. I wrote a sort of book on sex magic from a LHP perspective. I was never brought up with religion so blasphemy never appealed to me, but I was interested in transgression. I wrote about High Transgression vs Low Transgression; similar ideas.
I really like your work btw Stephen partly because I don’t always agree with you, and also, like me (I hope) you don’t disown or discard your earlier iterations, you learn and grow
Aargh it’s not really a book; in the end I got sick of it and I was no longer living in a manner that was sympatico with it. I put it out as a group of blog entries
Thank you for another piece that sticks in my craw in a good way. Thanks for the bones to chew on.
I do think a distinction should be drawn between actual, material, physical violence and spiritual, political, ideological violence - but based on what you've written here, you might disagree that the latter is *actually violent.*
I remembered Marshall Rosenberg *Non-violent Communication* today, and thought yes, there are ways to be subtly violent without being overtly so. In my mind, the important point you're making is that we have become so sensitive and accustomed to relative peace and prosperity that we're uncomfortable with and overreacting to each other's speech and ideas in ways that are exacerbating things and becoming barriers to important discussion.
The concept of blasphemy as a way to reclaim personal empowerment and sovereignty after religious abuse or enmeshment is a breath of fresh air to me. I look back on the things I did after falling away from my former faith and now see them with a new light of compassion and understanding. If only someone had been there (and there were a few who validated) to support me through a very natural process of cutting bindings and desecrating boundaries that I had previously been so deeply conditioned in as to be blind to how deep their hooks were into me. Having been through what I have, I have a sincere desire to help others through similar existential and spiritual crises, in whatever ways I can, including ritual, if it would be helpful. All while understanding the very real consequences of breaking with such deep, identity- and belonging-based stuff. Support groups for people breaking up with groups. It's quite challenging in our current siloed, individualistic, independence-valuing culture and society.
Thanks so much for reading, and I’m so glad the piece resonated. Yeah, I take a pretty hardline stance that words are never violence, but I’m open to being talked out of that perspective!
Still an important piece of writing that I draw on and direct other people to. It feels like the fear of difficult thought and conversation is subsiding within Ministry so we can move past the reactionary Satanism that dominated so much of your time in TST.
I love how you don't get stuck on one stage of development, but instead can appreciate each religious phase in your life as what you needed for the next type of growth. "Natural blasphemy" reminds me of how queer pride has embraced pop-culture monsters and villains. Jesus and the Romantic Satanist are not so different! Both lean into stigmatized identities in confrontational ways, to challenge authoritarian cruelty.
You might like my current religious home, the Temple of Witchcraft. It is run by a gay male throuple. They're not doctrinaire about whether one believes in deities or just values them as archetypes. https://templeofwitchcraft.org/
I have enjoyed this post. I wrote a sort of book on sex magic from a LHP perspective. I was never brought up with religion so blasphemy never appealed to me, but I was interested in transgression. I wrote about High Transgression vs Low Transgression; similar ideas.
I really like your work btw Stephen partly because I don’t always agree with you, and also, like me (I hope) you don’t disown or discard your earlier iterations, you learn and grow
Absolutely ❤️❤️ I’m so glad to have you on board my insane goth unicorn ship.
Oh that sounds fabulous. What is your book called?
Aargh it’s not really a book; in the end I got sick of it and I was no longer living in a manner that was sympatico with it. I put it out as a group of blog entries
https://sexmagicsexwork.blogspot.com/2021/10/introduction-please-read-this-first.html?m=1
Wonderful! Will check it out
Thank you for another piece that sticks in my craw in a good way. Thanks for the bones to chew on.
I do think a distinction should be drawn between actual, material, physical violence and spiritual, political, ideological violence - but based on what you've written here, you might disagree that the latter is *actually violent.*
I remembered Marshall Rosenberg *Non-violent Communication* today, and thought yes, there are ways to be subtly violent without being overtly so. In my mind, the important point you're making is that we have become so sensitive and accustomed to relative peace and prosperity that we're uncomfortable with and overreacting to each other's speech and ideas in ways that are exacerbating things and becoming barriers to important discussion.
The concept of blasphemy as a way to reclaim personal empowerment and sovereignty after religious abuse or enmeshment is a breath of fresh air to me. I look back on the things I did after falling away from my former faith and now see them with a new light of compassion and understanding. If only someone had been there (and there were a few who validated) to support me through a very natural process of cutting bindings and desecrating boundaries that I had previously been so deeply conditioned in as to be blind to how deep their hooks were into me. Having been through what I have, I have a sincere desire to help others through similar existential and spiritual crises, in whatever ways I can, including ritual, if it would be helpful. All while understanding the very real consequences of breaking with such deep, identity- and belonging-based stuff. Support groups for people breaking up with groups. It's quite challenging in our current siloed, individualistic, independence-valuing culture and society.
Thanks again. 🙏 You're a treasure.
Thanks so much for reading, and I’m so glad the piece resonated. Yeah, I take a pretty hardline stance that words are never violence, but I’m open to being talked out of that perspective!
Still an important piece of writing that I draw on and direct other people to. It feels like the fear of difficult thought and conversation is subsiding within Ministry so we can move past the reactionary Satanism that dominated so much of your time in TST.
I am so, so glad to hear that <3
If you could inscribe this article on a foam bat I would totally hit people over the head with it.
Lol!
I love how you don't get stuck on one stage of development, but instead can appreciate each religious phase in your life as what you needed for the next type of growth. "Natural blasphemy" reminds me of how queer pride has embraced pop-culture monsters and villains. Jesus and the Romantic Satanist are not so different! Both lean into stigmatized identities in confrontational ways, to challenge authoritarian cruelty.
You might like my current religious home, the Temple of Witchcraft. It is run by a gay male throuple. They're not doctrinaire about whether one believes in deities or just values them as archetypes. https://templeofwitchcraft.org/
Yes! I'm a big believer in integration. And the Temple of Witchcraft looks lovely. Will need to spend more time on their website
Haha we're here to recruit you!
I’m always down to get recruited to a new religion.
TempleHearth, our online ritual/conference Jan. 31-Feb. 2, is a good intro to the community.
https://templeofwitchcraft.org/templehearth/
I never thought to look at it as “Natural Blasphemy.” Just put a whole new spin on my day.
That’s what I’m here for!