What else?!

moderndayruth

Flaxen said:
That is why I think he was such a frightening figure for many people. I think people saw that he didn't care about what they thought and that can be hugely unsettling. Imagine how your relationships with people would change if we all did exactly as we pleased, said exactly what we wanted without taking account of those social niceties...

Ehem... that's where i disagree. I don't think i should do as i please - when i am under the influence of yetzer hara ( evil inclination kaballstically. ) Its not social niceties to me, its the love for thy neighbor.
Yeah, the very neighbor gets on my nerves oftentimes, but probably it has to do with my own spiritual correction.
(On the other hand, i am quite unconventional person in terms of life choices; i basically stray from the norm all the time - but managed to find a socially acceptable way to do it.

)

moderndayruth

gregory said:
And some of what OTHERS said of him was mere sensationalism.

That definitely... and probably big part of it.

(Not that he disliked publicity either!

)

Aeon418

moderndayruth said:
Honestly, i don't know which bits of all that info are true - what is second hand and what's a lie... Like, the tales of all his wives (was it three of them?) ending in the psych wards?
His students dying around him? What of it is true and what is a myth, i don't know.

All the more reason to obtain one of the more reputable biographies. Plus it is surprising how a little bit of context can help put Crowley's work and writing into perspective.

Which biography? Well..... I think I would like hear what Le Fanu has to say. He is currently "in the process", so to speak, and probably less biased than I.

moderndayruth

Aeon418 said:
All the more reason to obtain one of the more reputable biographies. Plus it is surprising how a little bit of context can help put Crowley's work and writing into perspective.

Which biography? Well..... I think I would like hear what Le Fanu has to say. He is currently "in the process", so to speak, and probably less biased than I.

Haha, why do you consider yourself biased? I think that you are not - its that we had so many quite partial pro and contra threads here, that its difficult to be realistic; i do like this very discussion, its - surprisingly for the topic - informative and civil.

Aeon418

moderndayruth said:
Ehem... that's where i disagree. I don't think i should do as i please

It's a good job then that it's

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law."

and not

"Do what you want shall be the whole of the Law."

The two statements have nothing in common. The first one is correct, the second one is the most common misinterpretation.

gregory

Perdurabo is good. And Aeon knows I like the Beast...

Flaxen

moderndayruth said:
Ehem... that's where i disagree. I don't think i should do as i please - when i am under the influence of yetzer hara ( evil inclination kaballstically. ) Its not social niceties to me, its the love for thy neighbor.
Yeah, the very neighbor gets on my nerves oftentimes, but probably it has to do with my own spiritual correction.

I'm not comfortable with doing exactly as I please and to hell with the consequences either. I quite like social niceties.

I was just saying that that is one aspect of Crowley's life people get a bit twitchy about.

moderndayruth

Aeon418 said:
It's a good job then that it's

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law."

and not

"Do what you want shall be the whole of the Law."

The two statements have nothing in common. The first one is correct, the second one is the most common misinterpretation.

Can you help me to understand the difference, please? We have only one translation circulating "Čini šta ti je volja" and that would be the literal translation from "Do what you want ";
my non-native ear does not hear the difference between the two- except that the first one sounds more formal, like in old English.
Thsnk you in advance!

moderndayruth

Flaxen said:
I'm not comfortable with doing exactly as I please and to hell with the consequences either. I quite like social niceties. I was just saying that that is one aspect of Crowley's life people get a bit twitchy about.

Oh i know, i got that! Was just musing!

moderndayruth

Flaxen said:
I'm not comfortable with doing exactly as I please and to hell with the consequences either. I quite like social niceties. I was just saying that that is one aspect of Crowley's life people get a bit twitchy about.

Something more - i read recently about Castaneda... goodness what a disappointment! Let alone that he was a crook and a liar, he instructed his followers to abuse their parents, there was a Jewish student of his who was instructed to beat her mother , a Holocaust survivor... (I can find you links, sadly i am not making this up.)
Common sense first, really - i can't even wrap my mind around it, how can eventually someone get so brainwashed to do such outrageous acts.
And Castaneda is quoted saying "that's what they are - just flies that you need to kill" - referring to the student's parents... Crazy, pathological stuff, and obviously not foreign to so called "spiritual leaders"... Sai Baba - documented pedophile and rapist, Osho poisoned people and abused his followers in all ways possible...
Interesting, whether one can break the conventions and be free from the bad effects of socialization and society's brainwashing... while remaining normal/sane; its a tiny line for majority i think.