Watcher of the Dawn
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| Oh look, Griffin is playing nice with people, all in the name of making money. |
Showing posts with label watchdogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label watchdogs. Show all posts
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Watcher of the Dawn is back!
The occult watchdog, Watcher of the Dawn is back up and running. This makes me happy because someone needs to keep an eye out on the occult scene...and I wander off for days and days, so I can't do it myself.
Watcher of the Dawn
Watcher of the Dawn
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Why we do not mention sexual predators by name
[This post was writtten for the April 2016 Heartstone Community Church's newsletter. The opinions expressed are my own, and do not reflect the opinions of the Hearthstone board (outside of my one-fifth vote). Any angry comments you would like to make should be left in the comment section.]
Recently, one of the local community organizations, WSLA, held an event where they talked about what women should do when they encounter and receive dubious sexual attention from people who are employing behaviors and tactics of sexual predators. The reaction to this seminar was disturbing in many ways.
On several occasions, I have written articles and blog posts about sexual misbehavior in the esoteric community. Typically, I speak out about esoteric leaders and teachers, who trade degree advancements in exchange for sexual favors. While I seldom name offenders by name, my audience generally know whom I am talking about, and what offenses they are committing.
And if I am being completely honest, I have written about sexual predators in the pagan, Wiccan, and occult communities so often that I always give a little Homer Simpsons scream whenever I realize that it is once more time for me to get up on my soapbox and rant at the moon about the sexual predators in the occult community. In my ideal perfected universe fantasy, I never have to write another one of those damn articles about being aware that some sexual behaviors are worrisome and quite possibly predatory. Unfortunately, that magical day when I never have to mention this subject ever again seems to be as far away in time as the birth of the first test-tube unicorn, and is in all likelihood decades and centuries beyond that particular magical event.
Given how often I write about the issue, I was glad to see someone else addressing the topic. And as a writer about such dubious matters, I could not help but notice the reaction to the seminar, a reaction that created that sinking feeling in my stomach as I realized that it is that once again time for me to address the issue.
What followed the seminar was screams of libel, slander, and fear-mongering. I was surprised when I opened up my email box and saw the exchange that was occurring in the comment section of one of the event’s announcement pages. Basically, the way I was reading the reactions, it seems that some attendees decided that because WSLA was presenting stories of misbehavior, but not naming names, that WSLA was simply making stuff up and trying to create strife and fear in the community.
Sigh. As someone who writes about such matters on occasion, I have a unique viewpoint about this subject. There are good reasons not to name names. For one thing, it helps protect the innocent, the victims. For another, often these events are the subject of legal matters—universally, the reaction of those of us who are in watchdog positions is to advise the victim to go to the proper legal authorities. While we can provide emotional support and the occasional hex, the uglier cases require legal action for justice to occur.
And if you want to see tall tales, insidious rumors, and bad blood, just name one of the predators without having multiple screenshots, and documented legal complaints. Predators, in the defense of their own “good name” fall all over themselves to talk about how the victims are making stuff up, how the victims invited the sexual attention, and how they secretly enjoyed it. Furthermore, predators will threaten legal actions, both against the victim and anyone who defends and supports the victim.
I will admit that this does lead to a problem where certain individuals should have been named long ago, so that further innocents are protected. But living in an imperfect world, we have to default to using the option that causes the least amount of grief for both the victims and the community in general. And just because we never publically named someone as a predator, it does not mean that we are making up stories to pursue an agenda of fear and scandal; it merely means that the wheels of justice has not caught up with the individual yet.
And I do understand why people do not like these stories. We like to think that as pagans and Wiccans, we are better than this—that our little section of humanity has risen above such petty nonsense, that we treat each other fairly when it comes to sexual matters. It is a nice myth; but it is untrue, for we are still humans in a human society. People in a position of power will often use their position to fulfill their sexual needs.
We also like to believe that our community would not cover up such matters and protect the predators—but as long as the predators can rain down bucket loads of grief on their victims and their support network, the best that we can do is to teach people about the warning signs, tell them how to proceed to deal with it using the law, provide emotional support (and the occasional hex) for the victims, and privately whisper a hint in the ear of anyone we see headed in the wrong direction. It is not perfect, but it is the best that we can do.
Recently, one of the local community organizations, WSLA, held an event where they talked about what women should do when they encounter and receive dubious sexual attention from people who are employing behaviors and tactics of sexual predators. The reaction to this seminar was disturbing in many ways.
On several occasions, I have written articles and blog posts about sexual misbehavior in the esoteric community. Typically, I speak out about esoteric leaders and teachers, who trade degree advancements in exchange for sexual favors. While I seldom name offenders by name, my audience generally know whom I am talking about, and what offenses they are committing.
And if I am being completely honest, I have written about sexual predators in the pagan, Wiccan, and occult communities so often that I always give a little Homer Simpsons scream whenever I realize that it is once more time for me to get up on my soapbox and rant at the moon about the sexual predators in the occult community. In my ideal perfected universe fantasy, I never have to write another one of those damn articles about being aware that some sexual behaviors are worrisome and quite possibly predatory. Unfortunately, that magical day when I never have to mention this subject ever again seems to be as far away in time as the birth of the first test-tube unicorn, and is in all likelihood decades and centuries beyond that particular magical event.
Given how often I write about the issue, I was glad to see someone else addressing the topic. And as a writer about such dubious matters, I could not help but notice the reaction to the seminar, a reaction that created that sinking feeling in my stomach as I realized that it is that once again time for me to address the issue.
What followed the seminar was screams of libel, slander, and fear-mongering. I was surprised when I opened up my email box and saw the exchange that was occurring in the comment section of one of the event’s announcement pages. Basically, the way I was reading the reactions, it seems that some attendees decided that because WSLA was presenting stories of misbehavior, but not naming names, that WSLA was simply making stuff up and trying to create strife and fear in the community.
Sigh. As someone who writes about such matters on occasion, I have a unique viewpoint about this subject. There are good reasons not to name names. For one thing, it helps protect the innocent, the victims. For another, often these events are the subject of legal matters—universally, the reaction of those of us who are in watchdog positions is to advise the victim to go to the proper legal authorities. While we can provide emotional support and the occasional hex, the uglier cases require legal action for justice to occur.
And if you want to see tall tales, insidious rumors, and bad blood, just name one of the predators without having multiple screenshots, and documented legal complaints. Predators, in the defense of their own “good name” fall all over themselves to talk about how the victims are making stuff up, how the victims invited the sexual attention, and how they secretly enjoyed it. Furthermore, predators will threaten legal actions, both against the victim and anyone who defends and supports the victim.
I will admit that this does lead to a problem where certain individuals should have been named long ago, so that further innocents are protected. But living in an imperfect world, we have to default to using the option that causes the least amount of grief for both the victims and the community in general. And just because we never publically named someone as a predator, it does not mean that we are making up stories to pursue an agenda of fear and scandal; it merely means that the wheels of justice has not caught up with the individual yet.
And I do understand why people do not like these stories. We like to think that as pagans and Wiccans, we are better than this—that our little section of humanity has risen above such petty nonsense, that we treat each other fairly when it comes to sexual matters. It is a nice myth; but it is untrue, for we are still humans in a human society. People in a position of power will often use their position to fulfill their sexual needs.
We also like to believe that our community would not cover up such matters and protect the predators—but as long as the predators can rain down bucket loads of grief on their victims and their support network, the best that we can do is to teach people about the warning signs, tell them how to proceed to deal with it using the law, provide emotional support (and the occasional hex) for the victims, and privately whisper a hint in the ear of anyone we see headed in the wrong direction. It is not perfect, but it is the best that we can do.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
How dare you support occult watchdogs!
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| This is what I am supposed to be--a nice miltant fluff bunny who accepts that everyone is perfect just the way that they are. |
My response tends to be, "Bite me! You are a crook and a danger to the occult community. It is only a matter of time before you make the papers and give the entire community a black eye, so why should we wait for the Christmas rush? Let's just air the fact that you are a human speed bump, and get it over with."
Sometimes, the next message will be a threat that a lawyer is coming to take away my first-born child; sometimes, it is silence; and every so often it is "Just wait until the watchdog community decides to air your dirty laundry! I can't wait until the shoe is on the other foot. They are coming for you because you are a bigger crook and menace than I am."
At this point in time, I tend to disturb at least one of my cats with my howls of uncontrollable laughter.
Then I write back, "Exactly what would the occult watchdogs reveal that is not public knowledge already?"
Typically, I get silence back.
But seriously, what could the occult watchdog community reveal that would make them the enemy?
The worst thing I believe is the fact that I write dubious erotica, something that I have admitted to numerous times. Dubious erotica is where the dirty, filthy money is at. Yes, I am one of those writers that believes that you should never write anything for free. After all, I have a monthly Petsmart bill to pay. Ok, maybe they could reveal the exact types of dubious erotica, my list of pen-names, and the titles of my stuff.....and I imagine that no one will actually care. And let's be honest, I would just turn such a situation into a fire sale--"Come one, come all! Read the horrible stuff that I have written, so that I do not need to live off of dues collected from gullible occult students. Because ripping off occult students is so much better than writing dubious erotica." (And no, I am not going to give you the list---just because I am a "sex-worker," it doesn't mean that I have to give you my number---after all, I prefer not knowing who actually reads that rubbish.)
Of course, they might also reveal that my non-erotic stuff on Amazon is over-priced, and not true to some standard of "being stuff that is thousands of years old and sounds like pure fluff." Yes, a lot of my stuff was written and created last Thursday. Oh, the horrors of them seeing my Amazon author page.
Or they might reveal that I am working on some humorous occult community satire (under another pen-name that is none of your business...but which I have made absolutely no effort to distance myself from; so once I publish, everyone will know that it is me within...a week, maybe two weeks, not longer than a month).
Or the horrors of my Deviant Art page.
Or my Gamecrafter page (over-priced fugly Tarot deck coming
Or my Etsy page (over-priced occult themed audios coming
What else could the occult watchdogs reveal?
Well, I have a shaky lineage in both Wicca and Golden Dawn. And I don't have a giant stack of unpublished material written by a dead white guy pretending to be a caveman.
And I dropped out of Pat Zalewski's Inner Order course during the Adept Major section---that has to be proof that I am ripping someone off.
There is also the fact that I only have a Bachelors degree. Well, two actually (literature and history). But I have not finished a Masters program...and that somehow must be an occult crime--because you know that I have to have some dirt that the watchdog community can use against me.
Oh, the watchdog community might reveal that I have dabbled with Satanism, Thelema, Daemonaltry, and Chaos magic....and who hasn't?!
Maybe they will mention that I have been unemployed forever...because being a writer and artist and self-employed is not being true to the American way of slaving away for fat cats at the top of the economic totem pole. (And as a writer, I always accept donations of food and money...because artists be straving.)
Speaking of cats, the watchdog community might publish mugshots of all my cats....because cats are not dogs, and must be evil.
I once had a black girlfriend, a gay roommate, a couple of failed business ventures, was in the military a whole eight weeks---damn it! There has to be something that I have hidden that the occult watchdogs are going to go berserk over.
Oh I know---I was elected to lodge office by a group of not-yet-Neophytes; that is wrong. No one should actually be elected by students to teach. Everyone knows that the proper way to do things is to declare yourself Grand Poobah and give no one an ounce of control.
And there is the little fact that my lodge split into two. That is worrisome because there is absolutely no way that the Freemasons in the group could have been upset with Morgan's sense of humor and unwillingness to advance people before he felt that they were ready. No, the lodge split had to be because Morgan was collecting excessive annual dues. (Yes, they were excessive at sixty dollars a year---after all, the leader of a group is supposed to pay for all the materials consumed during ritual and lessons.)
Oh. Oh. Oh. I know the worst that the occult watchdogs could reveal.
I believe in gun-control and the legalization of marijuana. That means that I am some type of hippy. And not only do I believe in legal weed, I am guilty of smoking pot. And yes, the occult watchdogs are going to be all over that fact, ain't they?
Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, I don't accept every student that applies--that is suspicious. And I don't teach things that I do not know...that is not how it is supposed to be done.
Oh wait, I do teach some dubious occult lore---I am a Sun Sigh astrologer. Yes, we finally found something that the occult watchdogs will actually care about....as soon as others quit trying to poison people, and hexing people, and generally helping themselves to all the money in other people's wallets.
Yes, the occult watchdogs are coming for me, but I think that I am on the end of a very long list of crooks and false prophets. So no, I am not really concerned that they are going to come after me.
And that is why I can support the occult watchdog community. Because quite honestly, I am not doing anything wrong that they actually care about.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Red Flag--"Magic Garden" photos requested (Creeper Award)
Right up front, I must say that perhaps I am wrong about the following person deserving a Creeper Award. Maybe this person is completely on the up and up. But given the fact that I kinda threw up in my mouth a couple of time when someone brought his antics to attention, I feel that I am probably right that he deserves a Creeper Award. As always, if you think that I am wrong, there is the glorious comment section.
And this Creeper Award goes to Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum, head of the Coven of the Rooting Circle--Witches of Maryland.
Recently he gave some information about membership in his coven to someone who found him though Witchvox. According to this source, he claims that his coven is ALL female, except for him...that might be creepy. He also seems to think that a woman's vagina, as my source put it, was some form of Witch's Rosetta Stone...you can decide how creepy that is when we get to the screenshot of that particular message.
Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum may also be trying to create a teen group, a fact that might not be alarming....except that at no time did he ask my informant if they were over 18, a fact that makes me a little nauseous when I read the following messages that he sent.
The first section of this is not so bad; a lot of more traditional Wicca and witchcraft groups believe that it is ok to be nude. Hell, there are ton of Alexandrian news articles from the 1960s with a naked High Priestess in them. Though in all fairness to the Alexandrians, some of the nudity may have been simple advertising...because sex sells.
But the second screenshot here of the basic information on how to join his coven....well, see if you can read it without saying, "Ewwww!"
Did you manage not to say, "Ewww!"? If so, you have a stronger stomach than I do---and I used to write dubious erotica. And I am not sure that I would believe this story if I found it in the erotica section of a bookstore, or in those special adult bookstores.
So moving on, not only does Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum of the Coven of the Rooting Circle--Witches of Maryland, want a two hundred and fifty dollar donation for the coven, he wants a full frontal photo of the applicant. I guess that all witches must be beautiful---or at least the ones that he admits to his coven.
But wait--it gets better. Again, can you read this without saying, "Ewww!"?
In none of the traditional Wicca/witchcraft stuff in my possession have I found the keys and rules to judge how witchy a woman was based on the appearance of her "garden." Maybe my tradition is not as traditional as I have been lead to believe it is. Maybe Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum is a more advanced witch than I am. Or maybe, I am perfectly correct that he deserves a Creeper Award. Again, if you disagree about him recieving the award, there is the comment section just waiting for your rebuttal.
And I am not sure that I trust this guy to destory the photos after viewing either, despite his honor as a guide and his sacred oath.
Ok, so maybe I am wrong about him being a creeper. After all, I have never been the best judge of character...my regular readers have heard some of my "bad coven and Order" stories. This is probably just how a really traditional group does things. There is probably nothing actually creepy about this guy...
...but honestly, I have yet to convince myself that particular screenshot does not scream, "Danger Seeker! Danger!" While there is a chance that I am misreading the intent and moral belief system behind the statement, personally I think that Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum of the Coven of the Rooting Circle--Witches of Maryland, with that statement alone deserves a Creeper Award.
I am not sure that I trust his instructional material either. I think that it speaks for itself.
And this screenshot from his newsfeed, not troublesome at all if you ignore the ego and slimeness of the statement. Maybe I really do need a second opinion of whether I should reward him with a Creeper Award.
So on the behalf of up-tight witches and magicians everywhere, I proudly present Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum of the Coven of the Rooting Circle--Witches of Maryland, with this Creeper Award.
I also want to give him a little advice:
Stay out of my local area because I will allow the other witches to stab you if you mess with their daughters, nieces, cousins, next door neighbors. and other young lady folk.
And this Creeper Award goes to Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum, head of the Coven of the Rooting Circle--Witches of Maryland.
Recently he gave some information about membership in his coven to someone who found him though Witchvox. According to this source, he claims that his coven is ALL female, except for him...that might be creepy. He also seems to think that a woman's vagina, as my source put it, was some form of Witch's Rosetta Stone...you can decide how creepy that is when we get to the screenshot of that particular message.
Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum may also be trying to create a teen group, a fact that might not be alarming....except that at no time did he ask my informant if they were over 18, a fact that makes me a little nauseous when I read the following messages that he sent.
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| Oh yes, I so want a creeper to teach me the ways of Wicca. |
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| "The witches life and art is simple. It involves nudity, spiritual and physical self-confidence..." |
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| Ok, so the Golden Wizard wants money and a nude picture. |
So moving on, not only does Master Golden Wizard Luxas Aureaum of the Coven of the Rooting Circle--Witches of Maryland, want a two hundred and fifty dollar donation for the coven, he wants a full frontal photo of the applicant. I guess that all witches must be beautiful---or at least the ones that he admits to his coven.
But wait--it gets better. Again, can you read this without saying, "Ewww!"?
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| Oh dear, your "garden" tells us everything we need to know about your witchy aura. |
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| Uhh, this request sounds like you requesting porn. |
Ok, so maybe I am wrong about him being a creeper. After all, I have never been the best judge of character...my regular readers have heard some of my "bad coven and Order" stories. This is probably just how a really traditional group does things. There is probably nothing actually creepy about this guy...
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| Wait, are you saying that society morals are wrong about shielding those below the age of 16 from people like you?! |
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| Using this picture in your educational material is strange when the actual genders are accounted for. |
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| Hmmm, comparing yourself to Charlie Sheen....not worrisome at all. |
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| Creepy Rob Lowe approves of this wizard....which is also alarming. (Hey, it is a joke, ok?) |
I also want to give him a little advice:
Stay out of my local area because I will allow the other witches to stab you if you mess with their daughters, nieces, cousins, next door neighbors. and other young lady folk.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Thoughts on the EA Koetting arrest (Living God arrested)
On Friday, November 14, 2014, Matthew Joseph Lawrence (the real name of the black magic occultist E. A. Koetting) was arrested by the Washington County Drug Task Force (St. George, Utah) and sent to the Purgatory Correctional Facility. Both his vehicle and residence were searched, and he was charged with five charges of drug possession (cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and other drugs), one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of restricted possessor of a firearm. The arrest came about due to information provided by a confidential informant. Lawrence and his roommate (who was also arrested) were sent to the Purgatory Correctional Facility with bail set at $31,174 each---I understand both made bail and were released. Rumor has it that Lawrence could receive ten to fifteen years in jail, due to Utah's law, and having priors.
News stories are here and here.
My regular readers and friends know that I am not fond of E. A. Koetting. I feel that he is a black hat marketer, and generally not the world's best representative of the black arts. And I made my feelings perfectly clear last year when he headlined an event sponsored by one of the Golden Dawn Orders---I could not reconcile the traditional Golden Dawn oath (which includes a clause about not doing black magic) with the idea that a highly advertised speaker was actually a well-known black magician.
But I do have a couple of thoughts about this situation that might surprise you.
For instance, I have seen some fuss over the fact that E. A. Koetting is a pen name. Sorry, but a lot of occult writers write under pen names---it is nothing new. And Koetting's real name has been known for awhile. Get over the fact that Koetting is a pen name.
There has also been jokes made that Koetting works a day job---a carpet cleaner---again, get over it. I cannot name a single occultist, who does not have a day job. Even when you are charging big money for workshops and merchandise, occultism does not pay well. And yes, Koetting's day job is not glamorous. Well, none of my day jobs have been glamorous (minimum wage restaurant work, writer of forbidden taboo erotica, house husband). And for some reason, magic---even black magic---is not really useful for acquiring money without a path for the money to come though.
Now I will admit that I am appalled that Koetting got arrested---it makes all occultists look bad to a certain extent. It is probably worse because Koetting talked about avoiding cops and doing illegal things in at least one of his videos. If you are a Living God and know that you could be arrested, one would think that one would take steps not to be arrested.
But the charges---I have mixed feelings about the actual charges. On one hand, getting arrested with a gun when you legally unable to own one, just makes you look suspicious. On the other hand, I am not really on board with the United States extended war on drugs. At the very least, I think that marijuana should not be illegal (the other drugs, I am not so sure about---honestly, I am not up on the research of how much damage they actually cause). I voted in favor of both medical and recreational marijuana---so in my mind, at least one of the drug charges should not even exist.
And are we really surprised that Koetting takes drugs? I think that we could have all made a fair bet on that one.
Besides, the usual offense that occultists seem to arrested for is sexual misdeeds. This incident looks almost positive compared to the normal offense. It could have been worse, much worse.
And before you ask, I am still not an E. A. Koetting fan---but no one should be surprised by that one.
News stories are here and here.
My regular readers and friends know that I am not fond of E. A. Koetting. I feel that he is a black hat marketer, and generally not the world's best representative of the black arts. And I made my feelings perfectly clear last year when he headlined an event sponsored by one of the Golden Dawn Orders---I could not reconcile the traditional Golden Dawn oath (which includes a clause about not doing black magic) with the idea that a highly advertised speaker was actually a well-known black magician.
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| Cartman from South Park reminds me of Koetting. |
For instance, I have seen some fuss over the fact that E. A. Koetting is a pen name. Sorry, but a lot of occult writers write under pen names---it is nothing new. And Koetting's real name has been known for awhile. Get over the fact that Koetting is a pen name.
There has also been jokes made that Koetting works a day job---a carpet cleaner---again, get over it. I cannot name a single occultist, who does not have a day job. Even when you are charging big money for workshops and merchandise, occultism does not pay well. And yes, Koetting's day job is not glamorous. Well, none of my day jobs have been glamorous (minimum wage restaurant work, writer of forbidden taboo erotica, house husband). And for some reason, magic---even black magic---is not really useful for acquiring money without a path for the money to come though.
Now I will admit that I am appalled that Koetting got arrested---it makes all occultists look bad to a certain extent. It is probably worse because Koetting talked about avoiding cops and doing illegal things in at least one of his videos. If you are a Living God and know that you could be arrested, one would think that one would take steps not to be arrested.
But the charges---I have mixed feelings about the actual charges. On one hand, getting arrested with a gun when you legally unable to own one, just makes you look suspicious. On the other hand, I am not really on board with the United States extended war on drugs. At the very least, I think that marijuana should not be illegal (the other drugs, I am not so sure about---honestly, I am not up on the research of how much damage they actually cause). I voted in favor of both medical and recreational marijuana---so in my mind, at least one of the drug charges should not even exist.
And are we really surprised that Koetting takes drugs? I think that we could have all made a fair bet on that one.
Besides, the usual offense that occultists seem to arrested for is sexual misdeeds. This incident looks almost positive compared to the normal offense. It could have been worse, much worse.
And before you ask, I am still not an E. A. Koetting fan---but no one should be surprised by that one.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Open letter to Watcher of the Dawn and Mike Thomson and David Griffin
Dear Watcher of the Dawn, Mike Thomson, and David Griffin,
Today, Mike Thomson decided to write a blog post revealing why the good folks behind Watcher of the Dawn write posts badmouthing David Griffin. You can read his post here. And you can read what Watcher of the Dawn does here.
There is only one problem with Mike Thomson's post--I am not actually part of the staff that does Watcher of the Dawn.
But at this point in time, I so want to be a member of their staff. Of course, this is much like the fact that I wished I created Hog Dee, or was the ever amusing pine teeth wearing Mitzy Gaynor.
(And if I ever convince the creator of Hog Dee to allow me ownership of the character, Hog Dee will return!!! I wonder if Watcher wants a feature cartoon starring numpties.)
Yes, my comment to Inriel Lux was true, except that I was speaking for myself, and not the staff of Watcher of the Dawn. My hatred of David Griffin was sparked by his inability to live with a THREE STAR book review. By casting me as a conspiracy member, he made sure that I would remain a hater of all things Griffin. I went straight from neutral book reviewer to a torch carrying rebel against the "one ond only true Golden Dawn Order" (trademarked and marketed nine ways to Sunday).
As for things I am actually guilty of, I just hit "publish" on three blog posts that I had wrote, but never published. I figure if I am going to be the center of a flame war, I just as well be up-to-date with my hatred of Griffin. I am not sure why Mike Thomson cares about how people view Griffin; but hell if I am going to be damned, I just as well be damned.
So to Watcher of the Dawn, do not let Mike Thomson blaming an innocent reader of your blog stop you from doing what is right. Warn people about the numpties!
To David Griffin, keep being yourself--because as long as you badmouth other people, you will be hated.
To Mike Thomson, keep up the hatred and blaming of people--I can always use the blog traffic.
To everyone else, consider buying an ebook or bumper sticker from me.
As for myself, I will continue to be here, the same hateful person that I have always been. Writers like me are not loved...mainly because we are the enemies of everyone who might be guilty of harming occult students.
Yours in blood, hate, and sweat, Morgana Draconis, aka Morgan Drake Eckstein.
Today, Mike Thomson decided to write a blog post revealing why the good folks behind Watcher of the Dawn write posts badmouthing David Griffin. You can read his post here. And you can read what Watcher of the Dawn does here.
There is only one problem with Mike Thomson's post--I am not actually part of the staff that does Watcher of the Dawn.
But at this point in time, I so want to be a member of their staff. Of course, this is much like the fact that I wished I created Hog Dee, or was the ever amusing pine teeth wearing Mitzy Gaynor.
(And if I ever convince the creator of Hog Dee to allow me ownership of the character, Hog Dee will return!!! I wonder if Watcher wants a feature cartoon starring numpties.)
Yes, my comment to Inriel Lux was true, except that I was speaking for myself, and not the staff of Watcher of the Dawn. My hatred of David Griffin was sparked by his inability to live with a THREE STAR book review. By casting me as a conspiracy member, he made sure that I would remain a hater of all things Griffin. I went straight from neutral book reviewer to a torch carrying rebel against the "one ond only true Golden Dawn Order" (trademarked and marketed nine ways to Sunday).
As for things I am actually guilty of, I just hit "publish" on three blog posts that I had wrote, but never published. I figure if I am going to be the center of a flame war, I just as well be up-to-date with my hatred of Griffin. I am not sure why Mike Thomson cares about how people view Griffin; but hell if I am going to be damned, I just as well be damned.
So to Watcher of the Dawn, do not let Mike Thomson blaming an innocent reader of your blog stop you from doing what is right. Warn people about the numpties!
To David Griffin, keep being yourself--because as long as you badmouth other people, you will be hated.
To Mike Thomson, keep up the hatred and blaming of people--I can always use the blog traffic.
To everyone else, consider buying an ebook or bumper sticker from me.
As for myself, I will continue to be here, the same hateful person that I have always been. Writers like me are not loved...mainly because we are the enemies of everyone who might be guilty of harming occult students.
Yours in blood, hate, and sweat, Morgana Draconis, aka Morgan Drake Eckstein.
Monday, February 10, 2014
The top thirteen signs that a leader or esoteric group might be too rotten to bother with
[This article was written for the Hearthstone Community Church's February 2014 newsletter.]
The fields of magic, occultism and alternative belief systems are littered with minefields of dubious groups led by shady leaders attempting to fleece the gullible and the naïve for profit and pleasure. In a fair universe, the seeker after such things would be accompanied by a robot made out of metal drums and inner tubes, who would chant, “Danger, Seeker, Danger!” whenever one encountered a group or leader that one should avoid signing up with. Unfortunately, we do not live in a fair universe, and must rely on our own common sense to guide us though the fields littered with explosive cow patties.
Being an eager seeker of the strange and marvelous, I have encountered more than my fair share of dubious groups and shady leaders…some of which I have signed up with, only to regret it later. Given such experience, I have learned over the years to listen to my inner paranoid android – at least, pause long enough to think twice before signing on the dotted line. On a good day, I will run screaming to the hills upon encountering the warning signs. On a bad day, well, let’s just say that hindsight is twenty/twenty.
An item that is often on people’s warning lists is money – as in the group or leader charges money for one to be a member or student. Honestly, the exchange of money does not even make my top thirteen. There is this idea that teachers and writers of occult lore should not charge for lessons or books, that they should give their knowledge away freely to all that ask for it without collecting a single dime. This idea overlooks the simple fact that we live in a world where money is an absolute necessity.
We would not ask a plumber to work for free; we do not expect people to give us food and gasoline for free; yet for some reason, we think that our spiritual and magical leaders should provide their services and products for free. Too many of our spiritual and magical leaders rely on food stamps and food banks to ensure that they have something to eat; too many live in hovels; too many can’t afford health insurance. And don’t get me started on the occult writers, who quite honestly would make more money flipping burgers for minimum wage.
The brutal truth of the matter is that occult teachers and writers are spending time to provide a service. They are using up time that could be spent doing more profitable things. At the very least, we should make sure that they are not paying for the rent for the meeting spots, and the cost of candles, cakes and ale, out of their own pockets…if only because that is the equivalent of adding insult to injury.
Now that is not to say that there is no such thing as a teacher or group that charges too much for their services and products. Such leaders and groups do exist. Exactly what is a fair rate to charge is beyond the scope of this essay – and is something that each seeker must determine for themselves. But one should not complain about the lack of qualified teachers and spiritual ministers, if one had ensured that no one can survive on what we are willing to offer them.
Now, onto my top thirteen signs that a leader and their group might be bad news…
13. Boredom – this one may seem strange to put on a list of danger signs. But one of the things that I learned over the years is that if a leader bores me, odds are that the group is just not worth my time. This is especially true if the information just seems to be recycled or is repeated over and over. A boring leader leads to the membership creating drama to occupy themselves. A boring leader also indicates that the upper levels of a group are empty of actual content. A boring leader is the outer sign that a group has no spiritual or magical spark to keep it alive – it is just a group living a ghastly existence, not realizing that it is already dead.
12. Lack of a sense of humor and humility – a leader without a sense of humor and who full of hubris scares me. It is especially scaring if they try to pretend that they have a sense of humor and a modicum of humbleness. At the very least, a good teacher needs to be able to laugh about themselves. If a teacher cannot handle you making jokes about them – run away quickly! And if you catch them pretending to be humble, be warned that they might be a sociopath.
11. Sexual misdeeds – if you hear stories about the leader sleeping with student after student, get out of there! I am naturally suspicious of any group that stresses that they teach sex magic. Even if you are not the preferred gender of the leader’s advances, sexual misbehavior is always a sign that there is a high cost to advancing in an organization.
10. Lawyers and trademarks – there is only one reason to have a trademark, and that is if you are trying to create a monopoly; there is only one reason for an occult organization to regularly use a lawyer, and that is to beat other organizations into extinction in a court of law. Everyone occasionally needs a lawyer – it is another thing to be in one court battle after another. And the only reason to have a monopoly is so that you can charge more than fair market value.
9. Non-disclosure statements and/or absolute secrecy – having to sign a non-disclosure statement to join a group or attend a seminar, or insisting on absolute secrecy for one’s group just screams that there are misdeeds going on behind closed doors. In my mind, the only things that should be absolutely secret are the identities of members in sensitive occupations (ex. school teachers) and even they can be referred to by their mottos or magical names.
8. Claims of superior lineage and ultra-secret knowledge – it is one thing to claim to be the best informed group, and to have a myth of unbroken wisdom from the dawn of history; it is another thing to insist that it is absolutely true, and seek to silence anyone who says otherwise. These types of claims are especially troubling when combined with the aforementioned non-disclosure statements and absolute secrecy, and tend to be used to justify the use of secrecy to protect the superior wisdom, which more often than not, came directly from a book or the creative imagination of the leader, while the secrecy is actually being used to cover up the misdeeds of the leader.
7. Use of the degree system to maintain control – while the use of a degree system can help ensure that information is taught in a structured format, the unpleasant reality is that it can also be used to maintain control of an organization. The aforementioned sexual misdeeds often come as the result of the promise of special higher level teaching in exchange for sexual favors. And the degree system can lead to a lot of internal politics as the more ambitious people use favors and rumors to ensure that they advance; this often leads to the most knowledgeable and spiritual advanced members, who are not as good at playing politics, being stuck in the lower degrees.
6. Hiding of dirty laundry – any group or leader that hides its dirty laundry is bad news. Every group and every leader has committed mistakes; but if they do not admit to them, and in fact, do their best to erase all evidence that mistakes happened, it just leads to the possibility that they will become repeat offenders. In fact, the hiding of the dirty laundry may actually be evidence that repeat offenses may have already occurred. When one sees a perfect group or leader, one should scamper away, for there is no such creature.
5. Does not cite sources – magical and spiritual knowledge does not grow in a vacuum. A leader or teacher who never mentions who taught them or the books that they have read is guilty of trying to conceal their past. If they try to conceal their past, then what else are they hiding? Especially troublesome are those who claim that all their knowledge comes from Secret Chiefs that only they are spiritually and magically advanced enough to meet.
4. Exclusivity as a requirement for training – while there are good reasons to focus on one school of occult wisdom at a time, any group that makes it a rule that you are not allowed to be a member of other groups is trying to ensure that you do not compare their wisdom with that possessed by other schools. A good teacher does not care if a student is a student of another system, for they know that people drop the less valuable options as they advance in knowledge.
3. Claims lack of resources as an excuse for elitism – first off, it is a danger sign whenever a group states that the occult is not for the masses, but only for the elite. In all honesty, the elite are not drawn to the type of group that has to make such claims. The elite of today’s world are too busy making money. Second, the lack of resources that limit the ability of a group to deal with large numbers of members is always the sheer lack of high level members. If a group claims hundreds of members, but you can count the number of high level members on one hand, there are reasons to suspect that members are not being promoted for purely political and control reasons. Material resources necessary to deal with large numbers of members have never been cheaper – YouTube, online groups, and print-on-demand books can all be utilized to provide the service provided that the group has enough high level members to pick up the work load.
2. All expulsions are the other person’s problem – in no world are the problems that break up a relationship, even that of a student towards their teacher, purely the fault of the student. If a leader claims that every expulsion was the result of the student with no fault falling upon the teacher, then you know that the teacher is lying. This is especially troublesome when the brightest students are the ones being expelled. In a properly functioning system, occult students drop out when they reach the limit of their potential; they do not get expelled. Expulsion is supposed to be reserved for breaches of ethics and symptoms of sociopathic behavior, not simply to ensure that one remains at the top of the pyramid.
And the number one reason to run away…drum roll please…the teacher or leader is eager to have new students or wants large number of members. This is the ultimate danger sign where your shiny metallic friend should quit chanting “Danger!” and just drag you out of the room before you get burnt. The only people who volunteer eagerly when someone asks if someone can teach them are people who have never taught before, or those who plan on abusing the student-teacher relationship on some level. No true magical or spiritual teacher wants large number of followers; it interferes with the work, and guarantees that one’s own personal growth grinds to a halt. Yes, there are people who teach the occasional workshop who are good teachers, but workshops are short term commitments. In fact, anyone who is truly qualified to be a spiritual or magical teacher is going to do their best to make it hard to become their student – they practically force their students to drag them kicking and screaming to the chalk board…after all, teaching is the heaviest responsibility that one can shoulder, with not only one’s own spiritual advancement at risk, but one’s student’s as well.
[This essay is the signature essay for my latest Hearthstone Community Church collection: Thirteen Signs That Your Occult Teacher is Rotten--available from the following fine ebook retailers.]
Thirteen Signs That Your Occult Teacher is Rotten is available at many fine ebook retailers.
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Scribd
Smashwords
Apple
The fields of magic, occultism and alternative belief systems are littered with minefields of dubious groups led by shady leaders attempting to fleece the gullible and the naïve for profit and pleasure. In a fair universe, the seeker after such things would be accompanied by a robot made out of metal drums and inner tubes, who would chant, “Danger, Seeker, Danger!” whenever one encountered a group or leader that one should avoid signing up with. Unfortunately, we do not live in a fair universe, and must rely on our own common sense to guide us though the fields littered with explosive cow patties.
Being an eager seeker of the strange and marvelous, I have encountered more than my fair share of dubious groups and shady leaders…some of which I have signed up with, only to regret it later. Given such experience, I have learned over the years to listen to my inner paranoid android – at least, pause long enough to think twice before signing on the dotted line. On a good day, I will run screaming to the hills upon encountering the warning signs. On a bad day, well, let’s just say that hindsight is twenty/twenty.
An item that is often on people’s warning lists is money – as in the group or leader charges money for one to be a member or student. Honestly, the exchange of money does not even make my top thirteen. There is this idea that teachers and writers of occult lore should not charge for lessons or books, that they should give their knowledge away freely to all that ask for it without collecting a single dime. This idea overlooks the simple fact that we live in a world where money is an absolute necessity.
We would not ask a plumber to work for free; we do not expect people to give us food and gasoline for free; yet for some reason, we think that our spiritual and magical leaders should provide their services and products for free. Too many of our spiritual and magical leaders rely on food stamps and food banks to ensure that they have something to eat; too many live in hovels; too many can’t afford health insurance. And don’t get me started on the occult writers, who quite honestly would make more money flipping burgers for minimum wage.
The brutal truth of the matter is that occult teachers and writers are spending time to provide a service. They are using up time that could be spent doing more profitable things. At the very least, we should make sure that they are not paying for the rent for the meeting spots, and the cost of candles, cakes and ale, out of their own pockets…if only because that is the equivalent of adding insult to injury.
Now that is not to say that there is no such thing as a teacher or group that charges too much for their services and products. Such leaders and groups do exist. Exactly what is a fair rate to charge is beyond the scope of this essay – and is something that each seeker must determine for themselves. But one should not complain about the lack of qualified teachers and spiritual ministers, if one had ensured that no one can survive on what we are willing to offer them.
Now, onto my top thirteen signs that a leader and their group might be bad news…
13. Boredom – this one may seem strange to put on a list of danger signs. But one of the things that I learned over the years is that if a leader bores me, odds are that the group is just not worth my time. This is especially true if the information just seems to be recycled or is repeated over and over. A boring leader leads to the membership creating drama to occupy themselves. A boring leader also indicates that the upper levels of a group are empty of actual content. A boring leader is the outer sign that a group has no spiritual or magical spark to keep it alive – it is just a group living a ghastly existence, not realizing that it is already dead.
12. Lack of a sense of humor and humility – a leader without a sense of humor and who full of hubris scares me. It is especially scaring if they try to pretend that they have a sense of humor and a modicum of humbleness. At the very least, a good teacher needs to be able to laugh about themselves. If a teacher cannot handle you making jokes about them – run away quickly! And if you catch them pretending to be humble, be warned that they might be a sociopath.
11. Sexual misdeeds – if you hear stories about the leader sleeping with student after student, get out of there! I am naturally suspicious of any group that stresses that they teach sex magic. Even if you are not the preferred gender of the leader’s advances, sexual misbehavior is always a sign that there is a high cost to advancing in an organization.
10. Lawyers and trademarks – there is only one reason to have a trademark, and that is if you are trying to create a monopoly; there is only one reason for an occult organization to regularly use a lawyer, and that is to beat other organizations into extinction in a court of law. Everyone occasionally needs a lawyer – it is another thing to be in one court battle after another. And the only reason to have a monopoly is so that you can charge more than fair market value.
9. Non-disclosure statements and/or absolute secrecy – having to sign a non-disclosure statement to join a group or attend a seminar, or insisting on absolute secrecy for one’s group just screams that there are misdeeds going on behind closed doors. In my mind, the only things that should be absolutely secret are the identities of members in sensitive occupations (ex. school teachers) and even they can be referred to by their mottos or magical names.
8. Claims of superior lineage and ultra-secret knowledge – it is one thing to claim to be the best informed group, and to have a myth of unbroken wisdom from the dawn of history; it is another thing to insist that it is absolutely true, and seek to silence anyone who says otherwise. These types of claims are especially troubling when combined with the aforementioned non-disclosure statements and absolute secrecy, and tend to be used to justify the use of secrecy to protect the superior wisdom, which more often than not, came directly from a book or the creative imagination of the leader, while the secrecy is actually being used to cover up the misdeeds of the leader.
7. Use of the degree system to maintain control – while the use of a degree system can help ensure that information is taught in a structured format, the unpleasant reality is that it can also be used to maintain control of an organization. The aforementioned sexual misdeeds often come as the result of the promise of special higher level teaching in exchange for sexual favors. And the degree system can lead to a lot of internal politics as the more ambitious people use favors and rumors to ensure that they advance; this often leads to the most knowledgeable and spiritual advanced members, who are not as good at playing politics, being stuck in the lower degrees.
6. Hiding of dirty laundry – any group or leader that hides its dirty laundry is bad news. Every group and every leader has committed mistakes; but if they do not admit to them, and in fact, do their best to erase all evidence that mistakes happened, it just leads to the possibility that they will become repeat offenders. In fact, the hiding of the dirty laundry may actually be evidence that repeat offenses may have already occurred. When one sees a perfect group or leader, one should scamper away, for there is no such creature.
5. Does not cite sources – magical and spiritual knowledge does not grow in a vacuum. A leader or teacher who never mentions who taught them or the books that they have read is guilty of trying to conceal their past. If they try to conceal their past, then what else are they hiding? Especially troublesome are those who claim that all their knowledge comes from Secret Chiefs that only they are spiritually and magically advanced enough to meet.
4. Exclusivity as a requirement for training – while there are good reasons to focus on one school of occult wisdom at a time, any group that makes it a rule that you are not allowed to be a member of other groups is trying to ensure that you do not compare their wisdom with that possessed by other schools. A good teacher does not care if a student is a student of another system, for they know that people drop the less valuable options as they advance in knowledge.
3. Claims lack of resources as an excuse for elitism – first off, it is a danger sign whenever a group states that the occult is not for the masses, but only for the elite. In all honesty, the elite are not drawn to the type of group that has to make such claims. The elite of today’s world are too busy making money. Second, the lack of resources that limit the ability of a group to deal with large numbers of members is always the sheer lack of high level members. If a group claims hundreds of members, but you can count the number of high level members on one hand, there are reasons to suspect that members are not being promoted for purely political and control reasons. Material resources necessary to deal with large numbers of members have never been cheaper – YouTube, online groups, and print-on-demand books can all be utilized to provide the service provided that the group has enough high level members to pick up the work load.
2. All expulsions are the other person’s problem – in no world are the problems that break up a relationship, even that of a student towards their teacher, purely the fault of the student. If a leader claims that every expulsion was the result of the student with no fault falling upon the teacher, then you know that the teacher is lying. This is especially troublesome when the brightest students are the ones being expelled. In a properly functioning system, occult students drop out when they reach the limit of their potential; they do not get expelled. Expulsion is supposed to be reserved for breaches of ethics and symptoms of sociopathic behavior, not simply to ensure that one remains at the top of the pyramid.
And the number one reason to run away…drum roll please…the teacher or leader is eager to have new students or wants large number of members. This is the ultimate danger sign where your shiny metallic friend should quit chanting “Danger!” and just drag you out of the room before you get burnt. The only people who volunteer eagerly when someone asks if someone can teach them are people who have never taught before, or those who plan on abusing the student-teacher relationship on some level. No true magical or spiritual teacher wants large number of followers; it interferes with the work, and guarantees that one’s own personal growth grinds to a halt. Yes, there are people who teach the occasional workshop who are good teachers, but workshops are short term commitments. In fact, anyone who is truly qualified to be a spiritual or magical teacher is going to do their best to make it hard to become their student – they practically force their students to drag them kicking and screaming to the chalk board…after all, teaching is the heaviest responsibility that one can shoulder, with not only one’s own spiritual advancement at risk, but one’s student’s as well.
[This essay is the signature essay for my latest Hearthstone Community Church collection: Thirteen Signs That Your Occult Teacher is Rotten--available from the following fine ebook retailers.]
Thirteen Signs That Your Occult Teacher is Rotten is available at many fine ebook retailers.
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Scribd
Smashwords
Apple
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