Post by saturn on Apr 6, 2015 22:07:26 GMT -6
Since we closed the ONA thread to talk about the Cult instead, heregoes -- curious to hear other people's ideas
From Awakening to Action
When I was on the phone with Venger in February, he said something about how Fourth Way Schools should not be simply places which encourage self-consciousness and awakening, but historically also picked a second practical goal or focus.
I 100% agree with this approach. Whether the Cult of Cthulhu, the Temple of Set, Fourth Way schools, or the Left-Hand Path in general, I have always found the exhortation to “follow your heart” to be rather lacking. The school then consists of individuals who may encourage and support each other in their own Becoming, but beyond that their practical attempts have literally nothing to do with each other.
Now certainly it is better than the mainstream/orthodox religions which often just give you guilt and obligations, but a religion should have more than simply telling you to free yourself. It also ought to give you some direction as to what makes sense for a free person to do. Really “free yourself” is just a starting point – and while individuals should follow their hearts, it would also make sense for individuals who agree about what to do next get together and work on it. This is the kind of religion I would like…I am not sure it is what the Cult can be, but I figured I would at least bring it up.
The immersive Cult experience, without (most of) the abuse!
I have come to understand the idea of an Internet religion a bit more than I used to. I used to think that if the Cult never developed in-person chapters, it was a failure. Now I understand that a Fourth Way school does not need to be in person whatsoever. In fact, in an occult sense, it is almost cooler that it is largely discarnate.
That being said, in truth something with the name “Cult of Cthulhu” implicitly suggests being many things other than a Fourth Way school alone.
Both as a means to recruit people to the Cult and introduce them to the higher purpose of Awakening, and also as something just fun unto itself, maybe the Cult could be a site of cathartic, Pentecostal-Lovecraftian chanting and insanity.
Placing someone through the hoops of group introduction, hazing, gradual integration, and social immersion is a massively evocative experience which can super-charge whatever magick you wish, as well as fun for its own sake. While this may seem like a low-consciousness, slave-religion type of thing to do, I tend to think of Cthulhu as an insanity and chaos embodying all extremes: both the highest conscious wisdom, and the lowest bestial physicality; both the deepest separateness and reserve, and the most simplistic, orgiastic, social unleashing.
When you hear the words “Cult of Cthulhu,” or think of the actual cult of Cthulhu from the series, you don’t think (only) of sages who are trying to maintain self-awareness. You think of groups of psychos summoning demonic alien gods in noisy barbaric rituals.
It just sounds fun.
From Awakening to Action
When I was on the phone with Venger in February, he said something about how Fourth Way Schools should not be simply places which encourage self-consciousness and awakening, but historically also picked a second practical goal or focus.
I 100% agree with this approach. Whether the Cult of Cthulhu, the Temple of Set, Fourth Way schools, or the Left-Hand Path in general, I have always found the exhortation to “follow your heart” to be rather lacking. The school then consists of individuals who may encourage and support each other in their own Becoming, but beyond that their practical attempts have literally nothing to do with each other.
Now certainly it is better than the mainstream/orthodox religions which often just give you guilt and obligations, but a religion should have more than simply telling you to free yourself. It also ought to give you some direction as to what makes sense for a free person to do. Really “free yourself” is just a starting point – and while individuals should follow their hearts, it would also make sense for individuals who agree about what to do next get together and work on it. This is the kind of religion I would like…I am not sure it is what the Cult can be, but I figured I would at least bring it up.
The immersive Cult experience, without (most of) the abuse!
I have come to understand the idea of an Internet religion a bit more than I used to. I used to think that if the Cult never developed in-person chapters, it was a failure. Now I understand that a Fourth Way school does not need to be in person whatsoever. In fact, in an occult sense, it is almost cooler that it is largely discarnate.
That being said, in truth something with the name “Cult of Cthulhu” implicitly suggests being many things other than a Fourth Way school alone.
Both as a means to recruit people to the Cult and introduce them to the higher purpose of Awakening, and also as something just fun unto itself, maybe the Cult could be a site of cathartic, Pentecostal-Lovecraftian chanting and insanity.
Placing someone through the hoops of group introduction, hazing, gradual integration, and social immersion is a massively evocative experience which can super-charge whatever magick you wish, as well as fun for its own sake. While this may seem like a low-consciousness, slave-religion type of thing to do, I tend to think of Cthulhu as an insanity and chaos embodying all extremes: both the highest conscious wisdom, and the lowest bestial physicality; both the deepest separateness and reserve, and the most simplistic, orgiastic, social unleashing.
When you hear the words “Cult of Cthulhu,” or think of the actual cult of Cthulhu from the series, you don’t think (only) of sages who are trying to maintain self-awareness. You think of groups of psychos summoning demonic alien gods in noisy barbaric rituals.
It just sounds fun.