Reddit reviews In the Center of the Fire: A Memoir of the Occult 1966-1989

93 - Jim Wasserman is one of the most, if not the most, public figure that represents OTO in multiple formats, including in print, radio, and TV interviews, and identifies himself as a member/representative thereof. After Charlottesville, Wasserman engaged in identical rhetoric as Trump, saying there were "bad people on both sides", that those protesting neo-Nazis were the same as the neo-Nazis who were marching for a white ethno-state. He was originally called out by Rodney Orpheus, another prominent Thelemite, and others joined in to express their distaste that our most public figure would publicly defend neo-Nazis and equate them to counter-protestors. This is where people calling him a white nationalist/neo-Nazi sympathizer comes from. Some cared about this behavior, others didnt. A petition was created that denounced bigotry and intolerance, and encouraged people to express their distaste over this which read in part:
> Some have echoed the egregiously vile words of President Trump who has recently defended neo-Nazis in public. This is terrifying and enraging to any Thelemite who values their Holy Book which says "Every man and every woman is a star." We value the dignity and respect of individuals, and we fight against those who devalue it such as neo-Nazis who chant things like "Jews will not replace us" and seek to displace and eliminate entire races. We unequivocally denounce all Thelemites who are defending the Charlottesville neo-Nazi and white nationalist rally.

Wasserman responded with a prolonged, months-long campaign of public personal attacks and harassment of his brethren, such as dehumanizing them as termites and cockroaches. He posted a meme of himself (yes he himself posted this in support of himself), again blaming both sides equally, making incoherent claims about George Soros, and wearing a leather jacket with faux tribal markings / holding a gun to make him look tough, I guess. He publicly insulted LGBTQ individuals and likened them to pedophiles and rapists. He insulted Brandy Williams, a prominent feminist Thelemite, and made fun of her because he perceives her to be a liberal. He took images of his Brethren that were calling him out and responded by photoshopping their faces onto dogs, and others to insult them. He has previously engaged in blatant racism as well as being an alleged Birther. Many people contemplated violence against "liberal Thelemites" on his page and he never once cautioned or stopped them. He also made ridiculous claims that I and others "outed his membership", although he literally wrote an auto-biography about his membership in OTO, goes on radio and TV as a member, its on his 'About the Author' on his books, and has it as the first line in his Wikipedia, i.e. a ridiculous false accusation. He then turned around and actually outed another member's civil name without consequence.

In regards to "OTO siding with Wasserman", in response, USGL has amended their Vision and Values statements to include these portions:
> • Paragraph 6 has been added to the Vision Statement:
> 6. We will manifest a culture that is comfortable with myriad expressions of the Self and rejects fear; attracting and retaining a diverse membership at every level and welcoming the participation of Thelemites of all sexes, genders, orientations, “races,” ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds.
> • Paragraph 6 has been added to the Values Statement:
> 6. We believe that a membership free from unfair discrimination is essential to accomplishing our Mission, and reject doctrines that promote bigotry, prejudice, and intolerance.

Otherwise, none of Wasserman's behavior listed above has been addressed in any official capacity.

It is understandable if some people simply do not care -- Do what thou wilt, after all. And most do not dismiss the idea that Wasserman is a great guy in person, especially if he likes you, and that some of his writings have some worth. That being said, for many that doesn't at all dismiss his egregious and repeated public behavior as a prominent public representative of the Order.

Alright, well I don't know what group you're involved in but if you're spending "hours and hours" in Temple but not getting any Work done it sounds kinda silly.

I think you need to go back to some foundational principles. What is is that you are looking to get from the Work? What made you attracted to Thelema and Magick in general? Who do you admire and/or respect when it comes to these matters? Why?

In regards to A.'.A.'. lineages there's a lot of people with opinions that they're echoing from their own respective folks. While trying to avoid being too sectarian (while being honest with my perspective) there are only really two groups of note who claim A.'.A.'.

The Jane Wolfe claimant group(s) which are associated with the Temple of Thelema and the College of Thelema. I think there are a couple of different individuals (David Shoemaker is the only one I know of by name) who claim to have "inherited" this tradition currently. Their contact info is available through the ToT and CoT website.

The group commonly associated with Daniel Gunther (although there are other members of note) is the A.'.A.'. recognized by and affiliated with the OTO formally. Their contact info can be found at http://www.outercol.org/

The Temple of Thelema organization has a lot of virulent defenders online and has a much more vocal internet presence. The OTO affiliated organization has a lot of the "bigger names" in Thelema associated with it (though by no means all of them). There's a very real argument that's been occurring for some decades about whether "lineages" have any validity in terms of distinguishing the "actual" A.'.A.'. The ToT folks believe very much in them, and use the credentials awarded to Wolfe/Seckler as the reasoning behind their legitimacy. The OTO affiliated group doesn't believe that lineages confirm legitimacy and and an overall organizational body ensuring proper teaching/conduct is key (despite the individual nature of the work).

A lot of this got really inflamed during the 70's and 80's due in part to interpersonal conflicts among those Thelemites who were struggling to reestablish the OTO and A.'.A.'. after the death of Karl Germer. The situation is complex and if you'd like to see some accounts of it I suggest the following books.

The Selected Writings of Phyllis Seckler comes in two volumes, I linked to the second as I don't know if the first volume is still in print.

In the Center of the Fire: A Memoir of the Occult 1966-1989 by James Wasserman

Both sides have their partisans who make the issue much more emotional and dramatic than it needs to be at this point. Do your research and compare what you find of the works of various initiates to the founding documents of the A.'.A.'. (Liber 13, 33, 61, 185, 207 & 489).

As well as the Tarot.

A word of note about the Tarot, not intended to be used as a game or to be used by charlatans for "fortune telling" schemes, rather a tool for the instruction of various esoteric lineages and theurgic divination:

> Tarot A resume of the Qabalah, Astrology, Alchemy, and Esoteric Sym­bolism disguised as 78 "playing cards." The 22 Trumps are identified
> with the Hebrew letters; the 4 Suits are identified with the four Ele­ments; and the 10 "Small Cards" (in the four Suits) with the 10 Sephi­roth. The 16 Court Cards (four in each of the four Suits) are identified
> with the archetypal forces of Tetragrammaton-Father, Mother, Son,
> and Daughter.
>
> Tetragrammaton יהוה. The biblical name of God. It represents the four
> Elements. י (Fire), ה (Water) ו (Air), ה (Earth).

(Excert from 'In the Center of the Fire: A Memoir of the Occult 1966-1989' by James Wasserman)