G'day Nathan,
I thought your post below very interesting and in order to answer you about my thoughts on Satan and change tack a little, I've raised this to the top. Excuse me, but unlike all the talk about why the watchtower society sucks and what's your favorite toilet paper, myth is a subject I actually get off on. Myth is generally little understood as is its vital role in the shaping of mankinds destiny. Acknowledge it or dwell in the land of the shallow surface reality presented by popular media, mankinds path has, and always will be, controlled by deep and fundamental psychological need.
This is a very big subject and i'll just touch it lightly here and see what comes. Like my witch comrads and other more rational types, I don't believe in the Christian God, Satan the Devil. (was he an entirely christian construct or was he transfered to Judaism as part of the dualism the Jews adopted prior to returning from Babylonian exile? mm the brain cell containing that info must be out to lunch)
I do believe in the importance of myth and its power in influencing and to a large extent directing the path of humanity. A good book to start with on the path to understanding on this is the ersoteric and once hard to get, underground classic; 'The Spear of Destiny'* .. quite an eyeopener into the very real but rarely known or understood events behind the rise and fall of early to mid last century fascism. Winston Churchill was surprised, relieved and astonished at the ignorance of the Nuremberg Judges and the way people like Deitric Ekhart were able to evade the jailers and give Himmler his last Satanic rites. (a reverse eucharist in some ways similar to the JW memorial where the emblems of Chist are purposely and deliberately refused) In this very real way the Nazis had the last laugh or at least the final smirk and the world at large had no idea.
Satan as a distinct personality doesn't exist any more than the easter bunny, Santa Claus or Jesus Christ, but dark, little understood forces certainly do and are apealled to and used in ways of breathtaking simplicity and evil intent by the dregs of insane humanity. The Nazis stand as a classic very real example of this but, just as the emergence of reason as the sole criterion of truth in the west didn't eliminate the religious irrationality of christianity, core evil isn't layed to rest in the battles that rage over this planet from time to time.
cheers, unclebruce
PS: Understanding myth has nothing whatsoever to do with belief in fairies, hob gobblins, trolls or demons caste down by angry gods and everything to do with human psychology and it its practical outworkings. Myth can help us face lifes challenges with courage and tremendous strength, it can also be turned upside down by evil men and used to destroy everything that enlightened men and women of goodwill have built, cities, nations even whole races and peoples. We ignore these things at our peril and should apreciate those who shape and explain our myths for our common betterment. Evil men are terrified only by those who can unblinkingly peer back into the depths of thier souls and show thier mastery over the heart of darkness. (one reason why Hitler thought little of Stalin and his Generals but was shaken to the core by the likes of Rudolph Steiner and a number of German Nobles and Poets. By all accounts Hitler only blinked once and that was to Claus Von Straffenberg an amazing German hero and student of Stephan George)
My prayer:
Oh Lord Jung wherever you are, come, rise up and help this most ignorant sod of the earth, explain to these people the workings of myth in thier lives and nations. ah men!
*The spear that suposedly pierced the side of Christ on the cross was used as a powerful talisman by both Constantine and Hitler and now rests back in the display case in the Austrian Museum from where Adolf stole it .. or is that one, as i strongly suspect, the exact replica Himmler and his Thule Society comrads made and used? Some folk might think i'm off my trolley but most people have no idea what the Nazis were up to. (ask someone what religion the Nazis were and wait for the blank looks lol)