Do you have to be evil to be LHP?

[Willamena]

If you can't control yourself, then who is in control?

God. It's the whole idea that individuality is an illusion, we are not separate in any way from god.

 

[Infinitum]

Wow, this thread almost span out of control in just a few pages.

Do you have to be evil to be LHP?
The answer is no. LHP isn't about being evil or even trying to be evil. Because most followers of LHP don't accept the concept of evil to start with, we will inevitably be viewed as evil by people who believe in objective morality. That said, part of LHP practice is to acknowledge and challenge the mental restrictions we have, including taboos, fears and beliefs. Rules are broken to free the mind and remove the obstacles that stop you from growing. This is one of the most important distinctions between LHP and other paths.

Is LHP more dangerous than RHP?
Yes, it definitely is. You can't just assume everyone have the psychic strength or willpower to keep challenging themselves in the way serious LHP practice requires. If you have mental problems, like depression or low self-esteem, you shouldn't be trying out LHP at all. Tearing ones mental structure apart isn't something to be played with. For many people other paths focusing on meditation and acceptance are much better options - Buddhism high on the list.

But what about the dark symbolism in LHP?
I can imagine this question will pop up, so I give my take on it right away. Why does especially Western LHP include so much dark and evil symbolism? What about Satanism, for example?
Symbols are tools to focus our mind on. Since LHP practice lays much importance on the study of taboos and restrictions, a good way of gaining understanding of what it means is to work with "forbidden" symbolism: devil themes, pentagrams, bodily fluids and so on. That in mind it's perhaps not surprising that LHP people get pretty fond of these themes - which explains why many identify with darkness, chaos, Satan and so on. They have deep meanings and personal connotations for us that are very hard to explain to someone who simply sees it from the outside. Much of it is simply aesthetic and shouldn't been seen as an obligatory part of LHP.

I hope these helped. Please ask more questions if I left something out or said something that's hard to understand.

 

[crossfire]

God. It's the whole idea that individuality is an illusion, we are not separate in any way from god.

Ahh. So god is in control when you fly into a blind rage, lose control, and murder someone?

 

[Iti oj]

Im not very dark or evil but im very lhp. I do see the draw and connection though.
On the topic of taboo.i am unsure where i stand.

 

[LuisDantas]

Wow, this thread almost span out of control in just a few pages.

If you say so. I don't see any reason for alarm, but I'm not the host.

(...) Because most followers of LHP don't accept the concept of evil to start with, we will inevitably be viewed as evil by people who believe in objective morality.

This DIR is probably not the place for discussing this, but I beg to differ. Unless by objective morality you mean following set rules that do no consider the particularities of circunstances and personal inclinations.

That is something I would like to discuss somewhere else, in fact. Maybe I will create a thred and invite you to participate.

That said, part of LHP practice is to acknowledge and challenge the mental restrictions we have, including taboos, fears and beliefs. Rules are broken to free the mind and remove the obstacles that stop you from growing. This is one of the most important distinctions between LHP and other paths.

I wonder if there is any well-accepted text about how that applies to the legal system. I have some personal ideas myself.

Also, I wonder... have you reached some sort of consensus about how distinguishable LHP is from other paths? Not every other religious path defines itself in relation to the straight and narrow, after all.

 

[Iti oj]

I think auto theism is lhp more so then darkness and taboo.

This god.needs a new phone. Make.me an offering.

 

[Infinitum]

This DIR is probably not the place for discussing this, but I beg to differ. Unless by objective morality you mean following set rules that do no consider the particularities of circunstances and personal inclinations.

Yeah, that's what I mean. Including objective morality in the sense that morals are given from outside (a religious source) and are thus unchangeable and inflexible.

That is something I would like to discuss somewhere else, in fact. Maybe I will create a thred and invite you to participate.

I'm always up for some civilized discussion.

I wonder if there is any well-accepted text about how that applies to the legal system. I have some personal ideas myself.

We've had some discussions in the DIR before about law and basic morals. One of the best threads with lots of discussion about ethics is found in Respectful question for understanding the LHP. It's almost impossible to find texts concerning LHP that everyone would agree on. I'm sure some Satanists and Setians would be able to add their common perspectives, though.

Also, I wonder... have you reached some sort of consensus about how distinguishable LHP is from other paths? Not every other religious path defines itself in relation to the straight and narrow, after all.

As a group in the DIR, no, we really haven't . One of the most common subjects of debate are how to distinct LHP from RHP. When you look at it from an academic viewpoint it makes more sense to pick out practices within religions that fit under the definition of LHP. As mentioned elsewhere, LHP wasn't born as a separate path, but a path inside a path.

 

[Willamena]

Ahh. So god is in control when you fly into a blind rage, lose control, and murder someone?

The idea is that in conquering self, such things wouldn't happen.

 

[crossfire]

The idea is that in conquering self, such things wouldn't happen.

Agreed. You have the power to control yourself, so you don't do the things you don't want to do. That's the part where my will be done comes in. Self-control. Mindfulness. Optimization of your faculties. Transformation/rebirth/evolution/liberation.

 

[Desert Snake]

Wow, this thread almost span out of control in just a few pages.

Yeah, go figure.

Do you have to be evil to be LHP?
The answer is no. LHP isn't about being evil or even trying to be evil. Because most followers of LHP don't accept the concept of evil to start with, we will inevitably be viewed as evil by people who believe in objective morality. That said, part of LHP practice is to acknowledge and challenge the mental restrictions we have, including taboos, fears and beliefs. Rules are broken to free the mind and remove the obstacles that stop you from growing. This is one of the most important distinctions between LHP and other paths.

Understood, you must understand the confusion, though, right? With all the practices being referred to as
LHP" and "evil" simultaneously, it's a logical conclusion that LHP is promoting evil.

Is LHP more dangerous than RHP?
Yes, it definitely is. You can't just assume everyone have the psychic strength or willpower to keep challenging themselves in the way serious LHP practice requires. If you have mental problems, like depression or low self-esteem, you shouldn't be trying out LHP at all. Tearing ones mental structure apart isn't something to be played with. For many people other paths focusing on meditation and acceptance are much better options - Buddhism high on the list.

But what about the dark symbolism in LHP?
I can imagine this question will pop up, so I give my take on it right away. Why does especially Western LHP include so much dark and evil symbolism? What about Satanism, for example?
Symbols are tools to focus our mind on. Since LHP practice lays much importance on the study of taboos and restrictions, a good way of gaining understanding of what it means is to work with "forbidden" symbolism: devil themes, pentagrams, bodily fluids and so on. That in mind it's perhaps not surprising that LHP people get pretty fond of these themes - which explains why many identify with darkness, chaos, Satan and so on. They have deep meanings and personal connotations for us that are very hard to explain to someone who simply sees it from the outside. Much of it is simply aesthetic and shouldn't been seen as an obligatory part of LHP.

Why use the "evil" terminology, then, isn't it misguiding?

I hope these helped. Please ask more questions if I left something out or said something that's hard to understand.

Very much so, thanks...and I will.
The world serpent, an inclusive pagan symbolism...merry Solstice

 

[Iti oj]

Very much so, thanks...and I will.
The world serpent, an inclusive pagan symbolism...merry Solstice

Thank you I have a ritual planned with some wiccian/pagan friends of mine. I will be preforming a ritual of transformation. A greater black magic.
idk if you saw.my post about auto theism.

 

[Adramelek]

I find a lot of the philosophical arguments presented by many of the LHP'rs on RF to be quite well thought out, and convincing. Aside from the "evil" connotations, do you think that one has to be evil to be LHP?
I actually agree with much of LHP viewpoints, without the negative context of "evil" or "wrong"

"Good" and "evil", "right" and "wrong" are subjective terms from a LHP perspective. LHPathers determine their own morals. That being said, acts such as the resent massacre of children in Newtown, CT to me would be an act of evil, and I condemn it and am appauled by it just as much as anyone else would be. Also, to me the only good that came out of that massacre was that the murderer killed himself - may he for ever be reborn in the jaws of Sebek!

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I I am not evil at all.

And my username isn't Gjallarhorn. :slap:

 

[Adramelek]

I actually find this lie, this false stereotype that we LHPathers, Setians, Satanists, are evil to be personally offensive.

 

[Infinitum]

Why use the "evil" terminology, then, isn't it misguiding?

Misguiding is the wrong word. Although it's largely aesthetic, dark themes like these are also good "shortcuts" to study parts of the human psyche. Symbols are universal and easy to understand, and many of them have become very powerful over time. The most common example would be the pentagram, that's been around for over a thousand years in a large variety of different environments.

 

[Desert Snake]

I actually find this lie, this false stereotype that we LHPathers, Setians, Satanists, are evil to be personally offensive.

I completely understand, I think people are promoting that stereotype on purpose, though.

 

[Adramelek]

I completely understand, I think people are promoting that stereotype on purpose, though.

Oh, hell, absolutely they are. For most RHPathers (christians/muslims) anything that is dark or mysterious, the so-called "forbidden knowledge" is evil or "sinfull" because it can cause some to stray from the fold or that which is considered normal which is a threat to the power over the minds of others which those who consider themselves as moral leaders have. Therein lies the hypocrosy of organized religion, which is unto itself a form of evil from my point of view.

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I find a lot of the philosophical arguments presented by many of the LHP'rs on RF to be quite well thought out, and convincing. Aside from the "evil" connotations, do you think that one has to be evil to be LHP?
I actually agree with much of LHP viewpoints, without the negative context of "evil" or "wrong"

cheers

You create your own evil - so no.

 

[Iti oj]

And my username isn't Gjallarhorn. :slap:

baah im benign and benevolent in my selfish ways

 

[Orias]

I find a lot of the philosophical arguments presented by many of the LHP'rs on RF to be quite well thought out, and convincing. Aside from the "evil" connotations, do you think that one has to be evil to be LHP?
I actually agree with much of LHP viewpoints, without the negative context of "evil" or "wrong"

cheers

Evil? No...

Maybe though perhaps in some eyes we appear to be darker, more intense, maybe even more hostile. But its all practice mind you, there are some others who appear to be a bit more common in appearance as well as they appear to be able to articulate well. But I'm not sure really, I think naturally the LHP is about embracing the darkness.

Which can lead to evil.