Your thoughts on Dr. Michael A. Aquino

[Adramelek]

"Michael A. Aquino was the only member of the Church of Satan to attain the Second Level of the Fourth Degree (Magister Templi IV*-II') prior to 1975, and was a member of the Church's Council of Nine and Order of the Trapezoid 1970-75. He served as Editor of the Church's Cloven Hoof newsletter 1971-75.

He served as founding High Priest of the Temple of Set 1975-1996, was Recognized as a Magus V* and Ipsissimus VI*, and was founding Grand Master of the Temple's Order of the Trapezoid 1982-87.

In secular life he is a Lt. Colonel, Military Intelligence, U.S. Army (Ret.). He is a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University; Defense Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency; Foreign Service Institute, Department of State; U.S. Army Special Warfare Center (Special Forces ("Green Beret")/Psychological Operations/Civil Affairs/Foreign Area Officer); U.S. Army Command & General Staff College; U.S. Army Intelligence School, and U.S. Army Space Institute. Decorations include the Bonze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3 awards), Special Forces Tab, Parachutist Badge, and the Republic of Veitnam Gallantry Cross.

Academic credentials include the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California; and the M.P.A. in Public Administration from George Washington University. He has taught as Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Golden Gate University 1980-86."

Dr. Michael A. Aquino has been and will always be a pioneer of the Left-Hand Path, he is the First Magus V* of Xeper in the Common Era.

http://www.xeper.org/maquino/
www.xeper.org

/Adramelek\

 

[Infinitum]

Aquino seems, based on an interview I've heard, like an intelligent person with a clear idea of what he wanted to do back when he was founding ToS. That's all I'm able to say about him, however, since I haven't really read any of his writings or ideas in general. I'll come to that eventually.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I see lots of credentials, but no listings of his personal views beyond various allegiances...

 

[Adramelek]

A lot of Dr. Aquino's writings are available to the public, many more are Inner Temple only, however, one must consider that the Temple of Set would not have lasted this long if it was not on to something unique and extremely valuable about the human condition. Also, Dr. Aquino once said - "I will stand up for Him (the Prince of Darkness) in this world, and will stand by Him in the next."

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[Sylvan]

His publicly available writings can be pretty hilarious as well as informative. Anyone interested in any of the subjects presented in this DIR and particularly the history of organized Satanism owes it themselves to read his histories of the CoS and ToS. He seems like someone it would be fun to have a cup of tea with in his library... quite erudite.

Also his narrative of being stalked by an obsessed woman angry that no one believes in Satanic Ritual Abuse anymore is totally surreal.. especially when she begins including celebrity stalking into the mix and accusing him of hanging out in a secret psychic lair with the likes of Steven Speilburg and Jennifer Lopez who take turns attacking her with some kind of Tepaphonic mind control ray and giving her naughty thoughts.

 

[1137]

Well, in one way I have much respect for him. The fact that he was able to create the ToS and Setianism is quite amazing. However, there are many cases where history simply falls to subjective intepretation in his works, trading facts for more crowd pleasing beliefs. Really his pseudo-history and pseudo Egyptian philosophy has little influence over my beliefs.

 

[Kori Houghton]

Why not?

I think Aquino's COS and TOS ebooks are worth reading, but I recommend cross referencing them with Scroll of Set articles that deal with the same subject matter. I don't have access to any COS publications that are relevant, but I imagine they would be useful as well. Where differences in the histories occur, I have no way of knowing which version is factual. But I find the points where discrepancies occur to be interesting. Recommend Gini Scott's The Magicians for cross reference as well.

Online, I've seen Aquino posing in forums for almost 25 years now. He is articulate and amusing. However, he has contributed almost nothing new for about a decade now. Copying-pasting the same annecdotes and dropped names and links for a quarter century would get old for me.

Looking beneath the surface of Aquino's contributions to the study of magic and the occult has been personally helpful by forcing me to examine a lot of things I had taken for granted -- accepted without much thought. My points of disagreement with Aquino really helped me push myself along the path I am taking today.

 

[Adramelek]

If it is ok with the mods, this thread is open to all on the Religious Forums, please, however, no bashing of active RF Left-Hand Path DIR contributors.

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[Mindmaster]

Regardless of his mundane achievements (which are certainly impressive, but largely irrelevant in terms of what I feel means success on the LHP) I can appreciate the thrust of his efforts. He has done one thing that most other founders of such organizations haven't -- he has never failed to remain accessible. During the whole of the late 80's and 90's when I was forming my path he was speaking and engaging people directly where LaVey and others were hiding in a hole. Even now I bet I could send him an email of a pressing LHP concern or anything about the ToS and he'd quickly point you to references and provide background. Perhaps the mystery of the man is how little mystery he invokes and how much patience and love for the left hand path he has that allows him to deal with novice and adept equally. He has even been posting on forums up until recently, but seems to have retired from this activity. (Not alone, I have been thinking of taking up this torch due to a lot of my influences being old and rather retired.) The last forum I seen him post on was The 600 club, but I could see why he'd be frustrated of posting there. I remember writing him a thank you letter at this time in a PM... hopefully he read it..

At least he's a real doctor... I never understood why LaVey styled himself so. I reject ToS only on a theological level (if the aesthetics don't appeal why bother? Magic is magic...), but was seeking association after I abandoned atheism -- I could no longer hang with the new tween symbolic Satanists; so, I decided to pursue other lines. I still respect Aquino a great deal as he had personally answered many questions for me early on. Many of us middle-aged Satanists probably owe him a debt one way or another -- since we'd likely be in a very different place without his feedback during the SRA debacle, exposing the true nature of the CoS, and more. During the period where I was transitioning to an adult was a very trying time and for awhile we simply couldn't mention to parents and friends our nature -- it was all over the news Satanic Ritual Abuse in big letters... LaVey hid in a hole -- Aquino went on TV with his wife and others from the Temple and denounced the accusations. I have no doubt without this action we may not have been able to legally practice our path let alone speak of it. I still think I have much more in common with Setians than supposed Satanists.

 

[Octavia156]

My thoughts...

I'd possibley argue for Aquino having attained the Grade of Adeptus Exemptus 7=4 in A.'.A.'., Xeper philosophy and the BOCFBN being his Magnum Opus - the specific task of the Exepmt Adept, as opposed to a Magus 9=2.

By virtue of the Philosophy of his Magnum Opus Thesis, and assuming he follows his own philosophy he will never reach the grade of Magister Templi 8=3 or beyond because a priori he cannot cross the Abyss.

I therefore have as much respect for Mr Aquino as I do any Exempt Adept. His ideas epitomise the Thelemic Black Brotherhood for me.
From an A.'.A.'. perspective his Success is his Failure, to him, his failure is his success.

My only EBI for Aquino, and its the same for Gerald Gardner and Wicca, is that Crowley and Thelema don't get enough explicit credit. All new starters of new religions are effecitvely standing on the sholders of giants. But never more so it seems than with these two individuals.

 

[Kori Houghton]

Many of us middle-aged Satanists probably owe him a debt one way or another -- since we'd likely be in a very different place without his feedback during the SRA debacle, exposing the true nature of the CoS, and more. During the period where I was transitioning to an adult was a very trying time and for awhile we simply couldn't mention to parents and friends our nature -- it was all over the news Satanic Ritual Abuse in big letters... LaVey hid in a hole -- Aquino went on TV with his wife and others from the Temple and denounced the accusations. I have no doubt without this action we may not have been able to legally practice our path let alone speak of it. I still think I have much more in common with Setians than supposed Satanists.

I grew up in an environment which was extremely polite and tolerant in matters of religion. I was still living there during the 1980s, and I have to say that the appearance of Zeena and Aquino, among others, on the Geraldo program didn't do me any favors :no: It wasn't a big deal, but I had to put up with a lot more jokes about my beliefs and practices in the days following the broadcast. Luckily I watched the silly thing, so I could laugh along with my coworkers about it. LaVey showed smarts by not appearing.

Falstaff:
To die is to be a counterfeit, for he is but the counterfeit of
a man who hath not the life of a man; but to counterfeit dying,
when a man thereby liveth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true
and perfect image of life indeed. The better part of valor is
discretion, in the which better part I have sav'd my life.

-- Henry The Fourth, Part 1 Act 5, scene 4, 115-121

 

[Mindmaster]

I grew up in an environment which was extremely polite and tolerant in matters of religion. I was still living there during the 1980s, and I have to say that the appearance of Zeena and Aquino, among others, on the Geraldo program didn't do me any favors :no: It wasn't a big deal, but I had to put up with a lot more jokes about my beliefs and practices in the days following the broadcast. Luckily I watched the silly thing, so I could laugh along with my coworkers about it. LaVey showed smarts by not appearing.

Honestly most of that was in the format of the show I remember hearing something about Geraldo tuning him up about using words with more than two syllables. Thing is as frivolous as it was it was better than nothing even if you appeared silly that was better than appearing a pedophile. Aquino has an odd appearance and really that is my only problem with him but he was born with the Dracula brows so who cares. Again, appearing in this case even if appearing 'silly' is better than not appearing and presenting anything. Nothing they said made them appear foolish. He also appeared on Oprah as well. Why did he do it? These were the #1 and #2 talk shows at the time. Same reason I would in his position.

[youtube]MpaotRvwoJ0[/youtube]

You don't think this is a serious discussion, but imagine the lynch mob if people started believing people like this.

 

[Kori Houghton]

He also appeared on Oprah as well. Why did he do it? These were the #1 and #2 talk shows at the time. Same reason I would in his position.


You don't think this is a serious discussion, but imagine the lynch mob if people started believing people like this.

In reality there are many people today who would find that confused disturbed young man in the Oprah video clip convincing. Aquino's appearance on tabloid shows and chat shows did not prevent anyone from being ignorant or superstitious, or protect anyone in the open practice of their religion or spiritual path.

The vast majority of Americans were in no danger of believing in the lurid scenarios of the SRA scam. The story the man in Oprah's audience told was a typical b movie scenario, an obvious fiction of a type still used in popular entertainment today. Nice job Aquino did, though, working LaVey's name and COS into the discussion

 

[ScottySatan]

Aquino has his **** together. I've seen intelligent people challenge him and get shot down by very simple rebuttals.

 

[Kori Houghton]

Aquino has his **** together. I've seen intelligent people challenge him and get shot down by very simple rebuttals.

I've seen some fascinating exchanges on another forum (600Club) involving Aquino. While his rebuttals do tend to be the simple, expected, anecdotes and links, I am not sure how many readers of those topics who aren't emotionally involved would get the impression that Aquino blew anyone out of the water.

I think when a challenge is coming from an emotional reaction against all things darkly mysterious, or even the vaguest connection with the idea of "satan", it can be a simple matter to blow that off.

But when everyone involved in the discussion is very intelligent, well read, and articulate, you need more than the online forum equivalent of "you had to be there" to carry the day.

 

[ScottySatan]

I've seen some fascinating exchanges on another forum (600Club) involving Aquino. While his rebuttals do tend to be the simple, expected, anecdotes and links, I am not sure how many readers of those topics who aren't emotionally involved would get the impression that Aquino blew anyone out of the water.

I think when a challenge is coming from an emotional reaction against all things darkly mysterious, or even the vaguest connection with the idea of "satan", it can be a simple matter to blow that off.

But when everyone involved in the discussion is very intelligent, well read, and articulate, you need more than the online forum equivalent of "you had to be there" to carry the day.

You're right. He doesn't tend to give clear answers, but refers people to his books, which are also unclear. His presence on the 600 Club was the basis for my previous post, funnily enough.

He is the only person on the 600 Club that I know to be openly theistic (or at least openly opposed to the predominant paradigm) and not get kicked out. People challenge him, and his indifference (combined with with not getting kicked out) makes them look like fools. That's really what I was talking about. Maybe it can be chalked up to simple maturity. Some of it is certainly from having his reputation precede him, but that's the kind of thing that Satanism is all about.

 

[Kori Houghton]

You're right. He doesn't tend to give clear answers, but refers people to his books, which are also unclear. His presence on the 600 Club was the basis for my previous post, funnily enough.

I find his answers clear enough, and I've read his books. It was by comparing his anecdotal answers in various fora over the years to his books and then to TOS material that I came to my present points of disagreement with him.

He is the only person on the 600 Club that I know to be openly theistic (or at least openly opposed to the predominant paradigm) and not get kicked out. People challenge him, and his indifference (combined with with not getting kicked out) makes them look like fools. That's really what I was talking about. Maybe it can be chalked up to simple maturity. Some of it is certainly from having his reputation precede him, but that's the kind of thing that Satanism is all about.

It would not be in the interests of the folks who run 600 Club to ban Aquino, for the reason you mention -- he does have a history in contemporary occultism and a reputation that is not insignificant. But people challenging him on his explications of TOS doctrines, that made better sense in the world as it was 30+ years ago, does not make the challengers look like fools IMO. Those topics are well worth reading, no matter what side of the discussion you find yourself on.

 

[Adramelek]

I saw the Geraldo and Operah shows back in the late 1980's. I had heard about the Temple of Set but didn't know much about it. As a young Satanist seeing Aquino for the first time I really wasn't taken aback by his unusual looks with the widows peak hair style and horned eyebrows, I actually thought he looked pretty cool. I thought the Geraldo show Devil Worship: Exposing Satan's Underground was a total setup against Aquino and Zeena and Satanism in general.

A while later I found a copy of the book "The Occult Experience" which has a chapter on the Temple of Set and an interview with the Aquinos. I was immediately fascinated by their philosophy and the unification of Satanic imagery with Egyptian symbolism by the ToS. After doing some of my own research into the Egyptian god Set and other Egyptian mythology I began to question my years of acceptance of the Hebrew Satan as the purest form of the Lord of Darkness. And my questioning turned into a Need to know - "what is the true Form of the Dark Lord (for me), and so one night in the year 1989 c.e. I performed my first ritual invocation to Set using the invocation in the "Satanic Bible" but substituting the name of Satan with that of Set along with other minor alterations of my own. The entire working lasted for about 45 minutes, I can't be sure as time seems to stand still during GBM workings. And of course, as a lot of you know, it was during that working that I Became Setian, and through what I experienced my life paradigm was changed for ever. This was my actual first real encounter with the power of Greater Black Magic, and about 8 or 9 months later I originally joined the Temple of Set.

The teachings of Dr. Aquino and other Setians helped shape me into my own as a fledgling Black Magician.

For ever in the Dark Fire of Set!

Xeper and Remanifest.
/Adramelek\

 

[Kori Houghton]

I saw the Geraldo and Operah shows back in the late 1980's. I had heard about the Temple of Set but didn't know much about it. As a young Satanist seeing Aquino for the first time I really wasn't taken aback by his unusual looks with the widows peak hair style and horned eyebrows, I actually thought he looked pretty cool. I thought the Geraldo show Devil Worship: Exposing Satan's Underground was a total setup against Aquino and Zeena and Satanism in general.

Agreed! Nothing but a setup. The show wouldn't have been worth watching without the representatives from "the dark side" making an appearance.

As for the costumes worn by Aquino and Zeena, that was pure "show business" as my mom would say. I recall my late hubby breaking out into guffaws when Zeena walked onto the stage. Not because she wasn't cute, but because her demeanor was inappropriate to the matters that the show pretended to discuss. Overall, the program was just entertainment.

 

[Adramelek]

As for the costumes worn by Aquino and Zeena, that was pure "show business" as my mom would say. I recall my late hubby breaking out into guffaws when Zeena walked onto the stage. Not because she wasn't cute, but because her demeanor was inappropriate to the matters that the show pretended to discuss. Overall, the program was just entertainment.

Well, wearing a black clerical collar was and still is a common practice of some members of the Setian Priesthood III*+ during formal Setian gatherings or when administering their duty as representatives of the Temple of Set in a public forum. Initiates of the Priesthood of Set take the Function(s) of their Degree very seriously, it is a sacred obligation to both themSelves and the Lord of Darkness.

Xeper.
/Adramelek\