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    Subject: KWard: AC Clones (Reflection)
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    [from Thelema93-L: KEN WARD <WARD@cnc.bc.ca>]

    Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

    I am sure that a number of you have encountered various oddballs,
    eccentrics, and just plain nut-cases upon getting involved with
    magick.  The magical & mystical arts (and in particular, Thelema)
    seem to attract these types like a magnet!  In my own searching
    over the past 25 years I have come across more than I care to
    think about and I will only mention a few notables for this
    posting.

    AMADO 777  (BM-Box 77, London WC1V 6XX, England)

    In 1976 e.v. I came into contact (just how I can't recall) with
    Aleister Crowley's "supposed" illegitimate son and we exchanged
    about 4 letters and I ordered his series of books, _Liber Lucis_.

    I found his letters truly boring and uninformative, and his books,
    a waste of time and money!  If he _is_ the child of A.C., he
    certainly didn't inherit his father's writing skills nor does he
    have a clue about A.C.'s work or Thelema!  Much of _Liber Lucis_
    deals with spiritualism and psychism, something which A.C. was
    dead against!

    More recently, when I first got "on-line" during the fall of
    1994 e.v. with A.O.L., one of the first "newsgroups" I read on
    alt.magick was a review of Amado Crowley's _The Secrets of
    Aleister Crowley_ by Steve Anthony (STEVE@elan.demon.co.uk)??
    I had thought that Amado had crawled back into the woodwork!
    Apparently not!  This book apparently claims that Amado is A.C.'s
    successor (by intent), that _Liber AL_ was a "red herring" to
    distract attention from A.C.'s "real work", etc. etc.  Has anyone
    seen this book?

    Finally, with regard to Amado 777, I also recently discovered
    that he once influenced (rather negatively, I might add) a couple
    of reasonably well known writers on magick which I will talk
    about in my next posting.

    T. CASEY BRENNAN (THE GREAT BEAST 666)

    Last known address was at "Xanadu" in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  During
    1976 and 1977 e.v. I communicated with this fellow who claimed to
    be the reincarnation of Aleister Crowley.  He had all sorts of
    "proof" including photos of his shaven head and descriptions of his
    666 birthmark (or was it a tattoo?).  The last I heard of him he was
    writing comic books.  He even sent me one.  As I recall it wasn't
    half bad, but I seem to have misplaced (subconsciously?) both his
    comic and his correspondence!

    THELEMA KAABA  (P.O.Box 85, King City, Ontario LOG 1K0, Canada)

    Out of the blue in 1990 e.v. I received pages & pages of material
    from a Frater Archon of Thelema Kaaba ranting and raving about
    how a psychic from California saw him as the sole authority on
    Thelema and that all Thelemites and Thelemic orders should rally
    around him!  He _is_ the next prophet mentioned in _Liber AL_
    (actually I think he implied that he was the reincarnation of A.C.
    as well!)  He also _literally_ forbids the study of _Liber AL_ and
    recommends the study of the writings of Robert Masters and Jean
    Houston.  Now, I don't have anything against these two authors
    but after browsing through some of their books I don't feel they
    have a lot to add to Thelema.

    Anyway, I wrote a couple of brief letters to Fra. Archon asking
    for clarification and identification of himself.  Each time I
    would receive back pages & pages of rhetoric (the pulp & paper
    industry must love him!) but he would never identify himself!
    I have suspicions that he may be Alexander Duncan, a fellow I
    wrote to for a while back in the 70's but he would neither
    confirm or deny it.

    TEMPLO ORDINIS TEITANAS (Box 639, New Boston, Michigan 48164)

    In 1993 e.v. I made the mistake of responding to an ad in a
    magazine about a new Thelemic order, T.O.T. (O.T.O. inside out?)
    Again, I received volumes of paper (not quite as much as Thelema
    Kaaba though) claiming ties to Frater Achad and James M. Martin,
    as well as being the next prophet of _Liber AL_.  This time it
    was a Frater Hemaphroditus Alpha Xo.  Among the various rites
    and practices sent to me was the T.O.T.'s main practice.....
    the worship of the image of the head of Aleister Crowley!  Come
    on now!

    Finally, my last entry here for "Thelemic Odds & Sods" is a very
    recent contact and is almost an afterthought so-to-speak, but I
    felt it warranted mentioning.

    DAVID BERSSON (FRATER SPHINX, S.O.T.O., FRATER SUPERIOR OF THE
                                                      WHOLE WORLD!)

             (c/o Clerk-House, P.O. Box 3164, Dana Point, CA 92629)

    About a month ago I ordered _Gold Coins_ or _The Golden Coins of
    The Master: A Commentary of the Book of the Law_ by Fra. Sphinx.
    I didn't get my usual "barred for life" response (see my O.T.O.
    posting) but maybe it was because I had sent money or perhaps
    they actually have forgotten?  I received the book about a week
    ago.  In my opinion, it is pure trash of the worst kind!  This
    guy not only misrepresents Thelema but he also does disservice
    to his so-called mentor, the late Marcello Motta!

    One of the big things in _Gold Coins_ is the construction of
    actual ritual wands designed from the images of A.C.'s hand-
    writing in the ms of _Liber AL_.  For example, there is an
    ABRAHADABRA wand formed in the shape of how A.C. wrote it in
    _Liber AL_, etc. etc.  Bersson gives a "Sacred Ritual of the
    Bull Sacrifice" taking Ch.3, V12 literally!  Also, his comments
    on Ch.3, V55 imply that any woman that won't "fuck" him are to
    be cursed!  Really?  I have read some wierd shit in my day but
    this is right up there!

    Love is the law, love under will.

    O.v.N.