On St. Cyprian’s feast day, sorcerer Jason Miller posted some interesting musings. Here’s a sample:
“I don’t see Christ and the Devil as the same, or in league. I don’t necessarily believe in the objective reality of any of this in the way that some people do, but the spirits and powers are real enough and as I perceive them, they are in conflict. In fact, its precisely because they are in conflict that they are useful. Isn’t the world in constant conflict?
“The conflict I see between Heavenly Hosts and Infernal Legions isn’t one of Good vs Evil but Collectivism vs Individualism. God gets born on earth to be sacrificed for the collective sins of the world. Lucifer falls to earth for individual freedom. Both of these are noble in their way.
“The angels are about obeying god, and working along the lines of order and conformity. What is good for most people, most of the time. Of course, just as too much freedom can create chaos and suffering, too much order and conformity creates oppression and suffering. So a force of rebellion is needed. A Rebel Angel.
“Rebellion is a part of growth. When we are children our parents set certain rules and parameters to keep us safe and help us become productive adults. As we become young adults we naturally push against these barriers and test them. This is dangerous in that breaking some rules can lead quickly to ruin, but never testing them is equally dangerous in that it stifles growth.
“Most of us rebel, and learn that some of our parents rules were wise indeed, and we wind up having a deeper appreciation for them when we adopt them as our own. We also find that some rules no longer apply, and we abandon them, as we should. Most of the rules and guidelines are ones that we keep for the most part, but learn to bend with skill when its beneficial or enjoyable to do so. Some we even need to break from time to time and deal with the consequences.
“So should you love God and hate the Devil, or should you love the Devil and hate God? Neither. Just as a rebellious teen still loves their parents as they break curfew, and the parent loves the teen even though they are frustrated that they are not home yet, you should love them both for what they are. Moreover as a Sorcerer you should call on them for what they are, when you need to.
“THAT is why I can do a Black Liturgy on a Saturday Night, and go to Mass on a Sunday Morning.
“That, and the fact that I don’t feel the need to believe in the factual objective reality of every myth and legend and religious view. There is more to this than we know, and more than we can know, so a little cognitive dissonance from time to time is simply a sign of being on the right track.”
Read his whole post:
http://www.strategicsorcery.net/the-feast-of-st-cyprian-how-to-honor-both-christ-and-the-devil.
