To begin with, Thelema is the philosophy/religion founded by Aleister Crowley, whose central holy book is Liber AL vel Legis (the Book of the Law), published in 1904. There are other books that make up the body of Thelemic scripture, but Liber AL is the main one.

The one and only "commandment" in Thelema is "Do what thou wilt." It means for each individual to discover and do their "true will", which is to say their unique calling or purpose in life, or in each moment, and to this end, Thelema champions the freedom the individual, as illustrated in another important Thelemic text, Liber Oz.

A little bit about myself:
I grew up Mormon, but joined the Roman Catholic Church in 2008. In 2012, I got into Thelema and joined Aleister Crowley's flagship occult fraternity, Ordo Templi Orientis, where I am currently the initiation secretary of my local Lodge and an ordained Deacon in its ecclesiastical arm, Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica. Thelema encourages the exploration of other religions, so I still consider myself Catholic (and even Mormon) after a fashion, but I'm super "cafeteria", and I'm not offended if Catholics (or Mormons) disown me. Thelema is my main home, anyway.

I recently completed the first series of O.T.O. initiations (the "Man of Earth" degrees), so I am directly knowledgeable about everything in O.T.O. that isn't by special invitation-only. I won't reveal, confirm, or deny anything that's actually secret, but there's still a lot that I can answer, so don't be afraid to ask.

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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
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Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/

To help get things going, here are some previous answers to questions I've received:

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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
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Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/

Continued from above:

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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
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Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/

We believe that Jesus, who is God Incarnate, founded and gave us the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. It is has the fullness of the Truth.

Isn't that far preferable than believing and living a philosophy that was created by a mere mortal in 1904?

The only thing Aleister Crowley lacked was the Rock N Roll, though his influence on 60s pop culture possibly fulfilled that.

Interestingly L Ron Hubbard dabbled in Thelema.

I wish you well in your searching.

This is just a short snippy comment, but Thelema sounds exactly like Adam and Eve's sin.

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As for me, to be near God is my good, to make the Lord God my refuge. (Ps 73:28)

Agreed. It sounds selfish.

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http://www.themostholyrosary.com/15promises.htm

Seven Sorrows of Mary Promises and Devotion http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix1.htm

Do you have any questions about that? I'm three degrees of separation from people who were there, and it's a fun story to tell.

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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
----------
Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/

Sure, I've got a few questions I guess. Assuming you're into ritual magic, how do you reconcile that with Catholicism, cafeteria or otherwise? Not to sound hostile or anything, but clearly standing within a circle with well-known "occult" symbols drawn on the ground and attempting to summon "daemons", personal thought-forms, yada, yada, yada is clearly anti-Christ(ian). Concerning the IAOM chumps, how do reconcile being a Freemason with being a cafeteria-style Catholic? Do you take the standard "good works, etc." line? Or do you take Crowley's line? And as far as Crowley himself goes, do you view his bisexuality and terminal heroin addiction as a sign of wisdom and holiness? Or do you view it as a sign of someone who had severe personal problems which he needed to address?

Another question: what are your thoughts on Christian humility? The reason I ask is because it's the crux of what all so-called occultists are dealing with. I know of no exceptions; it's an absolute rule which holds true 100% of the time: people are drawn to so-called occultism (which actually isn't secret or "occult" at all) through egotism. They believe that they have secret information which sets them apart from the rest. Before long they're talking about Secret Chiefs and whatnot, completely lost in their imaginations, picturing themselves as Gandalf or something, and all because they're special and unlike other people.

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Solvitur ambulando…. It is solved by walking…
~Augustine

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http://www.themostholyrosary.com/15promises.htm

Seven Sorrows of Mary Promises and Devotion http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix1.htm

Do Satanists and their kin believe they will go to hell at the end of their lives, or where do they think they will end up?

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http://www.themostholyrosary.com/15promises.htm

Seven Sorrows of Mary Promises and Devotion http://www.themostholyrosary.com/appendix1.htm

My interest in both ritual magic and Catholicism was originally through Eliphas Levi, who was himself a devout Catholic, so I reconcile them the same way he did. He is my template.

I'm not a Freemason, so I can't answer this question. I might join at some point, but right now I don't know if they are compatible.

I'm interested in his writing, not his lifestyle, and I never knew him, so I can't comment on any of his personal problems. I'm a Thelemite, not a Crowleyite. On the subject of bisexuality, though, that's a sexual orientation, and I will enthusiastically defend anyone's right to love as they will. I have lots of friends who are LGBT, and they are awesome people.

Somewhat related to your first question, I think that what you call "Christian humility" is essential to being a magician, and Eliphas Levi certainly believed as much. I don't know what occultists you are referring to, but everyone I know in the O.T.O. who's made it at least passed II° knows that it's not all about their egos. You are also right that there is nothing actually secret in the occult, and anyone looking for that in the O.T.O. is barking up the wrong tree, and I would not sponsor them to join. I also personally don't believe in "Secret Chiefs" or any such nonsense.

Liber Librae is one of my favorite Thelemic texts, and it addresses this issue directly.

http://lib.oto-usa.org/libri/liber0030.html

Learn first— Oh thou who aspirest unto our ancient Order!— that Equilibrium is the basis of the Work. If thou thyself hast not a sure foundation, whereon wilt thou stand to direct the forces of Nature?

Know then, that as man is born into this world amidst the Darkness of Matter, and the strife of contending forces; so must his first endeavour be to seek the Light through their reconciliation.

Thou then who hast trials and troubles, rejoice because of them, for in them is Strength, and by their means is a pathway opened unto that Light.

How should it be otherwise, O man, whose life is but a day in Eternity, a drop in the Ocean of time; how, were thy trials not many, couldst thou purge thy soul from the dross of earth?

Is it but now that the Higher Life is beset with dangers and difficulties; hath it not ever been so with the Sages and Hierophants of the past? They have been persecuted and reviled, they have been tormented of men; yet through this also has their Glory increased.

Rejoice therefore, O Initiate, for the greater thy trial the greater thy Triumph. When men shall revile thee, and speak against thee falsely, hath not the Master said, “Blessed art thou!”?

Yet, oh aspirant, let thy victories bring thee not Vanity, for with increase of Knowledge should come increase of Wisdom. He who knoweth little, thinketh he knoweth much; but he who knoweth much has learned his own ignorance. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool, than of him.

Be not hasty to condemn others; how knowest thou that in their place, thou couldst have resisted the temptation? And even were it so, why shouldst thou despise one who is weaker than thyself?

[...]

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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
----------
Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/

I don't know. You'll have to ask a Satanist.

__________________
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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
----------
Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/

By all means, if you have a story to share.

Short version with possible inaccuracies, since I don't have the letters and journal entries in front of me at the moment:

In the mid 1940's, Agape Lodge O.T.O. in Southern California was being run from the home of Jack Parsons (the rocket scientist), and he was also the Lodge Master at the time. At the same time, Parsons rented rooms out to people he liked. Anyway, L. Ron Hubbard was one of those people.

There's no record of Hubbard joining the O.T.O., but he and Parsons were always hanging out together. The other members of the Lodge were creeped out by Hubbard and worried about Parsons. This was during the time that Jack Parsons and L. Ron Hubbard were doing their "Babalon Working". I won't go into detail about it here, but what you can find online about it is true. In addition to that, Parsons and Hubbard went into business together to sell boats.

When word of Parsons' relationship with Hubbard got to Crowley (who was in England), he got worried about Agape Lodge, and he appointed Grady McMurtry to make sure everything was okay there and report back to him, but by the time McMurtry got there, L. Ron Hubbard had absconded with all the money and assets that Parsons had put into their business arrangement, which eventually lead to Parsons having to sell his house, and Agape Lodge no longer had a stable meeting place. This eventually lead to the O.T.O. almost dying out until Grady McMurtry was able to save it from extinction in the 1970's.

So yeah. There is some bad blood between O.T.O. and Scientology.

Another fun fact. Sara Northrup, who left with L. Ron Hubbard, latter married him, and was abused by him, was an O.T.O. member. So we really hate L. Ron Hubbard. He messed with our family.

__________________
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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
----------
Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/

What makes you believe that magic, in this sense, is even real?

I've know many people who actively practiced the occult but I've never seen proof that most of this is anything other than people waving their hands and claiming to have power they don't.

Even claims of success came were so unimpressive, even when I was questioning faith, it felt like something to ridiculous to even question. At best, it came off as just a psychological practice to improve oneself that could be dressed up in a number of other ways and at worse it seemed like self-delusion.

I apologize if I come off rude; I'm a total skeptic when it comes to this sort of thing.

This is how I approach it.

So am I.

__________________
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"The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules--but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them." - Aleister Crowley

"Love, and do what thou wilt." - Saint Augustine
----------
Tiber Swim Team 2008

http://oto-usa.org/