In the Desert of Set

The continuing discussion on horror movies and spirituality with two of my brethren in the LV-426 Tradition!

An example of an execration ritual, a procedure to cast out and/or ward off negative energy.

Discussing the theme of "backmasked" messages in heavy metal music during the Satanic Panic, as explored in the 1986 comedy horror film, Trick or Treat. 

Pentagrams with two points up aren't "inverted"; as far as I'm concerned at least, they are right-side up. 

My attempt at writing a Setian Creation myth that someone living in the ancient city of Nubt (Ombos or Naqada) might have believed. This is not intended to be lauded as dogma or some revealed scripture, it is just a creative exercise in expressing my faith. 

So you've heard me talk a lot about Set and "the devil"; now it's time to discuss Set and Yahweh, as well as Set and Jesus. Yes, it's true; Setianism can intersect with Christianity as well as it does with "devil worship." Set does not play by Christian rules, Satanist rules, or Marvel Cinematic Universe rules, and neither do Setians.

Discussing the Amityville Horror, the greatest American paranormal hoax of the 1970s, as well as some of the films inspired by this hoax, and its influence on the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. 

Some thoughts on what is probably the most well-known Setian community today. 

Accusing someone of “worshiping the devil” is the easiest way to discredit their faith and beliefs. Pagans are no strangers to such accusations, and this is doubly true for Setians, Lokeans, and others who walk with the so-called “powers of darkness.” But the word devil is really just as vague and complex as the word god, holding multiple meanings for different people and cultures across the world. So when we “speak of the devil,” just what in hell are we actually speaking about? 

Discussing Set's relationship with Horus, the Egyptian hawk god of light and the daytime sky, and how this relationship ties in with the Pharaohs, the Egyptian way of Ma'at, and the Law of Thelema revealed in Liber AL vel Legis. Featuring some thoughts on how to reject Aleister Crowley's racist, misogynist, and tyrannical tendencies while still embracing the genuinely good ideas he introduced that have influenced so many religious traditions today. 

Explaining kheper, the ancient Egyptian concept of divine transformation, and how it relates to the scarab beetle, the solar Creator deity Atum-Ra, and Set as the Champion of Ra. 

A Setian and Pagan look at Ishiro Honda's Gojira/Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1954/1956), as well as a few of its continuations and remakes, with special consideration for how Big G parallels the god Set in Egyptian mythology. 

Explaining what I mean when I refer to myself as a "priest of Set" and a "Pagan minister" (which I see as distinct roles), as well as my views on religious and/or spiritual leadership and what it should (and shouldn't) look like. 

Not a proper sermon, but a series of assorted prayers and incantations to Set. I offer these as examples for anyone who might be wondering how they too can pray to the Red Lord. 

The qliphoth are astral fragments of beings that no longer exist, and which are equivalent to what are called "demons" in the modern vernacular. Here I discuss why I refer to evil spirits as qliphoth rather than demons, and why I personally would not recommend playing around with forces that are truly qliphothic. 

Set has more names and titles than anyone can count. Here are my thoughts on what several of these various words of power actually mean (or at least, what they mean to me personally).

Comparing the Egyptian god Set with the Greek titan Typhon, with whom Set was linked in Late Antiquity, with a discussion on how the word "Typhonian" became a synonym for "Setian." 

Set is often used as a character in cartoons, comic books, science fiction shows, and role-playing games. Here is one Setian's opinion on how some of these media depictions hold up against the real-life Set. 

I find "killer mummy" movies annoying for the most part, but there are a couple that have stuck with me through the years, including the 1932 classic with Boris Karloff and the 1959 Hammer remake with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Here I explain why I enjoy these exceptions, and why I usually roll my eyes at the rest of this subgenre.

A brief explanation of my perspective on magic, what it is, how it works, and how it dovetails into my theological views.

A discussion of the animals that are sacred to Set—including donkeys, pigs, hippos, oryx, and elephantfish! 

Classic monster movies are a huge part of my spirituality, and here I explain why. 

A sermon about Duat, the Egyptian concept of the Underworld or the Other Side. 

In this sermon, I tackle one of the most persistent anti-Setian tropes: the idea that Set is a "god of evil." In reality, the true "anti-god" of the Egyptian pantheon is the monstrous Chaos Serpent, and Set plays an important role in defeating this hellish beast every night. 

This episode includes a brief introduction to the LV-426 Tradition, the unique Setian coven to which I belong. It also includes a review of the 1979 sci-fi horror film, Alien.