#151596 - 03/19/06 03:15 PM
Re: Membership Has Its Privileges
[Re: man_mind]
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CoS Magister
Registered: 03/06/03
Posts: 12460
Loc: Florida, U.S.A.
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Quote:
I may, or I may not have a chance to meet Svengali, however, I may, and it won't be because I have a card.
Could you clarify that statement?
_________________________
Live and Let Die."If I have to choose between defending the wolf or the dog, I choose the wolf, especially when he is bleeding." -- Jaques Verges "I may have my faults, but being wrong ain't one of them." -- Jimmy Hoffa "As for wars, well, there's only been 268 years out of the last 3421 in which there were no wars. So war, too, is in the normal course of events." -- Will Durant. "Satanism is the worship of life, not a hypocritical, whitewashed vision of life, but life as it really is." -- Anton Szandor LaVey “A membership ticket in this party does not confer genius on the holder.” -- Benito Mussolini MY BOOK: ESSAYS IN SATANISM | MY BLOG: COSMODROMIUM | Deep Satanism Blog
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#151597 - 03/19/06 03:23 PM
A gesture, with benefits, yes.
[Re: Hixem]
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CoS Warlock
Registered: 11/01/05
Posts: 2352
Loc: Europa
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Membership is, as many have said here, a gesture. A gesture and a statement of solidarity with the Church of Satan, its philosophy, and also what is actually does (Pentagonal Revisionism and whatnot). Yes, there are benefits. Being more easily in touch with other people who have made such a gesture, for one. Being more likely to know of things in the pipeline, is another. It's all about communication, and people are more likely to communicate such things to you if there is more evidence to show that you are of a like mind in such regards. I joined the Church of Satan for both of these reasons. I approve of the Church and am proud to be able to call Myself a member. I also enjoy the benefits of increased contact with other CoS Members. For you... Decide well. For Me... obviously, it really doesn't make too much difference how you decide.
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#151601 - 03/19/06 06:38 PM
Re: Membership Has Its Privileges
[Re: Hixem]
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Registered: 03/14/06
Posts: 100
Loc: North Carolina
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I get it. Thank you for time spent responding on a subject I understand is already tired. (1) Membership is Personal Choice Each member has made his choice for reasons relevant and important to himself. I don’t take the decision lightly. For personal reasons, joining the Church of Satan is more than a mailed membership application. I haven’t asked to be convinced to join the Church. I’m not meekly seeking validation of my very personal decision. I have solicited for the motivation and views of those that post and read here. I haven’t asked for direct contact with members. I didn’t publicly query the priesthood for a justification of membership. In fact, with purpose I raised the question in the forum where any member or non-member may respond if he wishes. Quote:
A little more seriously, my reasons for joining are just that... mine. You should find your own reasons rather than polling everyone for theirs.
Respectfully, if you don't choose to share your reasons, as others have been willing to do, then this does nothing to contribute to the dialouge. I see little value in your rebuke that I shouldn't poll others for why they made the important decision to join. This is the appropriate medium for the question, is it not?
(2) Value of Membership
I belong to various professional and political organizations, each with different membership obligations. Maintaining membership in some of these organizations is costly in resources and time. I derive social, financial and business benefits from membership. None of these organizations, though, are the formal body of my religion.
Fortunately, beyond the ability to affiliate with members that share the same world view, I can look forward to a new car, a tap dancing monkey, TexMex food and a beanie. (I really want that beanie!) This is beyond my wildest expectations! I was expecting an email newsletter, a quarterly magazine or maybe disclosure of the secret handshake. Still an outsider, I wondered how deep the Rabbit Hole went.
(3) Physical Stuff
The two tangible parts of the transaction are the most irrelevant. I've never got a membership card when I was baptized in the Methodist Church. I didn't get anything suitable for framing when I changed teams to Presbyterian. When I was ordained by the Universal Life Chruch I only received an automated email response. Church of Satan gives a red membership card. So I naturally wanted to know what the card is used for. Not having one, it seemed a reasonable question.
As for the burden of the $200 one time fee, it's not a case of getting enough stuff for my money. Instead, it's sounds too cheap. It's obviously none of my business how the church maintains a worldwide membership without tithes, solicitation for donations or active recruitment of members. Postage, processing, staffing, leases and production are needed just to accept my application and send me a welcome packet.
My hypothesis was that the price point was just high enough to relieve the administration of the inevitable burden of indifferent trinket-seekers looking for a nice piece of laminated swag to take to show and tell.
(4) Motive
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it makes me feel good to know that I'm a part of something worthy of respect and admiration.
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My benefit comes from helping to further the goals of The Church of Satan, which happen to be the goals I hav[e as well.
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what you get out of it is in accordance with what you put into it.
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I wanted to throw my lot in with an organization that supports the things I support
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I came to these boards to communicate with like minded individuals, and this helped me to accomplish that goal.
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Ask not what the Church can do for you, but what you can do for the Church
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I wanted to be a part of an organization that I found to be practical and applicable to my lifestyle
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Why does anyone affiliate with any organization? It is usually because they agree their goals and share their ideals. That is why I joined the CoS.
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I'm merely saying that life is, or isn't, and a card won't change that. I am who I am, and have always been, and a card won't change that either.
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I joined because I agreed with everything in The Satanic Bible and wished to give the devil his due. I joined more out of RESPECT for the Church and it's philosophies than anything else.
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I wouldn't expect any fringe benefits from acquiring a card, the money I paid would be a show of support and thanks for everything the teachings and writings of Anton Lavey has given me in my life.
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As it has been stated many, many, many, many, many, many times before, membership in any org is simply a matter of throwing your hat into the ring with others of the same ilk.
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Membership is, as many have said here, a gesture. A gesture and a statement of solidarity with the Church of Satan, its philosophy, and also what is actually does (Pentagonal Revisionism and whatnot).
This is what I learned about why members join Church of Satan. These are uncensored contributions from those who have already answered this question themselves. It sounds like exactly what it is: dedicated members of a religion. This is not a Testimonials page from a polised website. This is not conjecture from a sociology student's term paper. This is the answer from the source.
(5) Practical Satanism
I've read the tenets and philosophy central to the Church and the religion. I apply them in the way that I live. Members themselves will verify that Church of Satan is a body of non-joiners. What leads a culture of individuals who scorn sheeplike following, eschew pointless hierarchy and distrust organized religion join a church? It wasn't the red card. It's more than the result of their enrollment transaction.
Again, I appreciate the time, attention and effort of those that responded to my question. I've learned from it.
Hail Satan!
-Sojournist
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Be the White Rabbit.
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#151602 - 03/19/06 10:14 PM
Re: Membership Has Its Privileges
[Re: Hixem]
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CoS Member
Registered: 02/05/06
Posts: 81
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All in all, that was a fairly decent conclusion for this thread. I expected much worse. Quote:
So I naturally wanted to know what the card is used for.
Verification. 
Edited by Leviathan_Seeker (03/19/06 10:15 PM)
_________________________
From the Deep, ~LR ============================================================== "Ethical axioms are found and tested not very differently from the axioms of science. Truth is what stands the test of experience." -Einstein "Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing. " -Emerson "The freethinking of one age is the common sense of the next." -M. Arnold Citizen
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#151603 - 03/20/06 03:22 PM
Re: Membership Has Its Privileges
[Re: Svengali]
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Banned
Registered: 01/29/05
Posts: 957
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Just using a name a s a reference. After reading your posts on the Spring Break reatrds, your name was stuck in my head.
Further reason for saying this in particular (the action, not the name drop) was because I was attempting to make the point that, people are on earth, (Some in space, some beneath the crust) and eventually, one will run in to the other, especially if views on life are remotely similar.
If two people live in a specific area (Not saying that you live near me) for example, and they both enjoy horror films, then chances are they will both go to the theatre, and they will meet, directly or indirectly.
Membership won't stop these sorts of events from occuring.
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#151604 - 03/20/06 03:37 PM
Re: Membership Has Its Privileges
[Re: man_mind]
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CoS Magister
Registered: 03/06/03
Posts: 12460
Loc: Florida, U.S.A.
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Thanks. Excuse the interrogation, I'm mildly paranoid. 
_________________________
Live and Let Die."If I have to choose between defending the wolf or the dog, I choose the wolf, especially when he is bleeding." -- Jaques Verges "I may have my faults, but being wrong ain't one of them." -- Jimmy Hoffa "As for wars, well, there's only been 268 years out of the last 3421 in which there were no wars. So war, too, is in the normal course of events." -- Will Durant. "Satanism is the worship of life, not a hypocritical, whitewashed vision of life, but life as it really is." -- Anton Szandor LaVey “A membership ticket in this party does not confer genius on the holder.” -- Benito Mussolini MY BOOK: ESSAYS IN SATANISM | MY BLOG: COSMODROMIUM | Deep Satanism Blog
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#151608 - 03/21/06 04:39 PM
Re: Membership Has Its Privileges
[Re: ]
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Banned
Registered: 12/27/04
Posts: 1449
Loc: New York State
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Quote:
This coming summer is proof of the benifits of Membership.
And that is what I was alluding to See ya there!
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, but I have eaten at the 
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