Rating: 
Summary: My opinion on the Book of the law
Review: Various belief systems are meshed together in the Book of the law. Around 400 or so years ago we find francois rabalais
envisioned an abby of thelema as noted below with Do as thou wilt as a part of it's philosophy. Was Aleister Crowley impressed with the concept to the point of borrowing it.
Or was the book really written by aiswass. Well my opinion is that IF crowley's story is as he represents it that the book probably came from his unconscious mind. Chapter 3 disappointingly sounds alot like the old testament which wouyld probably appeal to Crowley's at times delusional / grandiose personality. Overall interesting but i'm far from envisioning this as a divine text and question if aiswass was anything more then a concept personified.
The Abbey of Theleme As excerpted from The Portable Rabelais: The Uninhibited Adventures of Gargantua and Pantagruel, (Viking Press, 1960), in the lively modern version by Samuel Putnam and with his revealing introductory essay: How Gargantua Had the Abbey of Theleme Built for the Monk There remained the monk to provide for. Gargantua wanted to make him Abbot of Seuilly, but the friar refused. He wanted to give him the Abbey of Bourgueil or that of Saint-Florent, whichever might suit him best, or both, if he had a fancy for them. But the monk gave a peremptory reply to the effect that he would not take upon himself any office involving the government of others. “For how,†he demanded, “could I govern others, who cannot even govern myself? If you are of the opinion that I have done you, or may be able to do you in the future, any worthy service, give me leave to found an abbey according to my own plan." This request pleased Gargantua, and the latter offered his whole providence of Theleme, lying along the River Loire, at a distance of two leagues from the great Forest of Port-Huault. The monk then asked that he be permitted to found a convent that should be exactly the opposite of all other institutions of the sort. “In the first place, then,†said Gargantua, “you don't want to build any walls around it; for all the other abbeys have plenty of those.†“Right you are,†said the monk, “for where there is a wall in front and behind there is bound to be a lot of murmuring, jealousy and plotting on the inside.†Moreover, in view of the fact that in certain convents in this world there is a custom, if any woman (by which, I mean any modest or respectable one) enters the place, to clean up thoroughly after her wherever she has been â€" in view of this fact, a regulation was drawn up to the effect that if any monk or nun should happen to enter this new convent, all the places they had set foot in were to be thoroughly scoured and scrubbed. And since, in other convents, everything is run, ruled, and fixed by hours, it was decreed that in this one there should not be any clock or dial of any sort, but that whatever work there was should be done whenever occasion offered. For, as Gargantua remarked, the greatest loss of time he knew was to watch the hands of the clock. What good came of it? It was the greatest foolishness in the world to regulate one’s conduct by the tinkling of a timepiece, instead of by intelligence and good common sense. Another feature: Since in those days women were not put into convents unless they were blind in one eye, lame, hunchbacked, ugly, misshapen, crazy, silly, deformed, and generally of no account, and since men did not enter a monastery unless they were snotty-nosed, underbred, dunces, and trouble-makers at home â€" “Speaking of that,†said the monk, “of what use is a woman who is neither good nor good to look at?†“Put her in a convent,†said Gargantua. “Yes,†said the monk, “and set her to making shirts.†And so, it was decided that in this convent they would receive only the pretty ones, the ones with good figures and sunny dispositions, and only the handsome, well set-up, good-natured men. Item: Since in the convents of women, men never entered, except underhandedly and by stealth, it was provided that, in this one, there should be no women unless there were men also, and no men unless there were also women. Item: Inasmuch as many men, as well as women, once received into a convent were forced and compelled, after a year of probation, to remain there all the rest of their natural lives -- in view of this, it was provided that, here, both men and women should be absolutely free to pick up and leave whenever they happened to feel like it. Item: Whereas, ordinarily, the religious take three vows, namely, those of chastity, poverty and obedience, it was provided, that, in this abbey, one might honorably marry, that each one should be rich, and that all should live in utter freedom.
Rating: 
Summary: Crowley's genius at evocation of a New Age
Review: When I first read this book I had not been practicing magic nor shamanism, only studying the occult and learning all the knowledge I could feed my eager mind. Now that I have been practicing for a few years, and taken a few more glances at this book....hrmmm, trouble. Crowley is a VERY powerful magician, albeit not to clean. This book is magic in itself. It lays down laws and guidelines for a new age, with beings Crowley tapped into which told him they were the heralds for the golden times...those will come. If you buy this book, please don't burn it unless you would like Crowley's ritual magic to be completed..if enough people complete the ritual it must be so. Read carefully and really tune into the intent of this book. Do not tread blindly.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic imagery and prose.
Review: While I find this work to be great reading due to it's fantastic imagery, I find it to be just that and nothing more. As a former Thelemite, I realize that Liber Al(Book of the Law) is considered to be a holy book in the same way that Christians regard the Bible. I don't mean to step on toes, but the story that Liber Al was dictated to Crowley by his holy guardian angel 'Aiwass' over a 3 day period is completely unbelieveable, and makes for an interesting story at best. No, for me, Liber Al is merely good reading for those who enjoy their entertainment real horrorshow in both theme and humor.
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