The Information & Admissions file is the best source of Temple of Set information for interested persons. It covers the history, focus and membership policies of the Temple of Set.

Some commonly asked questions of the Australian Priesthood:

1. I live in the small town of NN, Australia. Can I still join?

Of course, if you satisfy the entry and age requirements. The Temple of Set focuses on the isolate self, so there is quite a bit of scope for isolated Setians. After all, we have members on all continents except Antarctica (although we are working on that). If you do come from a small community, or even a non-community, there are Pylons and Elements that can be utilised by far-flung members. Also, many regional Pylons have periodic gatherings, so there are opportunities to compare notes with others.

2. How exactly do I join from Australasia?

Please read and understand the Information & Admissions document before you apply for membership. See also the membership page.

3. I'm interested in joining, but am a member of another magical or religious group. Will that be a problem?

Basically the TOS doesn't encourage members to collect memberships of occult groups. See the Information & Admissions for our policy on that.

I'm sure we've all met people who were a member of every club around and had no time to properly work with any. The magical Self - work of the Temple is quite demanding, and should be challenging to Setians of all degrees. (If it isn't then you're setting your magical goals too low!).

In addition, some other groups are considered to be not compatible with Setian Initiation.

A Setian Adept (II*) may not be a member of another religious society beyond the Temple of Set. Membership in other Initiatory or Magical societies beyond the Adept (II*) Degree are sometimes permitted provided that you can show the Priesthood that the group is compatible with Setian Initiation and that you have enough time for your TOS obligations.

Most Setians I know are only members of the Temple and not any other magical group.

4. What are some good books on the Left-Hand Path?

Here's three I find essential:

• Lords of the Left-Hand Path, by Dr. Stephen E. Flowers. 1994, Runa Raven Press.
• The Seven Faces of Darkness: by Don Webb. 1996, Runa Raven Press.
• Uncle Setnakts Essential Guide to the Left-Hand Path by Don Webb. 1999. Runa Raven Press.

see also the books page.

5. Can you curse someone for me?

We have better things to do with our time. Go take a cold shower.

6. I am under 18, and interested in the Temple of Set -

People cannot become Setians until they are 18 years of age. There are no programs for under-18s, and I think that people under 18 should have exclusively rational education, and not be indoctrinated into ANY religion.

If you are under-18, take advantage of all the educational opportunities that your school, college or TAFE offers, and if you are still interested in the Temple after you are 18, we will still be here.

7. I am a Uni student, could I still join?

Your major consideration would have to be your Uni course. Your education is of prime importance. (Initiation can wait). I would only recommend you join the Temple of Set if you can balance learning Black Magic (though you would have two years to do so) and your studies. Some people can manage it, others can't. I joined in my final years of Uni and I managed, but I did have to send my apologies to the local Pylon gatherings when exams were on. If you have some time management skills that would pay off.

8. Does the Temple of Set hold open events?

No. The Temple's resources are geared towards providing an Initiatory environment for its members. Additionally, we value the privacy of Setians.

9. Is the Temple of Set a neo-Egyptian religion?

No. The Temple of Set doesn't seek to be a type of reconstructive religion. It is actually more accurately a meta-traditional (or even a-traditional) religion - not bound by any particular culture, language or nation. That means that while we seek to understand the context of the Ancient Temple of Set in Egypt, we are in no ways bound by Ancient Egyptian ideas.

The Temple of Set views the Prince of Darkness in many forms, from the earliest - Set to more modern. Other cultural manifestations of the Prince of Darkness that we are interested in are: Odhinn / Loki (Germanic), Lucifer, Prometheus, Typhon, Melek Taus (Yezidi), Tezcatlipoca (Aztec), Coyote (American), Leviathan and the Romantic figure of Satan (nb without the Christian interpretation) to name a few.

Various Orders of the Temple sometimes delve into particular traditions in great detail. An example is the Order of the Trapezoid, which has a focus on Odhinn and traditional systems, as well as the Order of Setne Khamuast, who focus on the Prince of Darkness in Ancient Egypt and the Greco-Roman period.

It is important to consider the similarities and differences when looking at the Prince of Darkness through a cross-cultural lens. It is not a matter of just plugging Setian values into other cultures. We seek to get to the essence of the matter.

 

10. Is the Temple of Set 'satanic'?

From High Priest Emeritus Don Webb's Article Concerning Satanism:

"The Temple of Set has begun the process of distancing form the term "Satanism," a cultural fad of the latter part of the Twentieth Century of the Common Era. The usefulness of this particular tool as a means to antinomianism is fading in our post-Christian society, just as it had no meaning in the pre-Christian society where the first explorations of the Setian path occured.

The tradition of spiritual dissent will not, nor cannot, cease to be a part of the Left Hand Path. We need that first trial of standing up and saying "I am not as you!" Breaking that fetter is the the first Willed piece of friction that is Necessary to annihilate resistance at other levels of being." -- read the whole article.

11. I have some other questions about the Temple of Set -

Feel free to send them along to TEacott@xeper.org

Temple of Set Australia
P.O. Box 144, Mount Gravatt Qld 4122 Australia.

© 1997 - 2008.

Updated February 4, 2004 .