Veterans Day 2023

On this special episode of the Official Infernal Legion Podcast, the Officers and Legionnaires of the Infernal Legion celebrate Veterans Day and our six year anniversary! We discuss the history of Veterans Day, the phrase “Thank you for your service,” and the founding of the Legion. Featuring submissions from Magus Peter H. Gilmore, Magistra Templi Rex Blanche Barton, Magister Adam Campbell, Rev.…

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I. The Nine Satanic Statements, The Satanic Bible, Anton Szandor LaVey. Music & Narration by Peter H. Gilmore. Graphic by Rev. Draconis Blackthorne.

II. Selections from The Antichrist by Friedrich Nietzsche. Composition & Narration by Peter H. Gilmore. Video by Draconis Blackthorne.

III. Law of The Talon. AKA, Lex Satanicus. Latin, principle developed in early Babylonian law and present in both biblical and early Roman law that criminals should receive as punishment precisely those injuries and damages they had inflicted upon their victims. Many early societies applied this “eye-for-an-eye” principle literally.

Orchestration by Peter H. Gilmore.

Video by Draconis Blackthorne.

here it is, what no one asked for: my ship bias list under a read more cause oof it's long

main roster

disney hans — anna, kristoff

dragon age blackwall — josie, inquisitor colum cousland — morrigan, anora, zevran fenris — hawke, isabela, bethany kaitlyn hawke — varric, fenris, cullen, alistair, loghain roland gilmore — cousland, bethany

dragon ball z android 18 — krillin bulma briefs — vegeta, goku cell — ....honestly just send me your ideas dende — gohan goku — chi-chi, bulma piccolo — bulma trunks briefs (future) — none yet

final fantasy aerith — cloud, tifa, sephiroth cid highwind — reeve, tifa clive rosfield — jill, cid cloud — aerith yuna — tidus, baralai

fire emblem citrinne — none yet cyril — lysithea eirika — seth, saleh, cormag ephraim — forde, gerik, tethys, marisa, tana frederick — olivia, sumia, cherche gerome — cynthia, lucina, laurent kagetsu — alear nel — none yet olivia — frederick, lon'qu, gregor seteth — jeralt, hanneman

fma: brotherhood ed — winry ling yao — lan fan riza — roy

harvest moon chelsea — vaughn kai — popuri, karen, leia mark (awl) — muffy molly (ap) — candace, phoebe, renee popuri — gray, karen, kai soseki — none yet vaughn — chelsea

the last unicorn amalthea — lir

legend of zelda link — mipha, malon malon — link mipha — link, zelda, revali zelda — ganondorf

marvel 616 adam warlock — gamora drax — mantis gamora — adam warlock, angela, tony stark peter quill — none yet rocket — lylla

mortal kombat fujin — none yet jax — sonja, vera takeda — jacqui

my time gwen/oc — logan, unsuur, owen, qi, heidi logan — fang, grace, builder

persona kotone — shinjiro, akihiko, ryoji ren — yoshizawa, ann, futaba, shiho, ryuji ryuji — joker, ann shiho — ann, joker shinjiro — kotone

resident evil leon — claire rebecca — none yet

star wars briayla/oc — corso, darmas, theron, lana doc — jedi knight kihanda/oc — doc, obi-wan

stardew valley abigail — sam, leah, penny, farmer eris/oc — harvey harvey — farmer

studio ghibli arrietty — spiller baron — baroness kiki — none yet pazu — sheeta

tales of kratos — anna, raine lailah — zaveid

threads of fate rue — none yet

tomb raider jonah — abigaile lara — sam, jaocb sam — lara

request roster

chrono trigger/cross serge — leena magus — none yet

cyberpunk 2077 takemura — none yet v/oc — none yet

DC lucifer — mazikeen soarnik natu — none yet

disney jack skellington — sally jane porter — tarzan, belle

final fantasy basch — none yet fran — balthier penelo — none yet zidane — garnet/dagger

fire emblem byleth — dimitri, claude, hanneman, shamir deirdre — sigurd franz — none yet gregory — none yet marianne — byleth, dimitri mikoto — yukimura, gunter quan — ethlyn rhys — none yet silas — corrin

harvest moon calvin — farmer lyla — basil, louis muffy — farmer, griffin, nami

legend of dragoon dart — shana lavitz — rose

mass effect garrus — shepard jeff/joker — shepard zaeed — shepard

metal gear solid cécile — kaz gray fox — none yet quiet — venom snake solid snake — hal, meryl

my hero academia tenya iida — ochako mina ashido — none yet

once upon a time belle — emma, ruby, ariel, killian, neal emma swan — neal, belle, ruby, graham grace — henry jefferson — belle, graham, robin, ruby milah — graham, robin, killian neal — emma, belle, robin, graham

rune factory felicity — raguna russell — none yet

tales of zaveid — lailah

*note 1: for any oc type characters I have a preference for (inquisitor, hawke, builder, assorted farmers, shepard, etc.), shipping will depend on that muse's character and if it works with my muse.

**note 2: just because a ship isn't on here doesn't mean I wouldn't ship it at all, except in the rare case of a notp

***notps: aerith/zack, cloud/tifa. these are only in a romantic sense, platonic is fine. if you see me shipping these it's because I'm close with the other mun

Crono: You’re feeling particularly sassy today.

Lucca: It must be my new glasses prescription.

DragonCon Lineup!

I've got Lorelai Gilmore, Wendy Corduroy, Queen Titania, Lydia Deetz, and Death of the Endless!

(Plus a bonus bunny Titania for Thursday night)

Four Reviews—Kong: Skull Island, Sausage Party, Wonder Woman, Shin Godzilla

KONG: SKULL ISLAND

Legendary’s Monsterverse series gets its second installment, following Gareth Edwards’ somber and successful resurrection of GODZILLA (2014). Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts blends sensibilities from the original KING KONG (1933) with APOCALYPSE NOW and some sly nods to the Conrad novel HEART OF DARKNESS that inspired that indelible war film to skillfully craft an action-packed tour of Kong’s homeland. Here, in a hidden island surrounded by perpetual storms which serves as a graveyard of lost ships, serene, mute indigenous people revere the massive ape as a protector deity. And rightly so, as this adolescent fellow primate lost his parents to the ravening reptilian Skull Crawlers who emerge from the underground world—likely be a plot point for future films in this series.

MONARCH (the secretive government research agency) scientists and military men invade on helicopters and drop bombs to perform seismic surveys, but this rouses Kong to swat them from the sky and provokes the arrival of the devils from below. Not the typical “beauty and the beast” tale told in the best two prior Kong films—the Cooper original and the Jackson 2005 loving homage to it—this one brings mankind up against creatures whose god-like size and strength question the dominion of our species of this planet, which in the Monsterverse mythology has long been the territory of ancient Daijkaiju.

In an homage to Boorman’s HELL IN THE PACIFIC, the film begins in 1944 with an American and a Japanese pilot crashing on the island. They continue their aerial battle hand to hand, but are halted by the arrival of Kong, who is less a giant gorilla and more an evolutionary step between gorilla and human. John C. Reilly as Lieutenant Hank Marlow steals the film as the aged pilot who has survived almost three decades on that dangerous ground and thus plays a pivotal role in making certain some of the Monarch group can reach the rendezvous point to be rescued. The redoubtable Samuel L. Jackson as Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard puts on his Ahab boots to avenge his fellow soldiers who befell Kong’s wrath. You can guess how that plays out.

As you would want, there are many fascinating oversized beasts and the humans fare ill in some of their confrontations with them. There are dramatic encounters between Kong and the humans as well as his subterranean enemies and the film concludes with a sweet resolution for Hank, and, post credits, some revelations by the MONARCH survivors revealing the creature cast of the currently filming GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS directed by Michael Dougherty, due in 2019. Kong will clash with Godzilla in 2020 under the enthusiastic direction of Adam Wingard. I await both with much anticipation!

SAUSAGE PARTY

I was sent this animated film as a gift by a friend who said not a word as to why it had been selected for me. He has an earthy sense of humor and is a talented artist as well as keen observer of the human animal, so I was prepared for something that might embody those aspects to some degree. I was not disappointed! Seth Rogen and his cohorts have crafted a devastating critique of the human foolishness of believing that some form of supernatural entities have their well-being as a primary concern. The various anthropomorphic foodstuffs in the supermarket have faith that the humans who purchase them will be bringing them somewhere better, a “Great Beyond” transcending their current existence on the shelves. But of course in time they learn the truth that being eaten awaits them and that their “gods” are but shabby, shallow, self-absorbed consumers.

Humor is broadly derived from the various ethnic food products conjuring outrageous stereotypes, and no holds are barred in that department—harking back to how such products were once advertised, though without the foul language and sexual behavior included here, making for an R rating. Most amusing for me is the Woody Allen-esque bisexual bagel voiced with manic exuberance by Edward Norton. For secularists not infected by the virus of political correctness, SAUSAGE PARTY is a ribald, raunchy hilarious feast. SJW pantywaists afraid of being triggered might want to stay away, as they’ll not find a safe space here.

WONDER WOMAN

The origin tale of Diana Prince, daughter of Zeus, is told with the proper amount of spectacle, humor, and gravity by Patty Jenkins and the eponymous character portayed with elegance and strength by Gal Gadot. Set during World War I, the visuals of the normal humans’ struggle are depicted in sepia tones shot through with fire, while Diana’s sheltered Themyscira is a lush, colorful island retreat with sophisticated art and architecture. There seemed to me a bit of a callback to Lucy Lawless’ Xena, Warrior Princess in the garb and martial techniques employed by the women of this hidden land.

What struck me as wonderfully Satanic is the philosophical outcome of this journey. Diana leaves her island as an idealist, holding love as a primary value and she has a rather simplistic view of her mission. In the course of her conflict with her brother Ares, who proclaims he is not the god of war, but of truth, he reveals to her the venality and mindless hatred of humanity in the global conflict he has cultivated. Diana witnesses horrors that are not simply conjured by Ares, but which are part of human nature. Yet the love she shares with Captain Steve Trevor—a charming Chris Pine—and his ultimate heroic sacrifice show her a broader range of human capabilities. Before dispatching Ares, as her father intended, Diana declares her embrace of humanity now with a full grasp of its spectrum of faults and glories—a third side perspective that we Satanists have proclaimed since Anton LaVey founded our philosophy in 1966. This is certainly one of the better DC films and should entertain those who enjoy these comic-derived larger-than-life beings as an embodiment of our propensity for embracing inspirational heroic mythology.

SHIN GOJIRA (SHIN GODZILLA / GODZILLA RESURGENCE)

While Edwards’ GODZILLA was in production, Toho hedged their bets by developing a live action GOJIRA film under the guidance of Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, both fans and skilled contributors to Japanese fantastic cinema. Legendary had contracted to do three Godzilla films, but apparently because they delayed the sequel to the 2014 film, ostensibly waiting for Edwards to complete ROGUE ONE, Toho completed and released their live-action film in 2016, SHIN GOJIRA. Much like Kaneko’s wonderful one-off 2001 film, GODZILLA, MOTHRA, KING GHIDORAH: DAIKAJI SOKOUGEKI, this is an original take on Gojira that has no links to the other films Toho produced in its three prior series.

Anno wrote and directed and he’s known for the high weirdness of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, so with Higuchi handling the SPFX (he did masterful work for Kaneko’s 90s GAMERA trilogy) this duo has wrought a political satire depicting governmental hesitancy to deal with the threat of a constantly evolving giant monster rising from the sea to lay waste to Japan. For the Japanese who have in recent memory dealt with tidal waves, earthquakes and the Fukushima disaster, they fully grasp this mockery of their own government. 

Rather than being some form of prehistoric monster roused by H bomb detonations, this monstrosity is a new life form evolving from a deep sea creature, possibly kin to a frill shark, that consumed nuclear waste dumped on the ocean bottom by the American government. Shin Godzilla—the name loosely implies deity much as the American term for Gojira includes the word God—is first witnessed as a gigantic tail lashing about in Tokyo bay (the first form). When it comes inland via waterways as a slithering, rubbery google-eyed intruder, leaking red fluid from its gill slits (Kamata-kun), the Prime Minister and his cabinet and advisors are continually paralyzed through fear of committing errors that will end their political careers, taking endless, fruitless meetings in numerous governmental chambers. It takes the intervention of Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi, a maverick who wants to get things done, to assemble a crew of outsiders and misfits who seek to understand and find a way to defeat this threat arising from mutated nature.

Kamata-kun seizes-up at one point, falling to the ground, but rouses to shift itsself into a red-hued, upright standing 50 meter beast (Shinagawa-kun) whose roar is the same as that of the original Gojira, and he’s accompanied by Ifukube’s score for that 1954 film. With glowing red patches surrounding his dorsal fins indicating some sort of overheating, Shinagawa-kun smashes through buildings and dives back into the bay. The hovering military ‘copters had yet to attack, hindered by the Prime Minister’s fear of harming civilians. Yaguchi’s team gathers and analyzes info, aided by a Japanese American beauty who shares secret data from the US authorities whom she represents. And then the full-sized bizarre golem Shin Gojira arises and begins a rampage.

As is traditional, the Japanese military, aided by American stealth bombers, prove ineffectual against this particularly hideous incarnation of Gojira. With a profusion of snuggle-teeth, seemingly sightless eyes, stunted forearms and an insanely long tail, Anno’s vision of a nightmare monster with bizarre powers is well-realized by Higuchi and his team. For the first time Toho went with CGI (aided by some motion capture) to render the majority of the effects and they are primarily very effective. This Gojira is magma-black with glowing red patches from within, much like the Burning Godzilla of 1995. But his wildly overpowered breath weapon, which goes from firestorm to purple laser beam, accompanied by similar bursts from his dorsal plates and mangled tail end are unique to this rendition. The film uses classic Ifukube score excerpts and evocative new music by Shiro Sagisu and even employs sound effects from Toho’s stock library, most dating to the original Showa series of Gojira films (1954-1975).

Under the threat of the US deploying nuclear weapons, Yaguchi rallies his team and they find a means to immobilize Gojira, aided by waves of US drones meant to distract it while attacks by explosive-laden train cars and finally tanker trucks filled with freezing chemicals ultimately cause Gojira to become a colossal statue as part of the Tokyo skyline. The last shot shows us that Gojira was willing forth a fifth form, as humanoid Godzillian beings had begun to emerge from the tip of its tail. This film was immensely successful both critically and financially in Japan, though a possible sequel cannot be released until after Legendary’s films emerge. However, Toho is currently producing an animated sci-fi trilogy set in the far future, GODZILLA: MONSTER PLANET, and the first of these will screen for US audiences on Netflix at the end of 2017, with the next two installments to be released in 2018. There’s a coming wealth of Godzilla to enjoy!

We are in a golden age of giant monsters which I’m celebrating in the third installment of the book and exhibition series I curate for HOWL gallery titled THE DEVILS REIGN: DAIKAIJU, to be released towards the end of this year.

—Magus Peter H. Gilmore

5, 12, 18, 19 :)

5 tv shows that cheer you up

Gilmore Girls, The Great British Bake-Off, Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir, The Dragon Prince, and Fruits Basket (both adaptations). if you could make a candle that smelt like anything, what would you pick?

Burning sugar cane on a winter day. a book series you can always escape in

Currently, Ancient Magus’ Bride and Girl From The Other Side.

the sport or exercise you enjoy the most, and what’s helped you get better at it

Yoga! Actually, school has helped me keep practice up and helped me improve. It helps me focus better!

Regarding Satanic After-School Clubs (By Magus Peter H. Gilmore)

Since the Church of Satan only allows legal adults as members, and since we are against all forms of possible proselytizing, we do not sponsor “clubs” in schools.

We encourage intelligent young people who have an interest to study our literature, and they may ask questions of us directly should they not understand any of our principles. We have many responsive spokespersons to handle such queries. In general, our written materials are quite straightforward and without the need for interpretation found in the texts of most religions.

Additionally, we do not support forms of activism which require Satanists to behave like members of other religions who do try to force their ideas on young people. We are strict secularists and individualists and oppose having religion foisted on students via peer pressure or other coercive means.

Stan Lee’s influence creating and facilitating new mythologies that inspire our society is incalculable.

Magus Peter H. Gilmore

alright! 2021 is almost over so here is the 2021/2022 watch list lets go!

Have Watched:

Horimiya

Jujutsu Kaisen

Tower of God

God of High School

Merlin

Gilmore Girls + Gilmore Girls YITL

Case Study of Vanitas

Psychic Princess

Heavens Official Blessing

Daily Life of the Immortal King (S1)

Never Have I Ever

Kaguya-Sama Love is War!

Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

Meng Qui Shi Shen

*Great Jahy Won't Be Defeated! (still airing?)

*The Vampire Dies In No Time (still airing?)

Need to Watch:

FMA:B

Noragami

BNHA s4-5

Fruits Basket - Final Season

Ancient Magus Bride

Naruto/Naruto Shippuden

Noblesse

Fena Pirate Princess

Started:

SM:C

Natsume's Book of Friends

Dropped:

Yashahime

To a Discerning New Year!

Tomorrow begins year LIX, Anno Satanas. For the new year, we of the Church of Satan have something fine to celebrate. Director Scott Cummings, of BUFFALO JUGGALOS fame, approached us before the pandemic struck with the concept of doing an artistic portrait of the contemporary Church of Satan. Not a didactic documentary, rather it is an effort to visually present our vital members engaging in…

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Compiling Rites of the Black Mass, Lex Talionis, & Hail Satanic Victory, into the blood & gore scenes in this video, it really lives up to its name. And, speaking on a variety of subjects, from the dim shadows that no amount of light could illuminate, is Vincent Crowley - vocalist of ACHERON. Interview segments serve as introductions to each of the fourteen songs, morbidly grotesque menageries of aesthetic terror. All songs accompanied by scenes of grisly murder, perversity, horror film clips, & occultic practices. If one is a horror-movie fanatic, there will be many scenes which are delightfully recognizable. Also included, are the images of such Satanic notables as Magus LaVey, Karla LaVey, Crowley, & others. The combination of the brain-blending depictions of carnage, serial killers, holocaust atrocities, mutilage, debauchery, & Satanic rites, played in conjunction with Acheron's fierce & brutal musick, makes for very powerful & entertaining viewing every time. It's perfect for parties. Just to see the awestruck & fascinated looks on your friends' & acquaintances' faces, is worth the small price, which then takes a still larger toll on their minds... There IS a warning at the beginning of the video, for the viewer that the video WILL warp the mind. That is for you to distinguish. From beginning to "end", as you will see, Lust, Sin, Chaos, & Blasphemy is magnificently sick & twisted, & will inevitably arouse much dramatic reaction in all who have the fortune {or misfortune} to see this abomination. II The Gates of Hell have reopened for a second onslaught of Abysmal visions into the Darkside of Life... & Death.... For those of you desiring more of the visual abominations Acheron has provided in the past, here you go, another installment of horror, defilement, sexual gratification, blasphemy, & sacrilege! Likened The Serpent bestowing the gift of Knowledge unto "Eve", then "Adam", to break them free of their ignorance & subjection under the tyrant Jehovah, these videos are a veritable "forbidden fruit" just waiting for you to pluck it off the Tree. Ponder what Aleister Crowley said - "I have exposed Myself to every manner of vice & horror..." Is this not the essence of omniscience? To fill the mind with wisdom, knowledge, & experience? Verily, I say it is so. It is the nature of the Dark God. The visuals pervading during Mgr. Gilmore's recitations of Neitchsze's "Antichrist" are remarkable in their digital glory.

Satori -Contemptus Mundi

Label: Cold Spring Format: CD, Album Country: UK Released: Nov 2008 Style: Dark Ambient, Industrial, Noise

Brand new CD from UK Dark Ambient / Fortean Electronics act Satori - Neil Chaney (Pessary) and Justin Mitchell (Cold Spring boss). This is a collaboration between Satori and Magus Peter H Gilmore, High Priest of the Church Of Satan. Satori provide their trademark deep, underground, pounding electronics, here with a ritualistic dark soundtrack atmosphere, while Gilmore bestows a seething tirade against the weakness of the modern world! Two 20+ minute tracks, the 2nd being a deeper, instrumental mix of the title track

Buy: 12 € https://gh-records.com/dark-ambient/549-satori-contemptus-mundi.html

Payment methods: PayPal Pay by bankwire Pay whith cash on delivery (COD)

The purpose of this blog is to examine and discuss the concepts and ideas that exist in Satanism – both in religious as well as a philosophical contexts. Satanism has been appropriated for various reasons for as long as the concept has existed – most regularly in a derogatory manner as a means of classifying the social “other”. To me and many others, the light of the Black Flame has enabled us to grow beyond what had previously been circumscribed for us, making it possible to achieve our potential.

 At this point it would be pertinent to note, as Magus Peter H. Gilmore does in the Satanic Scriptures, that “there is no ‘Satanic Community’ nor should one ever exist” (2016: 170). This is because “of a membership comprised of radical individualists” (p. 171). The Magus goes on to explain that “their reason for membership is to affirm their allegiance to the organization” (ibid). So when I use plural first-person pronouns, understand them in this context: we are Satanists because we ascribe to certain tenets that help us make sense of, utilise and enjoy the world around us. However, that is most regularly where the commonality ends. Most of us never even become members of the Church.

 This blog in no way attempts to present a unified Satanic perspective because no such thing exists beyond the scope of the Satanic Bible and Satanic Rituals written by Magus LaVey. Magus Gilmore has expanded upon the ideas and several members of the Church of Satan Hierarchy have expounded their own interpretations and applications. However, the essential elements of the religion and its philosophical framework rest in Magus LaVey’s first two publications. The precepts of our religion allow for individualised interpretations and applications as myriad as the stars scattered across the sky of the darkest night. Any attempt to harness all of that potential into one revelatory beam of insight would be fundamentally unsatanic.

 I welcome those who feel the urge to step into the void with me and look forward to discussing matters pertaining to The Feared Religion.

Annotated Bibliography for LGBTQ+ Inclusive Faiths & Their Relationship with Media

Swaraswati, L. Ayu. “Wikisexuality.” Introducing the New Sexuality Studies, by Nancy Fischer and Steven Seidman, Routledge, 2016, pp. 371–380. 

Introducing the New Sexuality Studies is a textbook covering a wide array of topics that generally involve sexuality, and is used in a Women Gender Sexuality Studies course at TCNJ that I currently take. This chapter in particular, “Wikisexuality”, focuses on two topics: wikisexuality itself, which is a constant changing and formation of sexuality as it transverses the physical and cyber world, and how Tantric Goddesses have been a part of this new formation of sexuality. It covers how Tantric Goddesses are deeply intertwined with this concept and how the internet has helped to shape themselves and others like them. This source was found directly from an educational textbook. The author must have extensively researched and formulated coherent thoughts on the matter. Not only that, but she has included at the end of the chapter a long list of her own credible sources that span about two pages in length. The study of wikisexuality and Tantric Goddesses is important in the way the internet and media in general is utilized in order to promote healthy relations with sexuality and with romantic/sexual partners, regardless of sex or gender.

Carter, Lokita. “What Is a Tantric Goddess?: Ecstatic Living.” Ecstatic Living® Institute - Discover Everyday Ecstasy And Tantric Love, www.ecstaticliving.com/articles/what-is-a-tantric-goddess.

Carter’s “What Is a Tantric Goddess?” is an article written on Tantric Goddesses and their beliefs. The author makes a point to remove the word “slut”, a derogatory word towards sexually active women, from the concept of being a goddess. She emphasizes the goddess’s messages of self-love and opportunities for expansion in life. This source was written by a Tantric Goddess. She offers her services and spiritual guidance on the very website in which she formulated this response to the common comment of being considered a “slut”. Further understanding the ways in which Tantric Goddesses function as religious leaders of sexual freedom can help in understanding the way they use media, such as blogs, to integrate healthy, nondiscriminatory sexuality into the lives of the willing.

Schwadel, Philip, and Aleksandra Sandstrom. “Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Americans Are Less Religious than Straight Adults by Traditional Measures.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 30 May 2020, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/24/lesbian-gay-and-bisexual-americans-are-less-religious-than-straight-adults-by-traditional-measures/. 

This statistics-based article provides a variety of answers regarding questions people may have about the religious statuses of heterosexual and LGBTQ+ adults in America. Based on research, they were able to conclude that heterosexual individuals tended to be more religious, while lesbian, gay, and bisexual folk tended to be less religious and instead show more skeptical tendencies. The source is drawn from a statistics research site. Pew Research, a part of this site, focuses primarily on religious tendencies and beliefs of individuals with different backgrounds and experiences. These statistics are drawn from real life individuals. They are important to understand for this blog due to the nature of the relationship between LGBTQ+ adults and faith. A disconnect between religious communities and the LGBTQ+ community may result in negative media representation not only due to general prejudices, but also because of misunderstandings through lack of exposure.

Gilmore, Magus Peter H. “Founding Family: ‘Morality’ versus Same-Sex Marriage.” Church of Satan, 2 May 2018, www.churchofsatan.com/founding-family-morality. 

Gilmore’s article covers why the LGBTQ+ community are not only welcomed, but openly supported in the Church of Satan. He makes mention of how marriage is no longer something that Christianity can control in the modern day. He emphasizes how Christianity has fit society into a straight-jacket of beliefs, and that breaking these norms is the key to advancements in accepting all people. This article, similarly to the Tantric Goddess article, was written by a member of the group - Gilmore, in this case, being a High Priest in the Church of Satan. Gilmore’s article is especially important to understanding the topic of queer media in intersection with religion. Satanism is a non-traditional practice that exists to discredit and make apparent certain shortcomings of Christianity. This article sparked the interest of many internet-goers and certain quotes from this document found its way into social media. This promotion of religious practices being able to accept same-sex marriage and the LGBTQ+ community in general seemed to be a spark of hope for some queer folks, proving (in an odd way) that religion does not have to be exclusive.

Movement, International Raelian. “A Modern Nation Is a Nation Where Gays and Lesbians Are Free.” Raelian Press Site, www.raelpress.org/news.php?item.16.1. 

“A Modern Nation Is a Nation Where Gays and Lesbians Are Free” covers the Raelian beliefs of inclusion. They believe that laws preventing individuals from being themselves are “stupid” and that all people are equal. This faith was also one of the firsts that appointed gay and transgender individuals to positions of power within the faith. They also state that to be homophobic is to be as bad as racists. The website this article is derived from focuses solely on reporting news and the beliefs of Raelism, and is run by Raelists. Raelism is a religion that typically gains new followers via the usage of media, whether it be the news or blog sites. While Raelism has an unusual set of followings, their open support of the LGBTQ+ community and the rights of all people could be a help to either encourage people who have fallen away from traditional faiths to feel less fear in following a new one or to encourage other smaller religious groups (especially more recently formed ones) to follow a similar path of acceptance of all people.

In Memoriam Krzysztof Penderecki (1933-2020)

One of the great 20th Century composers, and also a fine conductor, Penderecki was a defining force in the realm of music during my life. He first crafted revolutionary, expressionistic music that offered new ways for traditional orchestral instruments to be played. After much success in this style, he returned to a personal exploration of past European classical traditions, inspired by Bruckner, Mahler and Shostakovich to write large scale tonal symphonies which are splendid achievements in that form of expression.

His large body of work includes eight completed symphonies, four operas—one based on Huxley’s The Devils of Loudon and another on Milton’s Paradise Lost, many choral and vocal works, concerti, and chamber music. I first heard of him via his “Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima”—written in 1960 for 52 stringed instruments. It is a “must listen” piece for anyone who is interested in music. This video link includes the score so you can follow the unusual notations which the players were challenged to realize. It is a harrowing listen and indeed it created a style since employed by film composers who want to accompany scenes with music of extreme anguish. Many of his works are reactions and memorials to tragic world events. Directors have used pre-existing compositions by Penderecki in their films including Friedkin (THE EXORCIST), Kubrick (THE SHINING), Scorsese (SHUTTER ISLAND), and Lynch (INLAND EMPIRE), thus many film aficionados have come to hear his music. He was well recognized and won numerous awards, and was also known as an educator for promising young musicians. One of his other projects was a nearly 75 acre arboretum in which he had 1,700 species of trees planted over the course of about five decades. He saw this as a sort of ongoing “unfinished symphony.” 

Penderecki had made an immense mark with his cutting-edge works, but he began to move away from this earlier atonal style and cemented that with the composition of his Symphony No. 2, sometimes called his “Christmas Symphony,” since a fragment of the carol “Silent Night” is used in the work. I was fortunate enough to attend the rehearsals as well as the premiere performance with Zubin Mehta conducting the New York Philharmonic on May 1, 1980. During the rehearsals, which included a full run through, I sat near some members of the press and overheard their negative reactions to this piece. They seemed to feel it was a betrayal of Penderecki’s avant garde preeminence. I quite loved it—still do, and was subsequently fortunate enough to attend performances in Carnegie Hall and then-named Avery Fisher Hall of his symphonies No. 3 (1988-95, which cleverly employs rototoms), No. 4 “Adagio” (1989), and No. 5 “Korean” (1991-92, which includes bell gongs and has a quirky lengthy fugue theme). Penderecki conceived of his Symphony No. 6 as a sort of “song symphony” much as Mahler had done with his Das Lied von der Erde—even to using the same source of Bethge’s German translations of Chinese poetry as texts, but he put it aside to do his massive choral Symphony No. 7 “The Seven Gates of Jerusalem” (1996) and then his Symphony No. 8, “Songs of Transience” (2005), which featured choir, vocal soloists and even calls for 50 ocarinas to be played by the chorus members. The Symphony No. 6 was finally completed and debuted in 2017.

When asked about his projected Symphony No. 9 back in 2018, the composer mused:

“Good question. Of course, I am going to write it. I have sketches. But I am not in a hurry. I want this piece to be an important piece. The Ninth Symphony is supposed to be something special. Forty minutes (in duration), something like that. I’m writing one big movement. I’m not sure if it will be with choir or not. I have sketches. I cannot say anything more. Absolutely different sketches, which I can put together, or maybe start from the beginning.”

I hope that whatever sketches he might have produced will be saved and eventually released for study, and possible performance—if they reached that level of completion.

Back in 1984 I attended a series of concerts under the auspices of the New York Philharmonic titled “Horizons ’84.” During the evening concert on June 1, amongst the performers was Diamanda Galás, doing a multi-movement solo piece of her own. She strode onto the stage, wearing an impressive dark gown, and had three microphones on stands before her into which she projected her wide-ranged ululations. These were subjected to reverb and repetition, weaving a bizarre and elaborate sonic tapestry. For me, I felt it had become quite repetitive and my interest evaporated fairly swiftly, and I noted in the program that there were several lengthy movements to come. During her pause between movements, I arose and moved from my seat rightwards toward the aisle to make my exit. When I got to the aisle, to my surprise, I was face to face with Penderecki. He was accompanied by a striking blonde woman, both of them coming from the same row, but the opposite side of the aisle. They clearly had similarly run out of patience with Ms. Galás’ warblings. We looked each other in the eye, smiled, shrugged and shook our heads. I gestured with my arm that he and his companion should precede me up the aisle to exit at the rear of the hall. And so we did.

My admiration goes to this splendid composer who has gifted us with hours of fascinating and moving music. I’m sure he has touched many who enjoy the genres he assayed, and that he’ll long be remembered for his entire range of expressive works, from his youthful radicalism to his mature reflective explorations of the past. Bravo, Maestro Penderecki, for your uncompromising pursuit of your aesthetics and a life very well lived. 

—Magus Peter H. Gilmore