Symbolism and Allegory in Popular Culture

The un-seen seen

The Nature of Allegory and Symbolism

• Allegory- “A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning.”

• Symbolism- “The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.”

Aleister Crowley

• Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both “Frater Perdurabo” (Latin for “ I shall endure till the end”) and The Great Beast 666, was an English occultist, mystic, ceremonial magician, and poet, who was responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema.

His interests

• Involvement with multiple secret societies such as The Golden Dawn, Ordo TempliOrientis, Free masonry, A:A, Ecclesia GnosticaCatholica, etc. Also established the religion of Thelema, whose most notable quotation is “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law”.

Imagery

• “I'm mentioning this only because I know what the word "image" represents to many people within that industry…these are NOT someone's Facebook profile pictures, nor is it a picture snapped up in a bar or a club, or in a dorm-room or at a birthday party…they are promotional pictures–taken with the full intent of being seen by millions of people through numerous outlets including websites, magazines, billboards and television and movie screens.” Intentional & meaningful. http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2010/06/occult-symbolism-in-popular-music-82451.html

Where is it today? (Symbolism)

“Do what thou wilt” Jay -Z Emblem of the church of Satan

Baphomet

• The next slides ae depictions of the satanic figure baphomet, originally thought to have come from both the persian-medes goat figure and also the greek mythological Pan. Biblically, the idea of baphomet can be seen in the Old Testament practice found in Leviticus 16:22 where the Israelites released a goat that would symbolically carry their sins. Satanically, the idea is to get the goat back and worship the embodiment of sin.

• Notice in the slides above the goat’s head on Kayne west’s shirt, the horned skull within the motorcycle handle bars, mirror and single point at the bottom (which actually is an upside down pentagram with the goats head in it) and also lady gaga with the goats head on her head.

Why should we care if “some” celebrities and musicians have a

heavy interest and involvement with the Occult?

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Aleister Crowley on the album cover

(Allegorical Music?)

• “We receive our songs by inspiration, like at a séance” (Keith Richards of the ROLLING STONES, Rolling Stone, May 5, 1977, p. 55).

• "...you meditate and you got the candles, you got the incense and you've been chanting, and all of a sudden you hear this voice: 'Write this down'" (Carlos Santana, Rolling Stone magazine, March 16, 2000, p. 41)

• “I felt like a hollow temple filled with many spirits, each one passing through me, each inhabiting me for a little time and then leaving to be replaced by another” (John Lennon, People, Aug. 22, 1988, p. 70).

Because it’s much darker than we know.

• “I was not content to just believe in Satan, I wanted to be his chief of staff”.

• “For the highest spiritual working one must accordingly choose that victim which contains the greatest and purest force. A male child of perfect innocence and high intelligence is the most satisfactory and suitable victim.” – Magick in Theory and Practice, Ch. XII “Of the Bloody Sacrifice: and Matters Cognate”.

• “But the bloody sacrifice, though more dangerous, is more efficacious; and for nearly all purposes human sacrifice is the best.” Ibid.

• http://raumfahrer.wordpress.com/manson/crowley-on-sacrifice/

• - Quotes from Aleister Crowley

We don’t have to believe, just know that they do

• As Christians we are required to walk as in the light and give no ground to the deeds of darkness, what we must recognize is that all around us the Devil has corrupted minds, even as the Lord is renewing ours, and we cannot simply claim ignorance if we sit at the table and dine with demons because as the Apostle Paul said “Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?”