From: "Joan Lansberry" <joanlansberry@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat Oct 1, 2005 12:57 am
Subject: Re: Question for the group

Thank you, Xxxx, for asking that question. I, too, have wondered about 'the official' opinion regarding this, as well. I am studying within the Temple of Set. While I cannot speak 'officially', as only those of the Priesthood may do so, I can give some clarity derived from my studies. From what I've seen, most Setians emphasize the difference. We are Setians, NOT Satanists. And if you ask a Satanist, he may sputter some pejorative like "Setters" in our general direction. Cantankerous fellows. those!

And yet, I don't wish to dissemble here. The founders of the Temple of Set did have their initial roots within the Church of Satan until 1975, when they broke away because they were dissatisfied with what LaVey was doing, namely turning COS into a rather commercial operation. Since then, the Temple of Set has evolved far beyond those initial roots. The Church of Satan remains an institution founded on rebellion. LaVey come up with a few revolutionary ideas and a few questionable ideas.

Setians have tossed aside that which is of dross, and come to unique, original understanding. At the same time, we look back to the ancient past. I think of the latin root of the word "religion", "religio." As my partner Julia says in her Philosopher's Stone article, "An individual re-connects with ancient roots, ancestral voices and tradition. To re-link: that is religion."
http://www.aztriad.com/juliacqc.html

And so the modern Priesthood of Set looks back to the ancient Priesthood of Set. In ancient Egypt, Set was part of a pairing called the 'Samtaui'. Along with Horus, he is one of the two primal neteru as active forces in the Universe. They are the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of Light in the eternal struggle. The balance comes in the push/pull of the dynamism, and in the balance comes reconciliation. When the Two Lands were unified, both symbols of Kingship, Set and Horus, became part of the attributes of the King. Set then became the strength or power of the King, as Horus became the vision or sight of the King. The ancient Egyptians understood how Set's Power is necessary to Ma'at, or the balance of things in the cosmos.

The ancient Egyptians called him "Great in Strength". Set is "He Before Whom the Sky Shakes", in his role of God of Thunder and Lightning. He's 'loud' and he's proud. Pride of being is his essence. Set was also given the title "the great one of two-fold strength". Thus, he immanates Power, electrical, chaotic, and fierce, but that which enables Worlds to be brought into being. 'Enemy of Boundaries', he pushes the limits. Although sometimes feared as the God of Chaos, the ancients understood that SET has a necessary role in the cosmos.

That is, they understood, until the later dynasties, when their empire was crumbling. They desired a scapegoat, and Set became that scapegoat. From then on, Set was feared and considered evil. BUT THIS WAS NOT ALWAYS SO!

And so it is today, with the modern Priesthood of Set.

"The Satanic religion proposes to raise the individual to personal godhood, free from enslavement to any other "God" (or gods). However this is a question not just of power, but also of ethics, morality, and psychological maturity. The parameters of philosophy and metaphysics extend far beyond the conceptual and symbolic limits of the Judaic/Christian tradition. The Temple of Set explores the "human equation" and the metaphysical and psychological roots of the great Satanic/psyche-centered philosophies of history."
(from The Temple of Set: Is it Satanic? by Lilith Aquino) http://www.paganlibrary.com/editorials/temple_set.php

Satanists epouse 'ego worshipping'. With deeper study, such as in Gurdjieff's works, we know the Ego is but a small, rather changeable aspect of the self. Setians understand the focus on the self to be that of 'Consciousness worshipping'. This is a big difference.

"The second premise of the Temple is that the psychecentric consciousness can evolve towards its own divinity through deliberate exercise of the intelligence and Will, a process of BECOMING or COMING INTO BEING (XEPER), whose roots may be found in the dialectic method expounded by Plato and the conscious exaltation of the Will proposed by Nietzsche."
(ibid)

XEPER, pronounced 'Kheffer', comes from the hieroglyph meaning 'coming into being, which is a scarab. This was no ordinary word to the ancient Egyptians, for it had magical significance. Many scarab amulets have been found, demonstrating the importance of this symbol. The scarab is a triconsonantal Egyptian hieroglyph for the KHEPER/XEPER concept. 'Hieroglyph' means 'sacred writings. Glyph is 'symbol', and hieros is 'sacred'. To the Egyptians and those of us today who harken to their wisdom, it means the whole sphere of metamorphosis, transformation, evolution and growth in the spiritual realm, as well as the physical realm.

To those who understand, it has powerful magical implications:

XEPERA XEPER XEPERU:

''I Have Come Into Being, and by the Process of my Coming Into Being, the Process of Coming Into Being is Established.''

This becomes a self-sustaining system, for once the wheels start going in a certain direction, that mobilizes further progress in that direction. One scientific principle is that an object in motion tends to remain in motion. Not only so in the physical world, it is also so with our mental and emotional evolution, as well. Thus, using the directed Will, we can 'come into being' and evolve towards our divinity.

I hope I have been able to clarify the distinctions for you. Also, do see the offerings at xeper.org to learn more about the Temple of Set.