The Gates Of The Necronomicom, What did you think of this book? Options

Hello All,
I've recently read the newest book book by Simon. I suppose its a good source of information when it talks about Gate walking; even providing Daoist views of that. Its gives a quick crash course in Ancient civilizations and a unique view of the Big Dipper in reference to the Necronomicom. It gives dates and times perfect for Gate Walking so those interested in such will have a good resource.
Now for all the praise I just gave the book here comes the pain. I didn't like it. The reason I didn't like it is because It didn't give me what I was hoping for. I'm a ceremonial magician and I do rever and respect the Elder Gods, But I'm not a priest by any means. So when I picked up this volume, I had hoped that this text would be somewhat like a grimoire and its not. So thats what I think of the Book. What do you think?

Some things I dislike about the book and would like others opinions on.

First I would like to point out some things simon has said in dead names. First on page 224.

“The initiatory structure in its pages is designed to create a different type of initiate: a kind of black bodhisattva, a spiritually enlightened and empowered sage whose task it is to defend the race against these creatures before he or she can make their own escape-an occult general, a master of the mystic arts of offense and defense, a human being set apart from the rest who must monitor the Gates and the influx of evil influences that threatens to destroy the planet and enslave its inhabitants.”

Okay so he is saying the initiates that walk the gates are preparing to attain enlightenment to monitor the gates and defend the planet from being destroyed. Well I can understand how it trains one to be a warrior in the astral since when I walked I never had such a big pack of demons surround me in the astral(sink or swim or something more sinister?). Let’s move on to page 235 in dead names.

“One should always keep in mind that the Necronomicon magician is a unique type of occultist. Whereas most modern magicians see their quest as a deeply personal one, related to individual spiritual goals of enlightenment or individuation, the Necronomicon magician has a broader social purpose, and that is to defend the planet against the hostile forces that lie in wait both in the underworld and in the vast reaches of outer space (if indeed these are two different locales). The spiritual advancement of the Necronomicon magician is only valuable insofar as it serves to aid humanity that is itself grossly unconcerned about its own spiritual advancement.”

So the Necronomicon magician has a social role to also aid the rest of humanity in spiritual advancement. So not only is it important to be spiritually enlightened and monitor the gates it is also the Necronomicon magicians job to advance humanity, if he fails to do so his own enlightenment was in vain.


Now let’s open our copy of Gates and turn to page 164 where Simon concludes his story he told of the elder gods telling mankind about the horrible ancient ones.

“How do we know that the God of today was not the Monster of yesterday? Or, more to the point, who needs either of these races? We are humans! The dispossessed orphans of the universe. A plague on both their planets!”

Wow what the hell is going on here? I thought we agreed to monitor and keep this gate closed mister! Okay Okay maybe he is a little like me and just trying to stir up trouble and get you to question.

But on the next page he "Simon says"

“Our responsibility is to our own survival, both here on Earth and after death. Whoever or whatever helps us in that Quest can be useful to us at that time, no strings attached. Whoever or whatever stands in our way of achieving this simple goal of survival is anathema. It is not the destiny of the human race-the race on Earth- to server as cannon fodder in some real-life version of Star Wars. “

Now not only do we not give a damn about protecting the gate, we don’t give a shit about our own social role to aid humanity anymore. It is all about just survival and using any spirit at our disposal? How chaos magician like of him (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). So which is simon? You can't have it both ways.

“The Necronomicon has an aura of strangeness, of otherness, of which the occult revivalists are afraid. It doesn’t send the right message.” – dead names 167

Least we agree on something,

Okay so he is saying the initiates that walk the gates are preparing to attain enlightenment to monitor the gates and defend the planet from being destroyed. Well I can understand how it trains one to be a warrior in the astral since when I walked I never had such a big pack of demons surround me in the astral(sink or swim or something more sinister?).

Assuming that your use of the word “never” was not a typo, I would only state that you failed in your Gate Walking experience. While each person’s Gate journey is unique, being attacked by negative energies or entities, in the astral or otherwise is an experience that has reproduced itself with every Gate walker that I have known. Attacks from within the gate are a must in the Gates’ alchemical formulae. I am also wondering to what extent that you actually explored the initiatory system and indeed in what frame of mind. One could not have successful experiences traveling through the Tree of Life while loathing the system, nor could one journey through the Gates (even if one were to do so in the correct manner) successfully while dispising the Necronomicon. For example: While I respect those who practice Wicca, I am not fond of the system. Because of this, me trying to achieve enlightenment through a Wiccan initiatory process would be a waste of time. I would gain nothing from it. If, on the other hand, I was a practicioner of Wicca, it would render results.

Let’s move on to page 235 in dead names.
So the Necronomicon magician has a social role to also aid the rest of humanity in spiritual advancement. So not only is it important to be spiritually enlightened and monitor the gates it is also the Necronomicon magicians job to advance humanity, if he fails to do so his own enlightenment was in vain.
Now let’s open our copy of Gates and turn to page 164 where Simon concludes his story he told of the elder gods telling mankind about the horrible ancient ones.
Wow what the hell is going on here? I thought we agreed to monitor and keep this gate closed mister! Okay Okay maybe he is a little like me and just trying to stir up trouble and get you to question.

How do you conclude that because Simon instructs the reader to be weary of both the Elder Gods and Ancient Ones, suddenly the Necronomicon Magickian no longer plays a social role? If anything it would strengthen his contention of such. While some Elder Gods, such as Enki or Marduk, may be called upon as an ally to mankind, this is not always the case. The Necronomicon instructs the Priest of the Flame to take his magick to the Underworld and keep the Gate chained. Is not Ereshkigal an Elder Godess? Nergal, while being a plague bringer, is still an Elder God. Enlil dispises mankind. Is he not an Elder God as well? It goes without saying that there are some Elder Gods who can not be trusted and who care nothing for the plight of mankind as a whole. How does a statement like, “Neither side can be fully trusted,” translate to, “The Priest should abandon his social role.”? Allow me to answer. It does not.

Now not only do we not give a damn about protecting the gate, we don’t give a shit about our own social role to aid humanity anymore. It is all about just survival and using any spirit at our disposal? How chaos magician like of him (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). So which is simon? You can't have it both ways.
Least we agree on something,

You said this in response to, “Our responsibility is to our own survival, both here on Earth and after death. Whoever or whatever helps us in that Quest can be useful to us at that time, no strings attached. Whoever or whatever stands in our way of achieving this simple goal of survival is anathema. It is not the destiny of the human race-the race on Earth- to server as cannon fodder in some real-life version of Star Wars.”


No clearer could it be that the passage is furthering his contention that the Necronomicon Magickian’s job is to aid humanity. “Our responsibility…our own survival,” Simon uses the word “our,” not “your.” This would indicate that he is talking about a group of people rather than the reader as an individual. What group or groups would that be? The first “our,” is followed by the word, “responsibility.” Since Simon has already indicated that the Gates of Ganzir, Arzir, etc. must be kept shut by the Necronomicon Magickian, he must be speaking about the responsibility of Necronomicon Magickians. The next “our,” is in reference to the human race, as indicated three sentences later. Thus it becomes quite clear that Simon is saying that it is the responsibility of the Necronomicon Magickian to play a social role. This social role is explained many of times as being the duty (one of the duties) of keeping those Gates shut and the forces therein to be barred from entering our world.

Furthermore, where does he ever state that the Necronomicon is about using spirits to one’s PERSONAL disposal? All he indicates is that any spirit(s) who stands in humanity’s way of survival is a force that must be overcome.

I think that you are fishing for motives and meanings that simply do not exist.

Ashnook

This post has been edited by Ashnook: Dec 17 2006, 11:51 AM