Serves neo-pagans right for taking Crowley seriously.
The original rede hung over the autonomous zone in Rabelais' Gargantua, the Abbey of Thelema. It was not intended as instructions for life but a symbol that some heavy freakishness would transpire behind these walls. Crowley adopted it as a general motto to indicate his attitude (or pose) that all of life should be a disinhibited carnavale.
The "an it harm none" is a squeamish addendum; entirely ineffective against mutated 20th century moralism which forbids whole classes of activity not just on the basis of taboo, but on the presumption that they are harmful in some sense.
I suppose if you really want to produce a defanged, university-committee modern Thelemic motto you should go the whole hog:
"Do what thou wilt, an it harm none, unless they enjoy being harmed and have signed a disclaimer to that effect."
no subject
The original rede hung over the autonomous zone in Rabelais' Gargantua, the Abbey of Thelema. It was not intended as instructions for life but a symbol that some heavy freakishness would transpire behind these walls. Crowley adopted it as a general motto to indicate his attitude (or pose) that all of life should be a disinhibited carnavale.
The "an it harm none" is a squeamish addendum; entirely ineffective against mutated 20th century moralism which forbids whole classes of activity not just on the basis of taboo, but on the presumption that they are harmful in some sense.
I suppose if you really want to produce a defanged, university-committee modern Thelemic motto you should go the whole hog:
"Do what thou wilt, an it harm none, unless they enjoy being harmed and have signed a disclaimer to that effect."