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Brennan Kettelle will be the speaker of this month's Current Issues seminar. The seminar is titled: ‘‘The Henchmen of Lilith’: Spiritually-mandatory Heterosexuality and the Demonization of Homosexuality in the Sex Magical Practice of Samael Aun Weor’
Event details of Current Issues with Brennan Kettelle
Date
11 November 2024
Time
15:00 -16:30
Room
Belle van Zuylenzaal

Abstract

In the mid-twentieth century, Colombian neo-Gnostic guru Samael Aun Weor (1917-1977) spread the teachings and practices of ARCANUM A.Z.F. – his system of sexual magic. Aiming to use sex-power to create an astral body that lives on after death, Weor’s system of sexual magic has two main pillars – a mandate that sex magic must only be practiced within the context of a heterosexual marriage, and a forbiddance on ejaculation/orgasm. Additionally, Weor’s system identifies two main adversaries: the demoness Lilith and her “henchmen” – homosexuals. Weor’s association of Lilith and homosexuality within his system expands upon Lilith’s discursive history as a monstress, and deploys Lilith as a demonic disciplinarian, policing the boundaries of acceptable sexuality laid out within Weor’s teachings. Moreover, this association represents an esoteric example of a much broader historical trend linking queerness with monstrosity. To further dissect this enduring entanglement using ARCANUM A.Z.F. as a case study, this paper applies monster theory to a textual analysis of Weor’s seminal work The Perfect Matrimony (1950). I suggest that Weor’s association between Lilith and homosexuality functions to create a demonic threat that serves to implement a fear-based enforcement of semen retention and spiritually-mandatory heterosexuality amongst his followers. By positioning Lilith as the ultimate embodiment of evil, in tandem with presenting homosexuality as the gravest psycho-sexual perversion, and associating the two in collusion, Weor’s teachings ultimately perpetuate the portrayal of the Queer as Monster, within an esoteric context.

University Library

Room Belle van Zuylenzaal
Singel 425
1012 WP Amsterdam