FAQ

“What’s your religion?”

I’m a Setian who follows the LV-426 Tradition of Setianism, which is a unique fusion of Kemetic polytheist theology with Setianized Western esoteric practices. (For more info on LV-426, visit http://desertofset.com/2020/06/15/the-lv-426-tradition/)

“What the hell does that even mean?”

I believe in many Gods and Goddesses; I am especially drawn to the ancient Egyptian pantheon; and I am specifically devoted to a God named Set. I also pray and make offerings to Set according to a unique religious tradition that some of my best friends and I developed together while we were growing up.

“Who or what is Set?”

Set is the Egyptian God of storms, deserts, and the nighttime world. His name is sometimes rendered as Seth, Setekh, Setesh, Sutekh, or even Suti, and He is also called Typhon in Greek (though He is not theologically identical to the Hellenic Titan who is also known by this name).

“Isn’t Set just the Egyptian version of Satan?”

No. Set is not a devil who rebels against His Creator; He is the Creator’s personal bodyguard, ritually defending Atum-Ra and all the rest of us from an ever-present apocalyptic threat. So while Set might seem dark and spooky, He is truly a force for good and not evil.

“It kinda looks like you worship the devil, though.”

That’s because “satanic” imagery was appropriated from various polytheist Gods, including (but not limited to) Set. This was historically done to demonize said Gods and the religions that follow Them. If it bothers anyone that my God reminds them of their “devil,” it really says more about them and their religion than it does about me or my faith.

“What about Osiris? Isn’t Set the bad guy in that story?”

Theologically speaking, Osiris can’t rise from the dead and create a happy afterlife for all good-hearted people unless He dies first; and it is part of Set’s job to make sure this happens. This is not a story of “good versus evil,” but of agricultural cycles, changes in ecosystems, the hope for better experiences after painful life transitions, etc. It is also not uncommon for Set and Osiris to be honored together at the very same shrines.

“The ancient Egyptians believed in magic; do you?”

The ancient Egyptians believed in heka or “divine speech,” which really means something more like “prayer” in general, and which potentially includes a wide variety of religious expression (discussed further below). While heka does attempt to influence events in Nature and/or human society by means we might assume to be “supernatural,” the exact same thing is true of prayer in all religions. So the way I see it, my practices are neither more nor less “magical” than those of any other faith.

“What are some of your religious practices?”

I like to pray, which I define as any heartfelt communication with a God or deceased loved one (even if the purpose is just to express anger or despair, rather than praise or worship). I enjoy making offerings, which can include sharing meals, creating art (like paintings, sculptures, music, pottery, etc.), or even just dedicating a good deed to the Gods and/or the dead (like feeding stray cats for Bast or Sekhmet).

Many of my personal offerings to Set (and to other Gods and Goddesses) are available for the general public to enjoy as well. These include my entire discography, my podcast, my art, and even this website you’re visiting right now.

“What holidays do you celebrate?”

I really observe just one Egyptian holiday: Wep Ronpet (“Opening of the Year”), the New Year festival, which occurs in early- to mid-August during the annual inundation of the Nile. It’s technically a “roaming” holiday that falls on a slightly different date each year, but I prefer to celebrate on August 15 since this coincides with the date of my original conversion experience in 1997. The other holidays I traditionally observe are not Egyptian in origin; these include Hallowtide (October 31 through November 2), Walpurgis Night (April 30), and Friday the Thirteenth.

“Are you a member of the Temple of Set?”

No. I am well aware of the Temple of Set, but I have never been involved with that particular organization, and I respectfully do not subscribe to their ideology. Nor does anyone need to join that organization to know or walk with Set.

“Isn’t Setianism a ‘left-hand path’ (LHP) religion?”

Some Setians identify with this term, but I do not. Some would argue I am “right-hand path” (RHP) because of the devotional emphasis in my faith; but I don’t identify by this term either. Nor do I try to collapse every possible variety of religious experience into some false “LHP/RHP” binary. Setianism existed long before anyone ever used such terminology—which means “LHP” beliefs are supplementary to believing in Set, not fundamental.

#frequentlyaskedquestions #faq #setianism #sutekh #kemetic #egyptian #pagan #polytheist #holidays #god #religion #lefthandpath #lhp #pentagram

I’ve decided that since this is a book geared at beginners, I need to include a section on research and evaluating sources. Partway through the rough draft of the section on vetting sources, I went on a multi-page tangent about how fascist and WS groups hide in plain sight, recruit and indoctrinate new people, and just how pervasive of an issue it is in #LHP spaces. I think I might actually need to make a full chapter about this, and about how many sources may seem okay at first but have a major WS undertone due to affiliations that are less obvious than JoS and O9A.

This is definitely something that needs to be discussed in #demonolatry spaces. We deserve better.

Here, have a demo song:
https://on.soundcloud.com/1H7PF

#blacknroll #doommetal #diy #demo #LHP #Unmarrowed #Indiana #music #artist