Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

GREAT BROTHERHOOD OF GOD (formerly known as the Choronzon Club)

Founded by C Russell, an American disciple of Aleister Crowley, in the USA in 1931, as an independent magical order which may have fringed on diabolism.

Its principles were derived perversely from a mixture of those taught in Golden Dawn (see HERMETIC ORDER OF THE GOLDEN DAWN) and Ordo Templis Orientis.

Choronzon is the name allocated by Crowley and S L MacGregor Mathers to the diabolic embodiment of the principles of evil, and Russell seems to have pursued an interest in diabolism. He inscribed, for example, inverted Pentagrams during ritual (regarded as symbolic of evil by many occultists - though it should be noted that inverted Pentagrams are sometimes used in various forms of 'Positive' Magic such as certain healings) and was also strongly interested in variants of Sex Magick.

Russell's lodges became established mainly on the west coast of America, each headed by a so-called Neighbourhood Primate. The Order was largely dismantled in 1937, although it may continue in a restricted and localized form.

see also: CHRONOZON

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc