Cult of Mastema

Who is Mastema?

The Book of Jubilees, 11,4-6:

And they made for themselves molten images, and they worshipped each the idol, the molten image which they had made for themselves, and they began to make graven images and unclean simulacra, and malignant spirits assisted and seduced (them) into committing transgression and uncleanness. And the prince Mastema exerted himself to do all this, and he sent forth other spirits, those which were put under his hand, to do all manner of wrong and sin, and all manner of transgression, to corrupt and destroy and to shed blood upon the earth. For this reason he called the name of Seroh, Serug, for every one turned to do all manner of sin and transgression.

Read more about Mastema one the Delusions of Grandeur's page.

What is a cult?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate.
1 : formal religious veneration (worship).
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents.
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents.

Wordsmyth Dictionary ? Thesaurus:

1 : the rituals and observances of a particular religion, esp. those pertaining to a single deity.

2 : a group joined by exceptional regard or devotion for a person, thing, or idea.

3: a religion that most members of a society believe to be false, faddish, or unworthy of respect.

4 : the members of a cult.

Cambridge Dictionary of American English:

cult : a system of religious belief, esp. one not recognized as an established religion, or the people who worship according to such a system of belief.

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition:

cult : ritual observances involved in worship of, or communication with, the supernatural or its symbolic representations. A cult includes the totality of ideas, activities, and practices associated with a given divinity or social group. It includes not only ritual activities but also the beliefs and myths centering on the rites. The objects of the cult are often things associated with the daily life of the celebrants. The English scholar Jane Harrison pointed out the importance of the cult in the development of religion. Sacred persons may have their own cults. The cult may be associated with a single person, place, or object or may have much broader associations. There may be officials entrusted with the rites, or anyone who belongs may be allowed to take part in them. The term cult is now often used to refer to contemporary religious groups whose beliefs and practices depart from the conventional norms of society. These groups vary widely in doctrine, leadership, and ritual, but most stress direct experience of the divine and duties to the cult community.

Wikipedia:

The literal and traditional meaning of the word cult, from the Latin cultus, meaning care or adoration, is "a system of religious belief or ritual; or: the body of adherents to same." In formal use, and in non-English European terms, the cognates of the English word "cult" are neutral, and refer mainly to divisions within a single faith, a purpose to which "sect" is put in English. Hence, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant are cults within Christianity.

Irving Hexham's Concise Dictionary of Religion:

cult : a controversial and misunderstood word greatly misused by the media where it means a GROUP nobody likes through association with BRAINWASHING. In THEOLOGY the term "cult" has been used to refer to forms of WORSHIP and the RITUALS associated with them such as those at the JERUSALEM TEMPLE in ANCIENT JUDAISM. Sociologically, it refers to small religious groups which are in tension with established religious TRADITIONS and society generally. Rodney STARK and William Sims BAINBRIDGE give an OPERATIONAL DEFINITION of cult as: "a religious body which does not have a prior tie with another established religious body in the society in question. The cult may represent an alien (external) religion, or it may have originated in the host society, but through innovation, not fusion. Whether domestic or imported, the cult is something new vis-á-vis the other religious bodies in the society in question." On the basis of this definition, they identify three types of cult: "Audience Cults" which resemble a very loose lecture circuit where people participate in lectures, seminars and workshops as well as buying books and subscribing to magazines which promote a general spiritual point of view. "Client Cults" where mobilization is partial, rather than all embracing and people participate as clients, for example attending occasional SPIRITUALIST meetings, when they have specific needs rather than join as members. Finally, there are "Cult Movements" proper where membership is required and there is a development toward the status of a SECT.

The Cult of Mastema : DE DATO ("From this day")

In honorum Mastema, Holy Prince of Legions, we hereby proclaim as follows:

1. The Cult of Mastema is a religious organization primarily devoted to the cultic adoration of Mastema.

2. The Cult of Mastema is a non-profit organization. We do not admit paying members into the Cult, and we do not in any way aim to benifit financially from our efforts.

3. The Cult of Mastema is an autonomous organization. We are in no way affiliated with any other religious, ideological or political movement anywhere.

4. The Cult of Mastema is an international organization. We encourage all members to form local communities.

6. The Cult of Mastema is open to all serious applicants. We accept men as well as women.

The Cult of Mastema - General Introduction

1a. The CoM is a religious cult dedicated to the adoration of the entity called Mastema. As "Archeplasma" (First Born) Mastema was originally named Saklitaboth (Saclitaboth), the first of seven archangels to be created by Kyrios (God) from fire. When Saklitaboth chose to defy the others he was expelled from the group, and as such he became known as Mastema. Some writers also refer to him as Samael. The names of the other six archangels were Mikael (Michael), Gabriel, Rafael (Raphael), Zedekiel, Zalathiel and Anael.

1b. Although it may be, as stated by the much acclaimed French professor Etienne Gilson (1884-1978), that "the general plan of creation would show an obvious gap if there were no angels in it" (Gilson, The Christian Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994, p. 162), the CoM - through a somewhat more inductive form of approach - simply acknowledges the facts as they are presented to us. There are many angels. Traditional categories include Seraphim, Cherubs, Thrones (thronoi), Dominations (or dominions, kyriotetes), Virtues (dynameis), Powers (exousiai), Principalities (archai), Archangels and common Angels (Colossians 1,16; Romans 8,38; Ephesians 6,12 a. o.). Although often claimed to be a cherub, the archangel Mastema is in fact a seraph.

1c. Once expelled from the group Mastema coupled with the human Lilith (Adam's first wife), thus saving her from mortality and turning her into a demon. She is the Whore and the mother of all other demons, and consequently she is adored by the Cult as an equal to her husband.

1d. Being a seraph himself, Mastema is much to large an entity to be summoned by common theurgy (see below). CoM members are encouraged to summon much smaller entities (such as minor demons), whereas Mastema and Lilith primarily are to be honoured and celebrated during masses. Since Mastema was born from fire, as Lilith was born from soil, one will find both of these elements present at most CoM masses. Also, Mastema is represented by the colour black, whereas Lilith is represented by the colour red.

1e. Although demons - just like human individuals - are to be regarded as autonomous creatures, in writing we generally refer to them as the children of Lilith and Mastema. By evocing them, we also acknowledge the power of their parents. By their appearance this power becomes manifest.

2a. The CoM does not worship "Satan". Members of the Cult have not taken side in a struggle against God Kyrios, and we do not condemn his apostles. Modern day secular Christianity has no interest to us at all.

2b. Since God Kyrios exists, acceptance is futile. The CoM does not "accept" God, and we do not "believe" in Him either. We hold it self evident that God simply is, and so - in a very private and friendly sort of way - we mostly choose to ignore Him, just like anybody else. To God we are all but an experiment, contrived for His amusement. Being almighty Kyrios does not suffer from vanity. He does not ask for hypocritical admiration, and He does not even desire our attention. He wants us to explore.

2c. Mastema is not God's enemy. He is not man's enemy either. The battle for the conquest of souls is no battle between "good" (Kyrios) and "evil" (Mastema), but simply a battle between minor entities, trying hard to smear their opponents (Ephesians, 6, 11-12). This battle has nothing to do with the existence of God Kyrios. It simply has to do with the way the world was created and it will continue for as long as He likes.

3a. Since spiritual creatures need to materialize in order to be able to act in an earthly manner, most of them need the assistance of humans. Through the forming a pact with a group of followers (Genesis 17; Liber Al vel Legis II, 25+65 a. o.), an entity most often will get the opportunity to materialize at certain places and under certain circumstances (Genesis 28,16-18; 35,13-15 a. o.), but it will however never be entirely set free. Therefore it will lie, and it will try hard to convince it's followers that they need it's protection in order to secure them from the evil of others. It will almost inevitable claim to be much larger than it actually is. CoM members are warned not to act upon all entity calls.

3b. The place of materialization is usually called a focal point. The circumstances leading to materialization is called ritual, and the ability to perform such a ritual is called knowledge of theurgy (Genesis 13,4 a. o.). The focal point is like a gateway the entity has to pass, and so the size of the gateway will in effect determine the size of the entity appearing before you. The larger the entity, the harder is is to control. If the focal point is a human being, we call this person a medium, and should the entity manage to take residence within a medium, we say that this person is possessed. Possession is not necessarily a bad thing.

3c. The - as it is said - "astral plane" (whether it be "heaven" or "hell") does not belong to anyone in particular. In refering to Vergil's notion, that "Facilis descensus Averno" ("It is easy to enter the underworld") each member of the CoM is called upon to develop his or her own private rituals in order that the power of Mastema will eventually come to be manifest in a great variety of ways. CoM members are also encouraged to share their knowledge and experiences with each other.

4a. CoM members are generally called upon to uphold certain basic principles concerning decent behaviour. All members are encouraged to be discreet, and to abtain from betraying their fellow members to the public.

4b. CoM members are encouraged to explore their own potentials. They are not encouraged to be plain egoistic. The CoM does not accept the misguided Fascist notion of social Darwinism, and we do not in any way condone race or gender discrimination. The CoM should not be considered an ideological or a political movement.