Two newly released JMG podcasts

[ecosophia]

This week my latest  two podcasts went up. The first is with Peter Koronios of the Arcanvm Podcast; we had a lively and enjoyable hour of conversation covering quite a bit of ground -- Druidry, the magical side of environmentalism, and occult fiction, for starters. You can listen in on YouTube here.

The second is another appearance on the Hermitix podcast with the ever-entertaining James Ellis. This conversation focused specifically on the newly released revised edition of A World Full of Gods, my book on polytheism as a live religious option in the present day. We had a constructive and at times intense conversation on the subject. You can listen in on Spotify here and on YouTube here.

Comments

[liamq]

I really enjoyed your discussion with James Ellis, who I think is very good at conducting interviews.

In addition to the false dichotomy between atheism and monotheism, there’s the Roman Catholic false dichotomy that addresses religious experience—everything is either supernatural or preternatural.

If a religious experience confirms and conforms to what the Church hierarchy expects, the experience is supernatural and of the Trinity.

If that experience points away from the teaching of the Church as interpreted by a particular authority, well, obviously that experience is of the devil and is therefore preternatural.

And I wonder if the church fathers ever got more complicated than that when debating the pagan philosophers.

Our god is better than your god because we believe in the resurrection, and anything you experience that convinces you otherwise if of the demons.

Interestingly enough, Jesus himself, as recorded in the gospel of John’s 17th chapter, prayed to the father that the world might believe through one thing and one thing alone: the utter unity of his followers, a unity mirroring that of the trinity itself.

Since this unity has never existed, and since it was only superficially forced onto the state once Constantine got sick of Arian bickering, I suppose the best arguments we have come from the likes of Anselm.

[ecosophia]

Oh, granted. There's a reason the word "Jesuitical" doesn't refer to honest modes of argument!

[(Anonymous)]

I'm painting my living room today. That's my audio sorted to keep me going, thanks!

JH

[ecosophia]

You're most welcome and thank you.

New Artwork

[degringolade]

Hey...Off topic...Artwork on your sphinx books is vastly improved.

Congrats on the new issues, I'd buy them except I already have them.

Re: New Artwork

[ecosophia]

Glad to hear you like the new art. I have no objection to your keeping the old books, though!

[deathcap]

I loved Witch of Criswell! I've been reading it to my 4th grader at bedtime and he seems to enjoy it! I read him Star's Reach and realized at various points that really isn't the *most* kid friendly book out there, but he enjoyed it aside from the "Anna can't handle things" scene which he found a bit emotionally difficult. Regardless, I've been reading him Grimm's fairytales and various other bits of folklore since he was old enough to listen and those aren't always super kid friendly either.

Do you have any idea what timeline you're looking at for getting the other Ariel Moravec books written? She's such a great protagonist and I love Dr Moravec. How much of yourself did you write into that character? To me he seems kind of like a JMG expy but heck, you know so many people across different parts of the occult scene I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if he's based on several people you know, alive and/or long-dead.

The second I see you post a "pre-order" link for a new Ariel Moravec book it's gonna be on my list! I want to read through A World Full Of Gods but my stack of books is already overwhelming thanks to inheritance from my dad...so I'll probably get to it eventually after I finish all of his books.

(PS I recently became an entered apprentice and it's great. I wish my parents hadn't completely dropped the tradition that my grandparents were in and I'd known more about masonry earlier in life but y'know, it appeared when it needed to and that's just how things work!)

[ecosophia]

I'm very glad to hear it! The second book in the series, "The Book of Haatan," is already at the publisher and the third, "The Carnelian Moon," is mostly finished. I've got another half dozen plotted out, and a detailed story arc. I didn't intend to write them as young adult novels, but they seem to be working out that way. ;-)

As for Dr. Moravec, no, he's not based on me; I'm happily married and don't have either his habit of silence or his instinctive dignity. He's based partly on some people I've known in the occult scene and partly -- well, my characters inevitably do what they want to do, often to my surprise, and Dr. Moravec is no exception.

Congrats on your initiation! I hope you find Masonry at least as worthwhile as I do.

[(Anonymous)]

Always love listening to you and James. I've similarly noticed that young people are moving towards experiential religions. Another observation I've made is that a lot of young people are identifying as 'spiritual but not religious' - that is, seeking their own spiritual experiences without belonging to any religious institution. Lot's of talk about 'source' and 'spirit guides' and dabbling in meditation and breathwork without any institutional backing.

Terrific

[yogaandthetarot]

Just finished these two podcasts with you and they were terrific! Smart and funny and rather “magical” that my question about languages and magic from the last Magic Monday were touched upon … thanks for not calling me out for redundancy since I hadn’t yet listened to your podcasts:)
Thanks again!
Jill C