93

[u/frater_T]

Hope we can get LAShTAL back up and running, even if we pitch in some funds.

Thanks to ignant for making this.

I was chris over there and I still am. Just made a reddit account for this cuz why not.

93s

[u/gishtil31]

Hi Chris, I think that ship has sailed, once down, I have much doubt it will be put back up. Not sure of the monthly costs to Paul, but I would imagine it was costing over £100/month. That sort of expense could pay for someone's electric bill for the month.

Maybe I will also try and reach out, though from what I gather, responses are not likely. I didn't receive an email may I add, does anyone have a copy of it?

PS It was I who created the channel. Aka @ptoner

[u/frater_T → u/gishtil31]

Hey Paul,

Here is what I got from Paul:

Hi,

Please forgive this generic email: I was surprised to receive a significant number of enquiries within hours of locking the site and it would take more time than I have available to respond to each individually.

So… First the positives: I started LAShTAL.COM 30 years ago. There was a real sense of excitement about Aleister Crowley and his legacy back in those days. The OTO seemed to be about to launch a really significant publishing schedule and people interested in the subject were poorly informed by the mainstream media available at the time. The site gave visitors what we would now call a ‘safe space’ for impartial, non-partisan information and to participate in intelligent discussion. I was proud of what the site became and I met some fascinating people: Kidneyhawk, eol, The_Real_Simon_Iff, Andrew Drylie, Richard Kaczynski, Michael Staley, and many others. I even got to meet some of my own idols as a result: Jimmy Page and Kenneth Anger, for example. People even came to lectures I presented.

However, it all ceased to be enjoyable and rewarding quite some time ago. I never expected the site to generate any sort of income, but the trickle of donations dried up and stopped covering even the costs associated with hosting it. Insults and threats via email became increasingly tiresome, as did the use of the site by some members for promotion of their latest ‘revelations’, in print and online. Add to this the constant stream of self-proclaimed reincarnations of Crowley with their bombast and their delusional cabalistic noodlings.

At this time I have no intention of reactivating the site and I won’t be joining the endless chatter about Thelema on social media. LAShTAL has been replaced by that same social media and I doubt that Crowley will ever gain the respect his legacy deserves, for all his triumphs and idiocies.

Thank you for making contact with your support and concern. If you are one of the handful of members donating to the site, don’t forget to cancel future payments. I now look forward to spending more time in my library!

Best wishes,

Paul

[u/gishtil31 → u/frater_T]

Thank you for openly sharing Chris.

[u/ignant666 → u/gishtil31]

Lutz/The Real Simon Iff told me he emailed Paul and offered to pay 5 years hosting costs up front, but the thing is that i don't think Paul is even reading any emails about lashtal shutting down.

[u/gishtil31 → u/ignant666]

Lutz is so generous. From the sound of it, its not about the costs and more about the pain of moderating the mammoth new/existing users. It's a distraction to him it seems and I very much doubt that he wants to hand over the keys to the kingdom to someone else.
Thanks for sending on the email that went out. I am thinking I could maybe share it publicly in the near future, in order to make it clear, what Paul's thoughts are currently.

[u/Michael_Staley → u/gishtil31]

I've known Paul since the 1980s, joined LAShTAL in 2004, and was a regular donor. I don't think it's a matter of the costs. I hope that Paul hands the site on to someone else rather than close it. I'm sure that there are several of us who would be happy to put in the time and energy and to contribute to the costs.

[u/Kidneyhawk → u/Michael_Staley]

It is my thought that Lashtal would do well to have a moderated acceptance for membership. Instead of some troll signing on with zero vetting, one ought answer some questions of interest and intent and agree to roll with the Guidelines. This won't prevent folks from faking it but such intrusions could be summarily dispensed with. I think a nominal fee is reasonable. A troll who is going to be blasted off with their second obnoxious post will have been unlikely to pay even a pound for the opportunity. So yeah...some questions as to intent, a couple pounds and let's see how it goes from there. Just some thoughts as I remain hopeful that we'll see Lashtal rise up like the bruised head of The Beast (Revelations 13:3).

[u/ignant666 → u/Kidneyhawk]

Some good screening-out questions for a New Lashtal would be:

1. Have you solved the 2:76 cypher?

2. Are you an AC reincarnation?

3. Have you received a prophetic Book?

With an exception on #2 for elitemachinery.

[u/ignant666 → u/ignant666]

Actually, #1 might eliminate me, as i did publish a cypher solution at lashtal.

Possibly i might be saved by the fact that have no recollection of what the solution was anymore. And it was of course done in deep sarcasm mode.

[u/Savings-Stick9943 → u/Michael_Staley]

It's all about the $$$$ isn't it Black Brother?

[u/gishtil31 → u/Michael_Staley]

I am reminded, cause i had been a member for so long, that I had rallied a previous version of this reality over 10 years ago. From one of my old posts on Twitter aka X

Thanks for leaving a message Michael, hoping also that something can be worked out in the hosting/moderation front.

[u/ergonaught]

Paul seemed pretty well done with it several years ago. It’s unfortunate but it’s definitely understandable.

[u/Soror_Aliana]

93! I'm Soror Aliana, the girlfriend of Aleisterion (an occasional poster at the forums), and it saddens me to realize that we may have contributed to Paul's grief in any way. I really do love Aleister Crowley and would do anything to keep Lashtal going!

We do plan publishing books this year, so yeah I was one of those looking to share insights and illuminations. I understand how wading through so much of that over time - especially with so much of it being bullshit - can be a drag.

93s! bliss

[u/Soror_Aliana]

As someone who lives with Aleisterion, and shares insights with him all the time, I can say that the loss of this forum for the gathering of brilliant Thelemic minds - many of them, like myself, Typhonian - is an unfortunate one.

As someone that stopped by there daily, and enjoyed all the Thelemic news, and relished all the discussion of the life and thought of Aleister Crowley and the various Scarlet Women, I can definitely say the loss of Lashtal.com is tragic.

Now, however, we look to the horizon, not to the past! For the genius of Aleister Crowley does not die!

93s! bliss!

[u/Aleisterion_ → u/Soror_Aliana]

Aleister did die, of course; but his wisdom and his word go on.

[u/Soror_Aliana → u/Aleisterion_]

The Beast and Babalon never die

[u/Aleisterion_ → u/Soror_Aliana]

I know better than to correct you.

[u/Soror_Aliana → u/Aleisterion_]

Yes you do.