In the house of pain, there are ten thousand shrines
There is only one really safe, mild, harmless beverage and you can drink as much of that as you like without running the slightest risk, and what you say when you want it is, ‘Garcon! Un Pernod’
The pious pretense that evil does not exist only makes it vague, enormous and menacing
Existence, as we know it, is full of sorrow. To mention only one minor point: every man is a condemned criminal, only he does not know the date of his execution. This is unpleasant for every man. Consequently every man does everything possible to postpone the date, and would sacrifice anything that he has if he could reverse the sentence. Practically all religions and all philosophies have started thus crudely, by promising their adherents some such reward as immortality. No religion has failed hitherto by not promising enough; the present breaking up of all religions is due to the fact that people have asked to see the securities. Men have even renounced the important material advantages which a well-organized religion may confer upon a State, rather than acquiesce in fraud or falsehood, or even in any system which, if not proved guilty, is at least unable to demonstrate its innocence. Being more or less bankrupt, the best thing that we can do is to attack the problem afresh without preconceived ideas. Let us begin by doubting every statement. Let us find a way of subjecting every statement to the test of experiment. Is there any truth at all in the claims of various religions? Let us examine the question. Magick is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will. I am inclined to think that the most scientific and reliable way of exploring people's unconscious minds would be to watch their reaction to a well thought-out series of unfamiliar circumstances. One could compare their respective qualities, such as will-power, patience, dignity, courage, imperturbability, and so on. Such data should be of great use in answering the question, ‘Wherewithal shall a young man mend his ways? Painting, like golf, is an old man’s game…..Syphilis is probably the physical basis of genius….Ordinary morality is only for ordinary people….I am perplexed
It is quite certain, in particular, that I have always been insane