Greetings!
Legitimacy in these matters is in the eye of the beholder and people
apply different criteria. Some take a legalistic view others do not. In
one alternative view legitimacy is dependent upon a perceived ability to
articulate with a "Sanctuary of Gnosis" rather than legalistic concerns
and paper trails (some have suggested that Crowley manifested this
approach when he declared himself head of the OTO!) Indeed some people
who identify themselves as OTO would perceive the order in ways that
would in fact preclude it being a legal entity in any way.
The differences will seem massively important to some of the
participants and be a matter of strong feelings. I can think of a couple
of instances where people claiming academic status have thought they
could judge that certain autonomic OTOs were spurious but I would be
wary of this approach. I suspect other academics would suggest it better
to try to understand and appreciate the different kinds of OTO
endeavours. As it happens this is what I try to do when I sell books
which are associated with different OTOs.
Certainly members of the Typhonian OTO are very well aware of all that
Felicity has said yet consider their OTO legitimate. That is not because
they are stupid or dishonest. It because they have different
perceptions, different experiences and apply different criteria.
My best wishes
Ben
--
Ben Fernee
Caduceus Books
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