One of my favorite vices happens to be reading about the occult. As a staunch atheist, perhaps it’s a morbid preoccupation. I don’t believe a single word of it, but I do find it fascinating. Honestly, a lot of the occult are systems of beliefs that had to “go underground” as a result of the oppressive regime of early growing Christianity. In short, Christianity sent underground the very thing they sought to eliminate completely. Most occultists hid within the rank and file of the pious, and I’m sure the same is true today, despite the liberal social climate. If I could go back in time I would seek the source of the Voynich Manuscript. Talk about one curious tome. The writings, to this day, have remained un-deciphered. It is seated flatly besides grimoires detailing how to summon demons and describing their attributes and personalities, and what conjuring them might bring you.

Do I believe any of it? I already stated I’m an atheist. Not a word of it is borne from truth, but it still fascinates me. The history of these books, the things the people of the time believed, it’s a window into the past that we’re rarely allowed to glimpse. The written word itself is magic, whether committed two millennia ago or yesterday. Words carry power by expressing meaning. Ideas spread and infect others when transmitted via text. Words gain flight and multiply. They truly are magic.

I have a digital occult library and I’ve been meaning to peruse it more. I’ve already seen quite a bit of material that has overlapped with popular media. It’s always interesting to me when movies and music draw inspiration from medieval daemonology. From Pazuzu to Paimon, the occult has inspired ridiculous and wild tales the world around, and continues to do so to this very day. I guess this would be my equivalent to “trashy romance novels”, if I’m being honest. I just love the stuff, even if it’s absolutely asinine and batshit. I might even go so far as to say the more batshit it is, the more I love it.