--- In solomonic@yahoogroups.com, + Kempis <kempis057@...> wrote:

> One of the rules in the Abramelin is that the
> practicioner should return to the religion they were
> born into. In my case, this is Catholicism. I did
> make an attempt to return to it (hence the name
> Kempis), but was reminded of why I left.

Just for the record- the German original of Abramelin makes this point
much clearer than the French-to-English translation. Apparently,
anyone of any religion can attain the Sacred Magick - except a
*Jewish* person who has left Judaism for another religion.

Previously, scholars have suggested the "don't change your birth
religion" instruction was due to the manner in which conversions took
place at the time. It wasn't like today where you just decide to
explore another religion and go for it. Back then, you had to
formally *renounce* the old religion and accept the Universal Truth
(tm) of the religion to which you converted.

Personally, I think that idea still applies to the new understanding.
Maybe folks raised Muslim, Christian or Pagan can change to another
religion- but because Abramelin is inherently Jewish Mysticism, one
cannot have *renounced* Judaism as false and still expect to perform
Abramelin.

After all, the German original instructs the aspirant to observe all
Jewish fasts and holy days during the span of the Operation. So,
having formally renounced those fasts and holy days as "tricks of the
Devil" could be problematic. Meanwhile, this wouldn't be a problem
for someone who has switched from some other religion to yet another
religion. Even less so if they switched *to* Judaism.

LVX
Aaron