This is why religion can only be advice and clarification, and cannot carry any spurs of enforcement—for only belief and behavior that is independently arrived at, and then chosen, can be praised or blamed.

Tim Powers, The Anubis Gates

Consider also:

  1. “Further, this correspondence would identify the Thrones with the names drawn from the Circumference and the seven Seals, the Archangels drawn from the Septagon would be the Trumpets and the planetary Angels about the pentagram would be the Angels. Compare Part I of this series where these divisions are laid out in detail.”
  2. “The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it.”
  3. “Therefore have Adepts praised silence; at least it does not mislead as speech does.”
  4. “O God, O God, O God, Thy Name (O God,) be praised ever, from thy 7 Thrones from thy 7 Trumpets and thy 7 Angels in 7, God wrought all things”
  5. Beyond Belief