It's nothing new to note that the relationship between the more established Orders of the Golden Dawn tradition is strained at best, and more akin to the Set/Osirus relationship at worst. Each side taking on the role of Osirus and casting the other as the Setian villain. Personally, I think there is enough blame to go around and I'd be dishonest if I said I could not appreciate arguments that both sides make at one time or another.

It has been my experience, having known a great many protestant fundamentalists, that the things one preaches loudest about, are most likely at the root of your own issues. Both sides accuse the other of various wrongs, misdeeds, and improper practices when it seems obvious that those arguments could be applied to themselves as well.

As a member of one of the orders involved, I don't care to delve deeply at this time into my personal issues with what I perceive to be shortcomings of my order, but I DO know what I like about it, and I tend to focus on those aspects when in doubt. There is no organization or person who is without fault, and I have had similar misgivings about my membership in the Masons from time to time, but I am still a member of that order as well.

I did think it would be helpful to give a quick run-down of the current drama and post some links to opinions from both sides. There is also much discussion happening on various lists that I won't point to.

I'll try to be as impartial as possible. Basically, David Griffin (link is to the Bio on his own website), Chief of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (Not to be confused with the HOGD of the Cicero's), has issued a call for Golden Dawn Harmony in the long standing feud with Robert Zink (link to personal bio), Chief of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn. An Adept of the EOGD responded with an unfortunately titled post via the EOGD's official blog and stated that it seems disingenuous to think that David could expect everyone to forgive and forget so quickly after he wrote posts like this one. It should be noted that R. Zink had issued a similar call for peace in 2005 which was not accepted by Griffin at that time.

Others in the Golden Dawn Community have chimed in and are sharing their opinions.

M.D. Eckstein at Gleamings From the Dawn gives a fairly impartial appraisal where he has said that he wonders if peace is even possible at this point given that there is no basis for trust.

The Hermetic Student gives a good synopsis of the 'back-and-forth' here, but is obviously very much in Griffin's corner.

The Golden Dawn Insider writes a much more 'pro-Zink' synopsis of the situation in this post from March.

It's a flame war. It's been ugly. Both sides have done things that they can take no pride in. There are kernels of truth, buried in much hyperbole and many lies, in the arguments each side uses. If I had to pick a side, obviously I'm backing the EOGD, but that's part of what makes this so distasteful. All the skeletons have been drug out of the closets, all the grievances have been aired, and all the mud has been flung - where does it leave us? Everybody loses. Especially the members of the orders involved.

These disagreements cause both sides to question their Order, to doubt the veracity of their Chiefs, and to question their involvement in the whole thing. The magical battles that take place along with the cyber component do just as much damage.

It is not befitting for Seekers of the Light to act in this manner. It reveals significant problems with ego and personality. Just like the feuds of the Appalachians, it has gone on to the point where the fighting continues just because it has been that way for so long.

I don't have the answer. I'm not sure these wounds will ever be healed, but I do know it is unseeming for Adepts dedicated to Love and Light to act in this manner. That doesn't mean we go all Christ-like and turn the other cheek, because that's not how life and magic works, but at some point someone has to stop slapping. It would be nice if a cease-fire could be arranged. But like Mr. Eckstein said, I'm not sure if there is enough trust for that to happen.

I've always thought that there is something about the energies that occult orders work with that unbalances them so that these sorts of conflicts are almost unavoidable. Like every Christian denomination in the world, there will be disagreements and schisms, and dominant personalities will arise and exert their Will.

It is Man who is at fault, not the currents within which we are carried. Once again institutions concerned with the highest of goals are tarnished by the fallibilities and failings of its members. It happens in every religion and organization whose ideals are lofty. I have often commented that "The Ideal is much different from the Real." While our ideals are pure, and even archetypal like Plato's Forms, the reality is that ego, pride, and personality corrupt the ideal. This what happens when Atziluth is acted upon from Asiah. Much is lost in translation.

Love and Light to us all.

Frater R.T.