December 2005 Press Release

Why are we doing this?

We feel it is the right thing to do. The people we are challenging have defamed the O.T.O. and its members and vilified Thelema.

The allegations made were passed onto police and child protection agencies seeking to provoke these agencies into action against us. These attacks pose a very real threat to O.T.O. members with children. These vile accusations threaten to reach into and affect our families in a re run of the Satanic Ritual Abuse scares of a few years ago.

What’s next?

Since we discovered the materials we have worked to bring to account the authors and propagators of these vile and baseless lies. Our victory in the court is a first step against only one of the parties making these accusations.

We are currently exploring a range of options against others who have defamed and vilified us.

We have filed complaints of religious vilification in VCAT. In this arena we have inspiring advice from a senior QC, academics preparing submissions and others researching on our behalf. We are confident that our claims will be upheld on all points.

The processes of law turn slowly.

After lodging our "Particulars of Complaint" against the four respondents with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the gist of which being that we object to being accused of being a paedophile cult) we received the "Particulars of Defence" from respondents Michaelson and later CSAPP, her organization. The other two respondents (Legg and Devine) have not filed a defence. 

Michaelson's "defence" essentially reiterated her original claims. Denying any wrong doing at all she claims not to be the author of the original document published on her website and has tried to invoke the defences provided for in the legislation - claiming her publication was a bona fide religious activity and done in the public interest. She claims that her "exposure of the nature or the true nature of a religious teaching or religious text (and in particular the Book of the Law and the book Magick in Theory and Practice...) does not constitute an act of vilification." Michaelson's barrister defended the Christian Catch the Fire Ministry, a Christian group, in a previous case where two of its members vilified Islam. In that case the barrister argued that Islam was an unlawful religion because it advocated violence. That argument, rejected by the court, has been recycled against Thelema. She repeatedly clumped "Thelema and Satanism and Crowleyism" together - perhaps in her world view all three are the same. 

This exchange of documents has been followed by a confidential mediation session between O.T.O. and Michaelson/CSAPP. If both parties are satisfied with the outcome of that meeting then the issue can be resolved without the need for full hearings etc before the Tribunal. We will be able to provide an update on this in January. 

After the Catch the Fire decision a number of leaders and representatives of faith communities in Victoria issued a statement that, in their view, the religious vilification legislation: 

"has started to expose some of the activities of religious extremist and race hate groups in Victoria. [Who] would prefer to be able to scuttle about in private misuse of the right to religious freedom, to prey on fears and anxiety that exist in parts of Victorian religious communities, Inciting hatred and hostility to those of other faiths or races." and that the: "legislation ... makes extremist groups uncomfortable and holds them to account, limiting by law the extent to which they can pursue their activities that tear at the social fabric and undermine social harmony by promoting conflict." 

Elsewhere, Simon Rice of Macquarie University has commented: 

"the Catch the Fire Ministries matter, demonstrates that it is one thing to comment on, even adversely, the teachings of another denomination, but it is another to incite hatred, serious contempt for, or revulsion or severe ridicule on the grounds of religion. That is the dividing line to be respected in a mature and pluralist society." 

O.T.O. Australia, through our recent experience, agrees with these sentiments.

The actions we are taking issue with - the making of claims of the vilest criminality against entire groups on the basis of their beliefs, the publishing of these untested claims on the internet, the particularization of the claims when individual members of religious groups are named - pose clear threats to the religious pluralism that we previously considered part of the nature of our country. Like the overwhelming majority of Australians, we believe we live in a just, tolerant and egalitarian society that values and respects diversity. This current unprovoked attack has given us all a shared experience of defending Thelema and welded us closer together. 

We spoke to Rice and the religious spokespersons who issued the statement above to provide them with background on why we initiated legal action. We reminded them that our members are the ones most adversely affected by the false accusations made on the websites, and that we have an entitlement under Australian law to practice our religion. 

Just why these people fastened onto the O.T.O. and Thelema (they used selective quotes from The Book of the Law and other Thelemic texts to justify their positions) was at first a mystery to us. 

Later we discovered the world of the conspiracy theorists. The alliance between Michaelson and Legg/Devine represents the convergence of two elements of the conspiracy world view - combining those of the alien/secret world government with the Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) scenarios. 

Opposition to the religious vilification legislation and our case has brought together a motley crew. Coverage on our complaint to date by newspapers has been confined to two articles when the complaint was first made. Coverage by Christian writers and websites has generally been biased and partial. It seems too much for them to consider that the O.T.O. might have genuine claims and they have even presented Michaelson as a victim. One website has named Michaelson as a recent Baptist convert. Our case has been mentioned in the NSW Parliament by Fred Nile (National President of the Christian Democratic Party and of the Festival of Light). Nile usually rails against the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney. No prizes for his views on the matter. 

Others (mostly anonymous posters) have published the original document or commented on it and the later claims made. Others have sent us abusive emails accusing us of various other crimes including the murder of Telecom technicians, the Ivan Milat murders and the unauthorized use of the word "catholic". 

To those Australian residents that feel the need to post second hand accusations concerning the O.T.O., we offer an open invitation: provide your name and a valid address for service and we will arrange a legal venue in which you can present the evidence to support your claims. Send your details to media@otoaustralia.org.au 

Stooping to a new low, Peter Koenig has provided Legg and Devine a stolen document which contained the contact details (names, addresses and telephone numbers) dating from the mid 1990s of O.T.O. members and others, which remains posted online. Legg and Devine have also made a report to the Australian National Security Hotline claiming that we are a terrorist organization. In the face of these actions we have filed new defamation suits against these people and are enforcing the original judgments through bankruptcy actions. Legg and Devine continue to accuse us of every event that intrudes into their lives, including vandalising their post box , flying unmarked jets and helicopters over their property, controlling the weather and organizing a Government proposal for a four lane highway 200 metres from their house. In all honesty, it wasn't us! They remain in disbelief that a magistrate in the initial hearing against them found their allegations "bizarre" and their defence "embarrassing."

Despite the above we are steadily confident that we will prevail at the end of the day. These people have made a mistake and allowed their own bias to influence their actions. They have been given ample opportunity to see the error in what they have done but persist in vilifying us.

Thank You

O.T.O. Australia would like to thank all those who have made donations to our legal fund to date.

We are extremely grateful for the money provided as this has made the next stage of our battle easier to undertake. We also thank those who have provided assistance in other ways (including lashtal.com) and those from around the world who have sent expressions of support.

We would particularly like to express our gratitude to our lawyer Jan Moerkerke, who agreed to represent us and shared our outrage at this abuse.

Overall the understanding that this is a defence of Thelema and of freedom from religious vilification, has been shared by those that have contacted us and contributed to our efforts.