"Preliminary Remarks on the Mental Illness
of ... G.M.Kelly?"

by G.M.Kelly


A Review Of

Preliminary Remarks on the Mental Illness of G.M. Kelly

"Written by David Bersson"

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

For years he's been trying to create conflicts with his lies, 
slanders, and stupid speculations on various Thelemites that he cannot control his disordered 
ego with.

This typically ill-written article to be found at www.castletower.org/gmkelly-insane.html (which may now disappear or be altered) begins by illustrating the ego of the author, the title appearing in small print while "Written by David Bersson" appears in much larger print.  Directly below this is the picture above, sans the photo of yours truly, more largely displayed on Bersson's page, with the caption printed at its centre, "G.M. Kelly in a prison for the criminally insane".  It is supposed to be a photograph of yours truly.  What is most amusing about this is that early on in his all too common manically insane rant, Bersson has written:

"For years he's been trying to create conflicts with his lies, slanders, and stupid speculations on various Thelemites that he cannot control his disordered ego with."

As I have often written, pseudo-thelemites have a peculiar habit of falsely accusing me of the very same "crimes" of which they themselves are guilty.  Case in point.  Bersson presents a photograph of a man behind bars and claims that it is me and that I have been imprisoned in an institution for the criminally insane, thus accusing me of being criminally insane.  In point of fact the photo is not of me, nor have I ever spent so much as a single minute in any kind of a jail, prison or mental institution even as a visitor, nor have I ever been formally charged or convicted of any crime, nor have I ever been officially pronounced "insane".  Thus Bersson begins with these lies and slanders, accusing me of lying and slander.  If David Bersson were not such an obvious braying ass he might find himself in serious legal jeopardy.  As it is, it is probably only a matter of time before he himself faces institutionalization in an insane asylum.

Bersson's accusations are absolutely absurd.  For instance, why would I bother to try and "create conflicts" when the various pseudo-thelemic organizations and individuals are far better at it than I could ever be?  They fight and bicker amongst themselves, Bersson undoubtedly the worst, and the conflicts within the less than fraternal "fraternity" of the Caliphate pseudo-o.t.o., the in-fighting, the law suits filed by one "brother" against another "brother" and so forth are legendary.  And as an example of David Bersson's inability to reason, he fails to recognize the fact that if anything my existence has given the pseudo-thelemic community a reason to unite as I have all these years provided them with a common enemy.

The rest of Bersson's lunatic "article" is simply too absurd to even waste time on, his presumption to know anything about me and my training merely assumption, guess work based probably more upon what he knows to be true about himself than anything he could ever know about me.  If you need a good laugh, by all means read it while keeping in mind that his "investigation" of yours truly seems to be more likely a study of his own perverse image in a glass darkly ... and he is just too out of touch with reality, too enamoured of his own ego, to realize it.  So lost is he within his own tortured ego, Bersson cannot even see the obvious in the Newaeon seal, which he calls my "tampering with the AA Seal", something that he claims was the "downfall ... which released the abyss into his [i.e. my] soul."  The Newaeon seal is actually the magical union of the Star or Sigil of the Beast and the Star of Babalon, the Seal of the A.·.A.·., and all that that implies.  But as I have said, there is no sense in wasting too much time on the sensless babble of David Bersson.  He has never been to me anything more than a psychological example of a crackpot would-be magician and cult leader, who, himself, has often tried to set one individual or group against another in the hopes of creating discord, even going so far as to threaten to cut out my heart for refusing to accept him as not only my teacher, but my god.

Anyone who reads through David Bersson's web site and believes him to be not only sane and rational, but a genuine Thelemic Magician and leader must surely be as perverse and deluded as he, and such individuals deserve one another.  Like, after all, attracts like.  Anyone who is even moderately rational and intelligent should be able to perceive the madness, the sheer lunacy that infuses every page of Bersson's web site.

Not long ago an individual who works at a local occult shop here in the Pittsburgh area passed on to me this amusing anecdote of her encounter with David Bersson. 

"...some people from the magickal order that we won't say the initials of came in.  They had this insane man with them that I figured was some crazy uncle that they got out of the institution for the day.  He had these huge eyebrows and laughed like Count Chocula.  He instited [sic] that he could read the heiroglyphics on an Egyptian mirror that we carry ... that of course, in reality, says nothing at all.  He also thought that Set was some other diety.  Hello!  He talked very loud and was so full of himself even tho insane. He walked out the door saying loudly, 'if you need me, you know where I am ...I'll be in the temple!'

"Whatever!

"Guess who?

"I honestly cannot believe that ANYONE actually follows this man!!!  ..."

To conclude this brief review of David Bersson and his inane, untrue and slanderous article, let me just show you how the fellow chooses to portray himself on the Internet.  Elsewhere on his web site he infects your computer screen with this photograph of himself, a magical "costume" crudely and childishly painted over a photograph obviously intended to impress.  Of course, all that it actually does is reveal just how crudely childish and insincere David Bersson is, the false image of himself that he places before your eyes a comic caricature of a magician who is capable of invoking only laughter in any rational being who lays eyes upon it.

David Bersson as he has chosen to portray himself on his web 
site. Talk about goofy!

How can any intelligent person take a character like David Bersson seriously?

G.M.Kelly

I leave it to you, the reader, the student, the intelligent researcher, to decide for yourself which of us may be sane and which insane.  Each must find his and her particular level in life, make his and her own choices, and I am quite content to see those who may see someone like David Bersson as a sane, intelligent man accept him as their teacher, their god, if they will, and not bother me.  I am not looking for followers or worshippers and I am content in the knowledge imparted by The Book of the Law, Chapter II, Verse 58, in regards to "the kings of the earth", i.e. genuine Thelemites who have learned to master their somatic or "earthly" vehicle, mind and body:

"A King may choose his garment as he will: there is no certain test:
but a beggar cannot hide his poverty."

Not even with poster paint in primarly colours applied to a photograph.

Love is the law, love under will.


Poor David Bersson

The above was originally intended to stand alone and be the end of it.  However, poor David Bersson is feeling forgotten.  Eyes are opening.  The obvious is becoming absurdly obvious.  His following is dwindling while more people than ever are ignoring him.  The poor baby needs some attention.  So let's give him what he craves so desperately.  Of course it should always be kept in mind that when I write of David Bersson I am doing so only because he is a wonderfully exaggerated case of certain dis-eases, certain "disharmonies", let us call them, that one can find in both the occult and the religious community.  In and of himself he is of little importance.  While he does seem to attract a certain small number of young and naive individuals desperate to belong to a "family", feed their ego, or satisfy some other psychic deficiency, and of course provide Christian fundamentalists with the "evidence" they pray to find to prove everyone interested in the "occult" to be mad, David Bersson's impact on Thelema and society in general is negligible.  But as an example and, okay, let's admit it, as a source of amusement ... what a guy!

Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:39:01 +0000
From: sphinx11@castletower.org
Subject: A fellow named Joe Mack has written me about you
To: gmkelly93@verizon.net
Message-id: [W7194818271321131203572341@webmail20]
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     boundary="--=_vm_0011_W7194818271_32113_1203572341"
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(A fellow named Joe Mack has written me. I have answered his letter and I am giving you a copy of the letter. By the way, you haven't slandered me much lately. Are you feeling well??)

Dear Mr. Mack
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
Your complaints about GM Kelly are absolute nonsense. He is absolutely sincere in what he states to you about the true will; and you are being very arrogant to pester someone like GM Kelly who most likely considers you an obnoxious little twerp for trying to purchase magical powers from him.

Please leave this poor fellow alone; who is a mental and moral cripple on all planes; and you will only worsen his mental condition. He lost it a long time ago; and everyone likes simply letting him go about his business of slandering and generally acting wacky.

You keep calling him a "white mystic" in your letter. Well, I've heard him called many things in the years I've known of him; but not a "white mystic". He can't sell you magical powers since he has none; for he has never practiced magick. It's all chatter; and bragging with GM Kelly; and you'll find nothing truly magical on his website.

Now you want to bother me about buying magical powers? You are a piece of work. If you bother me too much; I'll blast you into a thousand universes; which wouldn't be difficult since your aura is so ill developed you'd last at best an hour before you squealed like a fat pig. Have I ever blasted GM Kelly? Well, look at him. He's so insane now he does nothing but write worthless, shabby novels that have no bearing on the real issues of magick and the Great Work. (Horror science fiction garbage) He's been finished for quite some time, now. Being magically dead; I wait for his ugly physical frame to catch up. As for his desire to be writer I sincerely doubt he'll ever write anything that would be of interest to anyone other than psychiatrists.

As for buying magical powers; you are in the wrong city. All the occultists that do this sort of thing (that I know of) are in the French Quarter in New Orleans and Europe. I am from this city; and I could give you a few names. One of the names is a woman named Oneida Toups who years ago was approached by Jackie Gleason. Oneida Toups is now dead; killed by magick by a Hoodoo Priestess. You take your chances if you hook up with these people. You could learn magical powers from them or they could disrupt your being in a way that is irrevocable. The story goes that Jackie Gleason and another celebrity did approach Oneida Toups; and it resulted in a nasty black magic war. The story is true; as I was in the area...

Here are two names for you to look up. --[deleted by Bersson]--- and --[deleted by Bersson-- but I warn you that you might not survive the manifestation. They will charge you a lot; and you will receive what you want; but you must know that danger is around the corner. If you survive, you can be assured that you'll not have to worry about the theory and remember that you are moving with magick in ways that aren't in the books.

Now, don't write me again. I'll given you enough for your quest; and unless you go to Europe you are better off with the French Quarter people.
Love is the law, love under will
David Bersson

It is true that individuals in the psychiatric field have expressed an interest in my articles.  Several have asked to be introduced to David Bersson, viewing him as a wonderful subject for study.  Below is the initial letter I received from this fellow named Joe Mack.  [Note: Wherever angle brackets, used in HTML code, appear in a heading I replace them with flat brackets as used here so as not to confuse the code.]

From: Joe [joemack26@excite.com]
To: gmkelly93@verizon.net
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 11:11:11 AM
Subject: Good teachers

I'm interested in black magic and astrology just like you!
Do you know any good teachers that take students for a reasonable fee?

I couldn't find a list of teachers and fees on your website. But if you know some, write me.

My name is Joseph Mack, I am 26 years old. I've studied some Wicca and magic but someone who really knows this stuff has to be out there.

I explained to Joe that I am not terribly interested in astrology, nor terribly well versed in it, and that I do not hire myself out as a teacher, especially of "black magic", explaining that it serves the gross petty desires of the false self, the ego, often contrary to the needs of the True Self (Daemon, Genius, Holy Guardian Angel, etc.) and True Will.  The fact that I don't sell magic/k lessons was why there are no fees listed on the Castle, nor would I recommend any genuine teacher of the esoteric arts and sciences who charged a fee for his or her services.  This did not sit well with Joe, so then he contacted David Bersson.  That's when the fun really started.

As I explained to Bersson after his second recent message, I believe it was, everyone must find their own level.  If Joe Mack has sought out David Bersson and he finds something there that attracts him, then he has found his level.  Bersson is welcome to all such people.  I would rather someone who finds Bersson and his talk attractive goes to and stays with him and leave me alone.

As for this letter (or e-mail message?) that Bersson sent to Mack, it starts out with a false implication of friendliness and quickly degenerates into the same old sick and self-revealing nonsense that characterizes David Bersson.  It's the same old rubbish from him, speaking more of himself than of me, blinded so badly by his outrageous ego that he can't even see what he at least subconsciously recognizes about himself, which he then projects upon me and others.  He assumes I'm not a practicing magician because that is what he wants to believe, and anyway, it goes nicely with all of his other stories and lies.  By the way, he is not from around here.  He fled from, if memory serves me right, New Mexico and came here some years back, although I doubt he's from there either.  Sometimes I think he's from planet Bersson, a strange little Bizzaro world in his own little twisted universe.

When David received no response from me, he sent another message:

Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 04:31:04 +0000
From: sphinx11@castletower.org
Subject: A Master of the Temple's advice to a profane
To: gmkelly93@verizon.net
Cc: sphinx11@castletower.org, joemack26@excite.com, musick@operalmail.com
Message-id: [W940955989491205209864@webmail18]
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: multipart/alternative;
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Hello Gary Martin
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
Its been over with you for quite some time now, Gary. You did not succeed in destroying me by your slander; and I know you better than you would ever be capable of knowing yourself.

As I stated to the public; you are in a prison cell for the criminally insane; and you will remain there where you belong. Look around you, Gary. What do you see? Look within. Can you withstand what you have become; or will you continue to live with this delusion that you are a Master of the Temple?

You are accused of being a profane that has committed treason to the Great White Brotherhood; and lying about being one of Us. My judgment of you is Truth; and the Avenger has arisen from his very Tomb for your rude and distasteful behavior.

It has all recoiled on you everywhere. Your so-called friends are no more. No Lineage of the A A nor branch of O.T.O. -- true or otherwise recognizes you. You live in the abomination of desolation that your ego and your treachery has created for you. You are spiritually, magically and intellectually dead.

Its been over for quite some time now. No matter how many pages of lies and slander you write it comes to nothing. You have only the recoil of your own hatred, the repulsion of those around you; and the hopeless desolation of your futile attempts to voice objections that hold no water.

My suggestion is for you to get the fuck out of Pittsburgh; and start where no one knows you; and try to exist and co-exist with others in fraternity, love under will and honor.

Your reputation has been completely ruined in Pittsburgh; so get the fuck out of town. No one wants you here.

Yes, I know that your ego will not let you leave; and this also does not matter. Yet such a sensible solution as starting over elsewhere should be at least considered.

Using a fake name like G. M. Kelly worked for a while; and no one caught on at first that it was the name of your evil persona -- at least that what it has become.

Its been over for quite some time now; and I'm not asking you to surrender or admit defeat. I know you won't.

You once told someone that they wouldn't be remembered five minutes after their death. I think you know deep inside that it is equally; and most assuredly true with you.

You are spiritually, magically and intellectually in a prison for the criminally insane; and you put yourself there by the magical current that you manifested by your own insanity.

If you would like to attack me with magick it will only recoil on you. I am a real Master. For Me you cannot touch. You are powerless. Your entire life has been a lie to yourself.

Its been over for quite some time now.
Look around you.
What do you see, Gary?
Look within.
Love is the law, love under will
Cordially,
David Bersson

Wow!  Just when I think this guy has gone about as crazy as a person can go, he proves that there are still extremes of insanity he has not yet reached.

What is especially interesting and amazing about this, what? e-mail attempt to hypnotize me? to implant a suggestion ("Its been over" for you for quite some time now, etc.)? is that he speaks much more of himself than me, recognizing the truth of himself and his situation, but unwilling to accept that truth.  He speaks of my reputation being ruined, says that my "so-called" friends are no more, and so forth, and none of this seems to be at all true for me except that, indeed, some friends have passed away, and I am sure there are just as many people who think highly of me as those who don't and that that hasn't changed much.  It's never really been a concern of mine, although reputation is apparently a great concern for Bersson.

So, he's desperate.  He's trying to psyche me out.  I get it ... but he doesn't.  He can't understand it.  I responded to his message by telling him that I have never tried to destroy him; that he serves an important function in society, just as a garbage can serves a necessary function in the kitchen, a garbage dump for a city.

And of course I've never slandered him.  For the most part I've simply published what he's written and allowed Bersson to hoist himself by his own petard, to paraphrase The Bard.  And there he goes again, how tiresome, trying to deny me of my identity.  It's been explained by me time and time again.  Legal name given to me at birth.  Nickname.  Professional, chosen name.  G.M.Kelly is no more a "fake Name" than Aleister Crowley (Edward Alexander Crowley), Dion Fortune (Violet Firth) and Eliphas Levi (Alphonse Louis Constant) ... and let us not forget the King of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee (Stanley Martin Lieber) ... to name but a few.  And I can't imagine what people are supposed to have "caught on" to.  I've never hidden the fact that I do not think of myself as or normally go by the name given to me at birth.  Oh, it's a tiresome subject to keep bringing up just because some pipsqueak cannot find anything more truthfully sinister to say about me.

And now he's trying to justify his lie about me being in an institution for the criminally insane.  We are not to believe he was simply speaking metaphorically.  Look at his message.  This is a very literal, if insanely so, fellow.  I'm not even sure he knows how to spell metaphor.

Well, sorry to report, but I'm still quite alive, quite healthy, "free, white and over 21", quite a bit over!  I have no intention of taking down the Castle of the Silver Star, as another individual elsewhere suggested, nor of leaving Pittsburgh at this time, which would not help Bersson much anyway since the effects of my work would be felt by him no matter where I hang my hat.  He flatters himself believing that I would even be interested in attacking him with magick (which is odd since he earlier stated that I don't practice magick), especially when, frankly, it is more interesting to watch him tear himself apart piece by piece.

As I have stated, David Bersson's chief importance in life is as an example of certain types of maladies or disorders to be found within the occult community to be avoided at all costs.  Paranoia, megalomania, a complete psychotic break with reality and so forth.  By studying him one might not only avoid the traps he fell into, but also recognize and avoid those who claim to be "teachers" and "guides" who may also suffer from these maladies.  However, remember, very often they will not be quite as obvious as David Bersson, at least in the beginning when they have their best game face on.  And it is interesting to watch David Bersson's persona crack and crumble, even if it isn't as dramatic as Kenneth Grant, whose dissolve into the qliphothic can be studied by reading his books in the order in which they were published.

There, David, I gave you the attention you so desperately crave.  I hope I have made you happy.  You have certainly put a smile on my face.  Keep on being you so that the rest of us can better recognize sanity by the contrast.


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