Member Interests
Lodge Policies

The following policies are relevant for the general membership. They are not a complete listing of policies or O.T.O. by-laws. If you have any questions, please contact the Lodgemaster.

Scarlet Woman Lodge Policies

1. Repeated failure to abide by the policies and regulations of the Lodge or behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or abusive can lead to being placed on Notice. A member on Notice may have have any and all priviledges of Lodge participation suspended unless and until the Notice is lifted. Violation of the terms of Notice will generally result in Bad Report (see USGL policies below).

2. We at Scarlet Woman Lodge do not tolerate non-consensual sex or any kind of pressure to engage in sex for any reason. Every member has their own physical and sexual boundaries, and we insist that they be respected in all cases. Uninvited groping, kissing, or sexual language is discouraged. It is okay to ask if such behavior is welcome, as is the right to refuse it.

Grand Lodge Policies

• Firearms are prohibited within O.T.O. initiation facilities during initiation rituals, and Local Body Masters shall provide due notice of this prohibition to all attendees, in conformance with applicable laws.

Firearms are also prohibited at all other O.T.O. functions and events except as provided for, and in strict compliance with, applicable federal, state and local laws and ordinances. For interpretation of applicable laws and ordinances pertaining to firearms, the location of any O.T.O. ritual, including the Gnostic Mass and other E.G.C. rituals, shall be considered a "place of worship." Local Body Masters may, at their sole discretion, prohibit firearms at any O.T.O. event under their control, providing they give due notice in conformance with applicable laws.

• No illegal drugs are permitted at any O.T.O. events. Confirmed sales or solicitation of sales an an O.T.O. place or event is grounds for expulsion.

• Sexual conduct between adults that is not fully consensual is not tolerated in O.T.O. No one, member or otherwise, should ever be forced, pressured, or made to feel obligated to have sexual relations with any O.T.O. member, for any reason.

• Repeated failure to abide by the policies and regulations of the Order, violence, abuse, theft, criminal conduct, and other actions that are prejudicial to the Order can lead to being placed on formal bad report or expulsion. A member on formal bad report cannot take an O.T.O. initiation at any location until the bad report is removed. Anonymous complaints against members are not accepted.

• The membership of any individual in O.T.O. will not be made known to the public, except upon the informed consent of the member.

• When writing an letter regarding O.T.O. business, it is appropriate to close with "Fraternally Yours." The closing "In the Bonds of the Order" is reserved for members within the V°–X°.

From the E.G.C. Manual

• For any Public Celebration of the Gnostic Mass where one or two of the three principal celebrating officers is a Clerical Member of E.G.C. with recognized status as Priest, Priestess, Bishop, or Auxiliary Bishop, the remaining officer(s) shall be Initiate Members of O.T.O. in good standing of at least the degree of Minerval.

2a. A public celebration of the Gnostic Mass is one which is open to members of the public; or which is noticed in any official O.T.O. publication under the name “Gnostic Mass,” “Gnostic Catholic Mass,” “Liber XV,” or equivalent names. A private celebration of the Gnostic Mass is one at which the individual participants are all initiate members of O.T.O. of at least 0°. Private celebrations of the Gnostic Mass may be held for initiates of higher degrees as well.

2b. [For public celebrations] at least one of the three principal celebrating officers must be a Clerical member of E.G.C. with recognized status as Priest, Priestess, Bishop, or Auxiliary Bishop.

2e. Passages quoted from Liber CCXX in Liber XV may be revised to conform to the original wording of Liber CCXX; i.e., “children of the Prophet” may be changed to “child of the Prophet.”

2k. For public celebrations of the Gnostic Mass, the role of Priest shall be filled by a man, and the role of Priestess shall be filled by a woman.

2i. The roles of the two “Children” in Liber XV...may be filled by any two individuals who have been baptized in E.G.C., including adults. The Children serve the Cakes of Light and goblets of wine to the individual communicants.

2n. Any celebration of the Gnostic Mass which is held at, or is sponsored by, an official O.T.O. Local Body is, by definition, an official E.G.C. and O.T.O. event, and is subject to [O.T.O.] policies...The Master of the Local Body is responsible for enforcing these policies.

9. Feasts and Celebrations [for the Thelemic holidays] and other occasional festivals, celebrations and observances may be conducted as official E.G.C. rites by the membership of the Church under the direct or indirect supervision of a Bishop. An Initiate Member of O.T.O. of at least K.E.W. must be physically present if the rite is to be held publicly as an official E.G.C. or O.T.O. event.