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Ordo Templi Orientis (Typhonian)
It is Misplaced Pages policy that an article about an organization should consistently use the name that the organization calls itself, not some other informal name that others may give it. Please observe this convention. Please also note that "Ordo Templi Orientis" is Latin for "The Order of the Temple of the East" - adding "the" in front of it is redundant and also falsely implies that there is only one. Please refrain from introducing this unnecessary and misleading article in front of Ordo Templi Orientis or O.T.O. Thanks. Will in China (talk) 07:16, 20 February 2009 (UTC)
Hi, Will.
Thank you for your guidance.
Here are my thoughts on the matter. Please do not misinterpret my comments to believe that I am rejecting your views. I do think that some discussion may be helpful, however.
1. While the T.O.T.O. does indeed formally refer to itself as Ordo Templi Orientis, it is as "guilty" of using the "Typhonian" convention as other Thelemic organizations. This can be seen by consulting works by Michael Staley and Simon Hinton, for example, not to mention Kenneth Grant himself. It may, as a result, be seen as a de facto self-description rather than a de jure self-description.
2. The term "Typhonian" indicates that the T.O.T.O. delves much deeper, in its own view, than competing Thelemic organizations. I am not sure that this can be resolved objectively, as this is a view that the T.O.T.O. holds of itself, and it is controversial among other O.T.O. branches.
3. I accept your correction on the article "the." I will re-edit my work to remove it.
Thank you very much.
Cordially,
Estéban (talk) 07:58, 20 February 2009 (UTC)
- Using T.O.T.O is extremely problematic. First, there are clear rules for disambiguating articles on topics which share a name. This seems to have been correctly done for this article by using Ordo Templi Orientis for the title with (Typhonian) as the disambiguation.
- Next, the name used in the lead paragraph should be the same as the article title, but without the disambiguator.
- By all means what it is called and why should also appear in the lead section, and should be in bold like the actual name.
- It would be much better to have a clear explanation of what Typhonian means in the lead section.
- Repeating the word throughout the article, though, as part of the organization name is not correct form.
- For one thing it implies that Misplaced Pages is taking some position with respect to disputes between the two organization, which we cannot do.
- If and when the organization either voluntarily changes its name and/or is forced to do so though legal action, then the article can and should be moved and the new formal name used throughout the article. Until then it should be referred to by its chosen formal name with an explanation of what else it may be called and why. Will in China (talk) 14:57, 20 February 2009 (UTC)
Thank you, Will.
1. Please point me to the "clear rules" that you cite for "disambiguating articles on topics which share a name." Thanks.
2. I will give some thought to "what Typhonian means," and try to come up with a succinct way of addressing this in the lead section. I agree that the term should be explicated. I have tripped across discussions of this matter recently. I simply have to remember where I read them, and locate the sources.
3. You say that "repeating the word (meaning "Typhonian") throughout the article....as part of the organization name....implies that Misplaced Pages is taking some position with respect to disputes between the two organizations."
I think that removing the term Typhonian could be tantamount to taking a position in favor of the T.O.T.O. over the O.T.O. As you know, the T.O.T.O. asserts that it is the genuine O.T.O.
My goal is to explain the organization in as clear a fashion as possible. Using the term T.O.T.O. with consistency facilitates this, and it helps contrast it with other branches of O.T.O.
As I have already stated, the convention T.O.T.O. is one that is used by Grant's organization itself, as they find it as necessary to distinguish themselves from other branches as do any other interested parties.
As I understand it, you are basing your recommendations on an interpretation of Wiki rules.
I suspect that your interpretation may be fallible.
Regards,
Estéban (talk) 14:11, 21 February 2009 (UTC)
- Stop and think about it for a moment. Would you agree that we should modify the article on the Caliphate O.T.O. to prefix the word "Caliphate" in front of every occurrence of Ordo Templi Orientis and change every instance of O.T.O. to C.O.T.O.? That would obviously be non-neutral, despite that fact that there are many more Thelemites than C.O.T.O. members and therefore it's likely the disambiguating term is used more often than not. Neutrality says we have to use the same approach in both articles. Either or both could be genuine and it's disrespectful as well as non-neutral to use something other than the formal name of the organization. Putting "Caliphate" in front of every occurrence in the other article would open Misplaced Pages to possible legal action, and so would putting "Typhonian" in front of every occurrence in this one. The rule of using the formal name of the organization was not created not only for neutrality sake, but for the legal protection of Misplaced Pages. Both organizations need to be treated precisely the same by Misplaced Pages. We cannot take sides, and treating the names differently could easily be seen as taking sides. No one can reasonably blame Misplaced Pages for using an organization's formal name. They could reasonable blame Misplaced Pages for using something other than the formal name, even some members use it themselves.
- The rules about naming disambiguation pages can be found here.
Guidance re article edits to reflect closure of Typhonian OTO
I look for guidance as to how best to update this article to reflect the contents of "Starfire II:3" (March 2009 but published "Winter Solstice MMVIII An 105") by Michael Staley (Kenneth Grant's deputy in the Order) to the effect that the Typhonian OTO has ceased to operate as an Order and that its functions and objectives have been taken over by the newly established Typhonian Order? (Confirmed in conversation with Mr Staley on Thursday 2 April 2009.) Starfire itself, once self-described as "The Official Organ of the Typhonian OTO", is now declares itself to be "The Official Journal of the Typhonian Order". Certainly, much of the content of the article is now dated and could at the very least do with some changes of tense or perhaps a change of title. Ankhefenkhons (talk) 21:59, 8 April 2009 (UTC)
- Well, according to Misplaced Pages standards, such changes would have to wait until chronicled in a reliable third-party source. Until this occurs, the article will need to stay as it is. This is not unusual, encyclopedias frequently lag up to a decade behind real world changes due to sourcing requirements, especially for something as obscure as T.O.T.O. Will in China (talk) 22:55, 8 April 2009 (UTC)
- Understood - thanks for the clarification. Meanwhile, does it merit a passing time-limited mention based on the announcement in the official house journal of the Order? Or perhaps as a disambiguating link? And how about my update regarding the succession document forgery? Do we have to wait until Koenig, for example, reports that too? Ankhefenkhons (talk) 23:05, 8 April 2009 (UTC)