>>54900
>but the organizational structure seems hopelessly tangled
Eh, I think that's an artifact of the people in charge/the size of the operation. That said, path of mediation is a clusterfuck, and the "backyard" policy for SGIGs is asinine.
>There are a lot of dark stories about the OTO
The first thing you have to understand is that there is no "OTO". There's Germer's OTO, Motta's OTO, Grant's OTO, the Caliphate (aka cOTO, the largest), etc., etc., etc. None of them are particularly faithful to AC's vision.
>ranging from child abuse
Solar Lodge charges are probably mega trumped up. Police reports don't match up to newspaper narratives…horror stories about the cOTO prison ministry notwithstanding.
>anal sex magik
Only required by a two individuals at a time for long periods of time, namely the initiation of the 11th degree. Of course, some people experiment at home, but that doesn't mean it's something that regularly at local bodies.
>to simple "diplma mill" ripoff to cultlike group
cOTO doesn't really have much academic pull. Bill Breeze himself already conceded that. Even then, there are only so many degrees you can buy. It becomes invite only after Man of Earth.
>It appears to have become trendy for some in the entertainment business to join.
Not particularly? Some genre musicians got involved because the current Outer Head of the cOTO made his bones as a member of Coil. Nekrophile Rekords helped pioneer a lot of the occult ambient movement in the early/mid 80's.
>Any opinions? General discussion, all input welcome.
The vast majority of the OTO material is available in the mega library here http://8ch.net/fringe/res/43727.html
It's got…a lot of material. Every degree ritual in multiple editions, upper degree sex magick instructions, election minutes and recorded conversations, documentation of actual scandals (petty monetary/ego shit), supplementary documents, and all of the OTO administrative documents (initiation applications, degree and clergy certifications, body master report forms, etc.). Seriously, you could take my files and make your own version of the OTO.