Joseph William Marek's adoptive parents raised him as a Roman Catholic and during his teenage years he wanted Jesus Christ to deliver him from his teenage angst. Obviously He didn't. So by his college years he was a complete cynic; he didn't believe in anything. This is when he met his first-and-only earthly/material magical teacher. He drifted away from the practice. During his first marriage he must have had some kind of spiritual yearning for he listened to Mormon tapes, studied with Jehovah's Witnesses, listened to theology programs on the radio, and eventually became the superintendent of a United Methodist Sunday School. All this ended with his first divorce! As far as he can recall the date, sometime during the autumn of 1988 he read "The Book of the Law" for the very first time. When he came to the line "Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his seat in the East at the Equinox of the Gods" he had his first major spiritual experience. He heard heavenly trumpets blowing and angelic choirs singing. It was an awe-inspiring experience. He has been a Thelemite ever since. He has never looked back!