ARE VAMPIRES IMMORTAL?

Mostly I hear this question because people come to me that have encountered "vampires" claiming they are centuries old, sometimes millennia. Mostly, they met them on a LARP or on the web. But there is an easy answer to it. No physical being is immortal, the lifespan of a body is limited. The lifespan of a human body is limited to approximately 130 years at the moment. Someone who claims to be physically 400 years old is thus a liar, or dangerously deluded. Some people claim to achieve this extended lifespan through magic. This is not possible, says me as a practicing magician. What is possible, is to extend ones lifespan and life quality through means like yoga, for humans and vampires alike, but in any case, this physical being is dependent on the laws of physics and biology again. Still no 400 years, this means. So be careful about what this person claims. Claiming a lifespan of exaggerated time is not necessarily a lie when this person refers to "soul-age" (meaning this person believes to be reincarnated and possessing memories of past lives), but it is a lie if it is claimed for physical age. Beyond this, why would such a miraculous creature have any good reason to spread this over the web, where any trace of action is detectable back to the PC you are reading this text from? Also, be careful if this person makes claims of this sort:

1. He is possessed by a demon.
2. He has secret knowledge to teach you.
3. He wants to make you a vampire by either biting, sex or ritual.
4. You are chosen because of anything.

Be especially aware of this when you have already put advertising on the web that expose you as a willing victim. The web is full of psychos, and some of them are involved in dangerous cults. Do you see the reason now, why my page is so full of disclaimers especially about so-called vampire religions and advertising from under-aged people, and turning requests in general...?

ARE VAMPIRES PREDATORS?

Yes, but not in the sense of a stray dog or a hyena. And they have no trademark on it. There are several kind of "human" beings that have a predatory nature, and vampires are only one variety.

Vampires are man and predator in the same body. One part of them is the human you know and one part is their hidden nature, which is not easy to control. Vampires are struggling a lifetime with balancing between the two extremes of ratio and urge. But this does not mean that they are just "out there to get you." If you think of vicious creatures lurking you up in the park or on the graveyard, forget it. I know no one who acts that stupid.

ISN'T THIS MAYBE JUST SOME SILLY ROLE-PLAY STUFF?

I have been asked this question many times. I can tell you this, role-play may be fun. But it deals with a total different kind of vampire. This is not about vampires morphing into the shape of animals and flying around. This is not about clan wars. This is about life.

Actually, role players have done a lot of strange things. They are the ones going to talk shows claiming to be vampires. I know quite some people personally who have lost their sight for reality. They have been engaging in RPG that much that they started mistaking it for real life. I met a fat, unattractive man of the age of 33 who tried hard to prove to me that he was a Toreador. It was a petty thing, even if just for the fact that his poetical attempts were so horrible that one could only cry tears of pity. (Note: Toreador are a VtM White Wolf Clan of poets and artists). I had to suffer a lot from this person. And I guess a high percentage of the vampires I know can come up with similar stories...

CAN YOU MAKE ME A VAMPIRE?

No. When people address me on this, usually they believe something they have seen in a movie or read in some novel. Most people who want to be vampires either want to control people by means of supernatural powers or be immortal. Since both is irrational to believe to gain through vampirism, I need to send them home disgruntled.

I have some good reasons that you should listen to and think about for a while. Here is the two things I nearly always get to hear:

1. I cannot stand my life anymore
   Now, first, this is your problem, not mine. Second, if you expect to live forever when becoming a vampire, how dare you think now, that you are unable to stand your life as it is,you could stand eternity? Vampirism is not a miracle that erases all your personal problems.
   
2. I have wanted it for my whole life!
   Why? Because you read about it? Because you liked the films? Vampires are not people walking around in floating silk gowns always being melancholic, beautiful and pathetic. They are people that pay their bills. They are appearing like normal people in a way, but different in many things. They have some advantages, but disadvantages as well. A dear friend once said If vampirism was a bed of roses, then someone forgot to remove the damn thorns in it! Think about it... why would he as a vampire have said that?

Above that, it is still heavily argued if making other people vampires is possible at all, since many argue that vampires must be born this way. And should this be true, then this possibility rules out anyhow. At least, even if this is possible, a couple of things will not happen for sure:

1. You will not become immortal.
2. Your life will not be a good one by miracle.
3. You will not grow fangs.
4. You will not grow supernatural powers.
5. You will not suddenly be more attractive or beautiful.
6. No one will pay your bills for you.
7. You will not miraculously recover from shots, cuts or burns.
8. You will not stop aging.
9. You will not be a demon, elite being or evil overlord. And so on.

ARE VAMPIRES SATANISTS?

Erm, difficult question. Let me give you two answers on two other questions considering the same aspect.


Is vampirism a religion?
Not the kind of vampirism we are talking about here. There are one or two legally enacted religious institutions calling themselves vampire churches, but this is a different subject. They pretend to be able to make a vampire out of you by their rituals and sell you a pamphlet of 25 sides for 25 bucks, having no contents and no use for a fit mind. They also sell you a cheap jewelry for about 100 bucks and you have something nice to wear and to claim to be part of this-and-that. Other institutions claim rulership over the world because of being full of superhumans and evil magicians. Now, I will not provide the reader of my page with information on any of such nonsense as I am neither affiliated with any of the aforementioned institutions nor do I sponsor such behavior. I am not fond of organizations mistaking vampirism for Hollywood Satanism (which is another completely different stories, since Satanists also don't fling around with blood all day long...). So if anyone seeks information about such, there are sites he can go to, but this site is none of them.


Are Vampires the same as Satanists?
No. Satanism is a religion that has been interpreted in numerous ways, from children slaying Hollywood Satanism over the concepts of Anton LaVey up to the ToS. A lot of people can claim to be Satanists and do not even know what they are talking about, but after all, it is a religion and a worldview. Here, we are talking about Vampirism. You asked, is it a religion? And I said no. Vampirism is a trait that some human beings share, and there is no need to enact this in a cult-like way. It is just there, whereas religion serves a spiritual purpose. If you compare a religion - Satanism or otherwise - then you compare pears and apples. Some vampires are Satanists, but this is no general rule.

IN WHICH WAY ARE VAMPIRES RELATED TO MAGIC?

I believe that most vampires have magical abilities. Why most? You have a talent, maybe. But only if you accept it, you can make an ability out of it. I believe that all vampires have a magical talent. I don´t exactly know why this is. Maybe because vampires are dealing with energy streams every day. They consume energy, they are used to energy swings and balancing these swings. They are simply used to dealing with it. Energy is an important part in magic. Vampires have certain psychological abilities, which is one subsection of magic also. But in order to have access to this, one must practice it. So the connection between vampires and magic is a given but not necessary one.

HELP, I AM A VAMPIRE! WHAT CAN I DO??

What makes you so sure of it? I think the best thing is to give this topic not all too much attention. I have had many people who started thinking they were a vampire just after having read something about it. This is what doctors call hypochondriac. Just like people who start thinking that they have cancer when they see a report about it. I think you should go and seek contact to other vampires. Talk to them, exchange information. Possibly, it is all history, possibly not. But this, you have to be sure of. A sudden rant after reading a website can pass, and if it does, be lucky. If it does not, then we can talk about it again.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF I AM A VAMPIRE?

Hard to say. I have been talking to people who asked help of me and I tried to do my best. But do I know if they were true, and if, if they told me everything? I can try to tell you my opinion on the things you tell me, just as every other vampire as well. And as some other researchers. But give me 100 people and you will have 100 different opinions, due to the fact that vampirism has yet not been scientifically proven. And beside that, it is hard to distinguish who is a vampire and who just believes to be a vampire. Go over the materials available, talk to vampires, listen to them and to your inner voice. And you will find out, sooner or later.

HOW DO I TELL MY LOVER/FRIENDS/FAMILY?

Better not at all. Sounds hard, but is true. I have no family. I have new friends now. Luckily I had no lover at the time it happened. But I know how it is losing someone I love.

I don´t want to make you angry. But think on it. What would those people say? How would they react? Isn´t this why you are asking this question? I know how they reacted when I told some of them I am not a Christian anymore. Guess what happened... now, let it go. In a sense, you are not the person they remember and love anymore. You should consider making yourself a new life. In case this is not possible, hide it. It is the way you get along best.

True, you always have to make your own decision. But always think first. I cannot tell you what to do. I cannot give you any advice. Everyone is different. We are no stereotypes. Everyone has his own personal needs and aims. Lots of people are torn out of their natural environment by this, in their best age. Shit happens, I know this, better than a lot of others. But always think on what suits you best. It should be your own, personal security.

I HAVE DREAMT ABOUT A VAMPIRE. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Dreams are a difficult subject. Their interpretation fills a complete branch of psychoanalysis and the subject even branches into the realm of metaphysics. Fact is: If you dream of a vampire, this does not mean you have actually met one or have been turned into one. Vampires often (but not always) express an erotic desire for a more intense sexual life, possibly even a vampire fetish. It could mean that the dreamer feels like something is sucking the life out of him. The vampire, like any dream image, has no fixed meaning, and in hardly any case it means that an actual vampire is visiting you. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, don't make too much of it.

This article is presented as part of an ongoing effort to present other views outside of, as well as within, the online vampire community. Those of us who consider ourselves vampiric don't always look at things from the same viewpoint due to our life experiences. As such, the views and opinions contained in this article are entirely those of the author(s), and may not necessarily be shared by SphynxCatVP. The webmaster is not under obligation to update or otherwise keep current the contents of this article. Most importantly, only you can decide for yourself whether this article or any of the author(s) other views are useful or applicable to you - you are responsible for using your own reasoning and judgement, so judge wisely.

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