From scribe EK to Green Egg magazine:
November 24, 1974

I note with sorrow that Arachne, High Priestess of Shelob, has fallen into the most common of the Arachnid heresies. The Great Mother heresy is superficially attractive; but a female "Great Spider" cuts the very heart out of the Faith.

Now, in a way this is all besides the point. The essential fact of Spiderism is the Web connecting all things that be. The Spider Himself is beyond total human comprehension, and quite probably above all arguments about His gender. Since He is perfect, sufficient, and eternal He may well be neuter and unconcerned with reproduction. After all, we have a Spider – no more are required. But both life and religion need a touch of the higher truth of art – and I submit that it is both more artistic and more soul-satisfying to have a male Great Spider.

The female of the Spider clan is wont to devour the male after coitus. Since the Great Spider is male, this gives the Arachnid Faith that fine edge of paranoia that no up-to-date religion can afford to be without.

Furthermore, the Spider’s maleness provides a link between Himself and His worshipers. Just as the Christians unite God and humanity in the person of Christ (who is half of each, poor fella), the Spider’s maleness links Him with us: Deity and Human alike joined in their fear of being eaten. Why, Spiderism without a male Spider at the heart of the Web would be as barren as Buddha without a pimple....

Yours in the True Web,

Scribe EK
Low Priestess