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Esoteric Eclecticism

It's been about a year since I had my name formally removed from the records of the LDS Church, and I'm sure that my readers, all three of you, are tired of my anti-LDS rants. So, I thought the time appropriate for me to declare what my beliefs are and where I think my spiritual path lies. Or at least where I'm headed today. Comments are welcome, but no sales pitches for your particular beliefs, please. If you're reading this on Facebook or somewhere else, please click on the appropriate link and read the full post on the actual blog.

Almost all religions I've encountered have some sort of special knowledge, or at least they claim to. Some of them keep their secrets and divulge them only to members in good standing. Some of the rituals and practices are for member eyes only, and often for good reason. If the uninitiated were to observe these practices they would not understand them, and such lack of understanding could impair their later ability to understand.

I'm not talking just about Mormon temple worship, but the practices of other societies and traditions ranging from Wicca to Rosicrucianism. Some sects of early Christianity were esoteric societies of this type, as were many of the non-Christian religions of antiquity. I believe there is much of value in seeking out these traditions, and learning these secrets. And so I have decided to call myself an Esoteric.

But I also believe that, while there is value in some, value isn't present in all. Some esoteric practices are based on supposition and superstition. Some have roots in real phenomena, but have been corrupted by misinterpretations or intentionally obscured for the personal gain of those seeking to fleece the gullible. So I reserve the right to reject any teaching or philosophy, or to reject the interpretation of one. My intention then, is to take those things I find of value and incorporate them into my practice, while leaving those that I find without value behind. So my practice will be eclectic in nature.

Hence, I will call my religious preference Esoteric Eclecticism. Any who wish to walk with me on this journey are welcome. For those whose paths diverge from mine, I wish you every success on your individual journey.

The key, and probably most important rule, of Esoteric Eclecticism is to remain open to alternative ideas and possibilities. The objective is to seek truth and enlightenment, and so it is vital to admit that none of us has truly found its ultimate form. There is no person or book that has all of the answers we seek, that we can rely on as infallible. Yet the leaders of the various sects and the holy books of various traditions do contain wisdom. It is for us to distill the wisdom from the error as the silver from the dross. We will take the wisdom of these leaders and books and apply reason and intuition to their interpretation and evaluation. We seek that which builds us up and makes us better people, that which brings us together as people and strengthens the bonds between us. We reject those teachings that divide us or that make either us or others small, insignificant, or inferior.

We differ from pure science in that we admit that there are or may be things that we cannot directly observe, that we cannot measure. We differ from the purely faith based religions in that we apply and encourage the application of reason and logic to understanding spiritual phenomena rather than accepting dogma. As we obtain new information, we are prepared and willing to change our interpretation and our views.

Hopefully my use of plural pronouns in writing this will not be in the editorial or imperial sense, but will actually include others. Please share your thoughts with me.

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