sophiaserpentia (
sophiaserpentia) wrote2006-11-15 05:07 pm
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a few terms and meanings, and a disclaimer
I've been told that some of the things i write come across as attacks on people or things i have no desire to attack. My use of language may have become kind of specialized and i thought i've explained myself as i've gone along, but just to be sure people understand what i'm saying, i will clarify my usage of a few terms.
I've become very bitter and critical towards religion. When i say "religion," i am primarily talking about organized religion: membership movements (you clearly belong to the movement or clearly do not) which require adherence to a particular doctrine (usually kept in writings deemed sacred), defined and maintained by an incorporated edifice of some sort, which ordains an official clergy to perform official rites and rituals. Religious membership almost always requires professing firm belief in unprovable statements.
There's some wiggle room here on what constitutes a "religion," but i think that's good enough for you to see what i mean when i contrast it with "spirituality," "mysticism," and "esoterica."
"Mysticism," in my usage, is subjective examination of one's experiences. I think i use the word to refer to something much more broad than most people do.
"Esoterica," in my usage, is a specific form of mystical inquiry involving the pursuit of certain altered states of awareness.
Most of the time when i use the word "spirituality" my intended definition is very specific, and refers to a pattern of misappropriation whereby some kinds of radical and dissenting speech are turned into safe "religious" speech, cleansed of its political overtones so that it seems only to convey instruction about the supernatural.
So, in my frequent criticisms of religion and spirituality, i am not meaning to criticize anyone's experiences of the supernatural or the numinous. I am not in any way putting anyone down for having such experiences -- i've had them myself and i do not repudiate them. Instead what i am criticizing, is the way that these experiences are stolen and co-opted by organized religion in order to suit agendas of control and exploitation.
I've become very bitter and critical towards religion. When i say "religion," i am primarily talking about organized religion: membership movements (you clearly belong to the movement or clearly do not) which require adherence to a particular doctrine (usually kept in writings deemed sacred), defined and maintained by an incorporated edifice of some sort, which ordains an official clergy to perform official rites and rituals. Religious membership almost always requires professing firm belief in unprovable statements.
There's some wiggle room here on what constitutes a "religion," but i think that's good enough for you to see what i mean when i contrast it with "spirituality," "mysticism," and "esoterica."
"Mysticism," in my usage, is subjective examination of one's experiences. I think i use the word to refer to something much more broad than most people do.
"Esoterica," in my usage, is a specific form of mystical inquiry involving the pursuit of certain altered states of awareness.
Most of the time when i use the word "spirituality" my intended definition is very specific, and refers to a pattern of misappropriation whereby some kinds of radical and dissenting speech are turned into safe "religious" speech, cleansed of its political overtones so that it seems only to convey instruction about the supernatural.
So, in my frequent criticisms of religion and spirituality, i am not meaning to criticize anyone's experiences of the supernatural or the numinous. I am not in any way putting anyone down for having such experiences -- i've had them myself and i do not repudiate them. Instead what i am criticizing, is the way that these experiences are stolen and co-opted by organized religion in order to suit agendas of control and exploitation.
no subject
I usually define religion the same way - and then explain that I am a huge fan of "faith" and "spirituality" - which are personal states and different for each person - as opposed to an institutional rule book for enlightenment.
speaking as someone who belongs to an organized religion
i respect your experiences and your opinions, and frankly nothing you say just ever really rubs me the wrong way...
granted, that might have something to do with my affection for you and yours, but honestly i just never feel the need to take any of it as personal attacks... your posts only serve to inspire me.
love & shalom,
Eve & Co.
no subject
no subject
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"God is too Big to fit inside One Religion"
I used to have that bumpersticker right next to "The Goddess is Alive and Magick is Afoot"
because I like to make people think....
I consider myself a "mystic" in that I can find a little bit of truth in every religion .... I just filter things through my personal sense of morality and relationship with the divine (which is such a personal thing I don't think any one person experiences it the same way -- which is why the whole idea of organized religion confuses me -- because it seems to try to cage that "Spirit a Movin'" ...
I kind of also like Mary Daly's idea as God as a Verb....
I never get offended by your language .... life's too short to be threatened by other people's ideas.... It is always interesting to read.