This Is a Political & Religious Post

A Facebook friend posted a post summarized as

Monotheism is often posited as the most advanced form of religious thought. I disagree that it is, and offer the 1000 years of Western history and current social and societal problems as proof. As a counter point look to the Ancient World, especially the Greeks. They were polytheists. The Rennaissance was an embrace of Greco-Roman polytheism, as was the Englightenment.

This has been driving my brain in all sorts of directions all morning, so bear with me as I work this out.

I don’t know that monotheism is in and of itself primitive, but I do think the singular expression methodology often employed by mono-religionists is “primitive,” in the pejorative backward, sense.

Looking to the ancient world, yes, the most advanced societies, which is to say with advanced arts, ethics, philosophy, learning, and so on, were invariably polytheistic. More critically, they were poly-expressionist.

A single religion did not intertwine all domains of your life, and vice-versa, into an unyielding and all consuming whole. One practiced a state religion, a mystery religion, and a family cult religion. All these religions could center on a single divine being, exclusively, but the thoughts, practices, and norms of each domain did not interpenetrate each into another domain. Social ethics and norms kept in check individuals who might otherwise blur lines. This was the practice in the great pillars of the West, Greece, and Rome. Egypt also possessed differing religious domains and like the Greeks and Romans, their efforts command the respect of time itself.

These societies fell when Ceasar or the Pharoh or King positioned themselves as a God or God-like. The problems in the West are not the result of monotheism, but fundamentalist thinking and singular religious expression. To the fundamentalist, monotheistic or otherwise, state, person, and family are the same cog all subservient to their simpleminded and inflexible world view. Whereas the believer who can compartmentalize and delve deeply into multiple domains of their identity – religious or otherwise – is far more compassionate and human.

Ravens and Sheep

Granted, this is just personal opinion, but having spent this weekend unwilling brought into the argument, I have to get this off my chest… when attempting to develop a program for Masonic education, always aim for Brothers to become etically informed emicists.

That said, the emicist can be educated, corrected if you will. The eticist is forever disbarred by their so-called objectivism. To put it in common parlance, an emic will evolve when placed in Rappacini’s Garden, the eticist will die and/or kill Rappacini’s Daughter thinking his objectivism has empowered him with knowledge to force a “beneficial” change into the Garden.

Rant complete. Thanks for listening.

Erroneous Esoteric Errata

First, there is no such animal as esoteric Masonry. There is simply Masonry. Masonry, as an Initiatory tradition, is by definition esoteric. But never come to believe there are esoteric masonry, knife and fork masonry, historic masonry, etc… Masonry is above all singular; there is only Masonry.

Second, confusing esoteric Masonry (as such) with the occult sciences is a mistake. The occult sciences derive from the speculative principles of Masonry (or least originate from the same impulse), not the other way around. Ergo, if you want to practice the occult sciences, then go to a group that focuses on that.

Masonry is a system of morality. Despite the fact that that we claim this language is confusing, it is actually plain and direct. The truth is, we just don’t want to admit it.

To assert that morality exists is to assert the supernatural exists, and thus to assert G*d (or some form divine being/s) exists. There are no physical properties of morality. There are no moral atoms, no moral chemical reactions, no moral waves or particles, no moral math and no moral equation. Morality exists apart from the physical world, hence, supernatural; above nature, above Creation. Thus, masonry as a system of morality, means we are a system of that which exists above nature, above base instincts and simple biological processes.

In short, if you are looking for occult science, go to such group. If you are looking for new age hocus-pocus, go to such a group. If however, you desire to explore the original impulse that inspired mankind to create, to dream, and to aspire beyond the physical world, and embrace his fellow in a community at large in the bonds of Brotherhood, then become a Freemason.

Architecture, Agriculture, and Mankind

 

The two most profound impacts on human life and thought have been Agriculture and Architecture. Both originated in the physical necessity of man but later became the first examples of man’s spiritual aspirations and the applications of both his faith and reason. More specifically, Freegardeners and Freemasons, as speculative societies, focus on the later. So, while Freemasons and Freegardeners are not lineal descendants of those early planters and builders, they do honor and preserve that original impulse that gave rise to communal soul of religion, science and art; or as JF Newton described it (in regards to Masonry), that impulse that compelled men to give form to their prayers in stone. As such, yes so called, occult sciences have found a kinship with the Craft. So have the rational sciences. Both with equal validity.