There are pretty much only two ways to look at reality. One, matter is all that exists and consciousness is an epiphenomena, i.e. it doesn't exist. (Those who believe in Neo-Darwininian evolution, Evo-Psych, the Dark Triad and other such things are falling into that trap, even if they don't know it.)
The second way is that Mind is that ultimately exists and Matter is created by mind. That's the religious view, in various forms. Philosophically this is known as Idealism, and the totality of reality is known as the Absolute.
I've seen both these views among people. Each believes them because in some way it gives meaning, importance and community to their lives.
There is another, hidden ("occult" actually means "hidden") view and it tends toward the "religious" view (although it many religious people see it as "occult" and evil). I've seen this, too, although it is quite rare. But as society collapses farther and farther, I expect to see more of it.
A part of this "occult" view is that there is a "sex magic." You might want to investigate the life of the demented Aleister Crowley to understand some of it.
Generally it's been the sillier and more adolescent women who believe they're witches, or that astrology is a science, or that they have occult powers. It's one of the reasons if women are allowed to have much influence in religion they'll turn it into some sort of degraded pagan religion.
Yet men fall for it, too, but in their case it does tend to be about gaining control of some sort of Sex Power. Actually, all of these things are not just about importance, meaning and community, but also about having power and control over things and people.
I'll quote from Wikipedia on this (which actually got it right this time): "Sex magic is a term for various types of sexual activity used in magical, ritualistic, or otherwise religious and spiritual pursuits. One practice of sex magic is using the energy of sexual arousal or orgasm with visualization of a desired result. A premise of sex magic is the concept that sexual energy is a potent force that can be harnessed to transcend one's normally perceived reality."
I've seen people try this.
As society and culture collapses farther and farther all kinds of belief-systems will pop up to fill the void - Wicca and Neodruidism, for example.
Here is a list of some of them:
Wicca/Goddess/eclectic:
Feri Tradition (from ca. 1960)
Feraferia (Hellenic-inspired goddess worship, established 1967 in southern California by Frederick M. Adams, as a continuation of his Fellowship of Hesperides founded 1957), based in Nevada City.
Church of All Worlds, formed 1962, formerly the largest of all the pagan movements, which centres on worship of the earth-mother goddess;
Pagan Way, Chicago
Circle Sanctuary, based in Wisconsin, the largest Neo-Pagan organization in the U.S. Its newsletter, Circle Network News, has some 15,000 subscribers (as of 1992).
Council of Magickal Arts, Texas
Mid-Atlantic Pagan Alliance (since 1999)
Cherry Hill Seminary, Vermont (since 2001)
Covenant of the Goddess (since 1975)
Reclaiming Tradition, is an international community of women and men working to combine earth-based spirituality and political activism.
Roman Paganism
Nova Roma (since 1998)
Hellenic Neopaganism
Hellenion
Neodruidism:
The Druid Order (since 1909)
Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (since 1964)
Reformed Druids of North America (since 1963)
Ár nDraíocht Féin (since 1983)
Germanic neopaganism:
Ásatrú Folk Assembly (AFA, California based, since 1994, re-activation of Stephen McNallen's 1974-1986 Asatru Free Assembly, formerly Viking Brotherhood, 1971-1974
The Troth (since 1987
Ásatrú Alliance (AA, since 1988, Arizona based)
Odinic Rite (ORV, "Vinland Regional Office", since 1997 Wisconsin based
Urglaawe (since 2007, Pennsylvania based). Draws on Pennsylvania German folkways.
Kemetism
Church of the Eternal Source, since 1970
Ausar Auset Society, since 1973
Kemetic Orthodoxy, since 1988
Nondenominational Pagan groups
Free Spirit Alliance
4 comments:
Interesting times.
A devout Catholic friend liked to say we are headed from the post-Christian era to a new, pre-Christian era.
Antibiotic-resistant STD's will take care of a lot of this.
Pre-Christian is what it is, and I'm wondering what form the human sacrifice will take.
Momma, he's a magic man. Yes I am, baby. Yes I am.
Fooling aside, you left out some doozies. I'm thinking of the Ayn Rand cult, the Prosperity Gospel cult (I command God to prosper me with a Lamborghini RIGHT NOW), plus all the nasty little sects of leftism generally, including left-libertarianism (it's our unquestionable duty to sacrifice this country in the name of reason and self-interest to everyone who wants to immigrate 'cause a million Haitians having sex change operations in American hospitals is the meaning of History), etc., etc. Maybe the list would get too long, though.
I have met some of those psycho Objectivists and right now know a woman who thinks the Bible commands her to tithe 10% of her income to some of these mega-ministries - and she will be paid back tenfold. The fact it has never happened doesn't deter her.
Post a Comment