Dear friends,

Order is built into the operation of the universe. Our human ancestors saw this as they pondered the skies at night and the forces in nature. What we have observed over the many millennia is reflected in the structured order found in our sciences and mathematics.

We are also social animals. From the beginning of human civilization we have lived in community with one another. From tribal societies to the formation of towns, cities, and nations, we humans need rules, regulations, laws, and the command and control found in authoritarian structures. All organized religions have had these structures and authoritarian leadership from the dawn of civilization. We need all this for the smooth functioning of society and religion.

However most organized religions do not allow free, critical inquiry and the individual experience found within. This is found especially in religions with ordained clergy and spiritual elites who have been properly "initiated into the mysteries."

Recently I ran into a brick wall with our church leadership on many of these issues at the Spiritualist church I attend presently in my neighborhood. It has gotten me into the deep trouble, deep doo-doo you may say.

I like very much what The Solar Wheel has written: "I look forward to this species graduating from elementary school and its rigid rules to becoming older and more self governing."

You mentioned "graduating from elementary school." How about being held in the thraldom of nursery school or kindergarten and not being able to escape? One of our prominent teachers at church who has been "properly initiated into the mysteries [of Spiritualism]" is a former Roman Catholic Franciscan friar who embraced Spiritualism in the waning years of his religious life and adherence to the Roman Catholic Church. Some years before he left the monastic life and Roman Catholicism, he got his Masters in Teaching, specializing in teaching kindergarten. He is a gifted teacher, but teaches Spiritualism at church just as if we were in kindergarten. His kindergarten teaching approach towards Spiritualism helps him deliver clear, concise, and "simple" lectures at church on Sundays. I abide his lecture style meekly, but deep down inside my intelligence is insulted.

In many organized religions, especially many Christian denominations, one is forced to park one's brain at the door. This was or rather is still true at a prominent Anglo-Catholic Episcopalian parish here in Washington, DC that I had attended off and on for thirty or so years. It prides itself in having a sumptuous Eucharistic liturgy and an ideology/theology more Catholic than the Pope! The majority of parishioners there are professionals with advanced degrees, e.g. doctors, lawyers, librarians, and here in this city, many, many politicos, lobbyists, and federal workers. Mostly everyone who attends this church parks their brain at the door. This church has an overweening clericalism and one is discouraged from questioning parish policy and the command and control structure of the place.

All religions have structure, even rules and regulations and taboos. They are useful for bringing up a soul "in the Faith." But a mature soul has to become free as a bird, take flight, and let his/her faith journey take him/her wherever it leads!

Thom./StMichaelThomasDC

P.S. After writing this post, I realize that I was expressing my over-critical self and that I need to have an attitude of charity, patience, forbearance, even love with everything at church even as I see readily its shortcomings and mine own.



Last Edited By: StMichaelThomasDC Aug 25 11 3:16 AM. Edited 2 times.