How Evolverism is similar to Judeo-Christianity
posted by Anonymous | February 4, 2010
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Icerocket1. There's a belief that we are a small, special subgroup of humans who know something very special or have access to special information, or a special lifestyle that's key to "saving" mankind. This "way" must be brought to the masses.
2. There's a belief that the world is going to end soon. This will be in large part because of the wicked or abusive ways of mankind. Some believe it's a massive upheaval of civilization - others, a return of some entity to earth - some even believe in a sudden, worldwide poofing away of "time" and material reality itself.
3. There's a belief that there's something wrong with us, and we have to "fix" ourselves, "solve" ourselves, "heal" ourselves, (redeem, save, etc) - because we have matrix programming, social conditioning, sin, or whatever word you want to use, and we gotta rid ourselves of it in order to be happy.
4. There are prophets going around warning "the masses" that the end is near, and they better shape up soon, or else they won't make it into the next world, or the next stage of civilization.
5. There's an "enemy" who lurks in the shadows and secretly controls people and institutions, and creates evil in the world. If only we could just destroy this evil entity, the world would be happy again.
6. There's a very strong attachment to all these beliefs.
But on the bright side, at least our leaders don't wear funny hats.
Comments
Quite aside from the fact
— Feb 05, 2010
Quite aside from the fact that you could make this comparison between e+ and any budding spiritual movement, not just Judeo-Christianity:
Ways it's different:
1) We actually have a sense of humor. If our leaders (we have leaders?) wore funny hats we'd laugh at them (or suggest funnier hats.)
2) We don't have any intention of using force to push our agenda on others.
3) There's no dogma. Most of us figure most of the rest of us are full of shit on just about everything but that's OK, because we know we're full of shit, too. Another way of putting this is: we recognize truth as process, rather than possession, and thus recognize many perspectives while keeping our own beliefs in perspective.
4) I don't think anyone here thinks Daniel Pinchbeck is any sort of personified deity.
5) No one's asking us to tithe our income (though I'm sure the RS crew appreciates every contribution they get....)
6) Hmm. We are pretty similar aren't we. Wait, we can admit that! I'd say that makes us pretty different....
The Revolution is Within
Don't forget dualism
— Feb 05, 2010
Dancing Buddha and Psychegram, I think you have both made equally and proportionally valuable points/counterpoints. Absolutely perfect debate my fellow Evolvers.
Then again...I may just be full of shit too.....:-P
Seriously, Though:
— Feb 05, 2010
I think that your criticism of the community is fair, and I think you may find that more people than voice here are in agreement.
My theory is that people do not really hold one perspective to be true, and others false -- but rather: That people hold a multiplicity of perspectives in their heads, and that their confidence in the different perspectives is a matter of degree. That is, I think that most people hold several contradictory perspectives in their head (and their judgements) at the same time, and use whichever one they feel like holding, at a given time.
When people are in their "off hours," they come here and become "evolvers." But at other times, they go about with their "real-world" perspectives, and at other times with their own deeply personal perspectives, and so on. Some hold ETs likely, others hold homeopathy likely, and on and on, while also holding them all in some degree of doubt. In fact, I think New Age culture cultivates this kind of non-relationship with ideas of (capital T) Truth.
And as far as the world ending soon especially; -- I think very few people take that seriously, at all. I imagine that some do, but I also think that those people have a more realistic friend at their side holding their hands.
As for catastrophic ecological collapse in the 10-70 year future, though: And I think people find that far more likely. Most would justify it more or less as you said: "The Revenge of Earth" for the sins of humankind, and on and on. But I hardly think that this is unique to evolver.
As for the recognition of "sin," or "brokenness," and so on: This is very normal. I don't see anything wrong with that. Whenever we attempt to do something we believe in, we run head-first into our limitations. This is normal, and I think working to transcend limitations is generally a good idea.
As for "prophets" -- bang on, though of course, nobody is saying you won't make it to the next world. I heard very little in New Age thought that gets even close to a description of eternal torment in hell.
As for "enemy" in the shadows -- paranoia is huge here, I'll grant you that. It comes with the magical thinking, pretty much automatically.
As for "attachment to all these beliefs" -- of course there's attachment to these beliefs. How else do things take form?
You aren't suggesting that "attachment to beliefs" is somehow a "sin" or a "brokenness" keeping us from attaining "nirvana" or some otherworldly "present reality" are you..? {;D}=
My 2 cents
— Feb 05, 2010
I'd say evolver had more in similar with the early gnostic christians than the established churches of judeo-christianity
I may just be full of shit, three... :)
— Feb 05, 2010
I love Evolver because we are awarded a space to have these conversations and look at how ridiculous some of the stuff we come up with in contrast/ response to the current ridiculous basal paradigm a large portion of the world subscribes to.
I absolutely agree with all the above posts and blog, even the ones I don't agree with. Because I personally live within the hyperstate of the paradox singularity, where ALL subjective interpretations of fakeality are correct to a certain degree (between 360 and 0) or at-least deserve a big Robert Anton Wilson "maybe."
It is a contradictory wakeality we operate within is it not? A real-ality that is made vibrant by our continual pursuit of deeper and more resonant contradictions.
Thank you all for bringing them to the surface, with worshipping far removed indigenous peeps, hoping on the eco-tourism bus, sharing your subjective masturbation (re: awakening), vomiting up your involuntary kundalini bi-polar experiences and spirit purging by slitting hairs over the movie Avatar.
Because if someone pisses you off on Evolver or RS, or someone posts some misinformation on either sites, at least we know, we're getting somewhere right? Without our bullshit, or thoughtmanure, then the soil that is our collective consciousness or our noosphere compost pile would be undernourished and not have the right ration of carbon and blah. We are the conscious fixing/destroying, bio-dynamic accumulators of the source-code. Keep up the good shit, as it makes great fertilizer for visionary thought plants to grow and propagate.
Then again I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about, hence the sad fact that this is a blog comment post, arguably the most futile attempt at articulating any of our innate human needs out there. How exciting to be a conscious hypocrite. Thanks for nothing/everything.
:)XOXOXO:(
Your Friendly Neighborhood Posthistoric Heretic - re: Charlatan
Remember the blog last week,
— Feb 05, 2010
Remember the blog last week, Is evolver evolving? After reading these posts I would say that yes, there is evolving going on here and at an accelerated rate. The so-called post modern age is unique because of the information/communication/transportation paradigm etc. etc. I always thought that becoming 'more conscious' i.e. evolving spiritually was a life's work and goal not easily attainable for all the obvious reasons. Now there appears a generation of evolvers that suggest that evolution will happen naturally, organically, cosmically whether we are ready or not. It seems to me the vast majority of humans are not ready and for that matter could care less. But as the pressure mounts from all the external shocks of our unpredictable and just a few decades ago, unimaginable world, perhaps more will begin to awaken. We awaken, we die to the lie and then comes.........
Your post, dancing buddha,
— Feb 05, 2010
Your post, dancing buddha, made me smile. Thanks for your introspective view. Though much of your description does not fit where I'm at, I have my own weaknesses to laugh at.
Dancing Buddha, thanks for
— Feb 06, 2010
Dancing Buddha, thanks for posting this, man. It's generated a wonderful thread.
The Revolution is Within
nonsense...
— Feb 07, 2010
With all due respect I feel your comparison is utter nonsense.
Namaste...
otherizing divinity
— Feb 07, 2010
Yes, let's remember to have a sense of humor!
One distinction that stands out to me is the idea that divinity is inherent within, and needs to be cultivated.
Also, the constant pining to cosmic archetypes to save us, ie: "Jesus, I need you!" was not the intention of Christ, but has become the mantra of modern Christianity, and this troubles me. These religions are essentially functioning toward energy vampirism and disabling agency. Still, we might also remember to stay humble and to serve others, if we actually look to Christ's example.
As far as leaders go, I think we approach DP with mutual respect, and gratitude, and that's about as far as it goes, which is why I love this movement...because someone catalyzed it, and then turns the creative work over to the community, as opposed to obsessing over controlling its development.
I think that as we learn to find the answers within, and become humanists and universalists, we can take those trapped in limiting ideologies of control into a more creative, playful, and divine state.
wanderlust
Besides the 5
— Feb 07, 2010
Howdy Dancing Buddha,
Worth thinking about... good job.
Besides those similarities you mention, the individual world view of many of us has been shaped by our involvement with hallucinogenic plants. That most certainly was the case in the formative stages of most ancient religions.
It really is a good exercise to take an objective view of our behavior, like we are an ant colony and not be afraid to view ourselves from above. Why does so much of our language contain root words with mushroom connotation? Why do the names for most of our ancient weapons of war come from root words describing mushrooms? Why does civilization grow and multiply like a fungus across a petri dish?
If you look at it from afar, its not hard to see that a higher intelligence would have no more trouble predicting how long it would take us to reach milestones of development, than we have in predicting any other biological process, if we have seen it before. If you know the energy needed and available, temperature, and a few other parameters, predicting a growth period is easy to do. If we are being observed, even by an intelligence comparable to our own, predictions or prophecies, should be no surprise.
From the higher view it is obvious that human behavior is "managed". That is, these similarities in behavior of groups of people across continents and thru-out history, is a clue worth following.
cheers,
jim
