You know a post is serious when there are no pictures! In this post I offer an explanation of how to construct your own theology no less! If you are interested in the foundations of paganism, then read on.
We frequently get requests from people who know we write a blog. They say things like, “..but how did you know to do this, that or the other?“. These people are looking for guidance, and we are more than happy to offer our experiences up for them to consider. Yet some people want to go further. They say things like: “How do you do this, that or the other?“. These are requests for orthodox teachings. Here are my opinions on the relative merits of oxthodoxy on a seeker’s path.
Following The Rules
Orthodoxy essentially means following the rules, or taking a path that has already been trodden before. Someone whom one considers to have been a person of more spiritual value than yourself has been out into the spiritual world(s) and has come back with a description of the way in which that world operates. They have perhaps described the way it works, the way they perceived it, told you their tales and maybe even offered you the benefit of their experience. They might have come back with warnings – don’t say this to that, don’t do this in there, etc. The value of orthodoxy is generally supposed to be that the new seeker learns from the mistakes and the wrong paths of those who have gone before. Progress should be faster, easier, further, deeper. The devout and orthodox religios seeker should be the most enlightened. How does that fir with your experience of such people?
If this were the case, that strict orthodoxy reaps the best rewards, then after several thousand years of the prevailing orthodox religion wouldn’t we all be enlightened by now? Of course, we have free will, and we are entitled to ignore the prevailing wisdom and teachings. Thus, we are bound to continue to make mistakes, continue to throw impediments on to the path to our spiritual freedom. So claim the guardians of such teachings and the preservers of religious structures.
I have a different opinion to offer.