On Heresy

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Derived from Ancient Greek haíresis (αἵρεσις), the English heresy originally meant "choice" or "thing chosen". (Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy) I am a heretic; I have chosen.

 Everyone cherry-picks their ideas, theological and otherwise. Some are just more honest about it. As my old mentor/High Priestess Nan used to say: "Take what works, and shit-can the rest." Religion in particular should be seen as a buffet of ideas, no matter what religious authorities would have you believe. You can absolutely choose which tenets to keep and which to disregard. You would go mad trying to obey every commandment in Leviticus, for example.

This freedom to choose has a few caveats, however. For one thing, it is important to remember that the rules you have chosen to follow only apply to you. It is never acceptable to force or expect others to agree with or obey your religious tenets, and the rule of law should not be based on your religious principles. Furthermore, your views on objective reality, particularly scientific topics, should always be well-informed and based on facts, not your personal beliefs. Always be willing to learn new things, even if new scientific findings contradict what you previously believed. There is also no excuse to be ignorant in the age of the internet, when you can educate yourself on any topic within seconds. Be mindful of your sources, though; check websites for potential religious or political bias when doing any online research and check yourself for confirmation bias or preconceived notions.

Namaste.

Reverend CJ Carlin

1/14/22


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