Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl01201)

In message <2.2.32.19960426074005.006a0fe8@mail.slip.net>, alexis
dolgorukii <alexei@slip.net> writes, first quoting Alan
>>There *is* an "inner light" in religious practice - such is my
>>empirically-discovered experience.  In an ideal future, it may well take
>>on an anarchic form such as you suggest, but we are not in an ideal
>>future, and pro tem must make the best of what we've got.  That's
>>exactly what you do with your Shamanism, as I understand your telling of
>>it.  Which could [stands back in defensive posture] be interpreted as
>>your presenting yourself as a priest of the Shamanist religion ...
>
>Alan, say rather "There is an "inner light" in valid spiritual practice and
>I will hardly disagree.

Compromise: religious spiritual practice.

> I seek spiritual practices whose goals are not
>power, control and profit. Of course we do not live in an "ideal world" but
>we can work at making it so. Now, Shamanism isn't a religion in any way
>because there is no object of worship, in fact there is no worship at all!

Where do I say that religion requires an object of worship?  Did I not
draw the definition of religion from "religio" - "to bond" or bring
together?

>But given that context, I am in fact a Priest of Shaman ism, in fact due to
>the spirits with which I cooperate, I am more of a Shamanic High Priest. And
>that's what makes Shaman ism so different from Religion the spirits are
>colleagues and not deities.

Good! That's how I find it too, but from a very different direction
(maybe).

Alan
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