In Praise of Selectivity: Syncretic Jediism

What are the results of believing a myth?

Myth places the experience of a person into a whole/unity. Each person’s life receives orientation and meaning from the narration. Thus, an understanding of human reality as a whole operates through the myths by means of reminiscence and an expectation.

Myths can be known, experienced, lived in the sense that one is seized by the sacred in the re-enactment of the primordial event (ritual).

The mythic person says, “That myth is true for me because it tells the story of how and why the world is the way it is.” The truth, validity or effectiveness of a myth is determined solely on the life in the world of the participants (believers) in the myth.

Experienced reality is understood through the narrative and life is lived in relation to myth and symbol.

Alan,

Would you characterize myth as being a different form of story than say stories of religious scripture?

In my mind Myth would be more in line with trying to describe the human condition in general. These are aspects of our existence that cannot be quantified such as emotion or consciousness or why all humanity seems to have an indwelling of the same archetypes across all civilizations and time periods.

Myth would not so much be an explanation to fill in the gaps of our scientific or other knowledge. I would ascribe those sorts of stories that need to fill gaps to Scriptural stories but I think sometimes those scriptural stories are drawn from human condition myth as well, or would you say not?

Myths appear in a variety of narratives including those found in sacred or religious scriptures. Some myths are themselves sacred while others are narratives about all sorts of things: from fishing to parenting. The archetype of the good parent is also found in royal narratives of the good king and the king is sometimes of divine origin. Myths are reenacted in rituals that could be either political or religious; some religions do not distinguish practicing politics from practicing one's religious morality. Ceremonies, in part or in whole, can be sacred drama. Myths can be sung or danced.

The opposite of 1 is -1.

1 + -1 = 0

If you have a belief and add the opposite of that belief what do you have?

Alan wrote: Myths appear in a variety of narratives including those found in sacred or religious scriptures. Some myths are themselves sacred while others are narratives about all sorts of things: from fishing to parenting. The archetype of the good parent is also found in royal narratives of the good king and the king is sometimes of divine origin. Myths are reenacted in rituals that could be either political or religious; some religions do not distinguish practicing politics from practicing one's religious morality. Ceremonies, in part or in whole, can be sacred drama. Myths can be sung or danced.

Mm.. myth is quite a subject. Lots of information about it, lots of different minding about it. You talk so much about it, I like that! So I wonder, Alan, do you have a favorite myth? :blush: A myth that triggered you to learn so much about it? Just very curious about it. Myth can tell much about a person, sometimes. Do you like a specific one, or that you like them all? (what I can believe :laugh:)

~ Aqua

In the course of my life, different myths have had a particular power. When I was a young man, the story of The Road to Emmaus from the New Testament had a profound influence. At other times, the Grail, Moses, Noah, Celtic, Teutonic/Germanic, but most consistently, Greek, especially Hermes and Dionysus.

The meanings that a myth imparts speak to us when the occasion arises. Or remembering a myth that provides an interpretation of the meaning of a event, or the meaning of life. Some persons live their entire life within a single mythic complex, but my life played out differently with exposure to a wide variety of mythic influences. Mine has been not only a life of study, but also of participation, and on some occasions as ceremonialist in sacred drama. All myths convey meaning through the symbols in the narrative that show up in everything from architecture, sculpture, music, painting and myriad other artistic expressions.

If you have a belief and add the opposite of that belief what do you have?

They represent different things for me, so if they are different systems of belief being bought together then they are not in opposition... because of that. The fun and practicality I get from it is using the relationships is exploring the particular details to anchor them in useful ways and relations can be more complex then just some polarity. While polarities might have use within a belief, I tend not to mix them across those boundaries so much, and so just stacking things with the same meanings tends to defeat the purpose for me.

SeventhSL wrote: The opposite of 1 is -1.

1 + -1 = 0

If you have a belief and add the opposite of that belief what do you have?

I think, because -1 isn't an actual value, we should treat this like mathematics actually treats it.

|1| + |-1| = 2.

Absolute value comes into play when opposites are found in the real world.

Aqua wrote:

Edan wrote:

Aqua wrote: wikkipedia: ,,Syncretism (/ˈsɪŋkrətɪzəm/) is the combining of different, often contradictory beliefs''

Alan wrote: Each syncretic combination unique to us, but also, universal and timeless.

contradictions.. do not work well if put together? How can something that stand against something of opposite believe result to universal and timeless understanding of uniqueness?

You would be surprised... I am a Satanist as well as a Jedi... when looked at these ideas probably seem at odds... the selfish ego versus connection to others. But in fact, these odd contradictions have proved to be complementary, and I feel that only with both am I whole.

I remember you wore a satan pentagram.. I have a very, very good memory.. I am not surprised, no offence of course! So I suspected you were from the first second I saw you. But I know you know that as well.. Ehm, back to your words, is satanism a contradiction to Jediism? if Jediism itself is Syncretic? Hmm.. not very sure about that, but I do understand what you try to explain

~ Aqua

To absorb Satanism into jediism would be too diminish the importance Satanism had and has in my life. Even when/if I am not a Jedi, I'll always be a Satanist.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Edan wrote:

Aqua wrote:

Edan wrote:

Aqua wrote: wikkipedia: ,,Syncretism (/ˈsɪŋkrətɪzəm/) is the combining of different, often contradictory beliefs''

Alan wrote: Each syncretic combination unique to us, but also, universal and timeless.

contradictions.. do not work well if put together? How can something that stand against something of opposite believe result to universal and timeless understanding of uniqueness?

You would be surprised... I am a Satanist as well as a Jedi... when looked at these ideas probably seem at odds... the selfish ego versus connection to others. But in fact, these odd contradictions have proved to be complementary, and I feel that only with both am I whole.

I remember you wore a satan pentagram.. I have a very, very good memory.. I am not surprised, no offence of course! So I suspected you were from the first second I saw you. But I know you know that as well.. Ehm, back to your words, is satanism a contradiction to Jediism? if Jediism itself is Syncretic? Hmm.. not very sure about that, but I do understand what you try to explain

~ Aqua

To absorb Satanism into jediism would be too diminish the importance Satanism had and has in my life. Even when/if I am not a Jedi, I'll always be a Satanist.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

How can satanism not be absorbed in Jediism? I find Jediism highly able to bring multiple ways together. Even if you follow your satanism, both wil be able to go along with each other. Force flows within all roads.

~ Aqua