Neoism - The "New Religion"

[Changeling]

I have been inventing a new religion and I would like some feedback. This is a short write-up explaining the main tenets. Please let me know what you think, thanks!


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Introduction

I have perceived, in myself and others, a number of human needs which are not being met by either the available religions of our time, or by the secular societies in which we live. Unmet by religions is the need for a worldview which is true, and works. Unmet by secular society is the need for spiritual experience and moral technology.

Unmet by either (with a few exceptions) is the need for Enlightenment - a worldview of clear thinking, reduced suffering and enhanced compassion.
So, I have decided to craft a New Religion, based on the truth and what works, which provides spiritual experience and moral technology, and which delivers Enlightenment.

Neoism, aka “The New Religion”

The ancient religions still being followed today were drafted to explain the unknown, before people understood reason and evidence. Because of this, they did not need to have much of a touch on reality. However this has left us a legacy of all these ancient beliefs, which don’t seem to be true, at the heart of most religions today. There is a big disconnect between what is claimed and what is or can be known to be true. This leads to a lot of error.

So, the main emphasis of the New Religion is on the truth, as discerned by reason and evidence. Neoism has to be true and work to be valid. The foundation of Neoism is that the truth, to the best of our ability to ascertain, is the surest guide to navigating reality well.

The truth, as we understand it, will be constantly refined as we go. Thus, “Neoism” will always be “new.”

The tenets of Neoism :

Worldview
What is real and true matters. Form conclusions and formulate action based on what is true, and works. To know what is true and works, check.


Morality
Moral behavior is derived from an evaluation of harm. To know what action will prevent harm, check.


Cosmology
The human story, as we understand it based on reason and evidence, is an incredible journey, which becomes more amazing the more we learn about it. The unknown is a welcome feature even as we strive to keep learning.


Suffering
It is possible to disengage from one of the greatest sources of human unhappiness and pain – suffering. This can be accomplished by learning to control the attention. Meditation is a tool for this.


Spiritual Experience
Humans are capable of altered states of consciousness, and these can be tools for personal insight and deeper understanding. The practices of meditation, sacraments and other tools for exploring inner space are recommended for responsible use by those who choose.


Ritual
Rituals are fun and great ways to demonstrate values. When incorporating Neoism into ritual ceremonies, the values celebrated are human values of love, compassion, and wisdom.


"Magic"
Life is full of events which “feel” magically synchronistic or fortuitous. This can be understood as confirmation bias, placebo effect, agency assignment, etc. The New Religion cultivates synchronicity and “magic” experience through attention, enjoying the phenomenon without resorting to supernatural explanations.


Moral Technology – The Mind App
There is an easy way to remember the exact steps to take for enlightened action. {see hand diagram}

Stop
The first thing to do is stop. Floundering doesn’t work. You have to get ahead of your actions. If you ever get lost, come back to this step.

Pay Attention
Second, pay attention! What is important is usually what is before you. If you can’t figure out what to pay attention to, take your index finger and point it. Pay attention to THAT.

If you can stop floundering and reacting and spazzing, and thinking, and just pay attention, that will solve most of your problems right there. But, sometimes a situation requires action. How should you act?

Be Careful
In every action, Be Careful to do the action in a way that works, and is true, and minimizes harm. How can you tell what action is based on what is true and what works?


*****Stop. Pay Attention.
Paying attention to what is before you, what it means and what the risks are, is how to figure out how to be careful.



Be Kind
In every action that involves others, do the action in a way that works for you and for any others involved. Seek to minimize harm to others and treat them well. How can you tell what action is kind and minimizes harm?

*****Stop. Pay Attention. Be Careful.
Stopping, paying attention and being careful will reveal the situation for what it is and show what is required to be kind.



Check
To find out for sure what is true, and works, and is careful, and kind, it is important to check and see what happens as a result of your actions.
The results may not arrive until later, but it’s never too late to see how a situation could have been handled with more attention, more carefully and more kindly. Checking allows you to avoid delusion, and constantly improve.




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That's kind of the executive summary. What do you think?

 

[Dywyddyr]

How is this a religion, as opposed to a philosophy?
(One with added woo).

 

[Changeling]

How is this a religion, as opposed to a philosophy?
(One with added woo).



"Philosophy" works too. But I created it specifically to fill the niche which is most often occupied by religion.

 

[Dywyddyr]

One more time: how is this a religion?

 

[Changeling]

Hi Dywyddyr, thanks for speaking with me.




re·li·gion
   [ri-lij-uhn]
noun
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.





Neoism is a set of "beliefs" concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe (see Cosmology), especially (but not necessarily) when concerned with gods, involving devotional and ritual observances (see Ritual) and containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs (see Morality and The Mind App).


How is it not a religion?

 

[spidergoat]

Not bad, but I don't see why that has to become a religion. It's much better not to follow any ideology.

 

[Dywyddyr]

re·li·gion
   [ri-lij-uhn]
noun
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

Yup.
Where does the "concerned with gods" enter into it?
How does "cause, nature and purpose of the universe (see Cosmology)" differ from the science of cosmology?
What "devotional and ritual observances" are required?

 

[Changeling]

Spidergoat, thank you very much for your comments.




Not bad...

Thanks!



...but I don't see why that has to become a religion.

I have been studying the role of religion in society. Dr. Loyal Rue has said that religions work for society and for the individual by using a narrative to bring about a fusion of facts and values which provides personal wholeness and social cohesion.

This explains why religion is so widespread. It seems to play a very functional role in human society. I think it's a terrible shame that most of the religions which are performing this function today are based on ancient folktales and require the suspension of reason. This disconnect with reality is creating a lot of error.

So I thought, what if there was a religion that was true, and worked? We could use the true narratives, as we are able to understand them, fused with a working system of values, to provide personal wholeness and social cohesion, without thousands of years of superstitious baggage.

Imagine if people could use reality-based understanding instead? Personal wholeness and social cohesion would be massively enhanced.

If people like religion and it is going to serve a role for society, I think there should be one that is true, and works, available for this purpose.


Besides, it's fun.




It's much better not to follow any ideology.


I am taking this objection seriously, because I agree that ideology is very problematic. In fact I would say that bad ideology is the number one pathology at the heart of most of the ills in society today. Religion, nationalism, fm capitalism...abstinence-only sex-ed, war on drugs, war on terror, etc, etc....these are all sets of ideas on how to act which are failing to produce good outcomes, because they are not based on what is true. People are following them without checking to see if they work.

But I think ideologies are practically inevitable, because they describe what people think. If you decide it's a good idea to eat right and exercise, you have formulated the "eat-right-and-exercise" ideology. It describes the ideas people have about what is best and what to do, and people are always going to have those.

So, again, suppose there was a new kind of "ideology" - a set of ideas about what is best and what to do - which was based on the truth, and what works, and contains error correction at every step? This would allow us to, at least, create sets of ideas about what is best and what to do which correspond to reality.





This is a great opportunity for me to discuss my ideas, thanks again.

 

[Changeling]

Great questions Dywyddyr, thank you for asking.


Where does the "concerned with gods" enter into it?

It is mentioned in the definition of the word religion, but not as a requirement. The definition references beliefs, "especially those involving superhuman agents" which means there are other kinds as well.

Concern with gods enters into Neoism not at all.




How does "cause, nature and purpose of the universe (see Cosmology)" differ from the science of cosmology?

It doesn't differ significantly in Neoism. The New Religion derives understanding of what is true about the universe by evidenced-based reason, ie, science.

If there is a difference, you could say that the science of cosmology is the field of study that produces knowledge of the universe, and the cosmology of Neoism is a description of the findings which tells us where we come from and where we are.




What "devotional and ritual observances" are required?

None are required, they are just recommended.

After becoming an atheist, Julia Sweeny said, "I can't rejoin this church. I would start listening to the words again and it would just drive me nuts. I do wish there were a beautiful building where I could mark the transitions in my life with ancient rituals and great art. But where what we know about the world, isn't ignored."

People love ritual ceremonies like baptisms, weddings, funerals and holidays. Many people enjoy daily rituals involving prayer or meditation. They are fun and enhance life with celebration. So many of them are tied to ancient superstitions, but they don't have to be. We can celebrate a baby's naming or light a candle in thanks without ever resorting to a supernatural explanation for why.






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