[Arsis_von_Neaera]

I demand cookies.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Oh, hey, just a thought, if you're bored, I have a short story posted a little ways down in this forum called Diegesis you could take a look at if you wanted to. It's not really how I usually write prose, but I think it's... interesting, you might be able to glean some things from it others didn't, I imagine.

Also:

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

Ha. I except your challenge. I actually have read it (before you mentioned anything). I didn't respond because I was embarrassed at how seriously I took the satire at first. As you may have picked up on, I tend to be a bit of a... well... sap. Especially for the overly dramatized.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Well, it's also partially self-satire, keep in mind. I wouldn't be able to write like that otherwise. I'd appreciate your thoughts on it, though.

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

Would be my pleasure.

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

I believe you owe me a decent reply to one of my previous comments, thank you very much. As well as some panty shaped cookies.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Sorry, which comment? (if you don't mind)

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

It's all a matter of perspective. The commercialized religion you see is commercialized. The religion you don't see, isn't. The mystical occult systems seem more spiritual not because they are more spiritual, but because they aren't commercialized. Religion is not spirituality, spirituality comes from the self. If you want more spiritual, don't pursue religion, pursue the self.

Religion was originally intended to be community, not rules to becoming more spiritual. Religion was about unity. The religions I'm pursuing are more so about unity of self and being a part of the "God current" creation energy that seems to be our origins and future.

Really, religion is just a tool. More often than not, the quality of the religion is really dependent more so on the user than the religion itself. Religion is, after all, a human fictitious creation. It's just like countries, just like borders, just like race. It doesn't really exist. The only thing that really does exist is the human condition and our pursuit to accomplish (fix) it.

Something interesting; in the original Jewish language, the spoken form of Hebrew, there was no word for spirituality; not because they weren't spiritual, but because everything was already assumed to be spiritual. To have identified something as spiritual was to assume that there were things that are NOT spiritual.

Key note, everything is spiritual, its whether were aware of it or not.

To which you replied something about being along the lines being too tired to reply.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Oh, that. Well, I do largely agree, I honestly feel kind of dumb for putting it the way I did, since as you say, it's rather tautological.

It *does* make me think about what it says about us as a culture (or even a species, possibly) that we gravitate towards "religion" in the institutional sense and largely flee or shun (Ireneus, I'm looking at you!) those system which lead to further self-knowledge and better understanding of the world that we perceive.

Almost makes me think of Fulke Greville's "Oh, wearisome condition of humanity/born under one law, to another bound/vainly begot and yet forbidden vanity/created sick, commanded to be sound". Or, also, his lines, "To teach belief in good and still devotion/to preach of heaven's wonders and delights /yet, when each of us in his own heart looks/he finds the God there far unlike his books."

Religion almost seems the business of rendering the spiritual earthly and humanized -- and often ugly. Dethroning godhead for the sort mundane minutiae that are the precise opposite of sublimity. In short: going about it entirely the wrong way, in my opinion. Dragging God down to the level of man, rather than letting man aspire to Him.

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

I entirely agree. A bit of a pessimistic way of looking at it, but I utterly agree. You should try cup full. It makes the days easier.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

I usually do try cup full. :p

It's only when I sit down to really think about it I go all glass empty.

And believe it or not, opportunities to do so outside of monologue are pretty rare. >_>

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

Bummer. I understand though, to an extent. Any time I speak of something someone else doesn't want to hear in my family, I'm berated with sarcasm and insults. I tend to be an optimist, but I also have a very sharp sword of a tongue, and I tend to lop heads off at stupidity.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

My issue is finding people to actually discuss such things with. Normally I notice their eyes glazing over through whatever I'm saying and I just get an "uh huh. Ah. Interesting." >_<

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

o.o uh-hu... ah... interesting.

[Arsis_von_Neaera]

Those looked far more like eyes glazing over in the text box than they did when I actually posted them.

But an actual response, I believe they call it connecting, and it's pretty tough to do, for anyone.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Don't think I ever posted this here. Had to write a sonnet and went with this as the topic for some reason...

The Archon's Shame

It was never my intent to betray,
and yet I fear I have set forth in vain.
I did not leave to spurn you for the day,
and yet the mansions echo only pain.
Sophia, love, in folly we are rent,
taking leave of Wisdom's temperate heart.
Forsaking faith, I fear my love is spent,
as a godless sunrise doth do us part.
Seven times raised up, I am yet disgraced,
mocking beauty with guise of godly craft.
And I must bear the shame of faith misplaced,
swallowing guilt with judgment's bitter draught.
Do not forgive, Sophia, mother, wife.
In my art, I have lost my very life.

It's also over-simplified and almost counter-purposeful to the Gnostic belief structure which favors metaphor over mythology. Oh, well. I know better now.