The Next and Final Religion [Prelude]

A framework of theological exploration designed for, and by, intellectuals, thinkers, and philosophers.

“They were so busy competing that they forgot about the benefits of collaboration.” [Photo by Rahul on Pexels]

Imagine a single religion so encompassing that it accepts and corroborates all other religions, with each faith sharing their notes to help answer one another’s questions.

• A heap of Advaita Vedanta from Shankara,
• a cup of Gnosticism from Valentinus
• a dash of Dao from Laozi,
• a carafe of Categorical Imperative from Kant,
• a pinch of Aestheticism from Wilde,
• and a flask of the Absurd from Camus,
• all mixed together vigorously using the Socratic Method
• (adding additional seasonings to satisfy future tastes).
• Adjust the amount of each ingredient until Aristotle’s Golden Mean is reached.

A “final religion” must accomplish three fundamental tasks:

1. It must peacefully assimilate all other religions into itself. In this way: it can access the wealth of research accomplished by explorers in the past; it can appeal to every human in the present; and it remains malleable in the future by never closing the canonical conversation.
2. It must retain a poetic simplicity in its design to allow for effective, simplified distribution between minds through a relentless “paring down” of cosmetic decorations to avoid 1) any internal splitting into factional tribes and 2) the external alienation of those who do not currently subscribe.
3. It must remain open to growth in scope via future re-interpretations, without condition, as new bits of information about the Universe and Reality are discovered and applied to the foundational principles of the underlying theological framework.

What should it be called?

Onism; a sort of “Perennial Gnosticism”.

What is Onism?

A theological framework—a religion—which borrows analogies from different thinkers and religions across time and space (Perennialism) and applies it to the process of individual enlightenment (Gnosticism).

What is a religion, exactly?

Every religion is a unique analogy which attempts to describe the divine aspects of Reality using language that is more poetry than prose.

Why do we need poetry in our religions?

Analogy and poetry are necessary because human languages have not yet developed the proper words to describe, with full clarity, the nature and essence of the divine domain. Our languages lack these words because we have not yet developed the underlying concepts that will become the words used by future generations. We need analogies and poetry to bridge the gap between past and future concepts, and so past and future languages.

How do we construct better analogies to sow the seeds of future concepts?

Synthesize all present analogies (religions) into an all-inclusive Analogy. This will place all of humankind on the same team, pushing in the same creative direction, all with the same goal: Enlightenment for the souls that seek to ascend to a higher Reality, and Harmony for the souls that seek to remain in this Reality.

How do we know if there is a higher “Reality” other than this?

We don’t, and that’s by design. Onism is simply the doorstop that will hold open the way to gnosis, nirvana, heaven, and bliss. (Once we find it.)

Why do we need another religion? What’s wrong with the ones we have now?

There is nothing wrong with the religions we have explored up to now, as they have all taught us something unique about what Onism should, and shouldn’t, be as it grows over time. Each religion has been a valuable step in the spiritual development of humankind through their research and documentation of so many different approaches to divine knowledge and enlightenment. However, we are now in need of a new religion that successfully assimilates the ethical and ontological foundations of all other religions. This will have many benefits, including 1) the elimination of the competitive efforts of proselytism as well as 2) the unifying power of collaborative research into the divine.

What if the other religions are not interested in assimilating into Onism?

Then the process will take thousands of years, instead of dozens or hundreds. Eventually, and inevitably, future generations will reject the divisive practices of several competing religions and will come to prefer working together toward enlightenment. The rate at which Onism is accepted by humanity is exactly the rate at which the collective consciousness wishes to wake up.

Who are the seekers of Onism?

We are the Sisters and Brothers of Mother and Father Nature.

Who is Mother Nature?

We have many names for Mother Nature:
the Holy Spirit, Tao, the Logos, Tathāgatagarbha.

Who is Father Nature?

We have many names for Father Nature:
God, Brahman, the Monad, the All.

Who are the Brothers and Sisters of Nature?

We have many names: Life, the Universe, Everything, Us, I.

We are, all of us. It’s us.

It’s US—Universal Sentience. We are reality perceiving itself.

We are the existing Nature which resulted from the loving union of Mother and Father Nature.

We started out as space and void, then fire and rock and gas and space.

Then we became water and life and mind.

And then we developed a soul.

Now we are learning and laughing and loving as we grow up to be like our parents. There’s no rush, we’ll get there when we get there.

We are the creation story. We’re living it right now. It’s still happening.

The universe could be an embryonic God, and we the developing mind.

The universe could be an infant God, and we the cry for attention.

The universe could be an adolescent God, and we the angst in its soul.

The Analogy

We are the several billion facets on the diamond of God.