Esotericism

[death-metal]

Exoteric religions tell you that a dogma can set you free.

Esoteric religious thought instructs you to explore and discover.

The best parts of esoteric thought are the hermeticists, the Hindus, and the Perennialists.

If religions were more like those... we'd all join.

But they're not very individualist/populist. More like solitary and contemplative. That's not a big seller in Idiocracy-land.

[crow]

What's the point of gaining enlightenment if there's nobody in the room to see you do it?

Man, I crack myself up.
But really, that's why nothing esoteric cuts it among the he-men of tomorrow.
Maybe all this has happened a million times before?

[Corpse]

I feel like I'm a very spiritual/esoteric person, living in a logical, scientific world. I can't really envision anything supernatural to exist, which I suppose is why I love black metal so much. I get to pretend Satan exists, and that he's worth worshiping, for reasons that are beyond my comprehension. It's been the only source of beauty in my life for a great while, now.

[aquarius]

Exoteric: come join our club!
Esoteric: you got an invitation?

[Wild]

I feel like I'm a very spiritual/esoteric person, living in a logical, scientific world. I can't really envision anything supernatural to exist, which I suppose is why I love black metal so much. I get to pretend Satan exists, and that he's worth worshiping, for reasons that are beyond my comprehension. It's been the only source of beauty in my life for a great while, now.

Is the world actually scientific or is that merely what our culture is currently obsessed with?

If worshiping Satan in an unserious manner brings you joy, perhaps there's something more to it than meets the eye.

What does Satan represent?  What would happen if you worshiped that directly?

[crow]

I've never given satan a moment's thought, but now that I have, it's very clear:
There is no satan other than the satan in each loser.
You need something to be shit scared of? You need satan.
You need to broadcast you ain't scared of shit, you cosy up to satan.
You know what's what, and you never give it a second thought.
Satan worship is the worship of ME, and the worst there is in ME, which is about the commonest thing there is in this, our fabulous age.

[Wild]

If we're referring to the EEVILL view of Satan, that's correct.

I think the Luciferian view has more depth than that.

Satan isn't assumed to exist, rather is an example of a worldview. Similar to paganism in fact.

Satan becomes the face of diverting from Judeo-Christian morals and embracing the realization that death, decay, and rebellion are part of life and therefore cannot not intrinsically be bad.

It's a step closer to reality.

[crow]

That's a strange outlook.
How can death be a part of life?
Death is what occurs when life stops. It follows on the heels of life.

My lovely pet bunny died the other day.
Its corpse had nothing in common with its living body.
Still, you could say that it now contributes to the life of vultures.
Perhaps death is a part of life-as-a-whole.
It certainly isn't part of life for the one no longer living.

[Wild]

Death is part of meta-life, yes.

Death leads to life, in that - corpses provide nourishment for those still living and the knowledge that we all end up dead is the drive to procreate before that happens.

Death is the process of changing from one life into another.

A bit like metamorphosing.

[crow]

It is good to see things clearly.
People too often exhibit the fatal flaw of repeating crap they have no understanding of.
Death, I would say, deserves a certain reverence it rarely gets.
Fear is not the same, at all, and does not cut it.

[death-metal]

I'm sorry to hear about your bunny.

[Corpse]

Still, you could say that it now contributes to the life of vultures.
Perhaps death is a part of life-as-a-whole.

Exactly this.

I'll add more to this post later, I'm too unmotivated right now.

[Ratatosk]

Exoteric religions tell you that a dogma can set you free.

Esoteric religious thought instructs you to explore and discover.

The best parts of esoteric thought are the hermeticists, the Hindus, and the Perennialists.

If religions were more like those... we'd all join.

But they're not very individualist/populist. More like solitary and contemplative. That's not a big seller in Idiocracy-land.

I see what you did there.

As another data point, there are a great deal of esoteric Christian paths to explore. Meister Eckhart springs immediately to mind. William Blake espoused a pseudo-Xtianity. On the modern lighter side you have "almost-not-Christian" Emerson, and a more hard line in C.S. Lewis.

I think you made a good distinction. Popular religions tell you to be one of them, while esoteric ones explore how to be. Their respective numbers and influence is a good reflection of the human population.

What would be interesting is to explore these two human trends, which this umbrella of sites does from a political perspective. Do they run concurrently with little interaction? It sure seems this way, with occasional breaches this way or that.

[grecocastro]

i like satanism because mix the antichristianity, spiritualism, paganism, alternative life, rebellion and old cultures. satanism is a huge example for nihilists and people in general, because it is based in wolrd culture. for me satanism is a mix of the pre-christian wolrd cultures adapted to be more atractive. im spiritual satanism, and since my first year in this i discover a totally new wolrd and lifestyle.

[dead last]

i like satanism because mix the antichristianity, spiritualism, paganism, alternative life, rebellion and old cultures. satanism is a huge example for nihilists and people in general, because it is based in wolrd culture. for me satanism is a mix of the pre-christian wolrd cultures adapted to be more atractive. im spiritual satanism, and since my first year in this i discover a totally new wolrd and lifestyle.

It is worth undergoing almost any experience to discover a new world view, but if you still see Satanism as being in dialectic opposition to Christianity, well... you ain't seen nothin' yet.