Poetic Faiths
“The Man and the Monster”
Rüdiger Weida, a.k.a. Bruder Spaghettus explains his practice of Pastafarianism in this short, entertaining documentary by filmmaker Alex Alford: … when I actually met Rüdiger I discovered there was much more to his story than initially met the eye. As a student growing up in oppressive East Germany post-WWII, he fell in love with satire … Read more“The Man and the Monster”
Te Ātea and the Potentials of Civic Mythopoetics in New Zealand
Recently returned from a trip to New Zealand, where I was heartened and intrigued to note that traditional Māori cultural/spiritual symbolism is increasingly being incorporated into public space design. The photo above is of Te Ātea (“the Space”) on the Lake Taupo foreshore: There are a number of different elements that come together to form … Read moreTe Ātea and the Potentials of Civic Mythopoetics in New Zealand
The Church of Reality
The Church of Reality was founded in the late 1990s and promotes a rational religious philosophy expressed in the following tenets: Reality is our GodScience is our BibleEvidence is our ScriptureBig History is our Creation StoryEcology is our TheologyIntegrity is our SalvationPositive Evolution is our Mission Further: The Church of Reality is Religion 3.0. Religion … Read moreThe Church of Reality
“Pop Culture – a New Source of Spirituality?”
Pavol Kosnáč writes for the Abide University and Institute website – AUI itself being the laid-back academic branch of the Dudeist faith – on the subject of pop-culture religions; As Terry Pratchett once said, religion requires believers – if there is no religion, the god is not believed in, and ceases to be ‘god’ to … Read more“Pop Culture – a New Source of Spirituality?”
“Alan Moore Wants You to Invent Your Own God”
From a review of author/magician Alan Moore’s very long-awaited grimoire, The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic: Magic, for the Moores, is somewhere between metaphor and spiritual practice. It’s a way, like art, of exploring the rich territory of internal worlds, following the maps offered by tools like kabbalah and the tarot, and shaping … Read more“Alan Moore Wants You to Invent Your Own God”
The Coalition of Satanic Congregations
The newly-formed Coalition of Satanic Congregations: (…) was created to increase the effectiveness and community of independent, non-theistic Satanic congregations. By sharing resources and continually engaging with each other, we strengthen non-theistic Satanism on the global stage. We focus exclusively on the needs of our Member Congregations and the religious needs of their congregants instead … Read moreThe Coalition of Satanic Congregations
“Looking Ahead”: a new essay by Satanic Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves
In the aftermath of the 2024 American elections, Lucien Greaves writes: It is often mystifying to me that people come to us and say, if only it were not Satan. But it is Satan, because we are Satanists. Do not ask us to discard Satanism, just accept that Satanism is not for you. You can support … Read more“Looking Ahead”: a new essay by Satanic Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves
ManWoman and Church Punk
As niche and subversive a notion as CultPunk may be, it has some fairly recent cultural progenitors, if you look hard enough. One was the “Church Punk” aesthetic of the Canadian visionary artist and poet ManWoman, who sought to reclaim the ancient emblem of the sun wheel/swastika from association with Nazi atrocity and who wrote, … Read moreManWoman and Church Punk
“Metamodern Spirituality Labs: The Vibe from Inside”
Host Aviv Shahar of the Portals podcast interviews Layman Pascal and Brendan Graham Dempsey, organizers of the Metamodern Spirituality Labs at Brendan’s Sky Meadow Retreat in Vermont. My own memoir of attending the Spring 2024 Lab is available here.