I've compiled and revised this piece from a couple of different writings of mine. Some of it overlaps with my Pop Culture Pagan post in its reference to the Little Rabbit, but I thought this deserved its own post as it details my understanding of my religious practices in light of my agnosticism. Any thoughts? Thanks for reading!
On Agnosticism, Religious Practice, & the Numinosity of the Gods
Sometimes I hear the gods described as "not real." From what I can ascertain of Jungian thought, and admittedly I'm still wrapping my mind around that complicated topic, this is not how Jung would have viewed the archetypes -- as "not real." They still contain a numinous quality at least as far as the conscious mind is concerned. Experientially they are external. They can "happen to us." They can interact with us in transformative and significant ways.
I acknowledge my agnosticism about many topics including the nature of the gods, miracles, the afterlife, and other matters. I am also agnostic as to some aspects of Jungian theory, though I strongly suspect there is some truth in it at least in part. Furthermore Jungian theories are ongoing in development which did not end with the death of Carl Jung: they can be tweaked.
However, based on personal encounters I have little doubt about the numinosity of the gods or spirits at least as far as experience is concerned. By "numinous" I mean that there is an external and mysterious component to the gods, that we cannot fully uncover this mystery and that we can at times encounter the gods as if from without.
In terms of justifying my religious practices the bottom line is that they make me happy, and I flourish through them. They give my life meaning. They embody the seeking aspect of my human psychology, and there is a principle I follow in deciding on to whom and how I express devotion: "Thou shalt have no other gods before thine own well being nor worship them in a manner that is not conducive to that well being."
In terms of the intellect I arrive at certain conclusions through experience. One of the Powers I am devoted to is my Little Rabbit who has associations with Tu'er Shen, the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, and the rabbit from The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings, a book that made a powerful impression on me the first time it was read to me in childhood. There are other associations I have with Little Rabbit as well. Though I didn't know to whom I was reaching out to the creative process of compiling associations and symbolism that I needed in a spirit was a conscious effort. I derived that among other sources from those I previously listed.
The rest of the process was unconscious -- dreams and dream-like waking encounters took over from there, and though the entity did embody the associations I consciously compiled, he also took on unexpected qualities and a life of his own. This is the numinous quality. I have had other encounters from external sources "happening" to me so far as experience is concerned.
Therefore when Christians and neo-pagans and others describe having visions and other powerful encounters with the gods I tend to believe that at least some of these reported experiences are sincere and that they embody similar qualities as my own experiences.
In some neo-pagan and other spaces in which these types of encounters might be reported by some as a daily or common event I get skeptical, but I have no reason to doubt that sometimes these things happen to people. They are reported across time and space, and I report them too, and of my own experiences I can be as certain as of anything.
I can only speculate as to how much we can learn about the gods is humanly constructed and how much is of a numinous quality. I suspect that there are both components present within them and that both pantheons and even Yahweh are at least in part humanity "writ large," thus my arrival at the interpretation that "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," boils down to "Thou shalt have no other gods before thine own well being."
So these are my thoughts on these matters and how I justify myself intellectually as a religious agnostic. There are two principles involved in deciding my religious practices: what is conducive to my flourishing and what I can ascertain about gods and/or spirits through both experience and reasoning.
On Agnosticism, Religious Practice, & the Numinosity of the Gods
Sometimes I hear the gods described as "not real." From what I can ascertain of Jungian thought, and admittedly I'm still wrapping my mind around that complicated topic, this is not how Jung would have viewed the archetypes -- as "not real." They still contain a numinous quality at least as far as the conscious mind is concerned. Experientially they are external. They can "happen to us." They can interact with us in transformative and significant ways.
I acknowledge my agnosticism about many topics including the nature of the gods, miracles, the afterlife, and other matters. I am also agnostic as to some aspects of Jungian theory, though I strongly suspect there is some truth in it at least in part. Furthermore Jungian theories are ongoing in development which did not end with the death of Carl Jung: they can be tweaked.
However, based on personal encounters I have little doubt about the numinosity of the gods or spirits at least as far as experience is concerned. By "numinous" I mean that there is an external and mysterious component to the gods, that we cannot fully uncover this mystery and that we can at times encounter the gods as if from without.
In terms of justifying my religious practices the bottom line is that they make me happy, and I flourish through them. They give my life meaning. They embody the seeking aspect of my human psychology, and there is a principle I follow in deciding on to whom and how I express devotion: "Thou shalt have no other gods before thine own well being nor worship them in a manner that is not conducive to that well being."
In terms of the intellect I arrive at certain conclusions through experience. One of the Powers I am devoted to is my Little Rabbit who has associations with Tu'er Shen, the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, and the rabbit from The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings, a book that made a powerful impression on me the first time it was read to me in childhood. There are other associations I have with Little Rabbit as well. Though I didn't know to whom I was reaching out to the creative process of compiling associations and symbolism that I needed in a spirit was a conscious effort. I derived that among other sources from those I previously listed.
The rest of the process was unconscious -- dreams and dream-like waking encounters took over from there, and though the entity did embody the associations I consciously compiled, he also took on unexpected qualities and a life of his own. This is the numinous quality. I have had other encounters from external sources "happening" to me so far as experience is concerned.
Therefore when Christians and neo-pagans and others describe having visions and other powerful encounters with the gods I tend to believe that at least some of these reported experiences are sincere and that they embody similar qualities as my own experiences.
In some neo-pagan and other spaces in which these types of encounters might be reported by some as a daily or common event I get skeptical, but I have no reason to doubt that sometimes these things happen to people. They are reported across time and space, and I report them too, and of my own experiences I can be as certain as of anything.
I can only speculate as to how much we can learn about the gods is humanly constructed and how much is of a numinous quality. I suspect that there are both components present within them and that both pantheons and even Yahweh are at least in part humanity "writ large," thus my arrival at the interpretation that "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," boils down to "Thou shalt have no other gods before thine own well being."
So these are my thoughts on these matters and how I justify myself intellectually as a religious agnostic. There are two principles involved in deciding my religious practices: what is conducive to my flourishing and what I can ascertain about gods and/or spirits through both experience and reasoning.
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