NRM or OER?

[Eddi]

For a while I left Christianity (an Old Established Religion) for a thing I called Projectionism (a New Religious Movement) but I am now back with Christianity and am going to stay there. Before I was not fully committed to it. But I am now.........

There are a number of reasons I am happier in an OER than a NRM:

It's much less lonely as there are many, many other followers, located the world over

There is a whole culture around it to enjoy and partake in, such as festivals, literature, art

It has been studied in depth by many minds greater than mine so we can be sure that it makes sense

There is a huge body of literature about every facet of it

I don't have to explain it if people ask

People tend to respect OERs more than NRMs - not just people who are in other OERs but people who are not religious too

If I have doubts or questions there are a great many people I can turn to for detailed and helpful advice

There are communities both online and in the real world

There are different schools of thought in OERs, which makes them more diverse and interesting

There are probably others too

Are there people out there who have been in both OERs and NRMs? Which is best to be a part of, in your opinion?

I would be interested to hear what my friend @Exaltist Ethan has to say about this, as he appears to be very happy with his NRM

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Hey @Eddi !

I was really young when I separated the divine into what is nature and what is human. I was 14 when I came to the realization that humans are using nature to help create God. It was well over a decade after that then I discovered religions that actually have the same beliefs. Since you asked so kindly, the best part about my NRM is the fact that I came to it already understanding and believing in it, without having to be proselytized into the religion.

Sure, there are not many syntheists out there, and it's lonely being part of a religion of a few thousand, but whenever I forced myself into a situation, like I did with the Baha'is and UUs, I could tell that not only did I not belong, but the other people I was talking to felt uncomfortable around me too. And yeah, with the syntheistic religion I really have no community built into it. The only time I was in a syntheist community area was in Second Life and nobody else was in that community area with me, so I just saw a glimpse of what it was.

But with virtually nobody in the religion, nobody can tell me that I don't belong in the religion, there are no uncomfortable or awkward moments with the adherents of the religion, and nobody is backbiting or gossiping behind my back. Calling myself Earthseed means I can properly explain to people my theological beliefs without using my own terms, and if they don't know what syntheism or Earthseed means they themselves can Google it and search what it means on their own time.

I know the positives sound odd, but many times I just work best when I work alone. There's no internal arguing with anyone else of my faith. I am free to use the term because I've not only been in Earthseed since I was 14 but I've reinforced many of their beliefs onto myself since then. As an Earthseed shaper I'm liberated and free from the dogmas and creeds of OER that wants to impose restrictions on my thoughts and behavior. And I came searching into the religion, the religion was not searching for me.

That's the kind of religion I want. One that I did not create myself, but believe with full conviction.

 

[Eddi]

Hey @Eddi !

I was really young when I separated the divine into what is nature and what is human. I was 14 when I came to the realization that humans are using nature to help create God. It was well over a decade after that then I discovered religions that actually have the same beliefs. Since you asked so kindly, the best part about my NRM is the fact that I came to it already understanding and believing in it, without having to be proselytized into the religion.

Sure, there are not many syntheists out there, and it's lonely being part of a religion of a few thousand, but whenever I forced myself into a situation, like I did with the Baha'is and UUs, I could tell that not only did I not belong, but the other people I was talking to felt uncomfortable around me too. And yeah, with the syntheistic religion I really have no community built into it. The only time I was in a syntheist community area was in Second Life and nobody else was in that community area with me, so I just saw a glimpse of what it was.

But with virtually nobody in the religion, nobody can tell me that I don't belong in the religion, there are no uncomfortable or awkward moments with the adherents of the religion, and nobody is backbiting or gossiping behind my back. Calling myself Earthseed means I can properly explain to people my theological beliefs without using my own terms, and if they don't know what syntheism or Earthseed means they themselves can Google it and search what it means on their own time.

I know the positives sound odd, but many times I just work best when I work alone. There's no internal arguing with anyone else of my faith. I am free to use the term because I've not only been in Earthseed since I was 14 but I've reinforced many of their beliefs onto myself since then. As an Earthseed shaper I'm liberated and free from the dogmas and creeds of OER that wants to impose restrictions on my thoughts and behavior. And I came searching into the religion, the religion was not searching for me.

That's the kind of religion I want. One that I did not create myself, but believe with full conviction.

Interesting!

Could you please point me to a good explanation of what Earthseed is? I think you've mentioned it here before but I don't know what it is!

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Interesting!

Could you please point me to a good explanation of what Earthseed is? I think you've mentioned it here before but I don't know what it is!

I sent you a link in DMs but I'll also share that link here for the public to see.

Earthseed

 

[RabbiO]

@Eddi -

Interesting that in listing your preferences none of them really have anything to do with beliefs.

 

[Eddi]

@Eddi -

Interesting that in listing your preferences none of them really have anything to do with beliefs.

Yes, you are right...

All the reasons I have given as to why I am now much happier with Christianity than I ever was with "Projectionism" are bonus reasons that happen to follow one big reason: that Christianity happens to be most certainly true, in my opinion.

The other side of this is that "Projectionism" (with its Computer God, its simulated realities, and other absurdities) is in my opinion obviously false and therefore has no merit and should be abandoned and overlooked by those who are interested in what's true.

This is both literally and figuratively the bottom line: If I didn't think Christianity was true then I would not be a Christian. And thankfully, being a follower of Christianity has (like any other Old Established Religion) many bonuses that any New Religious Movement lacks.