Welcome to
Jennifer's Views on Spirituality & Religion
with Related Links
This page is finally getting completed!
I guess I've freaked enough people out having this page up but without words, only links. I've gotten questions like "don't you believe in god" and such ~ so I guess I'll try and answer those and explain to you the basis of my belief system.
First, no, I do not believe in your traditonal male god. I'm not nearly arrogant enough to think there is no "divine power" in the universe, but I have a real hard time with the traditional Christian, Judo, Muslim, etc. god who controls for his own purposes. That god of love makes a little more sense to me, but on the whole, I can't grasp the concept of some diety up there in the cosmos yanking on us like overgrown hand pupppets - with our lives predestined in this beings hands.
I believe we make our own destiny. Yes, destiny exists and having traced how it has behaved in my own life, I am a firm believer in it. But, had I sat passively by and waited for destiny to come to my, I'd been darn bored and have nothing to show for the last several years (what I do have to show is a subject of debate!).
I've studied many religions - both traditional and non - and have put together for myself what works for me. I don't say I'm wiccan, although I subscribe to many of those principals - but again, I run into problems with the diety issues many wiccan's believe in. I don't say I'm pagan, although that is getting closer to the truth. I believe in nothing more than the power of the outdoors. When I lived in California my weekends were spent with Sasha (my oldest dog) up in the Sierras - hiking, camping, enjoying - to me that's a much more religious experience than sitting in a church. I love nature, but I also have a practical streak. Mother Nature is out there - but for some reason when I try to phrase it that way I think of a margarine commerical.
I am a student of Aleister Crowley - but I'm not a complete convert to Thelema. Of all the teachings I've read, his make the most sense, but again, I pick and choose. The concept of will is one I lived with for years without truly knowing whose theories I was living by. Will is what makes us - Will can mold people, events, inanimate objects, etc. to what we need and desire. I do not believe in molding people however in my personal life - professional is another story as are situations such as when I went for my mortgage. I do subscribe to the wiccan creed of not interfering in anothers free will - there have been times when that is tempting but it does come back to you.
I also believe in karma - the few times I have performed a magickal act to interefere with someone else it has come back to me. Usually in a way that is humerous, because I never went further than some minor vehicular mischief, but it has come back ~ reminding me that should I take it one step further I will pay there also.
I believe in myself - I believe that with the aid of the spirit world (which differs from dieties btw) I can be anything I want to be. I try to live by the golden rule - although I know I don't always succeed in my personal life. I believe there are powers greater than myself in the universe, but on the whole, they don't have one hell of a lot of interest in Jennifer as a person. I believe in reincarnation - subscribing somewhat to the Buddist view of the wheel of life. I believe in alternate universes, but again, I really don't think they give a damn about us here on earth. When I'm feeling cynical or particular amused, I believe in Sharon's theory that our ancestors were all women on another planet who royally screwed up, and their punishment was being sent to earth to deal with men, with only cats as our companions. Okay, not really but there are times that does seem reasonable... :)
I believe we will never know it all although through education we can hope to obtain a higher level of understanding. I believe in my pyschic powers although I know there are others out there far more gifted than I. I believe through education again I can expand my powers. I believe 90% of the psychics on TV however are charlatans - the majority of people with this actual gift prefer to stay behind the scenes.
I believe in life - I believe in living each day as if it were my last - I believe in treating others as I wish to be treated (again, my apologies for where I don't do that in my personal life). I believe in the greater good without being a bleeding heart liberal as I vote Republican for the most part. I believe in the right to choose ~ to either accept our destiny or to mold it to what we desire. I believe there are no limits on what I can achieve through my own hard work, and my own Will.
Does that clear it up at all?! If you want to talk about this further, feel free to write me. I welcome intelligent discussions on religions and beliefs - but DO NOT try and convert me to your belief system. It will not work and it will annoy me to no end. If you believe your system is the only one that is correct I highly encourage you to stop and think about all the other people in the world who don't believe what you do. Are they all wrong? I'm not saying my beliefs are right for everyone, but what they are is MY beliefs - created over years of study and reflection - and they do truly reflect who I am.
Random Spirituality Links
*Witches Way ~ in searching for a site to help combat ignorance, I found this wonderful collection of writings and links ~ enjoy
*Aine's Cauldron ~ great Wiccan graphics and some awesome links.
*WiccanWeb.net a Magical Resource and Networking Place for Witches.
*The Witch Shop selling jewelry and other items
*The Crowley Thoth On-Line Tarot Reading for an on-line tarot reading using my preferred deck.
*Aleister Crowley fact sheet ~ a great start for the uninitiated.
*The Order of the Thelemic Golden Dawn
To further explore these topics, try the Sorcery Search
Graphic Credit
