Resonantialism

Resonantialism--a theory of resonances that leaves open (or rather brackets) the question of how different religions interact. In this post I argued against the other current theories: exclusivism, inclusivism, pluralism, and liberationism. Recognizing a true but partial and ultimately mono-linguistic view.

As a baseline, I'll use Wilber's 7 points of agreements in the religion. I think it would really only apply to the so-called Great Religions. Not entirely sure on shamanic, indigenous, pagan religions.

They are:

1. Spirit, by whatever name, exists.
2. Spirit, although existing "out there," is found "in here," or revealed within to the open heart and mind.
3. Most of us don't realize this Spirit within, however, because we are living in a world of sin, separation, or duality-that is, we are living in a fallen, illusory, or fragmented state.
4. There is a way out of this fallen state (of sin or illusion or disharmony), there is a Path to our liberation.
5. If we follow this Path to its conclusion, the result is a Rebirth or Enlightenment, a direct experience of Spirit within and without, a Supreme Liberation, which
6. marks the end of sin and suffering, and
7. manifests in social action of mercy and compassion on behalf of all sentient beings.

#6 which should recall must be kept in mind relative to the evolutionary understanding no one is ever perfectly enlightened. So #6 should read something like--to the degree one is enlightened, sin and suffering cease.

And that list applies I would mostly to the mystical paths of the Great Traditions. The institutional sides (sometimes termed exoteric, which is not my favorite term but anyway) of religions would involve other resonances I suppose. Lay versus ordained membership, the understanding of authority and the meanings of written scriptures, life cycle rituals (birth, marriage, death), any others I'm forgetting at the moment.

These then are resonances I would say. There are the same basic formattings to the Kosmos that are universal though they are only ever inhabited via particular instantiations. We know phenomenologically that all religions could help with the evolution of the Kosmos, human consciousness, though they will be (from this perspective) different streams. We don't metaphors that work here. Because even if we call them different paths being cut through a forest (even parallel ones) assumes the forest already exists.

But none of knows outside of that context, what else, if anything occurs. For example what is the beginning and the end of the universe. Is there life after death? Is there something more than enlightenment?

Resonantialism then critiques the earlier views, understands the path they generally follow, cuts the mind from ever finding a final solution, brings the person more into participation, working for justice-mercy in the world, helping evolve consciousness. And it covers some of the major points of universality and particularity in the world's religions and understands that the two are always co-joined. Enlightenment is not the same for all religions because Nonduality is the Union of Formless and Form and the Form is always different for different religions.