Religion

Pyramid Realm will never endorse any one organized religion but we do believe that religion can be an effective tool to help understand the human experience and gain a greater appreciation for the existential aspects of our reality. As such, I’ve decided to compile some of the most common religions and briefly summarize their beliefs for those interested. All the bibles and teachings can bring a person towards enlightenment and Pyramid Realm encourages you to find your faith wherever that may fall. What we don’t endorse is allowing a religion to consume your identity and place walls between yourself and all people of different ideologies. Religion has been the leading cause of global violence for most of human history but I still believe there is a place for religion in society moving forward. For religion to have a positive impact on human civilization it should be seen as a tool for it's followers, not an absolute truth. The idea that any one book could provide a complete understanding of this multidimensional universe is ridiculous. With that being said I believe there are hundreds of sacred religious texts that contain extremely pertinent wisdom and valuable insights. These texts should not be dismissed but they should not be viewed as anything conclusive either. The genuine truth seeker should keep an open mind. He/she should expose themselves to a variety of ideologies and then incorporate the pieces of each that resonate with them into their truth.

Gnosticism

As someone that isn’t a huge fan of organized religion I have to admit I have a soft spot for gnosticism. Gnosticism is the teaching based on Gnosis, the knowledge of transcendence arrived at by way of interior, intuitive means. Gnostics believe that humans are caught in a predicament consisting of physical existence combined with ignorance of their true origins, their essential nature and their ultimate destiny. To be liberated from this predicament, human beings require help, although they must also contribute their own efforts. The Gnostic God concept is more subtle than that of most religions. In its way, it unites and reconciles the recognitions of Monotheism and Polytheism, as well as of Theism, Deism and Pantheism. In the Gnostic view, there is a true, ultimate, and transcendent God, who is beyond all created universes and who never created anything in the sense in which the word “create” is ordinarily understood. While this True God did not fashion or create anything, He (or it) “emanated” or brought forth from within Himself the substance of all there is in all the worlds, visible and invisible. In a certain sense, it may therefore be true to say that all is God, for all consists of the substance of God (6).

Christianity

Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the son of god and the savior of humanity. They believe that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine and that by believing in his teachings anyone could inherit eternal life. According to Christian beliefs, Jesus was the Messiah promised by the Old Testament and his sacrifice ultimately saved humanity from our sins. Just by accepting Jesus as their lord and savior, anyone can achieve spiritual liberation. Jesus is said to have died for humanity and many Christians believe he will eventually be raised from the dead by God at the end of time (1).

Catholocism

Catholicism overlaps very heavily with Christianity. They also believe that Jesus was the son of God and the savior of humanity. The Catholics also believe that God is the one supreme being and that he is is made up of three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This almighty god is seen as the one true god and must be followed exclusively. Catholic beliefs also suggest that because Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, all humans are born with original sin, which only Baptism removes (2).

Islam

Islam is founded on the belief in one god, Allah, and the teachings of the prophets Muhammed and Moses. Muslims believe that the last revealed scripture sent by God is the Qur'an or Koran. It is the speech of God revealed in the Arabic language to Muhammad during his mission of twenty-three years. The Qur'an was written down by scribes and memorized during the lifetime of Muhammad. The Qur'an emphasizes moral, ethical and spiritual values with the aim of establishing justice for everyone.

Judaism

Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic religions. Jewish people accept the belief in one God and the moral teachings of the Hebrew bible. They also closely follow the Torah, which was the whole of the laws given to the Israelites at Sinai. They believe they must follow God's laws to govern daily life. People of Jewish faith also believe that later books, written by rabbis, determine the law as it applies to life in each new place and time. Personally, I think the Jewish Mystics were on to something and the teachings of the Zohar and the Kabbalah are particularly insightful.

Buddhism

Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life. Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest for Enlightenment around the sixth century BC. Buddhists also believe that nothing is fixed or permanent and that change is always possible. The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation, and wisdom. Buddhists believe that life is both endless and subject to impermanence, suffering, and uncertainty. It is coming to peace with the polarities of life that brings enlightenment.

Agnosticism

Agnosticism is not actually a religion but it is arguably the most rational take in all of this. Agnostics basically believe that nothing is known or can be known about the existence or nature of God or anything beyond material phenomena. Agnostics also believe that nothing can be known about the afterlife until death itself. While I personally disagree just a smidge I can't argue with the logic behind it. Science is constantly evolving and I believe that in our lifetime we will get some more concrete answers about some of the supernatural phenomena that has plagued human history. Regardless, there is nothing worse than someone who claims to fully understand the absolute truth and I believe that there is something poetic about facing the universe with complete openness and uncertainty.

Pyramid Realm-Ism

I would never actually start a religion but let me briefly lay out my personal beliefs. As Terrence McKenna once stated, I believe that "the main thing to understand is that we are imprisoned in some kind of work of art". This beautiful Earthly creation was woven by the same divine forces that have helped guide and steer human civilization throughout our history. Personally, I believe that this divine will can never be fully defined and that trying to place it in a box is the greatest disservice you could ever claim to accomplish (hence my skepticism towards organized religion). I also believe that the divine appears to a person in whichever form their mind is ready to accept. Therefore the more open your mind is the more truth you are opening yourself up to experience. Our history is filled with elaborate claims of wild religious experiences, guardian angels, divine interventions, and extraterrestrial contacts but have you ever considered that it might all come down to perspective. We all have our own relationship and understanding of the divine and that is something we should embrace instead of imposing our beliefs on others.

We spend so much time trying to define reality that we often forget we are the creators of reality. The universe is not a dull, material place and we are not its dull, material inhabitants. On the contrary, everything that we experience as reality is created by the limits of our own minds. Our brains are constantly filtering out the information that our brains are not open enough to accept. I made this site with the sincere hope of opening some minds to the infinite possibilities of existence that we wake up to every day.

My Takeaway

So first of all, I would like to clarify that I don't have an issue with religious followers. Trying to navigate different belief systems without stepping on people's toes is almost impossible but I do my best. All the religions are interesting and unique and I believe that everyone has the right to follow whatever beliefs they align closest with. My one issue is with the concept that each religion believes they are worshipping the "one true god" and that all belief systems outside the narratives given by their bibles must be inaccurate. The second you become set in the belief that only your religion understands the nature of god and reality you are putting giant walls up between you and the rest of humanity. Religious beliefs are the single most divisive force in the world and they are also a leading cause to most of the global violence. If god really is looking down over us I find it very hard to believe that he wants us all to throw away the brotherhood of humanity and kill each other in the name of some institutions... especially when many of these institutions are infiltrated with pedophilia and financial corruption. I guess all I'm really asking my religious readers is this... Are you really a Christian/Jew/Muslim/Mormon or are you a human being? The main teaching of every religion is the idea that you should treat others how you'd like to be treated. So take a second and ask yourself.. How do I like being treated? Do I like when someone is fake with me? Do I like when someone acts like they understand the absolute truth and judges me for not agreeing with their understanding of reality? Do I like when someone acts like they are following the one true god and that I must be lost in my own ignorance? I believe it is time for leaders from different religions to step up and try and bridge the gap to other ideologies. Time has pulled us apart and I believe that time will bring us back together. As openminded researchers, a truth seeker should never be triggered or flustered by arguments that contradict his or her beliefs at the time. Instead, I believe we should allow ourselves to be curious again. With more and more research being done in "fringe" areas, it's time for the scientific community to open our minds to larger truths. In the same way that some "scientific facts" from humanities past have been disproven in light of new discoveries I have no doubt that some of our current assumptions will eventually fail the test of time. Therefore, I believe we should constantly be pushing the envelope with new ideas and entertaining wild theories. Instead of dwelling in the comfort zone of "accepted" science I challenge you to go make a discovery that shakes our understanding of the universe once again. Importantly, I believe that the next wave of mind-bending discoveries will not come from studying the external world but actually from studying the internal world.

“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom” - Socrates.

The Force

Here's one thing I definitely believe in... The force. I believe there is an intelligence that is so magical & profound that it has a personal relationship with each and every one of us. The force, as I call it, exists in all life and it connects us to one another as well as the earth and the galaxies we share. I believe that the force itself is sentient and that it takes in feedback from the consciousness of all life on earth. In the same way that it factors in humanity's vision for the world, I believe the force listens to the Octopi, and the Fungi, and the Kangaroos, and the Dolphins. I could go on but you get the point. After taking in all this conscious feedback I believe that the force is able to construct a plan that factors in all life on earth. This force can then whisper in the ears of men and lions alike to help us all play our role in a play that is much too complicated for any of us to ever truly understand. The force is able to interface with our consciousness with incredible complexity and impart necessary wisdom. The force knows where a persons current perspective lies in the scope of endless experience, intelligence, and understanding. It can therefore show itself to a person in whatever form they are most comfortable with. If a person wishes to experience the force as god than the force can play that role. The force cares less about what you believe in than it does about the person you are becoming. I believe that the force will show you what you need to see in order for you to pull off the inner transformation that you truly seek. No one will ever be able to grasp the full scope of the force's power. It exists in everything. The force is in the atoms making up your couch and the pixels on your TV screen. It can manifest itself to us into the physical realm in ways that would force modern science to re-evaluate everything we think we know about the universe. It can whisper to us in our dreams. It can come to us as an approaching animal or it can reveal itself through another person. It can also be blunt. Sometimes the force will demonstrate its control over the physical realm and baffle you. It will hit you with synchronicities or it will play a song on the radio for you. It can plant a $20 bill on the sidewalk. It can defy logic and it will always do what it must to lead you along your path.

One more thing about the force. It has secrets. The force holds a timeless understanding of the universe that is difficult for any of us to truly grasp. But we can try. In fact, I think the force actually enjoys humoring us. Nikola Tesla was once quoted saying, "my brain is only a receiver, in the universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength, and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists." Tesla was also said to have completely designed all of his inventions within the confines of his mind. I believe he basically figured out how to download information from the source. Einstein was also quoted saying, "I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me." Einstein also believed that, "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." Sounds a lot like the force to me. The cool part is that we all have access to the force because it exists within us. We can ask it questions and we can rely on it for guidance.

I encourage everyone to awaken their inner psychonaut and to let the force remove some of the illusions our society is currently living under. "Culture is the greatest barrier to your enlightenment, your education, and your decency." - Terrence McKenna. I firmly believe that somewhere deep down humans are good. I also believe that many of us suppress our light in order to conform with a system that is much less inherently good. I say let your light out. Let it shine wherever and whenever it wants. Who cares what anyone thinks. Be the person that posts on FaceBook about endangered species and exposes banking corruption. Be a treehugger and stand up for groups of people being oppressed. Be a conspiracy theorist and encourage people to think for themselves. Develop your own relationship with the Force and express that relationship authentically to others. It's not that hard, really. I'm far from perfect but I do my best and I've figured out one thing. Once a person decides to follow their heart and stand up for what they believe in, they will feel the power and guidance of the force behind them.

Our destiny as a species is not to trash this beautiful planet while we sit on our ass, eat shitty food, and watch TV. If that's your team than Pyramid Realm is probably not for you, just don't fool yourself into thinking you don't have a choice. There is always a choice. Every time we walk past a piece of trash on the ground we are making a choice. We can choose to take accountability and clean up our Earth or we can choose to go about our day. In the bigger picture, we are in a similar situation. We can choose to sit back and let big corporations extort the working class while politicians deflect and the Amazon Rain Forest burns or we can stand up. We can conform to social norms or we can choose to take accountability for our contribution to the collective. We know we can do better than this. Our governance should strive for environmental sustainability. Our government should prioritize the quality of human life and protect the species we share this earth with. Our government should seek global peace. These hardly seem like radical take and yet they are. Our banking systems are corrupt. Our judicial systems are corrupt. Our government is corrupt. The media is corrupt. The elite of society are all tied up in child sex trafficking charges. It's time to seriously re-evaluate things. It's time for a revolution. It's time for those with integrity and courage to stand up and demand that their voices be heard. It's time to shine a light on corruption and to fight for the world we all know is possible. Let's be the people we know we can be.

What did that rant have to with the force? In order to access the power of the force we must face the darkness of this world. Ignorance might be bliss but knowledge is power. Somewhere within each of us is a Jedi warrior and we can earn back our magical abilities by standing up for what is right.