"Nature and the Scriptures should be compared. The priests misread the Scriptures, the philosophers misconstrue Nature. Hence they are always at war, and never compare their differences"

I recently had an interesting conversation with a bright young man regarding the role of the Western Mystery Traditions in a world dominated by Theology and Empirical Science.

As an initiate he was still trying to reconcile where the symbols and teachings of the Western Mysteries might fit between the powerful influences of Religion and Science. That is a good question for all of us on the Spiritual Path to ask ourselves every once in a while.

In my opinion the Mysteries (or any other Spiritual Tradition) can act as a reconciller or equilibriating element between Theology and Science. As an example I recently had a conversation with a friend who had just graduated from a Seminary and had written his Master's Thesis on the concept of "Certainty of Conscience". If you are not aware of the term it relates to the idea that if an individual believes his actions are serving the "Will of God", even if those actions are harmful or considered evil by others, he is in fact innocent or pure in the eyes of God. I agreed with him on that point for the following reason. I believe that God ("Divinity") is perfect. Thus if Divinity is Perfect than it is not subject to the negative forces which corrupt Humanity with greed, intolerance or hated. Thus Divinity is Love. So with that God loves us no matter what, for all our faults and imperfections regardless of what we do. In my opinion it is up to us to simply open our heart and allow ourselves to receive "God's Love and Grace".

However where we disagreed was in the fact that his paper did not address the responsibility of the individual to try to "check themselves" to determine if their actions and the resulting consequences were in line with Divinity. Yes...God loves us and forgives us. Yes...It is also my opinion if one truly feels they are serving God's will, then they are innocent regarding their "intent" in the eyes of Divinity. However it is truly the "Enlightened" individual that realizes that the Absolute Truth of Divinity can be "tainted" by the limitations of human perception. Like the morning light that shines through a "rose colored" window the Light itself then becomes tainted by the color of the window glass. It is the Enlightened individual who works to purify him or herself so that the Absolute Truth of Divinity comes to them untainted.

Thus we have the wisdom of ancient "Enlightened" Brethren that has been preserved in the "initiatic rites" of Order's such as the Western Mysteries that are meant to provide us with the "working tools" to help us test our actions. For the Enlightened individual knows that "God's Grace" or the "Light of Divinity" is manifest in the physical mundane world only through the ideas, will and actions of Humanity. Thus if we chose to manifest God's Grace or the Divine Light into this world we must recognize we have a responsibility to insure that our actions are driven by these Absolute Truths (i.e. Light) and not from the false shadows (i.e. animal passions) reflected by the "ego".
 

The Western Mysteries point to several "tools" that we can use to reconcile our actions such as Reason, Morality and Justice. Many of the Spiritual Traditions force us to look introspectively and ponder how these Ideals compare to our own conscience. Rather than opine on what is Morality, Reason and Wisdom let me quote some interesting lines from Manly P. Hall’s book “Freemasonry of the Ancient Egyptians” which I just finished reading relating to Plato's initiation into the Egyptian mysteries.

1st Priest: What dost thou seek Plato?
Plato: Wisdom.
1st Priest: It is impossible without much science, for man to interpret the grand hieroglyphics of the universe. What is Science?
Plato: The comprehension of causes and their effects, when the spirit of God descends into the bosom of man.
1st Priest: What is Wisdom?
Plato: The knowledge of good and evil, justice and injustice, it is the love of the one and the hatred of the other.
1st Priest: In order to reach it, know thyself.

Later in the Initiation

3rd Patriarch: What is Morality?
Plato: It is the rule of right, and the duties which the conscience imposes, and which cannot violate without shame and disgrace.
3rd Patriarch: And Justice?
Plato: It is the practical application of the law of rendering to all that which is due.
3rd Patriarch: Where doth justice and morality take their source?
Plato: In the very conscious of humanity.
3rd Patriarch: How doth thou distinguish good and evil?
Plato: All that wounds the dignity or restrains the rights of man is evil; all which is favorable to them is good.

Unlike all other creatures Humanity was blessed with the capacity for Reason and a Conscience. We are also blessed with the ability to manifest "God's Grace" (i.e. Divine Light/Truth) into this world. Those gifts come with a profound responsibility. As seekers of the Light we are charged to ever check our actions to insure that we are in fact in line with Divine Will.

Offered in Humility

Unus Multorum...a humble unknown philosopher