From: John Grigg (starman2100@lycos.com)
Date: Wed Aug 08 2001 - 20:08:39 MDT
Brent Allsop shared in detail:
There are organization like The Extropy Institute! But this isn't nearly enough if you ask me! I'm a cultural LDS (mormon) and I would give anything to have an extropian "bishop" to offer moral, emotional, psychological... help according to extropian "religious" values, weekly sunday meetings where I could go and associate and affiliate with other extropians (like extro conferences only on a
weekly bases and locally rather than only every 2 years way out in California!), "sunday school" to help my children to be able to better learn extropian values, extropian "home teachers" to assist my family
with extropian life issues (like helping with funerals, cryonic preservation, estate issues...), extropian "missionaries" that donate two years of there life or some type of "proselytizing" support for
which the goal is to "spread the good news or extropian 'gospel'" and literally "save the world" or at least save as many as possible from
all "evil" (anything which anyone doesn't really want) especially information theoretical death... instead of "baptism", there would be such "rituals" as signing up for cryonics"... And we all know what an
extropian funeral should be like.
(end)
Dang Brent!, you sure don't ask for much now do you? lol And remember, it took a long time for the LDS church to get where it's at now.
As I have posted before several times, what we need to do is use an already existing platform. And the Unitarian Universalist church is that very thing! You know this since you attend there as I also do(though occasionally). UU church means and methods could be combined with the best of transhumanism to create the early version of what you so desperately want.
So, who on this list will volunteer to become the first UU/transhumanist pastor? WHO?
And the perfect location for the church would be in the silicon valley area. I hear those extropians would be a good demographic!
you continue:
Would all parts of most extropian's lives be infinitely
improved if there was such an organization? My families life is sure lacking without this! How many of you wish there was an extropian "church" something like this?
(end)
I would then attend both LDS and UUTrans(I coined it!) services! :) No doubt, this would greatly enrich the social lives of many extropians who feel uncomfortable in traditional spiritual environs. I'm just not sure if Max and others would want a UU/Extropian church! Am I correct?
you continue:
I maintain my "faith" and "hope" that there will be enough extropians to set up something like this some day. I guess, like most all of us, we were just born way to early? The best definition I ever heard of "religion" was simply: "A way of life". To me, extropianism is more of a !true! religion than any other religion I know of.
(end)
I think a church like this could already be brought forth by appealing to the many "proto-extropians" out there. This church would do well in southern California. You were not born to early! You were born in a time to see this church grow as a seed into a mighty oak!
I have to admit I view religion as far more then simply a way of life. To me it is a way to respond to the challenges and mysteries of life. A way to try to connect with the divine, with God.
you continue:
What say yee!? I say let's get out there and spread the "True Gospel" and get to work "Saving the world"
(end)
Let's go!! :) Do we have to quit our day jobs? lol I think when Pro-Act gets going we will see our message going forth to literally save the world. But, I understand you mean on a more human scale.
you sing!:
Amen and Glory Haleluja my beloved brothers and sisters!
(end)
I see this is gonna be a Pentacostal UU/Extropian church! We'll need a good rock band to support the pastor as he sings!
Emlyn in response to Brent Allsop's desires to have a "mormon style" extropian church wrote:
>Anything ey? Sounds interesting. OK, I'll be the >extropian bishop. Collection plate to follow...
But Emlyn, that is not how we Mormons do it! There are collection slips by the bishop's office where you can pay into various categories such as tithing, welfare, missionary fund, etc! It is a very private and voluntary thing for a person to go and make a donation.
Though to be a member in truly good standing, you must pay a full tithing(ten percent of gross income). To attend the temple this must be done. Once a year there are tithing settlement meetings with the local bishop. Attendance to that is again voluntary.
A strict conservative church such as the Mormons wields a great deal of power in getting members to really sacrifice of their time and money. And people do this willingly out of faith and also the very practical worldly blessings one can obtain(good mate, sense of community, positive environment to raise children in, etc.).
I find it interesting that Extropians and cryonicists have far less ability to voluntarily pool their resources. Now, why is this? ;)
Brent, we seem to continually have this dialogue! Both of us have these ideas tearing at us from the inside. When do we let them out?
best wishes,
John
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