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What follows is a short discourse on a chief doctrine of the Fellowship for Divine Illumination called “The Progressive Doctrine.” The Progressive Doctrine has three parts. The first is adapted from the philosophy of the Perfectibilists, who later came to be known as the Bavarian Illuminati. Perfectibilism is the idea that one must perfect himself or herself in this life. This definition sometimes includes perfection of the soul. Both the corporeal and spiritual aspects of a person are of equal importance to the fellowship. One must perfect the material in order to perfect the spiritual. This process is a form of spiritual growth; commonly referred to as personal growth and development in psychology. Another term, “spiritual evolution,” happens over many lifetimes. In this sense, reincarnation is considered a fact to members of the Fellowship. This is not true of all Perfectibilists. Many Perfectibilists are contented with perfecting their lives as it relates to the physical world. This ideology is reasonable, but is not what the Fellowship follows. Spiritual evolution occurs when one consciously resolves to better oneself. This is the essence of Perfectibilism. It is a process of improving. The Perfectibilist is constantly seeking to improve on each experience. This is a never ending process. The perfect state will never be reached. If we were to reach perfection, we would be no more. The Perfectibilist knows that perfection exists in the moment. All things should be accepted as they are. However, all things can be improved. That is the perfection paradox. Through each successive lifetime, a human soul will be presented with opportunities for spiritual growth. These are the tests and challenges we must overcome in order to evolve. These challenges are nothing more than experiences to which we give meaning. We call some of these experiences “mistakes.” This is where the second part of the doctrine comes into the picture. The Fellowship does not recognize experiences as mistakes. More than that, the Fellowship does not believe one should be “punished” for acts considered unacceptable by society. In the case of criminals, an offender should be taught moral behavior. This is not a get out jail free pass. It is understood that an offender may need to be removed from society if he or she is a danger to others. This should only continue until the offender’s behavior is corrected. Confinement is an undesirable method of behavior modification. Karma is not a recognized philosophy of the Fellowship. Neither is eternal damnation. Natural consequences should not be confused with these beliefs. The Fellowship contends it is not beneficial for one to believe he or she will be punished in his or her next life for so-called sins committed in the current incarnation. This idea does not lend itself to spiritual growth. It only keeps one entrenched in feelings of guilt. Guilt consumes one’s being. However, guilt can help us to see the error of our ways. This gives us the chance to improve. The third part of the doctrine is integrity. Integrity is essential to a Perfectibilist. Integrity is the key to personal and spiritual growth. A person of strong integrity can overcome what we perceive as negative experiences. This is the “as best you can” component, because one is expected to do his or her best at all times. If one falls short of his or her integrity, he or she is must strive to improve. This is a complicated matter with many issues involved. These issues cannot be addressed in one short article. Perhaps this piece will stir others to consider The Progressive Doctrine.
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church doctrine, illuminati, church ideology, spiritual evolution, spiritual growth,
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