Society for Humanistic Mormonism

President Venerable Ajahn Surak, President in the First Presidency, His Holiness, The Prophet of Reason, The Seer of Science, The Revelator of Philosophy serves as the President of the First Presidency in the Society for Humanistic Mormonism.  President Surak is the founder of the Society for Humanistic Mormonism and the philosophy of Humanistic Mormonism.  President "Surak's" name was given to him in a Holy Ceremony of Reason, in a Humanistic Mormon Temple of Reason, whereupon he was given his new holy name, as is given to all Mormons who receive their Temple Endowments in the Temple initiatory (as is traditional in orthodox Mormonism). This "new name" was particularly special as it would signify the Holy Power of Reason and the mantle of Prophet of Reason to All the World.  His titles, "The Prophet of Reason, The Seer of Science, The Revelator of Philosophy" are slightly modified titles that come from the early teachings of Mormonism which uses "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator" as the highest ecclesiastical titles used in the Latter Day Saint/Mormon movement and follows early tradition.  His added ecclesiastical title "His Holiness" is an official title or style referring to leaders in a number of religious traditions that Humanistic Mormonism has also been influenced by in its origins and history which include Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Buddhism, and Bon.  The title "His Holiness" is given to reflect the idea that "the Prophet" of this religion of "Humanistic Mormons," who are officially called "Sagely Saints," in the Society for Humanistic Mormonism; must be "Holy" that is exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one striving for perfection in goodness and righteousness.  The Prophet is to be a "Sage," one (such as a profound philosopher) distinguished for wisdom, characterized by wisdom, prudence, and good judgment, wise through reflection and experience; and he is to be a "Saint," that is one who is eminent for piety or virtue, one officially recognized as preeminent for holiness.  In general all "Humanistic Mormons" must aspire to be "Sages" and "Saints" and this is why "Humanistic Mormons" are officially called "Sagely Saints" as the goal is to be both "wise" ("Sagely") and strive at the same time to become holy and a "Saint": that is one who does the virtuous good deeds in both thought and action and avoids doing evil and negative deeds in both thought and action.  The Prophet is called a "The Seer of Science" similar and 

often synonymous with the Hindu term "rishi" (considered to be individuals who have attained a high level of spiritual insight, wisdom, and knowledge, often through deep meditation and self-realization). Seers are individuals who possess exceptional spiritual insight, wisdom, and knowledge, which enables them to perceive divine truths and cosmic principles that are beyond the reach of ordinary human understanding.

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President Surak's title "Venerable Ajahn" reflected the profound influence of another faith tradition upon him in forming the new faith tradition of Humanistic Mormonism which was Buddhism whereupon one is given a Dharma name:  "A Dharma name is a new name acquired during a Buddhist initiation ritual in Mahayana Buddhism and monk ordination in Theravada Buddhism. The name is traditionally given by a Buddhist monastic, and is given to newly ordained monks, nuns and laity." The meaning of "Ajahn" is a Thai language term which translates as "professor" or "teacher" and often given to Buddhist monks.   

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The first "new name" "Surak" was taken to the Prophet of Reason to reflect the influence of Star Trek philosophy on Humanistic Mormonism and the Prophet of Reason life's mission to rationalize Mormonism for all Mormons:  "Surak is a fictional character in the backstory of the Star Trek television series and franchises. He is portrayed as the most important philosopher in the history of the planet Vulcan. During an Earth-like "modern age", when the Vulcans are technological but emotionally driven and violent, Surak founds a movement which reforms the Vulcan way of thinking and lifestyle and leads to the world of logically-reasoning and emotion-repressing Vulcans known from the TV series. This period in Vulcan history is referred to as the "Time of Awakening."

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          The Story of How Venerable Ajahn Surak Became the Founder of the Society for Humanistic Mormonism and the Philosophy of Humanistic Mormonism:  (The following is taken from the Prophet of Reason's own words (as quoted in The History of the Society of Humanistic Mormonism Vol. 1: Words of the Prophet of Reason):

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          Every new religion has a foundation story about how it started.  Some of these foundation stories we call myths or monomyths (in narratology and comparative mythology, the monomyth, or the hero's journey, is the common template of a broad category of tales that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, and in a decisive crisis wins a victory, and then comes home changed or transformed).  Humanistic Mormonism has its mythic/monomythic tale in the Joseph Campbell sense as well.  The parallels between Jesus and the Buddha are telling.  Both in my view were religious reformers.  Jesus wanted to reform the Hebrew religion as it was being practice at that time.  The Buddha likewise wanted to reform Hinduism as it was being practiced at that time.  Whether either of them wanted a new religion to start out of their teachings is still up for debate.  But one thing is clear both Jesus and the Buddha wanted religious reform.  So it is with me, as I am the founder of the Society for Humanistic Mormonism and the philosophy behind Humanistic Mormonism, and little did I know I would become an archetypal hero for Humanistic Mormons on their journey towards Reason in my hero's journey.  Throughout this history I will give an account of my journey via the point of view of Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey."  I should be clear what I mean by “Humanistic Mormonism.”  Humanistic Mormonism, like Buddhism, does not demand belief in a supernatural god or gods.  Further it does not demand belief in the historicity of the Bible or the Book of Mormon.  It is based on Humanism and can be summarized in some points:

A Humanistic Mormon is someone who identifies with the history, culture, and future of the Mormon people;
Mormonism is the historic culture of the Mormon people, and religion is only one part of that culture;
People possess the power and responsibility to shape their own lives independent of supernatural authority;
Ethics and morality should serve human needs, and choices should be based upon consideration of the consequences of actions rather than pre-ordained rules or commandments;
The Bible, Book of Mormon or other religious texts are purely human and natural phenomena. Biblical and other traditional texts are the products of human activity and are best understood by scientific analysis.

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The Call to Adventure

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The hero begins in a situation of normality from which some information is received that acts as a call to head off into the unknown.

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Campbell: "...(the call of adventure is to) a forest, a kingdom underground, beneath the waves, or above the sky, a secret island, lofty mountaintop, or profound dream state; but it is always a place of strangely fluid and polymorphous beings, unimaginable torments, super human deeds, and impossible delight. The hero can go forth of his own volition to accomplish the adventure, as did Theseus when he arrived in his father's city, Athens, and heard the horrible history of the Minotaur; or he may be carried or sent abroad by some benign or malignant agent as was Odysseus, driven about the Mediterranean by the winds of the angered god, Poseidon. The adventure may begin as a mere blunder... or still again, one may be only casually strolling when some passing phenomenon catches the wandering eye and lures one away from the frequented paths of man. Examples might be multiplied, ad infinitum, from every corner of the world."

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 My Call to Adventure       

 

          Why did I start this new branch of Mormonism?  I grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I served a mission for the LDS Church from 2001-2003 in the mission of Richmond, Virginia.  I was very active growing up as a Mormon.  I earned an Eagle Scout Award, never had any alcohol, nor did I ever smoke.  I was what you could call a “straight arrow” in the Church.  This was perhaps why ultimately the LDS Church and I had to part ways.  As an undergraduate college student at the University of Utah I had become aware of the censorship of the LDS Church of its own history (I at the time wanted to become a seminary/institute teacher).  I was surprised to learn that even the teaching manuals had evidence of censorship.  Joseph Smith’s history was made clear to me including the bad bits.  Needless to say it was a traumatic experience to learn all of this around the age of 25 years old.  I never read anything that could be considered “anti-Mormon” and most of the books I read where from liberal Mormon scholars and historians who refused to censor out of history the bad bits of Mormonism and the history of the LDS Church.  For a while I tried to deal with my doubts and kept going to the LDS Church.  Ultimately this strategy failed.  By July 2011 my local Branch President wanted to see me because I had told a fellow Mormon my doubts and reasons why I doubted which caused doubt in this person which got back to the LDS  leadership.  My LDS Branch President wanted to meet with me for an interview at the local LDS Church.  I said I didn’t feel comfortable with that, he said he would proceed on his end.  Needless to say I decided that it was time to resign from the LDS Church on July 30, 2011.  My parents ultimately supported my choice.

 

        Back in September 2010, I was working on a Ph.D. program at the University of Delaware, with a focus on political philosophy, I was trying to figure out ways of being a “Mormon” and also a “humanist” or “agnostic atheist” etc.  This was no easy task.  The LDS Church does have a liberal Mormon corner but it is not the most supportive of agnostic atheists from my point of view.  Perhaps a little clarification on what agnostic atheism means for me:  I am agnostic meaning I do not know if there is a God, but I am atheistic in the sense I also do not have a current belief in God; hence my stance of agnostic atheism.  How was I to tie this identity “Mormon” and the identity of an “agnostic atheist” or “secular humanist” together?  Were they ever going to be compatible?  Even when one leaves the LDS Church the cultural tag of being called a “Mormon” sticks with you.  Indeed Mormonism in this way is much closer to Judaism, than say Roman Catholicism; in its cultural ties.  Albert Einstein for example could think of himself as both an agnostic and one that didn’t believe in a personal God, and yet still see himself as a “Jew.”  Was this possible for Mormonism and Mormons too?  When one looks at the story of Judaism and the story of Mormonism there are many similarities.  Both groups had a geographic location and Prophets they followed into the desert.  Once a Jew always a Jew, even if one comes out saying I am an Atheist.  The cultural ties do not easily break down.  The same thing I believe is true of Mormonism.  There is something about Mormonism and Judaism that allows for this.  I will leave the whys and how’s of this up to social scientists and scholars of religion and anthropology.  But for myself and I think for many ‘former’ Mormons---the Mormon-ness---is still there whether we end agnostic, atheists, or humanists, etc.

        While pondering these things I came upon Humanistic Judaism and the Society for Humanistic Judaism.  I became familiar with the founder of this religion Rabbi Sherwin Wine.  I thought to myself this is exactly what Mormonism needs today.  Humanistic Jews understood that they could keep their culture and many of the good and positive things from Judaism without having to abandon science, history, or reason.  I thought to myself this is what Mormonism needs.  Thus I created the Society for Humanistic Mormonism patterned off of what I learned about the Society for Humanistic Judaism as a model for a Humanistic version of Mormonism.  A few people joined it and I added a few.  I didn’t think to myself at the time that this would be an actual world religion or even a separate denomination outside of the LDS Church; whereas Humanistic Judaism and the Society for Humanistic Judaism was its own denomination separate from the other branches of Judaism.  What I envisioned rather for the Society for Humanistic Mormonism was simply an institution that cast a wide tent of Humanistic type Mormons, a place on the internet, basically just to talk and support each other.  My goal for this facebook group was rather modest and low key.

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Refusal of the Call

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Often when the call is given, the future hero first refuses to heed it. This may be from a sense of duty or obligation, fear, insecurity, a sense of inadequacy, or any of a range of reasons that work to hold the person in his or her current circumstances.

 

Campbell: "Refusal of the summons converts the adventure into its negative. Walled in boredom, hard work, or 'culture,' the subject loses the power of significant affirmative action and becomes a victim to be saved. His flowering world becomes a wasteland of dry stones and his life feels meaningless—even though, like King Minos, he may through titanic effort succeed in building an empire or renown. Whatever house he builds, it will be a house of death: a labyrinth of cyclopean walls to hide from him his minotaur. All he can do is create new problems for himself and await the gradual approach of his disintegration."

 

Supernatural Aid

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Once the hero has committed to the quest, consciously or unconsciously, his guide and magical helper appears or becomes known. More often than not, this supernatural mentor will present the hero with one or more talismans or artifacts that will aid him later in his quest.

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Campbell: "For those who have not refused the call, the first encounter of the hero journey is with a protective figure (often a little old crone or old man) who provides the adventurer with amulets against the dragon forces he is about to pass. What such a figure represents is the benign, protecting power of destiny. The fantasy is a reassurance—promise that the peace of Paradise, which was known first within the mother womb, is not to be lost; that it supports the present and stands in the future as well as in the past (is omega as well as alpha); that though omnipotence may seem to be endangered by the threshold passages and life awakenings, protective power is always and ever present within or just behind the unfamiliar features of the world. One has only to know and trust, and the ageless guardians will appear. Having responded to his own call, and continuing to follow courageously as the consequences unfold, the hero finds all the forces of the unconscious at his side. Mother Nature herself supports the mighty task. And in so far as the hero's act coincides with that for which his society is ready, he seems to ride on the great rhythm of the historical process." 

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My Refusal of the Call and Super(natural) Aid        

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Than an interesting thing happened a member of the group James E. Nickels, Jr., who I learned used to be a member of the LDS Church and the Community of Christ (the more liberal branch of Mormonism) kept pressing me to turn the Society for Humanistic Mormonism into its own religion and its own branch and separate denomination.  At this time it was September 2010 and I was still trying to figure out my relationship with the LDS Church:  would I stay and how to work out the problems that might come if I left with my LDS family.  So naturally I was very reluctant to turn it into its own religion this could be turned as my refusal of the call of becoming a Prophet of Reason, at first.  James (an old man in his 60s) kept pressing me however to make it into its own religion and him appearing in my life followed the Joseph Campbell trajectory of the hero's journey.  I kept it going for about a year on Facebook avoiding making it into a religion; despite James’ pleadings with me to do just that.  Finally by July 2011 the LDS Church and I finally parted ways and so I thought ---- all of Mormonism --- all together.  I was pretty sure that if I did not resign from the LDS Church they would either dis-fellowship me or excommunicate me for telling all my doubts to another Mormon who also stopped believing in the LDS Church (although that was not my intention).  So I decided to be pro-active and resign.  This left me with two groups I started on Facebook: Mormon (LDS) Rationalists which I renamed the Mormon Rationalist Association and also the facebook group for the Society for Humanistic Mormonism.  What should I do with the Society?  James again kept pressing me to turn it into a religion.  He even changed his facebook religious status to “Humanistic Mormon.”  Finally I decided that there really wasn’t anything holding me back from starting this new faith.  I agreed with James and thus the Society for Humanistic Mormonism became a religion and a separate branch of Mormonism.  Before this event happened James had his friend put in a wiki entry for Humanistic Mormonism under “Cultural Mormon.”   Thus a new religion was born.

 

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Crossing the First Threshold

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This is the point where the person actually crosses into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her world and venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are unknown.

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Campbell: "With the personifications of his destiny to guide and aid him, the hero goes forward in his adventure until he comes to the 'threshold guardian' at the entrance to the zone of magnified power. Such custodians bound the world in four directions — also up and down — standing for the limits of the hero's present sphere, or life horizon. Beyond them is darkness, the unknown and danger; just as beyond the parental watch is danger to the infant and beyond the protection of his society danger to the members of the tribe. The usual person is more than content, he is even proud, to remain within the indicated bounds, and popular belief gives him every reason to fear so much as the first step into the unexplored. The adventure is always and everywhere a passage beyond the veil of the known into the unknown; the powers that watch at the boundary are dangerous; to deal with them is risky; yet for anyone with competence and courage the danger fades." 

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Crossing the First Threshold becoming the Prophet of Reason         

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             At first I called for an Advisory Board and a Board of Directors….after this I was voted by the Board unanimously as the ‘Prophet of Reason’ with the Board of Directors unanimously voting to be called "the Apostles of Reason" on the earth today.  One of our first acts from the I did as the new called "Prophet of Reason" was to make a website for the new religion, as well as a book of scripture which was written to organize the Society's beliefs in that time period called the "Book of Reason:  Another Testament of Science."  Since that time Humanistic Mormons have continued to reach out to me and the Society for a home.  I continue the work of Reason that a little old man (James E. Nickels, Jr., whom I choose later to become Assistant President to the Society) so wanted me to continue, I hope that it will touch millions of human beings for the better.

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(Taken from The History of the Society of Humanistic Mormonism Vol. 1: Words of the Prophet of Reason).

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Today President Surak says that he continues his Prophetic hero's journey, that began in 2013, and believes in its special purpose for the world to make a difference for the good:

 

"I continue to believe that Reason, Compassion, and Love for all beings will triumph in the end and that the Society for Humanistic Mormonism's message will lead millions to a life of love, wholeness, and transcendence."

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Venerable Ajahn Surak

The Prophet of Reason, The Seer of Science 

President in the First Presidency of the Society for Humanistic Mormonism

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