(as found in The Codex of the Interconnection Fellowship)
What Is “The Code”?
The Written Code of Ethics, as it is known in its entirety, is an incredibly strong foundation upon which we have built our beliefs. It may also be adhered to as merely The Written Code, or simply The Code, or any other names, though however it is referenced, one thing is certain: This is the code upon which we have built our fellowship, and as a result we are guided and bound together through and by this code, the very code that has become entrenched within our Nine Virtues, the Eighteen Mores, and have thus created too our laws. This “Code” emphasizes the importance of interconnection, this means respecting the universe and everything connected to it. This respect is shown by acting in accordance with the Nine Virtues and the Eighteen Mores, and based upon through the likes of Agnosticism, Buddhism, Paganism, The Bahá'í Faith, Universalist Unitarianism, Satanism, and Harmonism[1], with elements of other beliefs and religions entwined within.
What Is The Foundation For This Code?
Interconnection. The foundation of our fellowship rests on the realization The Universe exists, and that as a result, everything—all planets, stars, people, life (both human and not-human)—are thereby connected to each other, and must be treated with ultimate respect. This is the idea of interconnection, and to worship interconnection, whether by following The Code or in other ways one deems fit, is to worship The Universe, recognizing everything it is, and everything it gives to us. We stand with the promise to return its gifts to us (life, sustenance, everything) through this recognition and through our actions, actions which honor interconnection. In a way, The Universe is our deity and interconnection is its child—both are equally sacred, entwined so completely as one cannot exist without the other. However, for as sacred as interconnection is, we also focus an extreme importance on the individual thought, action, and morals, for it is not for anyone to say how one should honor this interconnection or The Universe. While The Code is rooted firmly within our fellowship having given birth to the home of our congregation in its entirety, following The Code should be viewed merely as a guiding light for the individual people of our congregation; all individuals are gifted with the choice to follow it or not, and are thus allowed to follow The Code as they see fit, so long as it a) resides firmly within their own morals, and b) honors interconnection and The Universe. In that same note, there is an emphasis of importance placed on following The Code almost as if it is a demand, but it should be noted this is not a demand upon the individual people as each and every individual is allowed to honor The Code either entirely, in parts, or perhaps even not at all.
The Written Code of Ethics
Our Code states understanding that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God, or of anything beyond material phenomena. We can claim neither faith nor disbelief in God. If there is one God, there could very well be many Gods. And, because there is no scientific evidence pointing to the existence of deities, it does not mean the idea should be out-ruled entirely, nor can it be said that deities do exist. It is impossible for human beings to know anything about how the universe was created, and because the universe is so expansive we don't know what is or isn't out there - it is a mystery, perhaps destined to stay that way. Nothing, therefore, should be ever set in absolute stone. Yet to pray, to mediate, to call upon a deity or multiple deities is not and should never be excluded from our congregation. Nor is it—and never will be—forced upon our congregation. Though The Code resides profoundly in the existence of The Universe as it treated as our deity, the collection of other beliefs is always welcomed, though cannot and will never be outwardly preached.
We realize we are individuals and place an importance upon such recognition, knowing only we can control ourselves in the likes of our thoughts, our actions, and everything we exude intentionally and unintentionally. Our Code, while ingrained within our congregation, is still only but a suggestion offered to not only serve you and your best interests, but to aid in creating a union between you and our universe in its entirety, including our very planet upon which we all reside. We therefore know we are all free thinkers, but only you know who and what you are, what you believe, thus we must not preach to others, recognizing and understanding everyone has the right to their own personal code, and the right to hold their own beliefs.
As everything is interconnected, tolerance for each other should be mandatory. We share and walk the same Earth within the same Universe. We thus reside in a shared single universe on a shared individual planet and as a result everything that is shared must be considered sacred and treated as such; whether it is differing beliefs or different races, or perhaps we are looking at life that isn’t human but rather plant, animal, or even mineral. It is therefore an act against The Code to actively seek out or wish to do harm upon any and all life forms. Instead respect must be showed for every form, granted upon all others; animals and nature alike. For this reason we understand and respect the personal boundaries of others, knowing if there is a boundary it is almost certainly not personal, a everyone has different boundaries and levels of comfort. Likewise we as individuals and as a congregation should feel the importance of working to accommodate all people to the best of our abilities.
Out of respect for this interconnection, we must remember humans have faults and shortcomings. But honor is important; honoring beings in all their faults and glory, honoring each other too for our knowledge and experience. And understanding that while we share similarities, we are also all very different. Respect these differences. Learn to tolerate these differences. Learn to coexist with these differences. To see that no matter our differences there is an equality of all people is to know the true meaning of The Code, for there is an essential necessary worth in the unification of all people, and of all life.
And with that said, to remember our Code resides in Three-Fold Law, or Karma, will serve you well: For whatever you send out through your intentions, thoughts, and energy, that is what you complete in your actions, will come back to you three times what you put out there, for what you sow, so will you reap, as all actions, for good or ill, are returned three-fold. So while you govern your own morality by writing your own codes and following the Code only as closely as you so wish, your practices will follow you for better and for worse.
It is recognized too that simply living life by practicing and adhering to The Code and all that has been born from The Code, virtues, principles, and laws alike, is considered the ultimate form of worship. And yet to do any more and any less are also welcomed, and should never be judged or praised but rather treated as a neutral cause, with assurance given instead that the individual is doing what they feel is right for themselves.
The Written Code of Ethics
Our foundation lies
in the essential necessary worth
of the unification of all people,
and of all life –
a celebration of The Universe and all that is,
or as we call it, “interconnection”.
We know not of the existence of deities,
though celebrate their potential,
understanding and viewing The Universe almost as if a deity,
worshiping all that is connected to it –
the honoring of interconnection,
our true foundation.
Through all that is connected
are faults and shortcomings
as too are glory, knowledge, and experience.
Yet among all differences are similarities,
to which we show respect and tolerance, the path to coexistence,
following the rules of our code, honoring our interconnection.
And with that said,
we honor too the Three-Fold Law of Karma:
Whatever we send out through intentions,
thoughts, and energy, and actions completed,
will come back to us three times three, for what you sow, so will you reap.
So we follow the Code, and honor our interconnection.
Why Follow “The Code”?
The Written Code of Ethics was written with the purpose to celebrate and honor interconnection and The Universe in a way deemed morally fit for the fellowship in its entirety; a way to best serve The Universe as a important token of what it has served us. This can be seen through our covenant, which is a promise to follow and act in accordance with our fellowship’s Nine Virtues and Eighteen Mores, which were born through our fellowship’s Code. To follow the code—perhaps in addition to the covenant or not—is to follow the very morals of our fellowship, is entirely up to the individual, their reasons belonging only to them. With that in mind, following the Code in its entirety—this means following the Code, its covenant, the Nine Virtues, the Eighteen Mores, and the laws of our fellowship—is considered to be incredibly valuable as it means we are giving back to The Universe honoring interconnection in its highest form. But alas following your own morals by practicing individualism and thus independence is considered valuable too, so long as the individual holds steadfast to the promise they are making by entering our sanctuary, that is, our home of congregation: “I will honor The Universe and the idea of interconnection”.
The Written Code of Ethics
(Full Version)
Our Code states understanding that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God, or of anything beyond material phenomena. We can claim neither faith nor disbelief in God. If there is one God, there could very well be many Gods. And, because there is no scientific evidence pointing to the existence of deities, it does not mean the idea should be out-ruled entirely, nor can it be said that deities do exist. It is impossible for human beings to know anything about how the universe was created, and because the universe is so expansive we don't know what is or isn't out there - it is a mystery, perhaps destined to stay that way. Nothing, therefore, should be ever set in absolute stone. Yet to pray, to mediate, to call upon a deity or multiple deities is not and should never be excluded from our congregation. Nor is it—and never will be—forced upon our congregation. Though The Code resides profoundly in the existence of The Universe as it treated as our deity, the collection of other beliefs is always welcomed, though cannot and will never be outwardly preached. We realize we are individuals and place an importance upon such recognition, knowing only we can control ourselves in the likes of our thoughts, our actions, and everything we exude intentionally and unintentionally. Our Code, while ingrained within our congregation, is still only but a suggestion offered to not only serve you and your best interests, but to aid in creating a union between you and our universe in its entirety, including our very planet upon which we all reside. We therefore know we are all free thinkers, but only you know who and what you are, what you believe, thus we must not preach to others, recognizing and understanding everyone has the right to their own personal code, and the right to hold their own beliefs.
As everything is interconnected, tolerance for each other should be mandatory. We share and walk the same Earth within the same Universe. We thus reside in a shared single universe on a shared individual planet and as a result everything that is shared must be considered sacred and treated as such; whether it is differing beliefs or different races, or perhaps we are looking at life that isn’t human but rather plant, animal, or even mineral. It is therefore an act against The Code to actively seek out or wish to do harm upon any and all life forms. Instead respect must be showed for every form, granted upon all others; animals and nature alike. For this reason we understand and respect the personal boundaries of others, knowing if there is a boundary it is almost certainly not personal, a everyone has different boundaries and levels of comfort. Likewise we as individuals and as a congregation should feel the importance of working to accommodate all people to the best of our abilities.
Out of respect for this interconnection, we must remember humans have faults and shortcomings. But honor is important; honoring beings in all their faults and glory, honoring each other too for our knowledge and experience. And understanding that while we share similarities, we are also all very different. Respect these differences. Learn to tolerate these differences. Learn to coexist with these differences. To see that no matter our differences there is an equality of all people is to know the true meaning of The Code, for there is an essential necessary worth in the unification of all people, and of all life.
And with that said, to remember our Code resides in Three-Fold Law, or Karma, will serve you well: For whatever you send out through your intentions, thoughts, and energy, that is what you complete in your actions, will come back to you three times what you put out there, for what you sow, so will you reap, as all actions, for good or ill, are returned three-fold. So while you govern your own morality by writing your own codes and following the Code only as closely as you so wish, your practices will follow you for better and for worse.
It is recognized too that simply living life by practicing and adhering to The Code and all that has been born from The Code, virtues, principles, and laws alike, is considered the ultimate form of worship. And yet to do any more and any less are also welcomed, and should never be judged or praised but rather treated as a neutral cause, with assurance given instead that the individual is doing what they feel is right for themselves.
The Written Code of Ethics
(Poetic Version)
Our foundation lies in the essential necessary worth
of the unification of all people,
and of all life –
a celebration of The Universe and all that is,
or as we call it, “interconnection”.
We know not of the existence of deities,
though celebrate their potential,
understanding and viewing The Universe almost as if a deity,
worshiping all that is connected to it –
the honoring of interconnection,
our true foundation.
Through all that is connected
are faults and shortcomings
as too are glory, knowledge, and experience.
Yet among all differences are similarities,
to which we show respect and tolerance, the path to coexistence,
following the rules of our code, honoring our interconnection.
And with that said,
we honor too the Three-Fold Law of Karma:
Whatever we send out through intentions,
thoughts, and energy, and actions completed,
will come back to us three times three, for what you sow, so will you reap.
So we follow the Code, and honor our interconnection.
And as we are individuals,
we then know we too adhere to our own written codes,
living life not only through The Code of our fellowship.
Thus what we do must feel right to ourselves,
to be met only with assurance, never judgement or praise,
so long as we are following the Code, honoring our interconnection.
©️2018, The Interconnection Fellowship
No comments:
Post a Comment