| Beliefs & Principles |
| The most fundamental of all our principles, then, is individual freedom of religious belief - the principle of the free mind. For us the most vital fact is this: in order to advance, humans must be free. There is no area of life in which it is more important to be free than in religion. Because we find the essence of religion in character, conduct and community rather than in doctrines, creeds, dogmas and catechisms, those who customarily think of religion as a series of theological definitions sometimes have difficulty understanding our religious position. Those who differ with us argue that we must be directed by infallible religious guides, or else our frailities will corupt and destroy us. But when we bign to examine closely the "infallible" religious guides, what do we discover? The religious body that claims authority to dicate beliefs is a human institution, and its truths are no more than the conclusions of its earlier human leaders. We are together in our devotion to freedom; each living by a thought-out covennant with oneself and with life as a whole; each understanding that one's beliefs may change as insights deepen and experiences broaden. You can see how boundless the opportunities are in this open approach to religion and the spiritual life. In addition to our belief in the free mind and heart is the principle of reason and responsibility. Freedom requires responsibility. We must accept responisibility for our acts. We believe also that it is the essence of one of our noblest human achievements, the scientific method - the process of discovering tested truth. In brief, we believe that our religious concept of ethical responsibility is much more in tune with human experience, and much more productive of good than the traditional doctrine of inherent depravity through "original sin." How do we cultivate responsible behavior? For us a chief resource is human reason. Reason holds the place that is ordinarily accorded to revelation in orthodox religions. That person is likely to behave best who exercises reason most. This does not mean that we are unmindful of the limitaions of human reason, nor that we look upon it as an infallible guide. In our way of life there are no infallible guides. Intelligence is an instrument which has developed in the process of evolution to enable us to satisfy our needs more adequately. It had originally a very earthy and practical purpose, namely that of solving the problems that pressed in upon us in daily life. Although it continues this immediately pressing function it has far outsoared it and seeks to penetrate beyond the stars to find an answer to the riddle of the universe. Our reason makes many mistakes; it is frequently taken captive by our desires, so that we believe things not because they are true but because we want to believe them. It cannot give us absolute and final certainty, but it has established a substantial body of vertified truth; it is steadily increasing the amount of that truth. For all its limitations it serves us very well, and those who advocate its abandonment are simply telling a person who is groping through the dark by the light of a candle to blow out the light. The path of logic leads from freedom, through reason, to a third fundamental principle: a generous and tolerant understanding of differing views and practices. We are believers, but our beliefs are centered in a method, a method, a processof the religious life, rather than in closed articles of faith. We have no creed. On matters normally frozen into creedal statements, we are expected to follow the dicates of reason, conscience and experience. To us, creating a religious way of life is far too important to be left to the propounders of creeds and dogmas. We become part of the Circle not by substituting one confession of faith for another, but by opening our minds to receive truth and inspiration from every possible source. We keep our minds open to the religious questions people have struggled with in all times and places. We put religious insights to the test of our hearts and minds. We uphold the free search for truth. We will not be bound by a statement of belief. We do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed. We say ours is a noncreedal religion. Ours is a free faith. We affirm the worth of women and men. We believe people should be encouraged to think for themselves. We know people differ in their opinions and lifestyles, and we believe these differences generally should be honored. We seek to act as a positive force in the world, believing that righteous living is the supreme witness of religion. The here and now and the effects our actions will have on future generations deeply concern us. |