Are You a “Spiritual Pluralist?”
A friend of mine recently called me this term. She said that religion and spirituality are just a means of communication with the divine, and there are multiple languages for doing that. She told me that a “spiritual pluralist” believes that all of these languages are perfectly acceptable but that the commonality amongst all of them is “love.” Sounds a little like our MEA Baja shaman Saul, right?
So, then, I went to my new best friend, ChatGPT, and asked it (or is it “them”) how to define a spiritual pluralist, and here’s an excerpt of what I learned:
A spiritual pluralist is someone who believes in the coexistence and validity of multiple spiritual or religious paths. They recognize that different individuals and cultures have diverse ways of understanding and experiencing spirituality, and they emphasize tolerance, respect, and inclusivity toward various religious and spiritual beliefs.
A spiritual pluralist rejects the notion that there is only one true or superior path to spiritual truth or enlightenment. Instead, they embrace the idea that different traditions, practices, and philosophies can all lead to a deeper understanding of the divine or a higher power. They often promote dialogue, cooperation, and mutual learning among different religious and spiritual communities.
Spiritual pluralists value the diversity of human experiences and perspectives and see it as enriching rather than threatening to their own spiritual journey. They may draw inspiration from multiple traditions, engage in comparative religious studies, or adopt an ecumenical approach to spirituality.
Spiritual pluralism acknowledges the unique value and validity of each tradition while recognizing that they may have different cultural contexts, rituals, and teachings.
Well, shiver me timbers, who knew that I was a spiritual pluralist? What do you think? Are you drawn to this language or is it a cop-out? Is it a pu-pu platter missing a doctrinal ballast? Is it without dogmatic balls?
P.S. Welcome to the Sturgeon Full Moon, which represents a time of year when both fruits and fish are at their peak time to harvest. It comes at a time when everything has fully grown, and the harvest must begin. There’s also a longevity component to this as a sturgeon can live to be 150 years old. It is thought this lunar phase stirs up lots of old memories that come to the surface of our consciousness. My old memories today are about Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. Long live Pee-Wee…in our memories!
