So what's with the blog title?
Pilgrim of the Stars encompasses the entire theme of this blog, and I believe it describes my spiritual journey. You see, I've spent my entire life as a member of the LDS Church (a.k.a Mormon) and I suffered from severe confirmation bias; I used to think that only my religion was true and that all others were false. But after a series of events, I realized I was wrong. Now I'm a firm believer in syncretism, which is that religions borrow beliefs from each other over time. This means I believe that divine truth can be found in many different belief systems, but that no single religion holds all the answers. Not even Mormonism.
That's not to say I reject Mormonism. On the contrary, it has helped me establish a firm belief in God and a desire to become like Him. But after 22 years and attending church a thousands times, I've grown tired of the same old messages. I have questions about the nature of God and the afterlife that my church is unable (or unwilling) to answer. For example, we acknowledge the existence of Heavenly Mother yet we have no information about her. The Divine Feminine is absolutely essential for a complete understanding of God. So I must expand my search to other religions, other mythologies, and pray that the Goddess will reveal Herself to me.
Another key tenant of Mormonism I accept is the potential for men and women to become gods (a.k.a. theosis, or exaltation). But if this is the only mortal existence we will have (as taught in Mormonism and most Christian faiths), and therefore the only chance we're given to prove ourselves and develop godly attributes, how could we possibly learn enough to qualify for exaltation? It's a facetious notion, especially when considering some sacrifice more for God than others (can we expect to be given an equal glory to someone like Abraham, when we ourselves have sacrificed so little?), or when some are born into poverty and suffering while others are born with a silver spoon. The opportunities, circumstances, and rewards for spiritual development seem very unfair.
It's for that reason that I believe in multiple lives (or multiple probations). I believe that if God truly loves us, and if His work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men" (Moses 1:39), he would give us more than one chance. If we are instructed to forgive seventy times seven, then just how much more merciful is God? I believe in a God of love, and that means He never gives up on us. We will have many mortal lives, even perhaps on other planets, in order that we might have time to learn all that godliness entails, and to test and refine our divine attributes.
That is what Pilgrim of the Stars means: I am a pilgrim on this earth seeking truth wherever it exists, and refining my divine nature through the fire of adversity. When this life is over, I will move on to a different world (perhaps in another star or galaxy) and seek more truth and face new challenges. God is watching over the process; both He and Heavenly Mother will be by my side through all eternity until I finally arrive home . . . when I am finally ready to take my place among the gods. This is not only my destiny, but it's yours as well. We are all pilgrims of the stars.
These are topics I will explore deeper in later posts, and there are many more to come. Stick around! =)
