Prayer
No formal prayers, chants, mantras, etc. exist in the Novel Universe Cult, only a prescribed methodology of prayer for members of Water Bodies, such as Communities. Prayer illustrates a primary difference between Power and Love, as Rock Bodies are unlimited in how they can pray, or even if their members choose to pray at all. We invite all members to bring with them prayers from other faiths, noting only that these are separate from Cult practice itself– churches, temples, mosques, jinjas, synagogues, etc., are all free to exist within the Cult’s Rock Bodies, outside of Water Bodies. While any Power-based Body may create for itself any number of new prayers, chants, mantras, or rituals for its members to periodically perform, a Body of Love may only call its members to one kind of prayer. Whether performed silently, by oneself, aloud, or with others, Love’s prayer is always a performance of thanksgiving.
Instead of asking for anything, Citizens “thank Love,” or just say “thank you,” solely expressing gratitude, no more, no less. This framing removes the powerless state of pleading and bargaining. Those of us who see the Novel Universe through the framework of Love do this because we are present in our participation, intentionally vulnerable to and grateful for its outcome. And, as with the Taoists, we accept that this mortal POV makes understanding what’s “best” for anyone no better than the flip of a coin. Thus, we offer our gratitude for Love– the one thing we might lose touch with, but ultimately, can never be taken away.
A common religious prayer might sound like: “Oh Lord, I promise to stop smoking if you get rid of this cancer. Please heal me– your humble servant begs of You!”
For those whose beyond-life is destined to be the Concert Hall, one prayer is all it takes to experience how gratitude’s framing changes everything. Instead of pleading with God for a positive surgical result, Citizens thank Love for what they had, have, and might have, in other words, the opportunity to observe their preferred outcome–
“Thank you, Love, for the unconditional support of my family, and the expertise of the surgeon. Thank you for the probability to remove some, if not all, of this cancer, and the opportunity to observe a healthy body. And, thank you, Love, for the possibility of a rapid recovery!”
Freemen, on the other hand, can venerate any idol, god, or other mechanism of Power. If one wants to make offerings, sacrifices, or prayers to any being, object, or idea, this fits within NUC, because religions tend to be an attempt at controlling reality by way of a “higher power.” However, in organizations of Love, Saint TJ is no stand-in for a figurehead or deity, and such prayers by anyone to our “leader,” or any other member of the Cult, are discouraged. At our core, NUC is like a brain, an organization without a formal power structure or command center, but instead, relies on our unique neural-democracy– a distributive form of governance. Therefore, the general veneration of any individual member, including the Founders, will undermine the function of our administration, undoubtedly leading to our disillusionment. For this reason, we segregate Love from Power, and allow for such worship in Power’s isolated structures. A Body of Power, say, a Tribe, who wishes to worship Saint TJ, or any other being– real or imaginary– is one thing, as the establishment of this Body’s operation is constructed and regulated by the River, but the widespread adoption of such a paradigm corrodes our system, threatening to dismantle our project.
NUC sees the very concept of God as Power; so, although Citizens and Civilians don’t practice other religions, Freemen might coalesce around any specific religion, philosophy, or ideology, and venerate that mechanism of control as a pillar or even their Primary Organizing Pillar. Jewish, Christian, and Muslim groups coexist within NUC on equal footing– they’re all Rocks of Power. The extraordinary value of the Water and Rocks is the inherent diversity of their pillars, each Body a living, social experiment.
First, read our philosophy to better understand our Creed.