Anti-Church

I've just seen it so many times. A voice out of no where, criticising institutional ecclesiastics. It hurts sometimes, to see so much anger aimed at a formless body of people. It hurts, too, because these institutions are formed specifically for these types of people.

The whole idea behind ecclesiastics is to provide a sense of community to the mass of those who feel "alone." It creates an establishment in which communion with either the Divine or other people of the same faith (or both). Ecclesiastics are also there in order to nurture the individual, create a stable environment for the spirit, and cultivate the inner feeling of "good" that is within.

When I see so much anti-ecclesia from people who seem so hell-bent on being rebels, it saddens me to no end. These few have had problems usually within another institution, one that hasn't suited their needs, and have chosen instead to push away all other institutions.

I've also seen some who seem to carry a grudge with a specific establishment, mainly because either the church didn't or couldn't help them (I say "the church" meaning "church" in general).

For instance: there are many who would point out the inadeqacies of the Catholic church. By far, there are no small numbers in the column of negatives that the Catholic church has created. Some lash out against this group, claiming that their beliefs are absurd and rediculous. There are those of a persuasion that believe the Catholic church today is the same institution that called for the Crusades and the same one that began the Inquisition. Fact of the matter is, this is not the same church. It's grown - evolved, if you will. And there are countless people who are actually aided by the Catholic church and it's influence. The good is never told, nor is it emphasized - only the bad.

It's the same story with our dear Gnostic church. There are so many out in the world that have been hurt by their previous institutions, or just don't trust an established hierarchy with their spiritual developement. So instead of working to improve their ties, they work against it.

There are many who pursue a spiritual path by themselves. That is honorable, as we all must make an individual struggle to improve our individual spirit. But to rebel against an establishment that has a system of proven effectiveness is wrong. It's just wrong.

I have enrolled in ecclesiastical lessons because that's where the environment seems best to cultivate gnosis. If I thought it wasn't suited for my needs, I would migrate and find another path. Never would I insult and throw stones at the institution that isn't able to help. To those that would, maybe self-examination is appropriate in order to further your spiritual needs. Maybe, maybe, it's not the institution's fault.