Open-source religion
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Open-source religions attempt to employ open-source methodologies in the creation of religious belief systems.[1] They develop their systems of beliefs through a continuous process of refinement and dialogue among the believers themselves. In comparison to traditional religions - which are considered authoritarian, hierarchical, and change-resistant [citation needed] - they emphasize participation, self-determination, decentralization, and evolution. Followers see themselves as part of a more generalized open source movement, which does not limit itself to software, but applies the same principles to other organized, group efforts to create human artifacts.[1]
Among the first examples of this movement, Yoans (followers of a religion called Yoism,[2] founded 1994) claim that their version of open source religion does not have allegiance to any spiritual guide, rather the sense of authority emerges from the group via consensus.[1][3][4] Yoism combines rational inquiry, empiricism,[5] and science with Spinozan or Einsteinian pantheism[6] using a model inspired by open source software, specifically Linux.
Another example is Open Source Religion, founded by Sidian M.S. Jones, an online social network in which Jones describes Open Source Religion as "A system for the mixing of religious and non-religious beliefs in an individual, even across multiple religions.".[7] OpenSourceReligion.net has a project called the Belief Genome Project, also known as "The Source Code" which aims to use Crowdsourcing to catalog all beliefs as a resource for those wishing to build and discover their own belief system.[8]
Another early example, in 2001, Douglas Rushkoff organized the first Reboot summit that took place in 2002.[9] "The object of the game, for me, was to recontextualize Judaism as an entirely Open Source proposition."[10] The publication of Rushkoff's book, Nothing Sacred: The Truth about Judaism,[11] in 2003 spawned the creation of the Open Source Judaism movement. Open Source Judaism, in turn, has spawned other open source projects, such as the Open Source Haggadah.[12]
By 2005, a number of other attempts to form open source religions began to take form, for example, The Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn[13] and Ecclesia Gnostica Universalis.[14] Dr Leo Ruickbie released Open Source Wicca in 2007, seeing parallels between the way Wicca was founded and the concept of open source computing.[15]
In spring 2007, Assignment Zero reported that "for six weeks, 40 brave volunteers from across the U.S. met in a special online forum on 'Open Source Religion' to talk about their deepest beliefs"[16] (and the text of the article is itself open-source).
A similar concept has been developed and proposed in Poland under the name of "open spirituality".[17]
In 2009 an open source religious publication: Free Press Bible was introduced. Touted as an authentically non-denominational approach to open source religion and religion in general, it allows owner/users to articulate and organize their religious texts utilizing both digital media and printed or written pages within a "religious binder".
Later that year, other implementations began to employ the collaborative strengths provided by Web 2.0 and in particular wiki online collaboration platforms.[18][19]
Openom is an open religion that has started in 2011 which is open to change. The religion's philosophy is to keep evolving with science, the way of living, the way people want to change it.
References
- ^ a b c Charles Piller (2006-07-23). "Divine Inspiration From the Masses". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Yoism website
- ^ Gunderson, Matt (2004). "Taking 'yo' off the street and into church". Globe Newspaper Company. Retrieved 2006-08-06.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Demare, Carol (2009). "Religion called Yoism plays role in appeal". Albany Times Union, Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Gary Craig (2011-04-11). "Civil commitment still evolving in N.Y." Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
- ^
Kean, Sam (2009). "Open to Revisions". Search Magazine. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
[Daniel Kriegman] based the [...] religion on a cocktail of rational inquiry, empiricism, and science. [...] To this rationalism [...] Kriegman mixed in a healthy dram of the pantheistic god of Spinzoa (above) and Einstein [...]
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help); line feed character in|quote=at position 223 (help) - ^ OpenSourceReligion.net
- ^ Open Source Religion Basics
- ^ Rebooters.net
- ^ Open Source religion
- ^ Douglas Rushkoff (2003). Nothing Sacred: The Truth about Judaism. Three Rivers Press.
- ^ Open Source Haggadah
- ^ Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn website
- ^ Ecclesia Gnostica Universalis website
- ^ P2P Foundation, http://p2pfoundation.net/Open_Source_Wicca, 1 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-26.
- ^ Bravely Exploring Our Spiritual Stars: An Adventure in Opening the Ultimate Source
- ^ Taraka website (in Polish), accessed December 23, 2008
- ^ The Wiki Religion wiki accessed January 6, 2010
- ^ The Open Source Yoga Consortium (OSYC) Wiki Website Project
Further reading
- Evan (May 2008). "Redefining God: Religion 2.0". Ning.com. — on the beginnings of Religion 2.0 and the "Religion of 'what is'".
- Thomas Goetz (November 2003). "Open Source Everywhere". Wired Magazine. — on the explosion of open source collaboration notes the existence of "open source projects in law and religion."
- Dave McKenna (November 2004). "Liberation dot com". The Silhouette. — on the relationship between human liberation and Internet-based open source innovations, with a specific reference to open source religions
- Charles Piller (23 July 2006). "Divine Inspiration From the Masses; Open-source programming's organizing principle has been embraced in medical research, engineering -- even religion". LA Times.