The term 'Essean' is
derived from the Latin word 'esse' which we define as 'that which truly
exists'. It is not related to, nor
associated with, the ancient Middle Eastern 'Essenai' (Essenes), their
religious views, nor their communal lifestyle. |
AN ESSEAN DEFINED
Who is an Essean?
An Essean is one who accepts the premise that the cosmos is an infinite presence whose perpetual activity gives rise to tangible material form, and accepts the Essean Manifesto as guiding premises for daily life.
Do Esseans believe in a God?
Yes, but only in the sense that the cosmos is the supreme reality responsible for all that exists, and that it is the creator and sustainor of all that we are. Esseans may call this reality God or Nature as suits their personal perspectives on life.
Do Esseans believe in life after death?
As reasoning individuals, we adopt an agnostic perspective since the matter of an extended postmortem existence can neither be proved or disproved at this time. However, as optimists, we generally assume that the essence of our beings will continue to exist perpetually, hopefully reincarnating our individual consciousness in some viable alternative form.
Do Esseans subscribe to a particular moral or ethical code?
Logically, we accept the double-edged golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and do not do unto others that which you would not have them do unto you. Beyond this, we also accept the exhortations to "know thyself" and "first to thine own self be true". This we believe is the most common sense approach to life which, if practiced religiously, would lead to an ideal society.
How do I become an Essean?
If you accept the above four responses, you are an Essean and, if you wish to formalize that designation, you make join a Chapter of the Society of Esseans International in your vicinity or, if none exists, form a Chapter of your own (at no cost) through Chapter Charters.
Personal existence is an irrefutable fact. We are. Moreover, this state of be-ing was bestowed upon us without our conscious consent. We exist not because we willed our beings into existence, but because the reality of our be-ing is an intrinsic part of the greater cosmic design. At this immediate moment, we are innate facets of that design, contributing our full share to its symmetry simply by being alive. Thus we need not justify our existence. Indeed, at the present moment, we are; and, this reality of be-ing demands our full and undivided attention. We must live within the scope of its providence and must utilize that providence to the best of our abilities for such is the inherent cosmic mandate. To accomplish that mandate, we have been endowed with the capacity to experience, to act, and to guide our personal actions through our awareness of our experiences; and the exercise of this threefold endowment is the full extent of our prerogatives and obligations. All else remains the province and prerogative of the greater cosmos. Within that cosmos, that which we are in our essence shall continue to survive. Such is the reality of human existence and the foundation of a rational philosophy of life.