Sublime Arts

Do that which is right in the context of the Golden Rule.

Virtues

We encourage our members to follow these in the way they best are able. These Eight Virtues, inferred from our “doctrine,” are a formal statement of tenets for Sublime Arts. They are offered in the spirit of sharing and for the protection of our values (as well as to identify us to a governing body, should one choose to scrutinize our identity as an organization). However, we recognize that everyone is on their own path and, thankfully, humans, as part of Nature, function best when balanced. We discourage domination including fanaticism and heavily dogmatic behavior. We recognize that experience, in all its forms, is crucial to our evolution and collective good. Therefore, we do not consider a sterile or pure, utopian world to be a worthy goal but rather a world in balance is closer to our ideal. We encourage those who feel compelled to consider these tenets in the context of the Golden Rule and live accordingly. To those who have conviction to follow them closely, we encourage you to be true to yourself and let your example be a by-product rather than by telling others how they should live.

1. Honor and Protect Nature
   A mutualistic universe teaches to respect eco-systems and the living creatures depending on them. To ensure our rights and liberties as well as those of future generations, it is our responsibility to be stewards, safeguarding our environment and community. It is the responsibility of each person to defend his/her own rights as well as those of every entity.
2. Respect Life and the Pursuit of Happiness
   All living creatures deserve a life that is dignified and meaningful, without needless physical or emotional torment. This includes our right for well-being without harassment, so long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others. This also calls us to be merciful, kind, to not impose our beliefs on others or act with contention unless it is to defend our Natural Rights.
3. Serve Others
   In a mutualistic paradigm, we best operate with an attitude of love – of emotional, physical, intellectual and financial generosity. We have a responsibility to care for each other and behave with a spirit of solidarity and compassion.
4. Cultivate the Self
   It is important for each of us to maintain our own physical health. We must also tend to our psyche – seek to understand our intuition, motivations, responses and actions as well as to move toward an improved version of self. We do this not only for our own good but bettering ourselves allows us to better engage with those around us and contributes to more positive experiences for others.
   • Nurture the body
     While our faith doesn’t forbid any particular physical practice, it requires us to protect ourselves. We have the Natural Right of sovereignty over our own bodies when it does no harm to another.
   • Nurture the spirit
     We must protect our emotional and spiritual lives on a regular basis. While we don’t advocate specific rituals, we believe that regularly feeding the soul is critical.
   • Nurture the mind
     We must endeavor exercise the mind, to think more clearly with honesty and sound judgment.
   • Nurture relationships
     As social creatures we best evolve with others. This is why it feels good. Why we tend toward attachment. Mutualistic systems are all about relationships. It behooves us to endeavor to improve our capacity for cooperation, loyalty, understanding, compromise, steadfastness, support, and empathy – with a keen sense of self while honoring our own and another’s boundaries.
5. Rely on Gifts of Nature/Self
   Be self-reliant utilizing what nature has given each of us. We all have the right to be independent of another for the means for survival. Clean and un-tampered air, water, soil, sunshine and food all must be equally accessible to all people. It includes the right to be free of economic dependence upon another individual or group and the right to local autonomy. Likewise, community should have the means to create systems best for them. Intelligent, organically-occurring, mutualistic, decentralized systems of power play a fundamental role in our time.
   1. Protect and promote the commons
      These are our synapses and without them we will suffer from deprivation and isolation.
   2. Ensure Local Autonomy and Economy
      This is our infrastructure and it must be maintained if we are to thrive.
6. Elevate Creative Art
   Creative Art engages the individual with the other. It enables us to connect with our inner lives and with those around us, to understand ourselves and others, to dialog with our fellow humans, to study the nature of the material world and to progress mankind in the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge. It is a direct connection with the Sublime and it embodies the spirit of humanity. Our term for creative art includes the fine and performing arts, crafts and literature.
7. Acknowledge Equality and Mutualism
   We are all born equal in terms of value and everyone is on their own spiritual path. Every person has something to offer our society. No person or entity has divine authority over any other. No person or entity is entitled to special privileges based on birthright, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, species, socio-economic class, or geography. No person has moral or spiritual superiority over any other.
8. Act Mindfully
   Without action/practice, our principles are merely philosophical. We adhere to no strict dogma but we encourage all to be authentic and to be mindful of their actions and inactions as they relate to the Golden Rule. This includes considering our motivations and the possible consequences of our actions or inaction. We are complicit in events and trends that we have the power to change. We must take responsibility for each other.

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