Cult of the Rising God

Cult of the Rising God

Aaron Smith

It should be about eight hundred years before a Prophet walks this world again. Until then this bit of history is left to the mortals. This task I set out on is not my own but the work which God left before me. I pray to be successful in His service.

First to make friends and draw together a community. Many the things to be done in the meantime. I have schizophrenia and taking medication is part of a daily regime along with appointments to be kept up with. My therapist is of some help, the give me prompts to dream about and sometimes I dream about He who rises. Work is a necessity to survive until school starts again.

Smiling is the easiest way to teach, though not the most effective. Anyone who is friendly towards a mortal is one likewise, as the history of the Prophets is those who are mortal are for them and those who are not are against them. Any sign of friendliness count, though the best way to teach is by bringing someone to an agreement about God. Choose Him by any of His names and see if they are willing to believe without interpretation. I have gotten people to worship Odin, Tathagata, and Elaha and this is possible with any God.

A mortal is thus a being who stands innocent before God and exists in heaven. They are the friends of God, in His Days His followers, and those who compose history. These few souls and the conversion thereto are what I seek.

I started a group once called Gods gathering but did not know how to teach yet at that time. The topic I wanted to discuss was naming as many of the Gods from the history of this planet is possible based on the theory that each distinct form of life was originated by one. Hence Gods might be neon, crystal, pine, bear, persian, and the like. This might have counted as a cult meeting but I can probably do much better now.

So this is what I set out to do: find a venue and invite people. It should be the simplest way to begin. We hold a meeting and introductions are made.

"I have called you all here as I believe you qualify as mortals and would be interested in building community together with you. You all have different backgrounds and I will be working with each of you on that. Let us start with a prayer."

God the Rising be Thou our inspiration, Gods on high watch over us, these Thy servants seek to draw nearer to Thee and to be of service to Thee. Let us worship Thee the only, Thee Who is to be loved, Thee Who is above all else as God."

There is quiet for a while. Some other people say prayers. Then the discussion begins.

"So what religion is this?"

"To the best of my ability it is all religions, I will work with each of you on those you are interested in and introduce you possibly to some you are unfamiliar with."

"Are there any moral standards you are upholding?"

"Just mortality as already described, which brings with it the innate question of obedience to Gods and their moral teachings, hence I leave that to each of you as none of us has the right to tell others what to do."

And we got to work. Answering questions about individual religions and setting some people up with research projects. I might even learn something from them if they do well. After all is said and done we have snacks and disperse.

Several meetings go by and we have a bahai speaker come to introduce them to religions they have possibly never heard of before. It goes well and there are many questions over the life stories of the Bab and Bahu'll.

Soon afterwards I set to work on a secondary project, publishing the writings have put together so far. I format them all for regular print and send copies off to the publishers. They include The Feral Man, The City of Death, this narrative finished, and The Cave Princess. After several tries I find a publisher willing to print them. They are put into paperback format as small almost pamphlet sized books and published separately. Soon I have publicity events to do for them and do one at a book store.

"The Feral Man explores themes of classism, The City of Death questions about how society functions, Cult of the Rising God a theorem for what one might accomplish, and The Cave Princess was inspired by a person named Ashley who gave me good questions about social skills. They are all intended to have a moral point and convey main characters who are mortal, that is innocent. They are very short as there was not much that needed to be conveyed and each has a complete story. Questions?"

"Do you do things similar to what you have written in your stories, such as The City of Death?"

"Only situationally, that story brings with it many questions of self defense."

"What religion are the characters in that same story?"

"They were conveyed to be later bahais."

"What was the moral of The Feral Man?"

"The fact that he had all the opportunities he might need, met people who could teach him religion, a female who was willing to date him, and even found a full time job but did not have the skills to take advantage of those things."

"Do you think you will succeed at the life plan set forth in Cult of the Rising God?"

"I highly doubt it, but plan to write another story about what actually do accomplish somewhere nearer the end."

"Why is The Cave Princess so random?"

"Entirely because it was inspired by dream prompts given by my counselor, you could question them."

...

"Anything else? Thank you for your time."

One night while sleeping I have a dream. In it I meet the rising God, and he greets me.

"Hello Aaron."

"Hello Sir."

"You have begun a great task in my path, you should complete it."

"I will do what I can."

"I know this might be difficult but it is best for all."

"I started this work as a cult because I did not know if could live up to any moral standard."

"I am forgiving and understand you are doing your best."

"Please let the Gods on high watch over me."

"They always do, and I will come soon."

And that was all.

School started and I took classes in sociology and the like for the lack of religion. They were somewhat interesting and allowed for thought experiments but are ultimately a means to an end. Pray future generation might live in mortal societies and have better means.

I start a job doing religious consulting and it goes well. Slow at first, but it begins to grow. The basic concept is being able to talk to people questioning their religion or trying to take it in a new direction. Similar to a clergy but working with all religious backgrounds. I consult cases of people arguing with their family about religion to people starting their own communities. It goes well and many turn to mortality. A few even decide to join the cult and it continues to improve.

Accomplishments of the cult are scattered. Some people quit drugs, a few form new relationships and I am pressed to perform weddings, many learn of new religions they never would have been interested in before, and many make new friends. Publicity about it grows and people begin showing up on their own. More book engagements spread the message and some of the participants begin starting smaller side groups on their own. These will be essential to keep everything going after I leave. I begin having visitors from other religious communities coming curious what the teaching is and what it has to do with them. One meeting we discuss the subject of a person's spiritual state in existence.

"Many religions have a teaching of paradise, or one's ideal state in existence which continues after death. This teaching refers to one's relative state compared to the progress of creation as the Gods formed it. Hence there are seven kingdoms of life, universe, galaxy, solar system, planet, vegetable, animal, human. If one is at a higher state of existence and regresses one is said to exist possibly in the molten lake of fire at the center of the earth, or the fires of the sun, whereas one who is at and exceeding their state in existence is said to exist in the paradise of one's proper place among humanity near God as He will rise. This is the teaching of hell and heaven."

"So you have chosen us because you believe we all exist in heaven?"

"That is correct."

"You mention exceeding one's state in existence, speak further of this."

"The most obvious stories of those who have arisen on this planet to exceed the previous Gods in degree of life and thus become a God themself. Thus it is suggested that God is something all beings should strive to attain to."

"So it is possible for anyone to become God?"

"Hypothetically the potential exists, but based on the potential the planet has They only appear at a certain point in history usually in some distance proximate from the previous God. Hence Bahu'll said it would be a thousand years until another God rose after him."

"So in essence, we get the bad end of the stick?"

"You could say that. The teaching of reincarnations says we all have the potential by generations, otherwise yes it is impossible for us to attain to Godhood."

"Is that why this is a cult, you are willing to pick up girls here?"

"I will try to be decent, but yes."

Years pass and I get a degree in religion. I write more stories and the cult grows. It is time to finally start packing up and leaving. I might get a more advanced degree but have little interest in western systems and this should work for life. I schedule a series of book publicity events from west to east coast with time for other things in between. Then I leave.

The book events go well, along the way a few people express interest in starting their own branches of the cult and I meet some people who had been part of it and moved. Along the way I stop at the Comanche reservation, being partly from that people.

I stop in town for a few days, making an appointment to talk to the tribal council and watching a dancing event while waiting. Eventually the day comes around. I walk into a small room with some elders sitting around a table and join them.

"I have come to you with a question, which when asked in the past have found some difficult getting a direct answer."

"We will do our best to be helpful."

"As far as I am concerned the war the Europeans started here never ended. They massacred the natives and ruined your way of life. Some of the natives have spoken to expressed they wish they could return to their way of life, such as worshipping Wakan Tanka. Is this something you would ask from the European population, that they leave your continent if able?"

"We would certainly prefer to return to our own chosen way of life. We were bison people on the plains here and have no choice now due to being reservationized."

"Then I may take that as a request that as a mostly European person I am requested to leave?"

"Yes, you wish to return to Europe?"

"I do and was heading there on my own cognizance as someone who is part your people, but wanted a more official statement before leaving."

"Then we approve of your plan."

I continue towards the east coast, until somewhere near the major population centers have an interview for national news. I buy a black robe for the occasion just to present the concept of cult more clearly. This will be crucial to the future of my work.

"So you are known for having started your own religious community, could you tell us about it"

"Cult of the Rising God is a movement for the understanding and practice of all religions. Its purpose is to aid all to attain to heaven and it seeks to better the human condition by inspiring its members to greater heights of selflessness.

"That sounds interesting. Could you tell us about your books?"

"Each has its own moral theme. The first was on homelessness, the second what side to be on, the third piety, the fourth gender equality, and so on."

"What makes your religious movement different from others?"

"We believe that every advance in evolution is initiated by a God, so all known forms of life were in their origination created by God and this process of advancement will continue until the end of the planet."

"What is your concept of God?"

"We believe He exists within His Prophets."

"Your movement has strong associations with the Bahai World Faith, what is the association there?"

"We believe in the Bab and Bahu'll, as well as the guardians Abbas Effendi and Shoghi Effendi but have no part with the universal house of justice."

"Why do you call your movement a cult?"

"Because I restrain myself from polygamizing the female members. We all have our faults, save God."

"Thank you for your time."

I leave for Europe shortly thereafterwards. I am able to gain a minister of religion visa mostly because of my educational credential. Thankfully am able to find similar work doing counseling soon so that ensures my likelihood of being able to stay. I form a new chapter of the cult and it slowly gains members. I continue to write and all continues well.

After some time I have another dream of the rising God.

"You have done well returning to Europe, I consider your forgiven for any history of colonialism."

"Thank you, sir."

"There is much more work to be done, see what more you might be able to accomplish."

"I will continue with the teaching work."

"Remember how precious these charges are, you are working without the guidance of a God and they must be patient until I come."

"I will remember that."

"Go with my blessings."

And that was that.

I make many friends, but from among new cult followers select one woman to start a relationship. Soon we are married, and some time afterward have the first of two planned children. We raise them on our own and are glad to have the means. Poverty is much of the story of this planet and I would not wish it for anyone. We plan to raise the children as much as possible within the cult, teaching them religious history and what basics of other things might seem necessary. It is difficult to find a mortal environment for a child, let alone make one that could raise them well. Life continues on.

I get a letter from the universal house of justice. They have invited me for a meeting. This is unexpected, but should be interesting. I set everything in order and book a plane flight for Israel. The trip goes well and I go on a short pilgrimage first. Then the day of the meeting. We all greet and shake hands first, they seem friendly which is a good thing. Then the meeting begins.

"As someone who used to be a bahai we thought you would be willing to meet."

"I always seek opportunities to make new friends and see what we can acoomplish in service together."

"Our primary question is if you are working on establishing a bahai sect."

"Besides the Persian community and a few retirees from the days of Shoghi Effendi, I did not find your community worth considering in the first place."

"Okay. So what is your relationship with bahai religion?"

"I worship all Gods including the Bab and Bahu'll and would have followed the guardians Abbas Effendi and Shoghi Effendi. In this night however I believe every soul is left to their own relationship with God and thus no one can claim authority over another."

"So you do not believe the enactment of the universal house of justice was warranted?"

"Its establishment was a matter of interpretation, which without a guardian could not be considered as authoritative. I would consider the teaching of the universal house of justice to more like refer to the station of immortals, the twelve close followers of God in every one of His days. Hence neither of us could expect the others point of view to have right over the others'."

"What are your religious beliefs then?"

"Relevant to this I believe in the Gods Who founded every religion and find little place with their later communities. Buddhism invented atheism, Christianity superstition, Islam jihadism, Babism azalism, and you have formed the universal house of justice. While it might have been formed by well meaning individuals it has lost the quality of its membership over time."

"Is there any business you have with us?"

"I find great receptivity among the bahai community, and appreciate those friends of mine who are part of your ranks. I have sympathy for the plight of the bahais in iran and might be able to put together a more effective protest if you would like. I train all of my fellow cultists to have been willing to be bahais through to the days of shoghi effendi, we could send declarations to that end if you would like."

"That would be curious. We thank you for meeting with us."

I return to Europe and set in motion with a few new tasks. I am eventually able to secure a television interview to speak about the plight of the bahais in iran. IT takes a lot to coordinate but we put together a drive of declarations that we would have been bahais under Shoghi Effendi and send them to the universal house of justice. They read:

"I the undersigned am a believer in all the Gods including the Bab and Bahu'll. I also am considerate of the interpretations of the guardians Abbas Effendi and Shoghi Effendi. I would have been a bahai in earlier days and strive to apply the spirit of that religion to my day to day life to the greatest degree of my responsibility. I believe I can best be of service working with fellow believers such as this cult and will continue in the path of my God."

We collect a few thousand signatures such and send them. The work of the cult continues well, with increasing interest from all kinds of people. Eventually my citizenship comes through, and I am not just by intention but likelihood going to be a resident of Europe. After some time I make the down payment on a small farm and start hosting cult meetings there, hosting working visitors many of whom join the cult and travel on to form chapters elsewhere, and make monthly visits to the city to continue the meeting there. All goes well and continues on to the best possible end.