Divine Order of the Loving Serpent

Introduction

Background

There are certain axioms about society, life, and existence that most people just accept as unalterable truths, and respond to with a resigned sigh of, "That's just the way it is." Here at the DOLS, we seek to challenge some of those underlying beliefs, with a goal of making the world a better place for everyone. To this end, our order is built on four fundamental pillars that contradict some of the most prevalent resignations of the society in which we live:

  • First, we believe that the purpose of life and existence is to experience and share love and pleasure. This contradicts both the common beliefs that we are meant to suffer through life and that we should feel guilty about existing in the first place. While we are aware that suffering exists and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, it is our goal to actively minimize that suffering, and replace it with love, joy, pleasure, and celebration of existence and life itself.
  • Second, we believe that happiness can be most effectively achieved through an honest pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, and exploration of both the worlds and universe around ourselves, and the worlds within ourselves. If one doesn't engage in such explorations, the limited knowledge to which one is exposed when limited to learning by rote, and simple obedience to authority, can prevent one from even being aware of what possible paths to pleasure exist, which impedes the ability to pursue such avenues.
  • Third, we believe that the essence of divinity is something that is found within the Self, and not something that can be imposed from an external force or being. As such, we reject the premise that the pursuit of such internal divinity is either hubris or blasphemy, and actively encourage the cultivation of one's own sense of divinity.
  • Finally, we strongly believe in the right of an individual to define oneself, with full autonomy both in the context of abstract identity and in the matter of what one does with one's own body. The idea that an external authority can place restrictions on what we do with our own bodies is an unacceptable assertion that one's body is the property of an external entity and not one's own.
  • Our Name

    Why 'Divine'?

    In keeping with the third pillar, this word being applied within our name serves as a reminder that Divinity is something that we cultivate within ourselves, and that we have an obligation to do so if we are to bear this name.

    Why 'Order'?

    We are an organization that holds itself to the ideals expressed in the four pillars listed above, and while we are open to all who pursue these ideals, we do not actively seek new members. Further, we do expect those who wear our name to act in keeping with our principles. These ideals mean that our members are held to high standards of behaviour, and expected to live in accordance with such guidelines, much as many other groups that refer to themselves as Orders.

    Why 'Loving'?

    We believe that love is the foundation of pleasure and happiness, not merely for oneself, but for those around one as well. Because love and pleasure are high ideals within our order, we expect our members to display the trait of love, whatever their lifestyles may be.

    Why 'Serpent'?

    The serpent is a creature that symbolizes many things, in literature, mythology, and even within the animal kingdom itself. For one, the Serpent is a symbol of healing - in some places, even the power over life and death itself; further, the double helix of DNA takes the form of the entwined serpents. In Abrahamic mythology, the Serpent was the voice of temptation that led mankind to seek knowledge and experience for themselves, rather than simply accepting what they were told from on high; while some feel that such behaviour was to be condemned, saddling humanity with guilt and suffering, it was an essential step for the species to break free of its state of subservience. Further, on a more personal note, the serpent has been an integral part of my personal identity for so long that it cannot be separated from who I am.

    The First Pillar: Love and Pleasure

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