Eclectic Gnostic Pantheist Minister -Richard Weir Voices on The Path

Voices on the Path-

A Collection of Interviews

Eclectic Gnostic Pantheist Minister

Richard Weir

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.a.weir

Email: raw0301@gmail.com

Twitter: @rweir76

First can you briefly tell us about yourself? What is your profession? Any special hobbies?

My name is Richard Allen Weir. I am 36 years old, a husband, a new father, and a teacher.

I have been a social studies teacher since 2010, although I have just finished a year-long period of unemployment. It has been a very difficult year for me; full of questions about faith and life in general, as well as the constant worry associated with being unemployed. I have just been hired to teach at a small school not far from where I live. This gives me hope for the future.

In addition to being a teacher, I am a husband and father. My wife and I have been married since 2000. We just had our first child this past December. I love being a dad! We had been trying so hard for so long to have a child. I feel blessed by my little man being in my life.

As far as hobbies go, I have had many over the years. I have a love for politics, history, and religion. I can’t say that I am actually doing too much along the lines of an active hobby right now. I do like to fish and go camping, but I have had little time to do much over the past few years. Work, school, being a new dad, and looking for a job has taken much of my time. 

When did you begin your path? What inspired you to walk this journey?

I remember being at the beach when I was somewhere between 8 and 10 years old. What sticks out in my mind is that I was contemplating the relationship between Greek god Neptune and the Christian God. I am not sure why I was thinking about this or even how I knew what I was thinking about, but there it was. I usually mark that as the beginning of my spiritual path. I might add this is a path that has been through many different twist and turns.

There have been many important turning points in my path. The death of my grandmother is one of those events that comes to mind. I saw her take her last breath. This was one of the most amazing and painful events I have ever witnessed. It made me re-evaluate my relationship with life and death. I am still moving through this process of revision.

Another inspiration for my journey is the love and search for knowledge both spiritual and material. That search is on of the keystones of my personal beliefs. I believe the path through enlightenment is through understanding and communing with the universe around us. 

Can you tell us a little about your path? How would you describe yourself?

What am I? I am many different things, but I describe myself as an Eclectic Gnostic Pantheist.

I believe that there is a force, for lack of a better word, that flows between all things living and inanimate. One could call this force the “Tao” or the “Numen” (See Rudolf Otto). This force can be both personal and impersonal. It flows between the gods, nature, and man. It can be found within all levels of consciousness.

My spiritual beliefs are complicated and the result of many years of contemplation. They are the creation of the place my mind goes to rest. At the same time I believe that one does not need an intercessor to commune with The Holy. Because the spark of the divine is within me I am my own priest. I do not have to create a ritual or go to a cleric in order to commune with the divine which resides within me. This spark that exists within me can also be found universally within other beings. Now, this does not mean that I don’t use rituals to expresses my beliefs. I love to spend time with others and to commune with The Holy as part of a group.

One way to commune with The Holy is through the gaining and dispensing of knowledge (Gnosis). One must also seek time to meditate and listen to the universe as well as be open to lessons. This is all part of the learning process. When we teach others we impart Gnosis. When we impart Gnosis we become part of the process of enlightenment and a tool for The Holy. 

Does the path you've chosen affect your profession? If so, how?

I’m a teacher. This is one of the most sacred professions that can exist in our society. It is a direct reflection of my beliefs. 

Is community important to you or do you prefer to express you beliefs as a solitary?

Community is extremely important to me, but not necessary to practice my beliefs. 

Are you associated with any organizations, volunteer work, or groups that support your spiritual beliefs?

I am associated with several different groups such as the Unitarian Universalist, the Universal Life Church, and several other spiritual communities. In fact I am an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church; I use that term loosely though.

A part of my belief system requires me to engage with the larger community. I am involved in local government and politics. My personal beliefs compel me to seek positive change within my community and beyond. 

Would you say your path has been an easy or difficult journey? Any advice for someone new to this path?

Don’t be afraid to explore and evolve. Understand that change is part of the learning process. There is no shame in altering one’s path because their perspective on the world has changed. Above all else seek to understand. 

I invite you here to share any information you find important that we may have missed in our questions.

My personal moral code is also very important to me. At the heart of my moral outlook on life is to treat others as you would want to be treated and to do no intentional harm. This influences the way that I treat others as well as my political beliefs. 

Finally, what three books would you say most influenced your path?

The Gnostic Bible

The Holy - On the Irrational in the Idea of the Divine and its Relation to the Rational (Rudolf Otto)

The Tao Te Ching