The following is a list of our most freqently asked questions about Apollonian spirituality, along with our answers.

Apollonian spirituality, or Apollonianism, is a modern religious philosophy incorporating the principles of science, reason, and skeptical inquire as its very foundation. Rather than requiring a strict adherence to prophetic revelations, rigid dogma, or supernatural causation as most religions do, Apollonianism emphasizes science and reason as the keys to intellectual enlightenment. Apollonianism is founded on the position that no greater truth exists in the Cosmos than what can be observed and discovered, and that no assertion should be accepted without verifiable evidence. Just as the philosophers of ancient times were the scientists of their day, so too must we, following in their footsteps, turn to modern science for our answers today. Reason, logic, and creativity must be cultivated if we are to progress as a technologically advanced species.

Rather than a blind faith in supernaturalism and superstition, Apollonianism suggests that if we are to believe in something we should believe in the universe, if we are to trust in something we should trust in science, and if we are to worship something then we should worship life itself.

For more on information, please visit our page on Apollonian Spirituality.

Enlightened Reason is the quality of rational judgment enabled by a clarity of perception and cognition. It is simply clear thinking and sound judgment unimpeded by dogmatic beliefs and quaint superstitions. Enlightened Reason can be viewed as a more wakeful state of consciousness that allows us to remain mindfully aware of the objective reality we inhabit. Enlightened Reason also embraces the inalienable ideals and movements that began in the 18th century and continue to this day--ideals such as freedom and democracy, human rights and equality, the progress of science, and ethics based on these values rather than religiously imposed morality.

For more on information, please EnlightenedReason.org.

No. It is often a knee-jerk reaction to label any non-traditional religion conceived in modern times as "New Age", but it is not an accurate label for Apollonianism. Being considerably broad, the New Age movement is very difficult to define, but common to most forms of New Age spirituality are a belief in paranormal, mystical, or supernatural phenomenon, such as crystal power, lay lines, spiritual beings, and astrology, without providing sufficient empirical evidence. Apollonianism advances nothing paranormal or supernatural. However, Apollonianism does acknowledge a need to scientifically investigate some of these phenomenon, and acknowledges that science could conceivably show some such phenomenon to be real if (and only if) sufficient empirical evidence can be obtained.

Apollonian spirituality is also amicable toward many "body and mind" practices such as meditation, yoga, and martial arts for the purposes of mental and physical fitness, as well as some limited forms of alternative medicine that may provide aid or relief when (and only when) conventional medicine fails. In addition, Apollonianism strongly supports ecological awareness and so-called "Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability" which, while not New Age in and of itself, is shared by many who follow New Age beliefs.

Being a philosophical religion, Apollonian spirituality cannot be defined as atheism. Atheism is a rejection of the existence of god or gods (it literally means "without god or gods"), which Apollonianism does not explicitly disregard. It may be better to describe Apollonianism as a kind of pantheistic humanism with its core basis founded in science. Apollonianism does embrace many of the same concepts and philosophies as humanism, and thus you may consider Apollonianism to be a variant of humanism, but not strictly Secular Humanism as it is defined.

Apollonians generally classify themselves simply as philosophers, or Apollonians, or in terms of a broader religion or philosophy into which they have incorporated Apollonian ideas, such as "Apollonian Humanism" or "Apollonian Pantheism" or "Apollonian Christianity" or, indeed, even "Apollonian Atheist".

Apollonianism encourages the study of Classical philosophies such as those of Plato, Aristotle, and the Neoplatonists, not only for the intellectual pursuit of knowledge, but also to gain a valuable perspective into the Golden Age of Philosophy. The philosophy of the Stoics is also held in high regard, especially the Meditations of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The most valued aspects of these philosophies, above all other considerations, is that they actually force one to think, even if (or especially if) you disagree with certain points.

The philosophies that emerged during the Age of Enlightenment are no less valuable as well. The writings of Spinoza, Hume, Kant, Comte, and several of America's Founding Fathers including Jefferson, Pain, and Franklin, have come to shape our modern perspective on the value of reason and critical thinking. In the 20th and 21st century, these Enlightenment era philosophies continued to evolve through the various inter-related schools of rationalism, empiricism, objectivism, instrumentalism, pragmatism, and the philosophy of science itself.

Apollonians recognizing that the universe we inhabit is the only meaningful reality and that "God" can best be thought of as the Cosmos as a whole, complete with all the matter, energy, and laws of nature operating within. In this way, the Cosmos can be understood as an all-pervasive, ever-evolving entity, with all sentient beings comprising the "mind of the universe". This and similar pantheistic views have been held by many philosophers and scientists throughout history. However, unlike pantheism, which is the belief that God is in Nature, Apollonians view God as synonymous with the Cosmos--that is to say, God is the Cosmos and the Cosmos is God, nothing more and nothing less.

In addition to the Cosmos as a whole, Apollonians also revere three Cosmic Principles. These Cosmic Principles are personified by Apollo, the embodiment of light, order, and reason; Hermes Trismegistus, the embodiment of knowledge and science; and finally, Athena, the embodiment of strength, wisdom, and virtue. However, it is important that one not perceive these Principles as "gods" that are real or tangible in the classical sense of the word, but only as symbolic or poetic representations of their respective concepts.

Apollonian Spirituality offers no set belief on the afterlife or reincarnation as these matters cannot be directly verified through science. It is left the individual to decide for his or herself what happens to consciousness after death. One may choose to believe that consciousness ends at death, or that the spirit reincarnates into a new body, or that the spirit passes on to a higher world. All Apollonians are encouraged to study a diversity of philosophies and religions, as well as the latest scientific research pertinent to this subject matter, in order to decide for themselves.

Jesus of Nazareth was a man who, like many great spiritual teachers such as the Buddha, Lao-Tzu, and Apollonius of Tyana, strove to enlighten the world with teachings of peace and compassion. Above all he taught that we must learn to love one another, to never cause another person harm, and not judge others. All else is a matter of needless debate--debate which, it should be noted, stands counter to Jesus' teachings of brotherhood and tolerance.

Salvation implies that we must be saved from "something", and for Apollonians that "something" is ignorance. In the immortal words of Socretes: "There is only one good, which is knowledge, and one evil, which is ignorance." Thus, salvation comes in our quest for knowledge through skeptical inquiry, scientific discovery, and intellectual enlightenment.

In short, no. The term "Apollonian" stems from the concept that the human mind possess two primary qualities: Apollonian and Dionysian. The Apollonian qualities include reason, order, intellect, rationality, tranquility, harmony, creativity, and light. The Dionysian qualities include emotion, instinct, impulse, ecstasy, sensuality, and darkness. While Apollonianism and Dionysianism are opposite in nature, it must always be remembered that Apollo and Dionysus were both sons of Zeus and thus brothers. They did not oppose one another, but rather complemented one another, creating a perfect, harmonious balance as part of the grand cosmic order. At Delphi, Apollo shared his temple with Dionysus: in the spring and summer, Apollo ruled over the temple, while in winter Dionysus ruled.

We have chosen the name "Apollonian" to define ourselves because of our emphasis on science and reason. However, we recognize that a balance between the Apollonian and Dionysian qualities of human nature must be found to achieve a state of intellectual enlightenment.

The answer to that depends on your definition of Paganism. However, this question usually arises because Apollonian spirituality does recognize various Greek and Egyptian gods as symbolic representation of universal and humanistic concepts. For example, Apollo is revered as the embodiment of light, reason, and creativity, while Athena is honored as the embodiment of strength, wisdom, and virtue. However, such cosmic principles should not be perceived as "gods" that are real or tangible, but rather, only as symbolic representations of concepts valued by Apollonians.

We do believe this is possible, but not with the dogmatic religions of the present day. Establishing a religion that is not only consistent with science, but harmonious with science, is the primary goal of Apollonian spirituality. Please see our essay discussing Science and Religion.

Absolutely not. You only need to give up dogma--that is, the doctrine that "holy scripture" is absolutely true and infallible. It may also be necessary to disregard all forms of superstition and supernaturalism. Just as one can be a Humanist and a Christian, one can be an Apollonian and a Christian. An Apollonian Christian, for example, would see the Cosmos as God, with sentient life constituting the Mind of God, and should view Jesus as an enlightened human being who taught a doctrine of peace and love for one's fellow human. Of course, Apollonianism is most compatible with pantheism, humanism, atheism, and various other nontheistic beliefs.

It may surprise you to know that you may already possess many Apollonian qualities. If you are curious, just take this quick test and see.