The First lesson of philosophy

Will Durant was a Jesuit educated philosopher, historian, and librarian who took 50 years to write a book, rather a set of books, titled The Story of Civilization. More about Mr. Durant can be learned here.

The reason I choose to highlight Durant for the Church of Bearville, is that I want to put this quote out as something to always keep in mind: "The first lesson of philosophy is that we may all be mistaken." This is important because we often are wrong, and it's important to recognize that's ok. We learn from mistakes, and still continue to move forward - eventually the path is revealed. Sometimes we may need to back track before we can move forward. While we may regret such situations, we should not allow ourselves to become so mired in that regret that we fail to continue.

It's possible to allow ourselves to wallow so deeply in regret that our progress is impeded. We must fight that urge! Even when we may feel foolish, or if we fear admitting a mistake may make us look weak, we benefit more by facing our error, and moving on. If doing so makes up appear a hypocrite, we should address the matter in a straightforward manner - all people make mistakes - all people are capable of making adjustments when their error is revealed.

It's called forgiveness, and it's for ourselves, as well as for others. Working on forgiveness is a big step forward in opening our minds and hearts to human frailties. If we can find and embrace forgiveness, it's easier to face and to own our mistakes. The quicker we can do that, the quicker we can resume a course of continued spiritual growth.

Our goal

The goal of the Church of Bearville is to provide a spiritual home for gay men, lesbians, and others who are oppressed by established churches and religions, a place they can worship or meditate, along with the opportunity for these individuals to pursue the development of their spiritual beings. The Church of Bearville is, for the time being, a virtual organization existing only on the internet, but hopes to accumulate funds to build a chapel where members may gather to commune, meditate, and celebrate. We hope to be able to provide a quiet hermitage retreat experience for individuals who may wish to cleanse their bodies and minds. We intend to conduct ceremonies of religious and personal commitment for individuals who wish to participate. The emphasis is to be upon ethics, understanding and caring more than upon deities.