1. As observation informs science, aspiration informs faith. Unitheism is science and faith.

2. The unknowable is a great mystery, yet there’s no reason to assume that the unknowable has about it anything more divine than the knowable.

3. We look to the ordinary for the extraordinary, the mundane for the ultimate.

4. We start by asking what is good in nature. One answer is the gift of awareness. The actuality of existence itself is astounding.

5. Being is powerful because we exist, yet not all-powerful because evil exists. Aspects of being include: law, the physics of the universe; life, the basis of awareness; and love, conscious creating, enjoying, and sharing.

6. Creation is a phenomenon not of one time but all time— present more than past, future more than present. Cultures and consciousness evolve and expand at an accelerating rate— now faster than hitherto, henceforth faster than now.

7. We celebrate diversity— to honor multiculturalism as much as individualism, and to incubate art, ideas, and alternate points of view.

8. We trust in the unifying aspect of truth. The more we evolve spiritually the more empathic we become, individualities of belief— whether of persons or institutions— due more to cultural and other differences than to basic tenets that bridge faiths.

9. We mature within our existing belief structure, leaving it only if and when we’re convinced that action would be most conducive for growth at that point in our journey.

10. Enlightenment replenishes. We no more want outmoded medicine for the soul than for the body. Young or old, progressive or stalwart, skeptic or believer— we mature best in a mature faith.

Exposition

1. As observation informs science, aspiration informs faith. Unitheism is science and faith... Faith is our attempt to answer questions outside the realm of science— through science we strive to understand the means of existence, through faith the meaning of existence. Unitheists rely on science to the extent possible, then turn to faith.

2. The unknowable is a great mystery, yet there’s no reason to assume that the unknowable has about it anything more divine than the knowable... Since we don’t know the unknowable, how do we know? While we don’t for sure, it seems likely because things revealed by modern science that used to be considered unknowable aren’t any more or less divine.

3. We look to the ordinary for the extraordinary, the mundane for the ultimate... Follows from #2. To the extent transcendence— that which lies beyond experience or comprehension— lacks relevance, immanence possesses it. Depending on perspective there’s nothing more amazing than a pebble in a brook, a tree during a storm, or a visit by a friend.

4. We start by asking what is good in nature. One answer is the gift of awareness. The actuality of existence itself is astounding... If divine is the greatest good, what is good? If we consider that the easiest and simplest form of being would be complete non-being— nothing at all— we are amazed that there is a universe in which we can ask questions.

5. Being is powerful because we exist, yet not all-powerful because evil exists... We recognize that we might never have existed; being could have been powerless— powerful means possessive of strong power. Yet ours is not the best possible world— death, sickness, and other evils abound— so power of being is less than what might be or have been.

Aspects of being include: law, the physics of the universe; life, the basis of awareness; and love, conscious creating, enjoying, and sharing... While categorizing aspects of being into three groups is arbitrary, such tripartitions can be useful for understanding— they’re common throughout the world’s faiths (see Universal Faith Symbol).

6. Creation is a phenomenon not of one time but all time— present more than past, future more than present... A generality subject to exception, the greatest of which might be the rapid early expansion of the universe. Worlds speed up with technological development— sudden collapses might also be exceptions which average out as new ones emerge.

Cultures and consciousness evolve and expand at an accelerating rate— now faster than hitherto, henceforth faster than now... In a given system or world, extropy— quantity and quality of life— increases exponentially with technological development, up to a point of possible collapse via a nanotechnological or other catastrophe.

7. We celebrate diversity— to honor multiculturalism as much as individualism, and to incubate art, ideas, and alternate points of view... Many of the most creative people arise from unusual or unique histories and backgrounds— a monolithic culture is less conducive to artistic and scientific maturation and thereby the overall health of a system.

8. We trust in the unifying aspect of truth... Similar to the way scientific truths are consistent throughout the universe, so are spiritual truths. The faithful of the universe, to the extent they honestly seek truth, will gravitate toward universal spiritual laws, tending to unite on at least the basics.

The more we evolve spiritually the more empathic we become, individualities of belief— whether of persons or institutions— due more to cultural and other differences than to basic tenets that bridge faiths... Perhaps more concise if reversed, thus— evidence of spiritual growth is increased ability to connect spiritually with others.

9. We mature within our existing belief structure, leaving it only if and when we’re convinced that action would be most conducive for growth at that point in our journey... A good indicator of the right time to leave a particular faith might be if and when we could no longer accept its essential elements, as opposed to just a few of its elements.

10. Enlightenment replenishes. We no more want outmoded medicine for the soul than for the body. Young or old, progressive or stalwart, skeptic or believer— we mature best in a mature faith... What is a mature faith? One that inspires, challenges, and uplifts us.