New Religion
Hi. I’m writing a book to you. For you. Who, specifically? Whoever ends up reading the thing. So definitely for myself. But also, people who know me, who naturally are expected to have curiosity about this thing. But my soul is in these pages, so you will come to know me, too.
My name is Jesse Lawrence Teshara. My birthparents were Annette Riddle and Richard Stollnitz. JLTRS. I like my name. But you can call me anything. I am not my name. I am my body. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. I am what I am. Books do not bleed. But they take on a life of their own.
So this is an immortality project. I am under no illusions that I or this book will endure “forever”. In fact, I think the book will die, just like me. But maybe it will live for an appreciably longer time than I will, and I like that idea. I don’t have any kids, and I think I will enjoy writing this more than I would raising one (or 8). I could be wrong. I don’t think it matters. All paths are sacred. So I’m doing something fun.
I have a blog, which I have been writing since 2008. This is an attempt to further organize my thoughts, and monetize, for an income stream. Plus, having my thoughts bound and on a shelf at my library seems like it would be really cool. I enjoy writing, and I won a Journalism award at my high school. I was also voted Most Kind, once, too. And most spirited, as a staff member at a Boy Scout Summer Camp. Don’t mind me. I like to toot my own horn. I am a spirited founder of my own religion, these days. That’s the main thing. It’s my One-Person religion, which you are welcome to join, or imitate, or reject, or incorporate into Your Thing.
These are its tenets.
Be Good, of course. Isn’t that the case for All religions? The devil’s in the details.
Be Good. Sometimes bad is good. Such as if you are a Satanist, or follower of Angra Mainyu, or Shaivist like my dad (who loved Demolition Derbys). Some people are even into nameless evil like Cthulhu, lol. To each his own. Just don’t be a hypocrite. Have integrity, and live up to your own standards. Otherwise, you’ll hate yourself, and condemn yourself to guilt, misery, and your own personal hell. Prison is hell, of course, so Obey the Law, is my truth and recommendation. You can have vicarious experience being criminal in movies and books and video games, maybe even in your dreams. Just don’t be Evil, in the real world, alright? Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. Serve, earn, set an example.
Be Happy.
Live long and prosper.
Stay curious, my friend. Be educated, informed, engaged, and pursue answers. Be a lifelong learner. Intelligent and wise. In the know. Don’t be a zombie, watching television all the time. Don’t be ignorant. Ace life. Not that life is a test. You can do whatever you want, including nothing. You don’t have to do homework, anymore, adults. Have fun, be free.
Good
Good, right, true, rich, famous, beautiful, happy, virtuous, in love, of service, not just alive but Alive! Be whatever you want to be. You don’t have to be famous. Behind the scenes is important, too. But you can Big Up Yourself, as they say. Fulfilled. Content, satisfied. Warm and kind and loving and compassionate and helpful. Joyful, vibrant, grateful, blessed. Yourself, true to yourself. You can be active, involved, engaged. It is enough to just Do No Harm. To be good is to not be bad. That is all anyone ever asks. If the spirit moves you, and you have a calling to virtue, you can become a priest, or a cop, or a politician, or… musician? writer? Cook? Find something you are both good at and enjoy, and throw yourself into your work wholeheartedly. Have fun! Enjoy life, eat out more often.
Happy
The science of Hedonics. Positive psychology. And things like drugs or being in love or roller coasters or pumping iron (better than sex! -Arnold). Hobbies and good food and helping solve problems and being a part of a community, etc. Being healthy, quitting cigarettes, overcoming procrastination, getting shit done. Know thyself, to thine own self be true. Die happy. Love all, serve all. Love yourself, and love your significant other. Love life.
Longevity, Wealth
Take astragalus. It lengthens your telomeres, lol. Long telomeres are very, very important. Well, you don’t have to believe everything you’re told. But I’m an astragalus person, taking it on faith. The opposite, though, I’m told, is sugar. It shortens your telomeres. I love sugar even more than astragalus. So whatever. But you’ve been told/warned. Low stress and tai chi walking and meditation and a mediterranean diet and positivity are all indicated for longevity. I think I even read somewhere you’re supposed to be hungry a little, to live longer. So incorporate fasting, sometimes. Less meat, more fruits and vegetables, seeds nuts and grains. I think you’re supposed to sweat, every single day, is the rule of thumb. And follow routines. Regular consumption of fish. Friends, laughter, fun, joy, jokes, play, glee. Pleasure, intimacy, sex, massage, too. Just relax and be yourself, don’t be anything unnatural. Let life unfold organically. Don’t worry, be happy. Kid energy is good, sometimes. Follow your bliss. Seize the day, you only live once. Love life. I mean, why extend a life of drudgery and chores? Google says the number one predictor of longevity is Strong Social Relationships.
What else is there to say? Entire libraries have been filled with advice. Would you rather be behind the wheel of a car or behind a book? Books, is my choice. In Nature, from time to time, is what keeps your soul refreshed. And sushi.
I have favorite authors. Terry Pratchett, David Foster Wallace, Neil Gaiman, Isabel Allende, Dave Eggers, Lev Grossman, Pynchon. I like college radio. YouTube videos of cats, juggling, cirque, magic, comedy, dead milkmen, Elon Musk, and parkour. I like to surf Wikipedia, google questions, and play with Chat GPT. I like to watch Miracle of Nature on tv (on mute). Tossing a frisbee, fly a kite, doing origami, and doing free yoga, are on my list. I like going to new religious services, any religion at all. And sleeping long, dreaming, being wakened gently to music. Hot showers are nice. Finding free stuff, exploring thrift store offerings. Going to bed tired. Being productive, earning money, and making friends. Being alive. Life is good.
I would like to travel, read all my books, have 3 delicious meals every day, and know all the jokes. My future has a huge readership, and ideally a new book/day, for me to digest. I’m a voracious reader, but I’m happy with encyclopedias and dictionaries. I’m still in school, really, even though I’m not enrolled anywhere. I liked school. I was good at it.
Never say never. Never say for all eternity. Equally mad. Everything is impermanent. Unless everyone gets their own personalized Heaven. That I can roll with. I think I’m almost in mine, already. I like my life. I like variety, too. I’d like to visit everyone’s own Heaven. No pain and suffering is my religion. Kindness is my religion. Good Gawd. Who are these sadists and masochists who like pain? That’s freaking nuts, if you ask me. Giving or receiving pain? Burning in hell? Torture? Compared with a balmy day at the beach with a lover? WTF. Humans are weird. People are confused.
Heaven is a kind of library. I’d like to travel to everyone’s Heavens. I bet most people would like to experience the full panoply of varieties of settings and conditions for Bliss. What if All the books could be experienced? Life is but a dream. The afterlife could be many dreams.
Anyway, back to Reality. Heaven is where God resides. Reality is all the God there ever is. There are 8 Billion people, each with their own reality. So there. Some people are happier than others. Reality spans from the worst to the best. We should all be on board the Happiness project, the Bliss train, in service to Enlightenment and tidings of comfort and joy. Tidings are news, announcements, assurances. An old word.
‘You’re the remainder of the God-Being’ -v (I am plural. Nobody is just themselves, anymore)
But who ISN”T a part of Reality? Everyone dead, that’s who. Some dna persists, and books by dead people, and buildings and such. The dead remain in our memories, even dreams, sometimes. But by and large, Reality is social, alive. God is I AM. God isn’t Who Ain’t!
The Church of What’s Happnin’ NOW! It’s always now. The present is a present. Open it! A gift under the tree. Thanks for the oxygen, plants. Stillness and quietude. Noises off. Does a tree make noise when it falls in a forest, even if there is no one to hear? Yes, of course, you idiot. Lol.
What is Reality? People live in their heads, so there are many, many realities, even for a single individual. But there are over 8 billion individuals. Different places and times, and psyches, and DNA. People get engrossed in movies and books. And dreams. I have been in several simulated realities, but I always snap back to this one. The real reality is the most persistent, I guess you could say. Are people in comas in a separate reality? There are different worlds, earth and mars, first world and third world, rich and poor, etc. There are Marvel universes, and different cultures/ religions. One World is enough for Allah us. One God is enough, too.
A List of Worlds
Places, Times. Here, there. Before, After. Past, Present, Future. Historical, Imaginary. Each author. AI responses. Different languages. Odd people. Earth, Space. Different genres. Fiction, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Mystery, Horror, True Crime, Educational, Biography. Knowledge and Data, News and Science, Encyclopedia and textbooks, each subject. Different schools, cuisines, regions. Animals, zoo, safari, zoology, ecology. Cities, Nature. Behind every door. Portals. Different stores, shopping experiences. Jobs, careers, activities, hobbies. Sports world. Each channel on your TV. Every art and craft, the world of art and creativity, communities of every stripe. Corporate cultures, obsessions, routine. Military, police, combat, spiritual warfare. Criminality and Insanity. Victimhood. Every role from every movie, book, or play.
