QCOSTARICA – The Iglesia Mayor de Lucifer (Greater Church of Lucifer) held its first activity in Costa Rica without trouble. No protests.
“Modernism allows me to seek a religion that suits my perspective and my way of life,” says theologian and sociologist, Alberto Rojas. The professor at the Universidad Nacional (UNA), told La Nacion currently “there are a number of (religious) options you can choose from.”
In sociology the phenomenon is referred to “religion a la carte, where you make your own menu. There are conditions to choose between multiple options and even make it your own. Always has bene, but now the possibilities are multiplied,” explains Rojas.
The Greater Church of Lucifer (GCoL) opened its doors in Costa Rica on February 28, in a conference by founder and co-president of the organization, Jacob No, at the Genesis Gráfica in Barrio Lujan, San Jose.
In 2014 Luciferians founded the worldwide organization for Luciferians from Houston, Texas under the leadership of Jacob No, Michael W. Ford and Jeremy Crow, founder of the Luciferian Research Society. On October 30, on Halloween, the GCoL opened a parish in Old Town Spring, Texas, with several dozen members. Over a hundred local residents, mainly Catholic, protested the opening of the church.
In late January, the GCoL announced on its Facebook page that it would be opening its first activity in Costa Rica. Since then, besides the only physical temple, in Texas, the church has opened non-physical delegations in Latin American countries like Mexico, Peru and Costa Rica.
Despite some 200 hundred expressing their attendance on the GCoL Facebook page, only 30 attended the event with the presence of Jacob No. Admission was free, but attendees were asked to bring school supplies for donation to low-income children. Only those confirmed on Facebook could enter the conference.
Before starting the activity, organizers and the public talked about the effect the church could have on the country. “The Ticos are very passive, and do not think anything serious will happen with this,” one of the attendees told Jacob, worried what might happen after the conference.
Speaking from notes, Jacob No spoke for almost an hour about the ideology of the church. More than a dogma or philosophy, Jacob’s Luciferianism and that his acolytes is a mixture of various ideologies that lead to concepts such as wisdom, power and liberation, in a session that seemed more a self-help than a cult.
The church is expected to meet each month in different places. In Costa Rica, the GCoL has representation in Heredia, San Jose and Limon, but has no physical headquarters in country.
In the event the church seeks legal status to operate as a religious organization in the country, its leaders need to create an association, as Costa Rica the creation of religious groups is not regulated by law.
Although there is constitutional freedom of religion in the country, the Constitution also says that the Costa Rican State is denominationally Catholic. On the other hand, Article 395 of the Criminal Code prohibits witchcraft, sorcery and “other cults contrary to good faith”. Publicly, the Greater Church of Lucifer does not incur such acts.
“Within the freedom of conscience, they have the right to worship whatever they want, provided they do not conflict with the laws of the country,” Rojas concludes.
What is Luciferianism?
(Wiki) Luciferianism is a belief system that includes both theistic and atheistic denominations and is, therefore, heavily influenced by differing personal beliefs. Considered by many to be a religion, and by some to be a philosophy or way of life, Luciferianism as a whole has no specific dogma to which its followers adhere. Rather, it encompasses a broad range of beliefs with numerous personal variations, ranging from the veneration of a literal deity and the practice of occultism, to a secular set of principles that use mythological references as a form of symbolism and cultural tradition
Although sometimes mistakenly associated with Satanism due to the Christian interpretation of the fallen angel, Luciferianism is a wholly different belief system and does not revere the devil figure or most characteristics typically affixed to Satan. Rather, Lucifer in this context is seen as one of many morning stars, a symbol of enlightenment, independence and human progression, and is often used interchangeably with similar figures from a range of ancient beliefs, such as the Greek titan Prometheus or the Jewish talmudic figure Lilith.
They support the protection of the natural world. Both the arts and sciences are crucial to human development, and thus both are cherished. Luciferians think that humans should be focused on this life and how to make the most of it every single day. The ability to recognize both good and evil, to accept that all actions have consequences, both positive and negative, and to actively influence one’s environment, is a key factor.
For Luciferians, enlightenment is the ultimate goal. The basic Luciferian principles highlight truth and freedom of will, worshipping the inner self and one’s ultimate potential. Traditional dogma is shunned as a basis for morality on the grounds that humans should not need deities or fear of eternal punishment to distinguish right from wrong and to do good. All ideas should be tested before being accepted, and even then one should remain skeptical because knowledge and understanding are fluid. Regardless of whether Lucifer is conceived of as a deity or as a mere archetype, he is a representation of ultimate knowledge and exploration: humanity’s savior and a champion for continuing personal growth.
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