Doctrines
The Church of Inanna is a contemporary belief system, informed by the philosophies of humanism, the meeting structures of quakerism, and embodying values of a life of love and seeking justice for all.
Inanna was known as the Queen of Heaven, her chief virtues are political power, sensuality, and wisdom. Worshippers today may seek out Inanna for relief from the ailments of our own society. A society that oppresses certain groups and strips them of power. One that stigmatizes love and sensuality, and deigns to brand human sexual expression as profane, rather than sacred. Like Inanna, we believe that using wit and strategy to gain the ability to protect ourselves is a virtue. Our goal is to band together and survive a hostile world, with hope for the future.
Self Actualization
To know yourself is the first step of the journey to thriving. Accept mortality and your limitations and needs. Nourish your body. Rest. Seek comfort and pleasure, and delight in what this world has to offer. It is not only right but moral to seek happiness and fulfilment. Joy is necessary for survival. Self actualization is the majority of what any of us who toil on the Earth will spend our time doing. Meet your needs, breathe, and experience the world for what it is. Ground yourself, and enjoy the benefits of living in community with others, so that you are ready and able to participate in the actualization of others.
Community Actualization
Community actualization is a higher calling above self actualization, according to First Nation wisdom attributed to the Blackfoot people. No person is an island, and we are all interdependent on each other. Your own flourishing is dependent on your community, the society you live in, and ultimately that of the world. Those who are in the most need, through structural lack of access, financial hardship, disability, or ailment may have more challenges self-actualizing until those structural barriers are addressed. This is the chief injustice of the world. To the extent we are able, given our own ability and means, it is right to uplift and support the actualization of others. This is the correct use of power – not to seek domination over others but to build up supports and tear down barriers to actualization.
Cultural Perpetuity
As a community finds stability through community actualization (no small task in a world that seems perpetually on the brink), the next step is to think of posterity. What wisdom and structures can we pass down that will be useful to future generations? How can we preserve the cultural technologies that have been passed to us? This is also a high calling. Creation and reproduction of art, crafts, and music are valuable. They enrich our lives and are the foundation of all culture. The church of Inanna and community of its members values the artists, storytellers, and artisans among us. It should be the aspiration of all to participate in the cultural and artistic life of the community, once our immediate needs and those of the community are met.