The stability of growth in Edenic culture acts upon civilization with the compelling force of tradition, bridging the gulf between God and man. [1]
Custom establishes institutions of survival, including industry, property, war for gain, and societal regulation through taboo, convention, and religious sanction, rooted in fear, ignorance, and superstition. [2]
You are not obligated to accept outworn religious traditions, for true spiritual freedom and liberty come from following the truth wherever the spirit may lead you. [3] Traditions can be oppressive and enslaving, as seen in the burdens placed on the people by leaders who say one thing but do another. [4] Do not allow reverence for traditions to blind you from understanding the true spiritual realities of the kingdom. [5]
Philosophy struggles for emancipation from dogma, tradition, and the bondage of superstition, while science fights for deliverance from the slavery of mathematics and the relative blindness of materialism. [6]
It is pitiful to behold giant intellects in cultural bondage, stagnating at the level of logical intellectuality, held securely within the cruel grasp of tradition and authority. [7]
Traditions provide stability and co-operation, but they also hinder initiative and creative freedom, reminiscent of the world's ongoing struggle with the dominance of outdated customs. [8]
Religious traditions are the imperfectly preserved and unreliable records of the experiences of God-knowing men, altered by primitive man's tendency towards mythmaking. [9]
Ritual sanctifies customs, creates myths, and is the product of myths, evolving from social to economic to religious ceremonial practices that can be personal, group, or both. [10]
Tradition is a safe refuge for fearful, halfhearted souls who shun the struggles of the spirit and uncertainties of the mind, seeking an easy path devoid of faith voyages and daring adventures. [11] Traditions sentimentally link the past with the present, but can also stifle initiative and creative powers. [12]
Jesus boldly rejected superstitious traditions of his time, promoting spiritual freedom and denying divine judgment in natural disasters. [13] Jesus taught his apostles to not mold believers according to traditions or set patterns, but to allow each soul to develop in its own way before God. [14]