Devoted students and neutral investigators alike had ample opportunity to hear Wood (aka “Azrael”) teach what he called the “Laws of Intelligent Thought”. This remained a pillar of Wood’s instruction over the course of three decades of writing and teaching. I provided an overview of Wood’s Foundations of Intelligent Thought as a Study Guide on the official website, but I’m listing the main ideas here as well for ease of access and exposure.
Wood taught a methodology based in the use of reason to guide students in their spiritual pursuit.[1]Content for this post was sourced from personal notes, including those from a lesson given by Wood in January of 2005, titled: “Synthesis – part 1”. Between this post and the Study Guide page, readers should get a good idea of how Wood encouraged students to engage with the Song of God and their spiritual process in general.
The Study Guide begins with the following introduction — words oft spoken by Wood in his public teachings:
To understand (in a truly profound way) the teachings found in the Song of God, we must apply ourselves to the laws which govern intelligent thought. If God is intelligent, then our approach to understanding God must also be intelligent.
Any methodology used to answer spiritual questions must be rooted in reason.
Reason empowers faith, it does not end it.
Reason helps to create a solid framework of belief wherein given premises and propositions work in support of every other premise and proposition within the framework.
Propositions and premises conflicting with one another strongly imply the framework is false and does not come from God.
Any system of belief which does not adhere to the laws of intelligent thought creates not only confusion, but nonsense; and nonsense, regardless of how sincerely one might believe it, can never be true.
Common Problems with Faith
A Lack of Conceptual Constructs
Wood railed against religious teachings that lacked conceptual constructs[2]4th Endowment 27:50-5150 Yet are there many other beliefs which are made of fluff and emptiness together, having in themselves no substance, or reason or direction of any kind, being intent that they … Continue reading, and criticized religious teachings that held believers captive to ignorance and reliant upon the “God of the gaps“.[3]Yeshua 25:52-5452 For I tell you truly that there is a sin greater than sin, a darkness greater than darkness, and an impurity greater than impurity.53 Know, therefore, that ignorance is greater than … Continue reading
Conventional pathways of spiritual belief often lead seekers to shallow or nonsensical dead ends. When pressed with essential inquiries, ecclesiastic “authorities” and laypersons alike are quick to uphold the orthodox view or wield the common resignation: Some things you just have to accept on faith. Wood conceded there are instances wherein it is indeed appropriate to accept certain things on faith. However, according to Wood, when the phrase is used repeatedly it is not “faith” that is being referred to — it’s an act of giving up, a surrender to ignorance disguised in the language of faith.
Reliance Upon Feelings
Another common issue with religious faith is that it relies most often on the ‘feelings’ of the believer.
- Every devout believer of every religion has powerful, sincere ‘feelings’ about their faith and religion. So how can one decide whose ‘feelings’ are right and whose ‘feelings’ are wrong?
- How can one determine when faith-related ‘feelings’ are true or false?
- Sincerity becomes the truth instead of the truth being the truth.
Wood always encouraged students to reason when it came to theorizing about matters of revelation and spiritual things. In pursuit of the truth, extrapolations should be rooted firmly in things already known to be scientific fact, not feelings. Wood’s position regarding the value of ‘feelings’ in determining truth is made clear in the following quote[4]This paragraph, along with the quote from the “Soul Creation” manuscript was added on 12/8/21:
Remember, we are after plausibility, a proof of principle. You cannot “feel” your way to the truth. That’s what blind people do because they cannot see. Feelings distort, confuse and eventually betray. Emotions are unreliable; “feelings” are the basis of all wishful thinking, and wishful thinking is not evidence. You can have very strong feelings about a thing and still be dead wrong. That’s why the “feelings” of a witness are never allowed in a courtroom. Only evidence is allowed in a courtroom, because the jury is after the truth of a thing. Feelings are subjective, they are never objective; and to find the truth of thing, you must be objective in your approach.
Revelation follows reason; you must try to remember that. It is reason alone which leads to insight. Your feelings do not. Everyone who has ever lived has been victimized at some point by their own feelings, or by the feelings of others. Praying about a thing does not reveal the truth of the thing you’re praying about. Mormons may believe this, but True Gnostics do not.
Wood (2015), “Soul Creation” manuscript
In response to this issue of faith and ‘feelings’, Wood identifies several features of what he calls “true faith”:
- True faith is not rooted in ‘feelings’, it is rooted in reason. Faith must be reasonable so that the fewest assumptions need to be made.
- The ‘reason’ which underlies true faith becomes the conceptual construct which empowers the mind, soul and spirit of a true believer.
- True faith produces ‘feelings’ of awe and wonder, feelings which are sublime and ineffable, leaving the true believer calm, peaceful, kind, humorous, etc.
- True faith is the force which reveals the mind of God in your life. It is not rooted in ignorance or mere ‘feelings’, it is rooted in intelligence. Why? Because: The glory of God is intelligence![5]This phrase is included in the LDS scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 93:36. The concept is expanded upon in Wood’s writings.[6]Wisdom 14:15
15 For, behold, it is written that the glory of God is intelligence, which intelligence is the light of truth. - Faith and reason are like the shoes on your feet: you need both to make the journey. Without one or the other, you are likely to cripple yourself, making the journey more difficult.
“Reason without faith is blind, and faith without reason is dangerous.“
~Archie D. Wood~
Fundamental Laws of Intelligent Thought
Wood taught that if the glory of God is intelligence, and our greater self (spirit) is constructed of intelligence(s)[7]The Song of God greatly expands on the the nature and origins of spirit. For an introduction to this topic, see Yeshua 26:35-44., and if we want to understand the teachings of the Song of God and engage with gnosis in deep and meaningful ways, then we must apply ourselves to the laws that govern intelligent thought.[8]Wisdom 17:22 Teach diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, even in things which pertain unto the many ways of men. … Continue reading
A. First Foundation: THE LAWS OF INTELLIGENT THOUGHT
- Law of Identity: an object is the same as itself, i.e.: ‘A’ is ‘A’
- Law of Non-Contradiction: an object cannot be ‘itself’ and not ‘itself’ at the same time, i.e.: one cannot say “A is A” and “A is not A” at the same time. No contradiction can be true.
- Law of Excluded Middle: an object cannot be ‘itself’ and something other than ‘itself’ at the same time. A proposition must be either true or false. There is no middle ground, i.e.: one cannot say that “A is A” and “A is B” at the same time.
B. Second Foundation: THE LAW OF EXPLACANDUM (the power to explain)
- Hypothesis: a tentative explanation of a phenomenon
- Law: statement, description about the observed phenomenon
- Theory: explains how the law works; a well substantiated explanation
C. Third Foundation: CRITERIA OF PLAUSIBILITY
- Testable (How can the metaphysical be tested?)
- Conservative: Does not violate what we already accept as true.
- Simplistic: Ockham’s Razor – requires fewest assumptions
Students of the Song of God are encouraged to engage in theory, while holding to the laws that govern intelligent thought.
D. Fourth Foundation: FOUR TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE
- Theoretical Knowledge: science, physics, mathematics, metaphysics
- Practical Knowledge: ethics, politics, logic
- Productive Knowledge: arts, trade skills, technology
- Revealed Knowledge: Gnosis, scriptures, faith
Revealed Knowledge (Gnosis)
A. Rules of Understanding
Faith must be rooted in reason so that the fewest assumptions need be made. Any revelation or knowledge (Gnosis), which is said to come from God, must apply itself to the following criteria:
- Gnosis must possess beauty of language, and clarity of thought.
– beauty uplifts
– clarity removes confusion - Gnosis must have within its construct a logical sequencing of reason.
– line upon line, precept on precept, here a little, there a little - Gnosis must enlighten and not confuse.
- Gnosis must possess an element of the radical.
– God’s ideas will often be different from our own.
B. Points to Remember
- Logic can only reveal what is false. It cannot reveal what is true.
- Propositions and premises which conflict with one another strongly imply the framework is false and does not come from God.
- Propositions which conflict and contradict create nonsense, and nonsense can never be true.
- Anomalies invite explanation and theory. Refine the ability to distinguish anomalies from contradictions.
When all propositions and conclusions are in agreement, how can we know if something is true?
Truth Systems
A. Truth as: COHERENCE
All propositions ‘cohere’ (all propositions support each other).
B. Truth as: CORRESPONDENCE
The proposition ‘corresponds’ to observable fact.
C. Truth as: “WHAT WORKS”
The argument of utility: the truth principle which allows humans to create the future reality of what shall be real. Truth as “what works” is a creative process. It is the realm of dreamers, mystics, and visionaries.
D. Truth as: BEAUTY
The proposition advanced by God that all things which are beautiful contain within the essence of their nature a truth which can only be felt by the touch of the ineffable.
Conclusion
Wood was adamant that students learn and master the Laws of Intelligent Thought. It was his hope that students would protect themselves against having a divided, compartmentalized mind, and be shielded from the nonsensical ramblings of foolish men who pretend to know, but who inwardly seek power over others. According to Wood, the Laws of Intelligence are the true remedy for what he identified as the only original sin: “nincompoopery and gullibility”.
As students continue to explore the Song of God and tend to their faith, remember the counsel and guidance of the author:
Reason empowers faith, it does not end it.
Reason is the foundation upon which true faith is built.[9]On building a house on sand or stone: Yeshua 39:14-17 and Wisdom 9:40-41
Build a framework of belief using a methodology of reason.
Framework supports the conceptual construct of one’s faith wherein given premises, propositions or articles of belief work in support of every other premise or proposition within the framework.
The conceptual construct within the framework creates a living algorithm which leads you from the common to the divine. Reason supports the framework.
Propositions and premises which conflict with one another strongly imply the framework is false and does not come from God. Propositions which conflict and contradict can never be true.
Beware of sophistry.[10]Regarding sophistry: Yeshua 22:47-52 and 4th Endowment 17:37-57
The purpose of sophistry is to confuse and dishearten.
Sophistry is an attempt to lead you beyond the safety and surety of the framework.
Sophistry is not reason. Sophistry kills faith.
Entry published: 12/06/21
Footnotes
↑1 | Content for this post was sourced from personal notes, including those from a lesson given by Wood in January of 2005, titled: “Synthesis – part 1”. |
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↑2 | 4th Endowment 27:50-51 50 Yet are there many other beliefs which are made of fluff and emptiness together, having in themselves no substance, or reason or direction of any kind, being intent that they should offend no one, being made as thin and paltry doctrines which do but seem as mist before your eyes, placing in your mind one confusion upon another, till you are altogether made uncertain. 51 Where then is the truth found midst all these things? In what place shall you find revealed the thing most worthy of belief and faith together? |
↑3 | Yeshua 25:52-54 52 For I tell you truly that there is a sin greater than sin, a darkness greater than darkness, and an impurity greater than impurity. 53 Know, therefore, that ignorance is greater than all these things, making dull and dim witted the soul within. 54 Unto such as these arise all manner of vain thoughts and superstitions, filling the hearts of men with despair and fear continually. |
↑4 | This paragraph, along with the quote from the “Soul Creation” manuscript was added on 12/8/21 |
↑5 | This phrase is included in the LDS scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 93:36. The concept is expanded upon in Wood’s writings. |
↑6 | Wisdom 14:15 15 For, behold, it is written that the glory of God is intelligence, which intelligence is the light of truth. |
↑7 | The Song of God greatly expands on the the nature and origins of spirit. For an introduction to this topic, see Yeshua 26:35-44. |
↑8 |
Wisdom 17:2 |
↑9 | On building a house on sand or stone: Yeshua 39:14-17 and Wisdom 9:40-41 |
↑10 | Regarding sophistry: Yeshua 22:47-52 and 4th Endowment 17:37-57 |