The Church of SALT
Spectrum Agnostic Life-loving Temple
Spectrum
Agnostic
Life-loving
Temple
The Church of SALT welcomes the “salt of the earth” regardless of previous or current religious association or lack thereof.
Definition of “the salt of the earth”: a very good and honest person or group of people.
Churches, in order to be considered churches must worship something. We worship goodness, and kindness and
We worship SALT.
It is the connection between SALT and goodness we reference.
In the ancient world when most Abrahamic faiths were established salt was more valuable than gold is now often because of its properties to heal, preserve, clean, helping plants thrive and many other needed aspects of life. The phrase “salt of the earth” is attributed to a Christian biblical verse of Matthew 5:13 but many traditions have references to “salt and light” predating that time and referring to the need for saltiness and the connection between salt and goodness.
We, The Church of SALT, are not suggesting your worship, compliance, obedience, or acceptance of any tenets of belief that are antithetical with living your life with goodness at its core and useful science, medicine, and philosophy that is kind to and inclusive of all peoples.
“Spectrum” because life is a spectrum of diversity of mind, body, thought and ideas. We embrace neurodiversity, sexual diversity, and reject ableism.
“Agnostic” because what we might think we know may not apply to everyone everywhere, nor should it. If you are an atheist you are welcome here, but so too are people who believe in things outside science and the strictness of the provable. Mutual respect for other beliefs without having to adhere to someone else's idea of spirituality or lack thereof is enthusiastically encouraged.
“Life-loving” because we are sure we have this life, right now and we should live it to our fullest potential embracing love of life as a principle as well as life of love as a principle whenever possible.
"Temple" because gathering together in love and peace is human nature. We are a successful species because of cooperation not divisiveness.
We suggest worshipping kindness if you must worship something.
We, The Church of SALT, are suggesting helping our communities around the world with peaceful intentional regular acts of goodness, kindness, and consideration regardless of religion or lack thereof.
We believe your personal spiritual beliefs and faith are yours to share as you like but not impose on others. We believe no laws should exist enforcing or endorsing any religion or belief system on any population.
There should be total separation of church and state internationally. Human rights and humane behavior should define our existence in the public sphere.
In The Church of SALT, our rituals, gatherings and activities reflect believing that all people deserve a safe place in this world and all people deserve the right to determine what safety means without deference to violent cruel oppression and opposition or organized religions.
Our tenets are based in the right to privacy, bodily autonomy, equal access to education, food, shelter, water and healthcare regardless of status or ability.
Art, science, nature, and philosophy can live in harmony.
In The Church of SALT, we strive for this harmony of diversity without prejudice of form, person, ability, status, or location.
The Church of SALT believes in self-determination for all as well as a society based on equity and justice rather than a society based on autocratic rule, corrupted leaders, antiquated documents, or beliefs, systems, and structures that would oppress one group to benefit another.
Welcome, SALT of the Earth. We have faith in you, your kindness, your goodness, and your willingness to spread love over hate, encourage kindness, and justice.
We believe in life, love and pursuing a just kind world because happiness lies in giving to others not in “having” things, or taking from others.
Suggested church ideas, activities, and rituals include but are not limited to:
Planting and caring for native trees and plants
Making pollinator gardens instead of lawns
Helping your community have better access to health care
Helping clean up toxins, and pollution in the water, land and air
Helping prevent worsening climate change by actively doing what you can to lessen your impact
Pushing for change that lessens the impact of world wide polluters
Defending the natural environment from polluters and destroyers
Sharing food with people
Helping elders, children and people who are suffering by asking them what they need and responding
Sharing extra resources with those who have less
Actively helping unhoused people, victims of trauma, and vulnerable people
Playing and creating music, art, and performances that highlight peace, justice, and love
Performing music and theatre with the idea of including the community
Singing to the top of your lungs for the sheer joy of being able to do it
Making art and sharing it
Making films, media, and content that help promote justice and kindness
Dancing for joy, or for solace
Swimming and floating
Walking in nature
Exercising to celebrate your body’s capacity
Resting your body when you need to rest
Helping others heal
Helping others rest, exercise, make art, play music, sing, dance, walk and swim
Making someone else feel valued
Making spaces that are welcoming and functional to different bodies and needs
Learning about biodiversity, sharing that knowledge
Volunteering regularly to help others in any way you can
Reserving judgement on others who aren’t exactly like you if they aren’t hurting anyone
Protecting vulnerable people from bullies and predators
Fighting against negativity bias by highlighting “solutionary thinking”
Recognizing most questions have many useful answers
Working together against oppression rather than nitpicking about little details and differences provided those difference don’t infringe on human rights
Ritualistically being grateful for being alive, actively practicing gratitude rather than giving into anger
Using righteous anger to fuel change not hatred
Intentional acts of kindness in your community and internationally
We believe an interfaith approach is best when tackling the important issues of human rights but do not endorse any gods or specific tenets of other faiths. We welcome any and all monotheists faiths as well as atheists, humanists, pagans, non-monotheists, witches and agnostics to any gathering, ritual, or activity of our church. Goodness and kindness comes from all kinds of people with all sort of differing beliefs. It's your actions that matter most.
As long as you are inclusive to all- so shall we be to any person who is involved with our church.
May goodness and kindness become as inevitable as the tides of the ocean crashing against the shore full of the SALT of the earth.
