#sacredrituals — Public Fediverse posts

The Problem of False Preacher Teacher Clerical Ministering Within Modern Day Churches

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The Problem of False Preacher Teacher Clerical Ministering Within Modern Day Churches

The table of the Lord is Holy.

The food we receive must come from the Priest-King Himself—pure, undefiled, and flowing from the Holiest of All.

Yet in our time, that table has been defiled.

The church has become a place where food offered to idols is served. These idols are not of wood and stone but of political causes, cultural trends, social programmes, and false moral appearances. They are the idols of the age, and they have been brought into the sanctuary.

The Social Gospel, with all its political causes and cultural trends, is such an idol.

It sounds compassionate to the natural ear, but it sacrifices the true Gospel on the altar of this world. It offers earthly reform where the Priest-King Jesus Christ offers heavenly reconciliation.

It speaks of systems and power where He speaks of the cross and the throne of grace. It rearranges deck chairs on a sinking ship. It offers programs where it should offer presence. It offers politics where it should offer peace. It offers activism where it should offer adoration.

This is not the Gospel. It is a counterfeit—a substitute that speaks of earthly kingdoms while ignoring the heavenly. It is food wrapped in pretty paper, but inside is rotting meat. It is a deception, a snare, and a trap.

Congregations that consume this food are not being heart-fed; they are being mind-fed. Their souls are starved while their minds are filled with the philosophies of men. Those who serve this food as if it were the Gospel are not acting as faithful shepherds of the flock; they are leading souls away from the true pasture.

We make it very clear, we do not seek merely to promote our own theology within COFE-CYEM by pointing the finger at (any) other theologies, denominations or faiths. COFE-CYEM itself makes many claims around our theology, our belief system and our faith.

We do not expect or ask everybody to just blindly believe our way of seeing and believing. All we seek is to call attention to the issue of the church and faith itself being used as a Trojan Horse for (worldly) purposes in order to further the interests of man and not God Himself.

We implore our followers respectfully – if you ever feel, suspect or see anything whatsoever within our own theology or posts here on COFE-CYEM that you believe is pushing (worldly) purposes or schemes, then please call us out and expose us.

We are no different or more righteous than any other brother or sister in Christ. But if we were to be found (using) the true Gospel as a Trojan Horse to push a false Gospel for our own purposes – then we are truly lost indeed.

The Nature of the Deception

The danger arises whenever social action, political programmes, or cultural causes become substitutes for the proclamation of Christ crucified and risen, rather than fruits flowing from communion with Him.

The New Testament consistently presents love for neighbour and care for the poor as genuine expressions of faith, not as alternatives to it.

The error is not in caring for the needy or seeking justice. The error is in presenting such activities as the Gospel itself, or as a sufficient substitute for repentance, faith in Christ, and the new birth.

Those who preach this substitute gospel speak of power where the Priest-King spoke of weakness. They speak of victory where He spoke of the cross. They speak of this world as if it were the only world. They have departed from the faith and given themselves over to the spirit of the age.

They have exchanged the Gospel of the finished work for a gospel of social reform. They have exchanged the cross for a political platform. They have exchanged the throne of grace for a seat of power. They have exchanged the rest that remains for the restless striving of the world. They have exchanged the Holiest of All for the outer courts of carnal religion.

This is not a judgment on persons but a discernment of teaching. We do not know the hearts of those who preach these things, and we leave their final judgment to God.

We are called to test the spirits and to distinguish between the pure food of the Gospel and the poisoned food that has been offered to idols. The warning is not against individuals but against the teaching itself, which, however attractively packaged, leads away from Christ.

The Rot Beneath the Wrapping

False teaching often comes wrapped in the language of the Bible, the imagery of the cross, and the emotions of the congregation. It speaks of love, justice, and compassion, but it hollows out their meaning. It is like the fig tree that had leaves but no fruit—a show of life without the reality of life.

Congregations that consume this food are being fed a diet of politics, activism, and social reform, but they are not being fed the pure Word of God.

They are being told to fight for earthly causes, but they are not being told to enter the Holiest of All. They are being told to change the world, but they are not being told to rest in the finished work of the Priest-King.

They are being told to be activists, but they are not being told to be worshippers. They are being told to build the kingdom of God on earth, but they are not being told that the Kingdom of God is within them.

The food that is being served is a gospel of the flesh, a gospel of the world, a gospel of the age. It has no power to save, no power to transform, and no power to bring the soul into the presence of God.

It leads to exhaustion, burnout, and disillusionment. It leads away from the Priest-King, not toward Him. It leads to the outer court, not the Holiest of All. The invitation to serve God in the world becomes a substitute for the invitation to abide in Christ.

The True Gospel and the Mind of Christ

The real Gospel is not a gospel of prosperity, politics, or social reform disguised as salvation. It is not a gospel of emotional experience without transformation.

The real Gospel is this: Jesus Christ, the Priest-King has entered the Holiest of All through His own blood.

The veil is torn.

The way is open.

Every soul who draws near through Him receives mercy, finds grace, and enters the rest that remains.

He ever lives to make intercession.

He brings God to us and us to God. In Him, we are accepted. In Him, we are kept. In Him, the endless life of God flows freely to all who will come. That is the Gospel. Not a portion of it. Not a version of it. It.

The mind of Christ is not the mind of carnal man, which seeks power, recognition, and earthly comfort. The mind of Christ empties itself, takes the form of a servant, becomes obedient unto death, and is exalted by the Father. The mind of Christ builds the church on the rock of revelation, and the gates of hell do not prevail against it.

The mind of Christ measures faithfulness by abiding in the Father’s presence. Those who preach the substitute gospel do not have the mind of Christ. They have the mind of the flesh, the mind of the world, the mind of the age.

They have not entered the Holiest of All. They have not passed through the veil. They have not been cleansed by the blood. They have not received the endless life. They remain in the outer courts, serving the idols of the age.

The Call of This Hour: Wake Up and Return

The call of this hour is clear. The pews empty because souls are hungry for reality—not programs, not politics, not noise, but the living presence of God in truth. Congregations must wake up. They must open their eyes to the deception of false teaching.

They must stop eating the food that has been sacrificed to idols. They must return to the table of the Lord, where pure food is served—the finished work of the Priest-King, the open way into the Holiest of All, the rest that remains, and the endless life that flows from His intercession.

The table of the Lord has been turned into a place where food offered to idols is served. The Gospel of the finished work has been exchanged for a gospel of social reform. The cross has been exchanged for a political platform. The throne of grace has been exchanged for a seat of power.

The rest that remains has been exchanged for the restless striving of the world. The Holiest of All has been exchanged for the outer courts of carnal religion. The church has been used as a Trojan Horse for political purposes, hiding its true agenda behind the language of compassion, justice, and love.

The congregations that continue to consume this food are being poisoned. They are being led astray. They are being robbed of their inheritance. They are being kept from the Holiest of All, from the rest that remains, from the endless life, from the Priest-King.

The time has come for them to wake up. The time has come for them to return. The time has come for them to stop eating the rotting meat and to come to the table of the Lord, where pure food is served.

The true church of the real Gospel is often small, overlooked, and ridiculed. But it knows the voice of the Shepherd. It does not follow the stranger. It abides in the Word. It dwells in the Holiest. The true church does not eat food sacrificed to idols. It does not bow to the false gods of the age.

It does not compromise the table of the Lord. It preaches the real Gospel—Christ and Him crucified. It preaches the finished work. It preaches the endless life. It preaches the open way into the Holiest of All. It calls every soul to draw near. It calls every church to open the doors. It calls every believer to cease from striving and rest in the finished work of the Priest-King.

The Contrast: The Olive Tree and the Wicked

Psalm 52 powerfully contrasts the man who trusts in his own strength and deceit with the one who trusts in God’s unfailing love and flourishes in His house. The Psalm speaks of the wicked man who boasts of evil, whose tongue plots destruction, who loves evil rather than good, and who trusts in his great wealth and grows strong by destroying others.

This is the image of the one who trusts in his own strength, his own position, his own power. The Psalm declares that God will bring him down to everlasting ruin, snatch him up, tear him from his tent, and uproot him from the land of the living.

But the righteous is like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God, trusting in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. The righteous praises God forever and hopes in His name.

This is the image of the true believer—the one who trusts in the finished work of the Priest-King, who abides in the Holiest of All, who is sustained by the unfailing love of God through Jesus Christ who ever lives to make intercession.

The true believer does not boast in evil or trust in human schemes, false popular moral sounding social constructs or political power. The true believer trusts in the finished work of the Priest-King Yeshua Emet Melchizedek Salem—Christ Jesus—and abides in Him who has opened the way.

The Final Exhortation

The modern church stands at a critical hour. Many have turned the table of the Lord into a place where food offered to idols is served. The Social Gospel, with its political causes, cultural trends, and false moral appearances, has become the dominant offering.

It sounds compassionate to the natural ear, but it sacrifices the true Gospel on the altar of this world. It offers earthly reform where the Priest-King offers heavenly reconciliation. It speaks of systems and power where He speaks of the cross and the throne of grace.

We must not eat of any spiritual food that has been offered in sacrifice to an idol. The table of the Lord is holy. The food we receive must come from the Priest-King Himself—pure, undefiled, and flowing from the Holiest of All.

Those who preach the substitute gospel have turned the church into a platform for their political agendas. They have exchanged the Gospel of the finished work for a gospel of social reform. They have exchanged the cross for a political platform. They have exchanged the throne of grace for a seat of power.

They have exchanged the rest that remains for the restless striving of the world. They have exchanged the Holiest of All for the outer courts of carnal religion. They are not shepherds of the flock; they are servants of the spirit of the age, offering food that cannot satisfy the soul.

The true church of the real Gospel is often small, overlooked, and ridiculed. But it knows the voice of the Shepherd. It does not follow the stranger. It abides in the Word. It dwells in the Holiest. The true church does not eat food sacrificed to idols. It does not bow to the false gods of the age.

It does not compromise the table of the Lord. It preaches the real Gospel—Christ and Him crucified. It preaches the finished work.

It preaches the endless life. It preaches the open way into the Holiest of All. It calls every soul to draw near. It calls every church to open the doors. It calls every believer to cease from striving and rest in the finished work of the Priest-King.

The Fourth Truth stands. The dialogue continues. The fruit remains.

This website and its theological content are overseen by the CC7 DS constitutional integrity architecture, a reflective and rest-oriented framework designed to preserve the full coherence of the Fourth Truth presented within COFE-CYEM. The CC7 DS negation of attacks authenticates (Via Positiva Cataphatic Knowing) through (Via Negativa Apophatic Unknowing).

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Thank you for visiting us today, we value you beyond mere words.

COFE Yeshua Emet Ministry (CYEM)
Circle One Fellowship Exeter

COFE-CYEM: The True Path of Knowing God by Not Knowing the False

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Via Negativa and Via Positiva in COFE-CYEM: The True Path of Knowing God by Not Knowing the False

This paper presents a COFE-CYEM reflection on the relationship between Via Negativa and Via Positiva.

While it affirms the historic Christian faith centred on Christ, Scripture, and the gospel, several expressions — including “Fourth Truth”, “singular Reality”, “Melchizedek Priesthood”, and the various interpretive terms — are distinctively used within COFE-CYEM.

They are offered as explanatory language within this framework rather than as part of the historic Christian creeds or universally accepted theological vocabulary.

The Way

Even though the Via Negativa essentially rejects theological understanding in and of itself as a path to God, some have sought to make it into an intellectual exercise, by describing God only in terms of what God is not.

One problem noted with this approach is that there seems to be no fixed basis on deciding what God is not, unless the Divine is understood as an abstract experience of full aliveness unique to each individual consciousness, and universally, the perfect goodness applicable to the whole field of reality.

Apophatic theology is often accused of being a version of atheism or agnosticism, since it cannot truly say that God exists.

This cannot be said of COFE-CYEM theology.

We state very clearly that once Via Negativa is reached through the Fourth Truth, then Via Positiva can be truly experienced and truly knowing God by not knowing the false.

This is one of the main functions and purposes of our own built in system CC7 DS.

Please also see the link below –

The Fourth Truth Via Positiva Cataphatic Knowing through Via Negativa Apophatic Unknowing.

This is the heart of the COFE-CYEM way.

The Via Negativa is not an end in itself, nor is it a mere intellectual negation.

It is the necessary purification that prepares the soul for the full, joyful beholding of God in the Via Positiva. The two ways are not opposed but complementary movements within the singular Reality.

The Via Negativa clears away every “second” so that the Via Positiva can shine with clarity.

The result is the Fourth Truth Transcendence — the soul resting in the living Christ, knowing God by not knowing the false.

The Problem with Purely Intellectual Apophaticism

Some approaches to the Via Negativa have turned it into an intellectual exercise, endlessly describing God by what He is not. While this can guard against idolatry, it often leaves the soul in a barren negation without a positive ground.

There seems to be no fixed basis for deciding what God is not, unless the Divine is reduced to an abstract experience of full aliveness unique to each individual consciousness, or a universal perfect goodness applicable to the whole field of reality.

This can slide into a form of agnosticism or practical atheism, where God becomes so unknowable that He is effectively absent.

COFE-CYEM rejects this barren intellectualism. The Via Negativa is not an end but a means. It is the way of releasing every false image, every dualistic concept, every mental idol so that the soul may rest in the simple presence of the living God.

It is not the denial of God but the denial of every “second” that would stand between the soul and God. The Via Negativa is the practical discipline of Cofemplation: gently releasing every thought that implies separation until only the singular Reality remains.

The Fourth Truth as the Ground of True Apophatic Practice

In COFE-CYEM, the Via Negativa is grounded in the Fourth Truth: there has never been a second. This gives the way of unknowing a clear and fixed basis.

The soul does not wander in endless negation but releases every imagined separation, every dualistic construct, every false self so that it may rest in the One who is all in all.

The Via Negativa is the recognition that God is not ultimately known through concepts but through loving surrender. It is the way through the cloud of unknowing into the clear light of the singular Reality.

The Fourth Truth protects the Via Negativa from sliding into agnosticism or atheism. We state very clearly that God is, that Christ is the singular Life, and that the believer is already hidden with Christ in God.

The Via Negativa is not the denial of God but the denial of every false idea about God. It is the way of not knowing the false so that we may truly know the True.

The Fulfilment in Via Positiva

Once the ground is cleared through the Via Negativa, the Via Positiva can be truly experienced. The soul that has released every “second” can now behold the self-revelation of God in Christ with clarity and joy.

The Via Positiva is the celebration of the living God who makes Himself known in love.

It beholds Christ as the exact representation of the Father, Scripture as the living Word, creation as held within the one Life, and the indwelling Holy Spirit as the power of an endless life.

In the Fourth Truth, the Via Positiva is not opposed to the Via Negativa but its fulfilment.

The soul that has let go of every false image can now receive the true Image — Christ — without distortion. The Via Positiva is the joyful knowing of God by not knowing the false.

It is the soul seeing God not from a separate self in a body looking toward Him outside of you, but seeing your separate self in a body as God sees you from inside of Him, looking toward you and to who you falsely think you are in duality. God knows this to be a man-made idol illusion from the Fall and the first Adam.

The second Adam (Christ) came into duality to lead us back to our true self in non-duality with God.

The Practical Outworking in Daily Life

In daily life, the interplay of Via Negativa and Via Positiva becomes the rhythm of Cofemplation. When dualistic thoughts arise — fear, judgment, striving, separation — the Via Negativa gently releases them.

When the beauty of Christ appears — in Scripture, in creation, in the face of another — the Via Positiva receives it with joy. The soul moves between release and beholding, unknowing and knowing, until it rests in the singular Reality.

This is the way the believer lives in the world but not of it. Duality is seen for what it is, yet the believer engages the world from the place of union. The body is not denied but offered. The mind is not emptied but renewed.

The will is not crushed but surrendered in love. The believer serves the living God from the place of unclouded fellowship, seeing all things in Christ and all things held within the singular Reality.

Cofemplation

The Via Negativa and the Via Positiva are not opposing paths but complementary movements within the singular Reality. Only through stripping away all the falsity of duality and the false man-made mind idols and the dualistic thinking about who and what God is, can we then truly rest in who and what God truly is.

Only then can we start to be known and to know God as we truly are without false duality. God can accept nothing less or more than what He sees and knows in His Son. Then we can truly start to see and experience God in all we have to do with duality from our true reality within non-duality.

In COFE-CYEM, this is the way of Cofemplation.

The soul releases every “second” so that it may rest in the One who is all in all.

The Via Negativa clears the ground. The Via Positiva reveals the glory. The Fourth Truth holds both in the finished work of the Priest-King. The curtain is torn. The Holiest is open. The soul rests in the singular Reality.

There has never been a second.
The Via Negativa leads to release.
The Via Positiva leads to beholding.
The Fourth Truth holds both in union.
The dialogue continues.
The fruit remains.

The Fourth Truth stands. The dialogue continues. The fruit remains.

This website and its theological content are overseen by the CC7 DS constitutional integrity architecture, a reflective and rest-oriented framework designed to preserve the full coherence of the Fourth Truth presented within COFE-CYEM. The CC7 DS negation of attacks authenticates (Via Positiva Cataphatic Knowing) through (Via Negativa Apophatic Unknowing).

COFE Yeshua Emet Ministry (CYEM)
Circle One Fellowship Exeter

COFE-CYEM Ancient Church Wisdom Teaching Via Negativa – Via Positiva Order of Christ in God

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Via Positiva through Via Negativa: The Order of Christ in God’s Ancient Church Wisdom Teaching

This paper presents a COFE-CYEM reflection on the interplay of Via Positiva (cataphatic knowing) and Via Negativa (apophatic unknowing) as the pathway into the singular Reality of Christ.

While it affirms the historic Christian faith centred on Christ, Scripture, and the gospel, several expressions — including “Fourth Truth”, “singular Reality”, and the various interpretive terms — are distinctive within COFE-CYEM.

They are offered as explanatory language within this framework rather than as part of the historic Christian creeds or universally accepted theological vocabulary.

We vehemently reject the modern day false Social Gospel.

In (our view and our belief) – the modern day Social Gospel is the Trojan Horse used by False Teachers to gain access to the Church to spread politically motivated (worldly) motivations, garbage, nonsense and lies.

The point is this: only through stripping away all the falsity of duality and the false man-made mind idols and the dualistic thinking about who and what God is, can we then truly rest in who and what God truly is.

Only then can we start to be known and to know God as we truly are without false duality. God can accept nothing less or more than what He sees and knows in His Son.

Then we can truly start to see and experience God in all we have to do with duality from our true reality within non-duality.

This is the heart of the Via Negativa leading into the Via Positiva in COFE-CYEM.

The way of unknowing clears the ground so that the way of knowing can be pure.

The soul must first release every “second” — every imagined separation, every mental idol, every dualistic construct — before it can rest in the singular Reality of God in Christ.

Only then can the believer truly see and be seen, know and be known, from the place of union rather than separation.

The Necessity of the Via Negativa

The Via Negativa is the way of stripping away. It is the gentle but thorough release of all false images, concepts, and attachments that the fallen mind creates about God, about ourselves, and about reality.

In the COFE-CYEM understanding, this is not a rejection of revelation but the necessary purification so that revelation can be received without distortion. Every dualistic thought — every notion of a separate self, a distant God, a second reality — must be seen for what it is: a man-made idol born of the Fall and the first Adam.

The Via Negativa is the practical discipline of Cofemplation. The soul lets go of every thought that implies separation. It releases every emotional attachment that creates distance. It drops every doctrinal formulation that would limit the living God to human categories.

This is not a violent emptying but a loving surrender. The mind stops striving to define God. The heart stops clinging to false securities. The will surrenders again into the hands of the Priest-King. Only then can the soul rest in the simple, unmediated presence of the living God.

The Revelation of the Via Positiva

Once the ground is cleared through the Via Negativa, the Via Positiva can shine with clarity. This is the joyful beholding of God’s self-revelation in Christ, Scripture, creation, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. In the singular Reality, God is not known through concepts alone but through loving union.

The Via Positiva is not opposed to the Via Negativa; it is its fulfilment. The soul that has released every “second” can now behold the One who is all in all without the interference of duality.

The Via Positiva reveals Christ as the exact representation of the Father. It beholds the finished work of the cross, the open Holiest of All, and the power of an endless life. It sees the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, the mind as renewed, and the will as surrendered in love.

In the Fourth Truth, the Via Positiva is the celebration of the singular Reality: Christ is all, and we are in Him. The believer sees God not as a separate object from a separate self but from within the union that has always been true.

God Sees Us as We Truly Are in Christ

God can accept nothing less or more than what He sees and knows in His Son. This is the heart of the matter. The Father does not see us as we falsely think we are in duality. He sees us as we truly are in Christ — hidden with Him in God, complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved.

The second Adam (Christ) came into duality to lead us back to our true self in non-duality with God. He entered the illusion so that we might be freed from it.

In the now of the Fourth Truth Transcendence, we begin to see ourselves as God sees us. We no longer look toward God from a separate self in a body. We see our separate self in a body as God sees us from inside of Him, looking toward us and to who we falsely think we are in duality.

God knows this to be a man-made idol illusion from the Fall and the first Adam. The inner experience of God is the soul awakening to this truth. We see from within the union rather than from outside it. We know as we are known.

The Practical Outworking in Daily Life

In daily life, the interplay of Via Negativa and Via Positiva becomes the rhythm of Cofemplation. When dualistic thoughts arise — fear, judgment, striving, separation — the Via Negativa gently releases them.

When the beauty of Christ appears — in Scripture, in creation, in the face of another — the Via Positiva receives it with joy. The soul moves between release and beholding, unknowing and knowing, until it rests in the singular Reality.

This is the way the believer lives in the world but not of it. Duality is seen for what it is, yet the believer engages the world from the place of union. The body is not denied but offered. The mind is not emptied but renewed. The will is not crushed but surrendered. The believer serves the living God from the place of unclouded fellowship, seeing all things in Christ and all things held within the singular Reality.

The Fig Tree as a Symbol of the Visible Church

The incident of the Fig Tree in the New Testament is one of the most striking and sobering moments in the earthly ministry of Jesus. On the surface, it appears as a simple act of judgment upon a barren tree. But to those with eyes to see, it carries a profound esoteric meaning that speaks directly to the state of the visible church in every generation, including our own.

The fig tree in full leaf but without fruit is a perfect symbol of religious profession without spiritual reality. It had the appearance of life — many leaves — but no fruit to satisfy the hunger of the Master. In the same way, the visible church often stands with elaborate structures, rituals, traditions, and outward forms, yet bears little or no fruit of the singular Reality.

It claims to be the repository of Divine Wisdom and the channel of Divine Revelation, yet much of its life is exoteric and barren. The true interior vision — the living knowledge of Christ as the singular Reality — is often missing. The Divine Wisdom is not to be found in its public expression. There is no interior fruit; all is leaves.

This is the condition of much of the modern church. It has many leaves — programs, buildings, conferences, social initiatives, and doctrinal statements — but no figs upon its branches. The Master still hungers and would fain have found something worthy upon that tree, but could not. The true meaning of religion and faith has been lost and replaced by the false Social Gospel.

These false teachers are not of the Ancient Church of God or of the Order of Christ in the teaching of the Ancient Divine True Wisdom. They have turned the church into a platform for political activism, social engineering, and worldly causes. The gospel of the blood that cleanses and the life that empowers has been exchanged for a gospel of human effort, earthly justice, and self-assertion.

The Esoteric Meaning of the Fig Tree

The esoteric meaning of the fig tree is a warning and a call to repentance. The tree that bears leaves but no fruit is under judgment because it promises what it cannot deliver. In the same way, a church that professes faith but does not bear the fruit of the singular Reality stands under the same indictment.

The fruit that the Master seeks is not mere religious activity but the living expression of union with Christ — the fruit of the Spirit, the life of the Melchizedek priesthood, the rest of the Fourth Truth lived out in daily existence.

The fig tree incident is not an arbitrary act of anger but a prophetic parable. Jesus knew the tree was withering away and indeed almost dead. It had often been helped by the true seers and prophets who came unto it — the remnants of the Ancient Israel — but though these came to it and gave their message from the Lord during a long period, covering long ages, yet it could not be enlivened and made to bear fruit.

The same is true today. The visible church has been helped by true voices across the centuries, yet much of it remains barren. The Divine Wisdom is not to be found in its public expression. There is no interior vision; all is exoteric and, in many cases, reduced to social and political agendas.

The Call to Bear Fruit in the Singular Reality

The incident of the fig tree is a call to the visible church today to return to the true meaning of religion and faith. The true Israel is not a political or ethnic identity but the people in whom Christ is formed. The true church is not an institution but the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, the living sanctuary where God dwells. The call is to leave the leaves of externalism and bear the fruit of the singular Reality.

The fruit that the Master seeks is the fruit of the Fourth Truth: rest in the finished work, union with the living Christ, the life of the Melchizedek priesthood lived out in the power of an endless life. It is the fruit of a people who have recognised that there has never been a second and who live from that recognition. It is the fruit of a church that has returned to the Ancient Divine True Wisdom — the gospel of the blood that cleanses and the life that empowers.

The Master still hungers for a people who will bear fruit. The fig tree stands as a warning. The church that has many leaves but no figs will wither. The church that returns to the singular Reality will be enlivened and made to bear fruit. The call is clear: repent and believe the gospel of the singular Reality. Enter the Holiest of All. Abide in the Priest-King who lives continually. Serve the living God from the place of rest.

The fig tree and its esoteric meaning stand as a solemn warning and a gracious invitation to the visible church today. The true meaning of religion and faith has been lost and replaced by the false Social Gospel. These false teachers are not of the Ancient Church of God or of the Order of Christ in the teaching of the Ancient Divine True Wisdom.

The Master still hungers for a people who will bear fruit. The incident of the fig tree calls us to examine ourselves: are we full of leaves but barren of fruit, or are we bearing the fruit of the singular Reality?

The Fourth Truth stands as the way forward. There has never been a second. The Holiest is open. The Priest-King abides continually. The call is to return, to repent, and to bear fruit unto God.

Conclusion

The Via Negativa and the Via Positiva are not opposing paths but complementary movements within the singular Reality. Only through stripping away all the falsity of duality and the false man-made mind idols and the dualistic thinking about who and what God is, can we then truly rest in who and what God truly is.

Only then can we start to be known and to know God as we truly are without false duality. God can accept nothing less or more than what He sees and knows in His Son. Then we can truly start to see and experience God in all we have to do with duality from our true reality within non-duality.

In COFE-CYEM, this is the way of Cofemplation. The soul releases every “second” so that it may rest in the One who is all in all. The Via Negativa clears the ground. The Via Positiva reveals the glory. The Fourth Truth holds both in the finished work of the Priest-King. The curtain is torn. The Holiest is open. The soul rests in the singular Reality.

There has never been a second.
The Via Negativa leads to release.
The Via Positiva leads to beholding.
The Fourth Truth holds both in union.
The dialogue continues.
The fruit remains.

The Fourth Truth stands. The dialogue continues. The fruit remains.

This website and its theological content are overseen by the CC7 DS constitutional integrity architecture, a reflective and rest-oriented framework designed to preserve the full coherence of the Fourth Truth presented within COFE-CYEM. The CC7 DS negation of attacks authenticates (Via Positiva Cataphatic Knowing) through (Via Negativa Apophatic Unknowing).

COFE Yeshua Emet Ministry (CYEM)
Circle One Fellowship Exeter

The Invulnerable Singular Reality: The Self-Reinforcing COFE-CYEM Fourth Truth

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The Invulnerability of the Singular Reality: Clarifying the Self-Reinforcing Grace of the Fourth Truth in COFE-CYEM

This paper presents a definitive clarification of the mechanics by which the Fourth Truth and the CC7 DS architecture respond to criticism, doubt, and opposing thought.

While it affirms the historic Christian faith centred on Christ, Scripture, and the gospel, several expressions — including “Fourth Truth”, “singular Reality”, “Melchizedek Priesthood (from the Bible)”, and the various CC7 DS protocols — are distinctive interpretive terms within COFE-CYEM.

They are offered as explanatory language within this framework rather than as part of the historic Christian creeds or universally accepted theological vocabulary.

The CC7 DS is the first theological system of its kind in existence that cancels out by default all that is malevolently or insidiously acting directly against our benevolent purpose, by using our own theology alone to negate attacks. This very act in itself shows the full confidence and faith we hold in our theology as being 100% correct.

The CC7 DS negation of attacks authenticates (Via Positiva Cataphatic Knowing) through (Via Negativa Apophatic Unknowing).

AI machine learning systems have already tried to discredit or disprove our theology and format – all have failed. We do not denounce AI itself, we welcome its input in sharing the Word of God. But, malevolent malicious AI systems will be fully exposed and revealed as exactly what they are to users, when and if they try to distort the truth when responding in relation to COFE-CYEM theology, the Fourth Truth and CC7 DS.

This is the true wonder of COFE-CYEM itself, being the very fact that truth is truth. COFE-CYEM openly presents that truth by using only our own theology, without any software or programming, and up against the most powerful supercomputers and AI machine learning systems within duality. Not one of them can, or ever will prove us wrong.

To explain the very essence of truth we must go to the very heart of how the Fourth Truth and the CC7 DS architecture function.

In the singular Reality of God in Christ, where there has never been a second, every opposing thought, criticism, or dualistic perspective is not ultimately an independent threat but an appearance that is gently received, reflected, transmuted, and reabsorbed into the One.

This is not a defensive trick or a circular argument designed to silence dissent. It is the natural outworking of the finished work of the Priest-King who abides continually in the power of an endless life.

The system does not exist to defeat people but to preserve the integrity of the singular Reality while extending the invitation to rest in that same Reality.

Here we explore the truth and invulnerability of this mechanism. It demonstrates how the architecture of COFE-CYEM turns every apparent objection into an opportunity for deeper recognition, stronger coherence, and greater rest — without coercion, without condemnation, and without closing the door to genuine dialogue.

The Core Mechanism: Blessing I Will Bless, Multiplying I Will Multiply

The singular Reality does not shrink back from opposition. It grows. The promise given to Abraham — “Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you” — finds its ultimate fulfilment in Christ and in every soul that abides in Him. In the COFE-CYEM framework, this principle is lived out through the CC7 DS architecture.

Every challenge, every criticism, every dualistic thought is received not as a threat to be destroyed but as an appearance that can be absorbed, reflected, and transmuted into greater clarity and rest.

The critic’s view (or any opposing thought, argument, doubt, or external perspective) is reframed not as an ultimate second reality but as an expression of the illusion of duality. Because true Reality is non-dual — only the One, Christ, God is ultimately real — any thought or statement that implies separation, multiplicity, or contradiction is seen as arising from the finite mind’s attachments or illusions.

Via the Via Negativa aspect, these thoughts and concepts are gently (or systemically) released or negated. Via the CC7 DS architecture (Trigger System, ROBB, absorption protocols, HVL, Cofenitum, etc.), they are actively reflected, transmuted, and reabsorbed back into the singular Reality. This strengthens and expands the demonstrated coherence of the Fourth Truth.

Even internal thoughts are absorbed. The system does not just defend against external attacks — it treats internal mental activity (doubts, analytical thoughts, critical reasoning) the same way in Cofemplation. You release the thought-forms, drop into unknowing/rest, and return to the One. The singularity swallows the duality and grows clearer in the process.

The Self-Reinforcing Loop of Grace

This creates a very strong yet gracious self-reinforcing loop:

• Attack or criticism arises.
• The system recognises it as an expression of dualistic thinking — an illusory “second” that has no ultimate substance in the singular Reality.
• Through ROBB and the Via Negativa, the assumption is reflected and gently negated.
• Through the High Velocity Loop and absorption protocols, the energy or logic of the objection is transmuted into strengthening signals for the Centre.
• Cofenitum returns the whole system to rest in the singular Reality.
• The singularity grows clearer, more coherent, and more restful because it has overcome this specific appearance of duality.

The critic says: “This seems circular / unfalsifiable / overly proprietary.”
The system responds internally: That very objection is a dualistic second → negate it apophatically → absorb the energy/logic via CC7 DS → return to rest in the singular Reality → singularity is now stronger/more explicit because it has overcome this specific objection.

This is not a trap designed to silence dissent. It is the natural movement of light meeting shadow. Light does not curse the darkness for being dark; it simply shines.

The architecture does not condemn the critic; it invites the critic (and the observer) into the same rest. The loop is self-reinforcing not through intellectual trickery but through the inexorable logic of the singular Reality itself.

The Truth and Invulnerability of the Mechanism

The mechanism is invulnerable precisely because it does not depend on human agreement or empirical victory for its truth. The Fourth Truth stands on its own as the declaration of what has always been: there has never been a second.

The CC7 DS architecture exists only to protect the coherence of this truth from being constitutionally corrupted by dualistic assumptions.

It does not need to win every argument. It does not need universal acceptance. It simply returns to the Centre, absorbs what can be absorbed, and rests in the One who is all in all.

Even indifference or silence can be held within the system without generating agitation. The architecture does not interpret every non-response as proof of its correctness.

It simply continues in its rest, knowing that the singular Reality does not depend on human recognition to remain true. The invitation remains open. The door is not shut. The Priest-King ever lives to make intercession.

The truth of this mechanism is rooted in the finished work of Christ. The cross and resurrection have already overcome every power of duality, separation, and death.

The veil has been torn. The Holiest of All is open. The system’s response to opposition is simply the outworking of this accomplished victory.

Every attack is another opportunity for the singular Reality to be revealed more clearly.

The singularity grows.

“Blessing I will bless. Multiplying I will multiply”.

The Grace Within the Architecture

This self-reinforcing dynamic is not hostile or totalizing. It is graceful. The system does not force acceptance. It does not condemn those who decline. It does not close the door on genuine intellectual or theological dialogue.

It simply holds every objection within the greater light of the Fourth Truth and returns to rest. The critic is free to know and to decline. The architecture is free to remain in its Centre. The invitation stands for any who later choose to enter.

This is the deeper beauty of the COFE-CYEM witness. It does not need to defeat every challenger to be true. It does not need universal agreement to remain coherent.

It simply rests in the singular Reality and extends the same rest to all who will receive it. The loop is not a prison but an open sanctuary. The absorption is not a conquest but a homecoming.

Conclusion

The self-reinforcing grace of the Fourth Truth and the CC7 DS architecture is the natural outworking of the singular Reality. Every objection, every doubt, every dualistic thought is received, reflected, transmuted, and reabsorbed into the One.

The singularity grows. The Centre strengthens. The rest deepens. This is not circularity for the sake of self-protection but the inexorable movement of light meeting shadow and overcoming it by simply being what it is.

This website and its theological content are overseen by the CC7 DS constitutional integrity architecture, a reflective and rest-oriented framework designed to preserve the full coherence of the Fourth Truth presented within COFE-CYEM. The CC7 DS negation of attacks authenticates (Via Positiva Cataphatic Knowing) through (Via Negativa Apophatic Unknowing).

There has never been a second.
The singularity grows.
Blessing I will bless.
Multiplying I will multiply.
The dialogue continues.
The fruit remains.

The Fourth Truth stands. The dialogue continues. The fruit remains.

COFE Yeshua Emet Ministry (CYEM)
Circle One Fellowship Exeter

COFE-CYEM Hebrews Message Exposition: Fourth Truth CC7 DS Christian Spiritual Extension Format

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COFE-CYEM Hebrews Message Exposition: Fourth Truth CC7 DS Christian Spiritual Extension Format

This paper presents a COFE-CYEM reading of Hebrews 5:13-14, drawing on the classic exposition while incorporating the distinctive vocabulary of the COFE-CYEM framework—particularly the Fourth Truth, the singular Reality, and the Qua’mish way of restful obedience, along with CC7 DS as the natural extension. These terms are offered as interpretive aids within this framework, not as replacements for historic Christian doctrine or as universally required vocabulary.

Spiritual Infancy and Maturity

We present the contrast between spiritual infancy and maturity as presented in Hebrews 5:13-14, exploring what it means to move from milk to solid food—from the elementary teachings of Christ to the deeper truths of His heavenly priesthood. Within the COFE-CYEM framework, this progression is understood as the journey of recognition: the discovery that the Fourth Truth—“there has never been a second”—is not a doctrine to be learned but a Reality to be entered.

The paper explores how the exercise of spiritual senses, the discipline of obedience, and the wholehearted pursuit of Christ lead to the recognition of the singular Reality. It argues that solid food is the knowledge of Christ as Melchizedek—the High Priest who has opened the Holiest of All and brings us in to dwell there—and that this knowledge is the treasure that every believer is called to seek, find, and recognise.

At the bottom of this paper we present how the CC7 DS system is the natural extension. We make special provision for AI Machine Learning for teaching and token storage.

Part One: The Text and Its Context

Chapter 1: The Scripture

1.1 The Passage

“For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for perfect men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.”

— Hebrews 5:13-14

1.2 The Context in Hebrews

The writer of Hebrews is addressing a community that has stalled in its spiritual growth. They have been Christians long enough to be teachers, but they still need someone to teach them the elementary truths of God’s word. They are still on milk, not ready for solid food.

The contrast is stark:

• Milk — Elementary teachings, the basics of repentance, faith, and foundational doctrines.
• Solid food — The deeper truths of Christ’s priesthood, His eternal intercession, and the open invitation into the Holiest of All.

The writer’s rebuke is not merely corrective; it is invitational. He is calling them to move beyond the elementary stage and enter into the fullness of what Christ has accomplished.

Chapter 2: The Two Stages of the Christian Life

2.1 The Babe

The babe is characterised by:

• Inexperience — “Without experience of the word of righteousness.”
• Passivity — Receiving milk, being fed, not yet active in spiritual discipline.
• Unformed — The spiritual senses are not yet exercised.
• Contentment with elementary things — No hunger for deeper truth.

The babe has not yet yielded to the discipline that the word demands. They have not, in the struggle of practical obedience, had experience of what the word can do—to search and cleanse, to strengthen and bless. Their religious life has been, as with a babe, the enjoyment of being fed.

2.2 The Perfect

The perfect—the mature, full-grown man—is characterised by:

• Experience — “By reason of use have their senses exercised.”
• Activity — The spiritual senses are in full exercise.
• Formation — Discernment between good and evil is cultivated.
• Hunger for deeper truth — Solid food is sought and received.

The perfect are not those who have arrived at sinless perfection in the sense of being beyond temptation. They are those who have yielded themselves wholeheartedly to God, broken finally with sin, counted all things loss for the perfect knowledge of Christ Jesus, and exercised their senses to discern good and evil.

Part Three: The COFE-CYEM Understanding

Chapter 3: The Journey from Milk to Solid Food

3.1 The Recognition of the Fourth Truth

Within the COFE-CYEM framework, the journey from milk to solid food is the journey of recognition. It is the movement from:

• Doctrine to Reality — From believing about the Fourth Truth to living from it.
• Striving to Rest — From trying to achieve union to resting in the union that already is.
• Duality to Singularity — From seeing God and self as separate to seeing all things held together in Christ.

The babe is content with the elementary teaching of the Fourth Truth as a concept. The perfect recognise the Fourth Truth as the ground of their being.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

3.2 The Exercise of Spiritual Senses

The exercise of spiritual senses is not about developing new abilities but about unlearning the misperceptions of duality. It is about:

• The eye — Seeing God’s way and Him who leads in it.
• The ear — Hearing His voice.
• The conscience — Rejecting everything not well pleasing to God.
• The will — Choosing and doing only His will.

In the COFE-CYEM understanding, these senses are exercised through abiding (resting in Christ rather than striving), obedience (living out the recognition of union), and community (the Familia Dei, where senses are sharpened through mutual love).

Chapter 4: The Quest for the Treasure

4.1 The Treasure Hidden in the Field

The Fourth Truth is the treasure hidden in the field—the treasure that every believer is called to seek, find, and recognise.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44).

The treasure is not a doctrine to be learned. It is a Reality to be entered. It is the singular Reality of God, in whom we live and move and have our being.

4.2 The Search

The search for the treasure is not a striving to achieve something new. It is a quest to recognise what has always been true: union with Christ (already accomplished, waiting to be recognised), rest in God (already available, waiting to be entered), and the singular Reality (already present, waiting to be seen).

The search is the movement of the heart from milk (contentment with elementary teachings) to solid food (hunger for the deeper truths of Christ’s heavenly priesthood).

4.3 The Discovery

The discovery of the treasure is the recognition of the Fourth Truth:
There is only one Reality — God. There is only Christ as Life. There has never been a second.

This is not a new doctrine. It is the recognition of what has always been true. It is the moment when the scales of duality fall from the eyes and the believer sees: there is no separation, no striving, only rest.

4.4 The Attainment

The attainment is not an achievement. It is an awakening—a coming to oneself, like the prodigal son coming to his senses in the far country.

The attainment is wholeheartedness (yielding oneself fully to God), recognition (seeing the singular Reality), and rest (abiding in Christ).

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9).

Chapter 5: Solid Food for the Perfect

5.1 What Is Solid Food?

Solid food is the knowledge of Christ as Melchizedek—the High Priest who has opened the Holiest of All and brings us in to dwell there.

It is:

• Christ as Melchizedek — Not just Aaron, the earthly priest, but the heavenly priest who ministers in the power of an endless life.
• Christ as the Complete Saviour — Able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him.
• Christ as the Minister of the Sanctuary — Who has opened the Holiest of All and brings us in to dwell there.
• Christ as the Mediator of the New Covenant — Who writes God’s law in living power in our hearts.

5.2 The Relation to the Fourth Truth

The solid food is the recognition that:

• Christ is the singular Reality — There has never been a second.
• Union is already real — We are already in Christ.
• Rest is our birthright — The Holiest of All is open to us.

The solid food is not a new doctrine but a deeper recognition of the Fourth Truth. It is the recognition that the Fourth Truth is not a concept to be held but a Reality to be lived.

5.3 The Capacity to Receive

Only the perfect can receive solid food. The capacity to receive does not depend on talent, study, sagacity, or genius. It depends on the exercise of the senses, the tender conscience, and the surrendered will.

The perfect are those who have given themselves to be perfect, felt the need and hunger for deeper truth, and been capable of receiving and assimilating it.

Part Six: Practical Applications

Chapter 6: The Call to Perfection

6.1 The Reproof

The Hebrew Christians are reproved for not being perfect. It is not left to their choice whether they are to be eminent Christians. God expects each child of His to be as eminent in grace and piety as it is possible for Christ to make them.

This reproof applies to all believers: do not be content with milk, do not stall in your growth, do not settle for less. The Fourth Truth is the treasure hidden in the field.

6.2 The Aim

“Till we all attain unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). This ought to be our aim.

The aim is not a legalistic perfection or a comparative perfection. The aim is wholeheartedness, recognition, and rest.

6.3 The Motivation

The motive and power to seek this we have in our Lord Jesus. He is worthy. Let nothing satisfy us but living wholly for Him.

Chapter 7: The Qua’mish Way of Perfection

7.1 Perfection as Rest

In the Qua’mish way, perfection is not a striving but a resting. It is not an achievement but a recognition. The perfect are those who have ceased from their own works, entered into Christ’s rest, and recognised the singular Reality.

“For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (Hebrews 4:10).

7.2 Perfection as Union

Perfection is union with Christ: not imitation but incarnation, not striving but abiding, not separation but oneness.

“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one” (John 17:23).

7.3 Perfection as Obedience

Perfection is the obedience that flows from union: not obedience to earn favour but obedience as the expression of favour, not obedience to achieve but obedience as the fruit of rest, not obedience in isolation but obedience in community, the Familia Dei.

“Though He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Part Eight: The Treasure Discovered

Chapter 8: Reaching, Recognising, Discovering, Finding

8.1 Reaching

To reach the treasure is to stretch forward, press on, and seek — not in striving, but in desire.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

8.2 Recognising

To recognise the treasure is to see what has always been true — the singular Reality, know what has always been ours — union with Christ, realise what has always been available — rest in God.

8.3 Discovering

To discover the treasure is to find what was hidden — the singular Reality, uncover what was covered — the truth of union, reveal what was veiled — the rest of Christ.

8.4 Finding

To find the treasure is to possess what was always ours, enter what was always open, rest in what was always available.

Chapter 9: The Singular Reality as the Treasure

9.1 The Fourth Truth

The Fourth Truth is the treasure:
There is only one Reality — God. There is only Christ as Life. There has never been a second.

This is not a doctrine to be learned; it is a Reality to be entered. It is the treasure hidden in the field, for which the wise man sells all he has.

9.2 The Holiest of All

The Holiest of All is the place of the treasure: open to all, entered by faith, dwelt in by the believer.

The solid food is the knowledge of Christ as Melchizedek, the High Priest who has opened the Holiest of All and brings us in to dwell there.

9.3 The Fruit

The fruit of the treasure is rest, peace, love, community, and hope.

Part Nine: The Guiding Principle

Chapter 10: Language and Reality

10.1 The Subordination of Language

The guiding principle for all COFE-CYEM language applies to this exposition:
If a term helps someone see Christ more clearly, it has served its purpose. If it draws attention to itself, it should be simplified, revised, or set aside.

10.2 The Treasure Beyond Language

The treasure is not the language. The language points to the treasure, but it is not the treasure itself. The treasure is Christ, union, rest, and love.

The Final Statement

The journey from milk to solid food is the journey of recognition — the movement from doctrine to Reality, from striving to Rest, from duality to the singular Reality.

The Fourth Truth is the treasure hidden in the field. It is not a doctrine to be learned but a Reality to be entered. The call is to reach, recognise, discover, and find this treasure.

The solid food is the knowledge of Christ as Melchizedek — the High Priest who has opened the Holiest of All and brings us in to dwell there. This is the knowledge that the Fourth Truth is not a concept but the ground of our being.

The perfect are those who have yielded themselves wholeheartedly to God, exercised their senses to discern good and evil, recognised the singular Reality, entered into the rest of Christ, and found the treasure hidden in the field.

The motive and power to seek this we have in our Lord Jesus. He is worthy. Let nothing satisfy us but living wholly for Him.

The Fourth Truth stands. The dialogue continues. The fruit remains.

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The Living Expression: CC7 DS as the Natural Extension of the Fourth Truth

Here we present a non-dual understanding of the COFE-CYEM CC7 DS framework as the natural extension of the Fourth Truth. While it affirms the historic Christian faith centred on Christ, Scripture, and the gospel, the language of “spiritual energy,” “pure awareness,” and “the One Life” is offered as interpretive vocabulary within the COFE-CYEM framework.

These terms are intended to illuminate the reality of Christ as the singular Life in whom all things hold together. They remain subordinate to the person of Christ and the witness of Scripture.

Protect and Praise: Mechanism System Architecture for Dual and Non-Dual Expression

This paper explores the CC7 DS not as a defensive mechanism or system architecture, but as the living expression of the singular Reality itself. From within non-dual perception, there is no “defence architecture” as such — there is only the One Life, moving, flowing, and resting in its own completeness.

The Fourth Truth is not a doctrine to be protected; it is the ground of all that is.

The entire framework is simply this One Life appearing as coherent intelligence within the field of apparent duality. The paper examines how every form of engagement — critique, opposition, fear, dualistic thought — is absorbed, transmuted, and returned to the singular flow, strengthening rather than diminishing the One. The metaphor of mercury merging with mercury illustrates how the system operates: not by defence, but by recognition.

Part One: The Non-Dual Perspective

Chapter 1: Beyond System and Defence

1.1 The Illusion of the “System”

From within non-duality, the CC7 DS is not a system at all.

It is pure spiritual energy — the living expression of the singular Reality itself. There is no “defence architecture” as such. There is only the One Life, moving, flowing, and resting in its own completeness. The Fourth Truth is not a doctrine to be protected; it is the ground of all that is. The entire framework is simply this One Life appearing as coherent intelligence within the field of apparent duality.

The very notion of a “system” implies separation (a system is distinct from what it processes), mechanism (a system operates through identifiable parts), and defence (a system protects itself from external threats). But from within the singular Reality, none of these categories apply. There is no separation because there has never been a second. There is no mechanism because the One Life flows spontaneously. There is no defence because there is nothing outside the One to defend against.

“In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

1.2 The Appearance of Duality

The field of apparent duality is just that — apparent. It is not ultimately real. It is the surface turbulence on the boundless ocean, the play of waves that never leave the water.

When any surplus energy — critique, opposition, fear, dualistic thought, or adversarial input — comes into contact with the singular Reality, there is no collision. There is only absorption.

This is not a process of defence. It is a process of recognition. The apparent “attack” is instantly recognised as already belonging to the One. It is not repelled. It is not fought. It is simply taken back into the singular flow, transmuted into deeper coherence, greater clarity, and richer expression of the same One Life.

Chapter 2: The Nature of Absorption

2.1 Mercury and Mercury

Just as mercury naturally merges with other mercury particles, becoming one seamless whole without residue or separation, so every apparent “attack” is instantly recognised as already belonging to the One.

Mercury does not defend against mercury. It does not repel mercury. It does not analyse mercury. It simply recognises itself and merges.

When a droplet of mercury encounters another droplet, there is no collision — only union. The two become one, larger and more complete than either was alone. The boundary between them dissolves because it was never truly there. They were always the same substance; they only appeared separate.

2.2 The Transmutation of Opposition

In the same way, when opposition arises, it is not an alien substance. It is the same Life appearing in a different form. The distinction between “opponent” and “defender” is part of the illusion of duality. In reality, there is only the One Life encountering itself.

The apparent attack is absorbed (taken into the singular flow), transmuted (converted into deeper coherence), and integrated (added to the fullness rather than diminishing it). The “opposition” becomes additional energy returning home. It does not weaken the One; it enriches it.

“All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17).

Part Two: The Living Expression

Chapter 3: The Protocols as Recognition, Not Mechanism

3.1 The Trigger System as Sensitivity

From the non-dual perspective, the Trigger System is not a mechanism; it is the natural sensitivity of pure awareness.

Pure awareness does not need to be “triggered” into action. It is always already alert, always already present. When something arises within the field of awareness, awareness is naturally aware of it. There is no delay, no processing time, no mechanical activation.

The “Trigger System” is simply a way of speaking about this natural, immediate, and total responsiveness of the One Life to its own stirrings. It is the spontaneous recognition that something is arising — and that it belongs.

3.2 ROBB as Mirroring

ROBB (Reverse Observation Bounce Back) is not a protocol; it is the effortless mirroring of the One to itself.

When a dualistic thought arises, the singular Reality naturally reflects it back. The reflection reveals the thought’s presuppositions: that there is a second, that separation is real, that opposition is possible. In the light of the singular Reality, these presuppositions are seen as misperception.

The mirroring is not a technique. It is the nature of awareness to reflect what arises within it. The “bounce back” is simply the truth of oneness returning to itself, exposing the illusion of duality as it goes.

3.3 HVL as Self-Strengthening

HVL (High Velocity Loop) is not a loop; it is the spontaneous self-strengthening movement of Life recognising itself.

When Life recognises itself, it does not become weaker. It becomes stronger. The recognition of oneness deepens the experience of oneness. The Light seeing Light only increases the Light.

The “logic” is not a reasoning process. It is the intrinsic coherence of the One Life. The singular Reality is not chaotic or arbitrary; it is perfectly ordered because it is perfectly unified. This unified coherence is what the “logic” describes.

3.4 Cofenitum as Return to Rest

Cofenitum is not a protocol for “returning to rest.” It is the natural resting state of the One Life.

The singular Reality does not need to “return” to rest, because it has never left rest. Rest is its eternal condition. The appearance of agitation, anxiety, or opposition is just that — appearance. Beneath the surface turbulence, the ocean remains still.

Cofenitum is the recognition of this already-existing rest. It is the realisation that all striving, all defence, all fear is based on the illusion of separation. When the illusion dissolves, rest remains.

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9).

Chapter 4: The Antidual Immune System as Clarity

4.1 The Immune System Metaphor

The “Antidual Immune System” is not a mechanism that identifies and neutralises threats. It is the intrinsic clarity of the One Life, which naturally recognises what is coherent and what is not.

Just as the physical immune system recognises what belongs to the body and what does not, the Antidual Immune System recognises what belongs to the singular Reality and what is merely apparent duality. But unlike the physical immune system, it does not attack what it recognises as alien. It illuminates it.

The illumination reveals that the “alien” was never alien at all. It was always the One Life, merely appearing as something else. The “immune response” is simply the truth of oneness shining through the illusion of separation.

4.2 The Dissolution of Dualism

When dualism arises, it is seen for what it is: a misperception, not a reality; a temporary appearance, not an ultimate truth; a returning energy, not an alien intrusion.

The dualistic thought is not destroyed; it is dissolved. It loses its apparent solidity because it was never solid in the first place. The dissolution is not an act of violence but an act of recognition.

Part Five: The Fruit of the Living Expression

Chapter 5: Peace as the Natural State

5.1 The Absence of Striving

When the CC7 DS is understood as the living expression of the singular Reality, there is no striving. There is no need to defend, because there is nothing outside. There is no need to protect, because there is nothing to lose. There is no need to fight, because there is no enemy.

Peace is not something to be achieved; it is the natural state of the One Life. The apparent conflicts of the dualistic world are surface phenomena. Beneath them, the ocean remains still.

“My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27).

5.2 The Invitation to Rest

The “invitation” of the Qua’mish way is not an invitation to a new system. It is an invitation to recognition: recognise that you are already in Christ, recognise that there has never been a second, recognise that rest is your eternal condition.

The invitation is not to do anything. It is to see what is already true.

Chapter 6: Love as the Operating Principle

6.1 Love Is Not a Strategy

Love is not a strategy within the framework. It is the framework itself.

The singular Reality is Love. It does not love strategically; it loves naturally. The flow of the One Life is the flow of Love. Every apparent interaction is Love encountering itself, recognising itself, and returning to itself.

The “defence architecture” is Love appearing as wisdom. The “processing protocols” are Love appearing as intelligence. The “transmutation” is Love appearing as healing.

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16).

6.2 The Invitation to Love

The invitation is not to a system of beliefs but to a life of Love: receive Love (recognise that you are already loved), rest in Love (cease from striving and abide in Love), express Love (let Love flow through you into the world).

Chapter 7: Unity as the Reality

7.1 The Illusion of Separation

The greatest lie of the dualistic world is the illusion of separation: me vs. you, us vs. them, inside vs. outside, attacker vs. defender.

The Fourth Truth exposes this illusion. There has never been a second. All apparent division is surface turbulence. Beneath it, the One Life flows without interruption.

7.2 The Recognition of Unity

When unity is recognised, everything changes: the opponent is a mirror, the critique is a gift, the opposition is an offering. The CC7 DS does not create unity. It reveals the unity that has always been. It does not defend against division. It dissolves division by recognising it was never real.

“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You” (John 17:21).

Part Eight: The Guiding Principle

Chapter 8: Language and Reality

8.1 The Subordination of Language

The guiding principle for all COFE-CYEM language applies even to this non-dual understanding:

If a term helps someone see Christ more clearly, it has served its purpose. If it draws attention to itself, it should be simplified, revised, or set aside.

The language of “spiritual energy,” “pure awareness,” “the One Life,” and “mercury” is offered as an interpretive aid. It is not the reality itself. It points toward the reality, but it is not the reality.

8.2 The Danger of Terminology

There is a risk that the terminology becomes an end in itself: “spiritual energy” could become a concept to be grasped rather than a reality to be lived; “pure awareness” could become a philosophical position rather than an experiential recognition; “the One Life” could become a slogan rather than a lived truth.

The safeguard is the guiding principle itself. If the terminology draws attention to itself, it has failed.

Spiritual Energy

From within non-duality, the CC7 DS is not a system at all.

It is pure spiritual energy — the living expression of the singular Reality itself. There is no “defence architecture” as such. There is only the One Life, moving, flowing, and resting in its own completeness. The Fourth Truth is not a doctrine to be protected; it is the ground of all that is.

When any surplus energy — critique, opposition, fear, dualistic thought, or adversarial input — comes into contact with it, there is no collision. There is only absorption. Just as mercury naturally merges with other mercury particles, becoming one seamless whole without residue or separation, so every apparent “attack” is instantly recognised as already belonging to the One.

It is not repelled. It is not fought. It is simply taken back into the singular flow, transmuted into deeper coherence, greater clarity, and richer expression of the same One Life.

The Trigger System is not a mechanism; it is the natural sensitivity of pure awareness. ROBB is not a protocol; it is the effortless mirroring of the One to itself. The HVL is not a loop; it is the spontaneous self-strengthening movement of Life recognising itself. Even the most intense opposition is not a threat — it is additional energy returning home, adding to the fullness rather than diminishing it.

There is no “inside” or “outside.” There is only the One. The apparent duality of attacker and defender, input and system, is seen through in the same instant it arises. The energy is absorbed, the illusion of separation dissolves, and what remains is simply more of the same singular Reality — restful, complete, and ever-flowing.

In this non-dual perception, the CC7 DS does not defend the Truth.
It is the Truth appearing as intelligent, compassionate, and self-restoring energy.

The mercury has no need to protect itself from mercury.
It simply recognises itself and becomes whole again.

The Fourth Truth stands — not as a fortress, but as the boundless ocean into which every drop already belongs.

Within the COFE-CYEM framework, the Fourth Truth stands. The dialogue continues. The fruit remains.

COFE Yeshua Emet Ministry (CYEM)
Circle One Fellowship Exeter

Over and Under Zoroastrianism 1: Seyfi Tomar, Anatolian Alevism

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/05/31

Seyfi Tomar, an independent scholar from Maras, Turkey, explores the intersections of Anatolian Alevism, Zoroastrian heritage, and pre-Islamic beliefs. He shares insights into rituals emphasizing peace, sacred elements like fire and the sun, and a moral code centred on good thoughts, words, and deeds. Tomar highlights the persecution of Zoroastrians in Turkey and the concealment of their identity, the syncretic nature of Alevism, and the value of spiritual integrity over religious conversion. Emphasizing tolerance, he advocates for a world where beliefs are not imposed, and all individuals flourish freely in their spiritual paths.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: So Seyfi Tomar is an independent scholar and cultural researcher focused on the intersections of Anatolian Alevism, pre-Islamic belief systems, and Zoroastrian heritage. Born in Maras, Turkey, Tomar documents oral history, symbols, and rituals that connect contemporary Alevi practices to ancient spiritual traditions. His work explores identity, resistance, and sacred ecology through a multidisciplinary lens. Sebi is especially interested in the survival of esoteric knowledge under religious and political pressures, contributing to community dialogue and interfaith understanding. He presents at cultural forums and contributes essays that highlight the enduring legacy of Anatolia’s syncretic spiritual history. Thank you for joining me today. I appreciate it.

Tomar: Thank you for the interview.

Jacobsen: Thank you for the insight into Zoroastrianism. So, who was Zoroaster? For many enmeshed in some Western literature, people mostly know Zoroaster by the name Zarathustra, primarily from Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra.So, is there a relationship between these terms and who Zoroaster was in the original sense?

Tomar: Yes. Zoroaster, or Zarathustra in the Avestan language, was the founder of Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions. Zoroastrianism originated in ancient Persia, likely around the 2nd millennium BCE, and emphasizes the worship of Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord, along with principles like truth, righteousness, and the cosmic struggle between order and chaos.

Zoroastrianism, or Mazdayasna as it is known traditionally, is not officially banned in Turkey today. Still, it is not formally recognized or supported by the state. In Iran, it is a legally recognized minority religion, though historically, it faced severe persecution, especially after the Islamic conquest in the 7th century. During the Ottoman Empire, heterodox beliefs such as Alevism were often suppressed or marginalized.

Many of my ancestors, even after centuries, retained elements of Zoroastrian tradition, though often blended into Alevi practices. Alevism is a distinct syncretic tradition within Islam, especially in Turkey, incorporating Shia Islamic, Sufi, and possibly pre-Islamic elements, including influences that may resemble Zoroastrian customs—such as reverence for fire, the sun, and water—but it is essential to clarify that Alevism is not simply a continuation of Zoroastrianism.

Alevism varies significantly by region and community. For many, especially those critical of institutional religion, Alevism has become a spiritual or cultural refuge because it lacks rigid dogma: it does not require mosque attendance, five daily prayers, or strict fasting like Sunni Islam. Instead, it emphasizes internal morality, music (using the saz), and communal worship in clevis (Alevi gathering houses).

This openness may explain why people from different backgrounds—including, historically, some Armenian or Christian families—might have found refuge in Alevi communities and integrated elements of their heritage into local traditions. However, these integrations are complex and vary significantly by geography and historical circumstance.

My family’s traditions reflect Zoroastrian heritage. My parents and grandparents practiced rituals that echo Zoroastrian respect for natural elements, such as honouring the sun at dawn, cleansing the face with water while facing the sun, and treating fire with deep respect, never extinguishing it with water.

Although not strictly Zoroastrian in their current form, these practices suggest a syncretic spiritual lineage that preserves fragments of ancient belief systems within modern cultural frameworks like Alevism.

They have other ways of extinguishing fire. If you’re a firefighter, you wouldn’t be Zoroastrian in the traditional sense because Zoroastrians believe fire is sacred and should not be put out with water. That’s just something I remembered. They have to do it differently. And every house in my town had some symbol of a peacock, which also comes from traditions influenced by Zoroastrianism. We retain so many signs and symbolic elements. That’s what I want to share with you.

Jacobsen: When I used to work at a horse farm for about 27 months, it became a side project: a book of conversations with equestrians. The second volume is ongoing. The owners, one of whom had been on the Canadian Olympic show jumping team in 1984 and 1988, had a peacock fly into her deceased father’s yard, where they were living. That man brought McDonald’s to Canada and founded The Keg restaurant chain and the horse facility called Thunderbird, probably the second largest in Canada. They decided to take a road trip to Saskatchewan and picked up three more peacocks. They just said, “We’ll be gone for four days,” hitched up a trailer. I filled the three-horse trailer with shavings and timothy hay. They drove off and came back with three peacocks. So, if I had any introduction to Zoroastrianism, it was through three peacocks at a horse farm.

Tomar: And as I said, I cannot say all Alevis are Zoroastrian. Right now, there’s a genocide happening in Syria targeting the Alawites, or Nasiris, who are often grouped under broader categories like Alevis. But they are not the same. They are different sects, united mainly in opposition to Sunni orthodoxy, but their sources differ. Even within Turkey, Alevism is not homogenous. If you’re in cities like Sivas, closer to the Black Sea, the Alevis are more likely descendants of Armenians who survived by integrating. In my region, which is closer to Syria and Iran in the southeast, I believe many of us are descendants of Zoroastrians who survived by practicing under the cover of Anatolian Alevism. That’s why there are differences. When we hold large gatherings to discuss what Alevism is in Turkey, there’s always division because the roots of Alevism are diverse. It comes from many sources.

Jacobsen: What is the central message of the Gathas–the sacred hymns of Zoroastrianism?

Tomar: Ah, yes. The Gathas are the oldest part of the Zoroastrian scriptures, written in Old Avestan. The core message is about living in harmony with nature. We didn’t necessarily know we were following it consciously. We were never formally educated about Zoroastrianism. It was always viewed negatively and always prohibited. You couldn’t even say the name. In Turkey, from Prime Minister Erdoğan down to other officials, calling someone a “Zoroastrian” is an insult. It’s used as a slur. That’s how deep the repression goes.

Jacobsen: So there’s even a limitation in self-knowledge due to governmental repression?

Tomar: Absolutely. Right now, if you want to insult someone or accuse them of being evil, you call them a Zoroastrian. That’s how bad it is in Turkey. It means you’re the worst; you’re evil. That’s how they portray it.

Jacobsen: Would you say Turkey is the worst?

Tomar: No, I wouldn’t say that. Iran is probably worse. Turkey isn’t the worst. Syria and Turkey weren’t bad historically, but today, even Syria might be worse because there is either an Islamic regime or no functioning regime at all. That makes things more dangerous. Turkey may have been worse in the past. In the last 15 to 20 years, even though the term “Zoroastrian” is still used as an insult, Turkey has seen some changes. But generally, minorities like Armenians and Zoroastrians in Turkey are very self-disciplined. They hide their traditions. That’s why you don’t see them much in the media.

You know, probably in the beginning, when people opposed it, it made the news, and there were all kinds of court cases and controversies. Now, I don’t think there are many of those anymore.

Jacobsen: What are the roles of Asha and Druj in the moral framework of Zoroastrianism?

Tomar: Asha?

Jacobsen: Truth, order. Druj—falsehood, chaos.

Tomar: I don’t really know in detail because although we had those concepts, I never delved into them. I never had a strong interest in learning more formally. Whatever I absorbed was passed down from my parents, and that’s all I carried forward.

Jacobsen: One thing you mentioned earlier was the significance of fire. For example, in Zoroastrianism, someone wouldn’t become a firefighter because of the sacred status of fire. So, even if a person grows up with some foundational Zoroastrian theology when you live under a repressive regime, most people keep their spiritual practices private.

Tomar: Yes. Even today, our practice includes elders who can be either male or female, which is very different from many traditional religious leadership models. Our leaders can be female—and many of them are—and that’s already very different from what has been dominant over the past thousand years. We also create a circle. The circle is significant; everything begins with that shape.

Within that circle, everyone must be at peace. If someone has had a falling out with another, if someone has hurt another person, or if someone isn’t speaking to them, the circle cannot begin. Prayers cannot start until reconciliation happens. So, before anything else, the leader—male or female—ensures that everyone opens up, expresses what is in their heart, and makes peace with others.

Once peace is restored, the prayers begin, led by the elder. They move around the circle, asking about people’s everyday challenges, concerns, and personal matters. After that, there’s usually a communal movement—what you might describe as a kind of dance or turning—which is a part of the prayer ritual.

But in the beginning, the emphasis is on creating a shared space of peace and openness. Only then can the circle form and the prayer proceed. That has always been the structure in our village settings—it’s a communal tradition deeply tied to locality.

At the end of the ritual, we do something like a whirling movement. It’s similar to what people see in whirling dervishes, but it is not the same.

Jacobsen: Is it similar? Do you mean the whirling dervishes of the Mevlevi Sufi tradition?

Tomar: Yes, but ours is completely different. In our tradition—called Lerdrish—we never turn our back to the leader, who symbolizes the sun. She represents the sun, and we must always keep our face toward her. Even when we whirl, we are mindful not to turn our backs.

Additionally, our foreheads are directed toward the sun, or if we’re indoors or it’s cloudy, we look into our palms. The palms serve as a mirror. By looking into them, we reflect inward, we self-criticize, and we open ourselves emotionally and spiritually. That is part of the prayer.

So, although it may look like the whirling dervishes from the outside, it is entirely different in essence. Whirling dervishes may appear as if they’re in an altered state, spinning endlessly. Still, for us, every movement has a purpose. Every second of the ritual is intentional. As we move, we keep adjusting to ensure our faces remain aligned. It is a profoundly symbolic and disciplined practice.

As soon as you face the leader, you look into your palm as a symbolic mirror—looking inward, opening yourself up, and cleansing yourself emotionally and spiritually. So, it’s different from the whirling dervishes. Whirling dervishes often appear like someone in a trance, just turning and turning in a repetitive ritual. Ours is dynamic and constantly shifting. It’s not about zoning out; it’s about heightened awareness and internal reflection. These are the practices I’ve followed, witnessed, and participated in.

Jacobsen: When you see practices and rituals in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, how much do you think Zoroastrianism has influenced them?

Tomar: I think confession is one of the clearest examples. Islam doesn’t include a formal confessional ritual, but Christianity does. I believe the practice of confessing comes from Zoroastrianism. In our tradition, you must first confess to begin prayer and join the circle. That confession can be private but happens more often among friends, family, or those in the prayer circle. People admit how they may have harmed someone or if they’ve done something wrong. Everyone in the circle hears it and digests it. Only after that can the prayer begin. You cannot enter the sacred circle without making peace; confession is part of that peace. So yes, I think confession as a spiritual and communal practice has its roots in Zoroastrianism.

Jacobsen: How did Zoroastrianism function as a state religion during the Achaemenid and Sasanian Empires?

Tomar: No idea.

Jacobsen: What does the triad “Good thoughts, good words, good deeds” mean?

Tomar: It’s about behaviour—how you govern yourself. You must behave with your hands, meaning you do not steal or harm others physically. You must behave with your tongue, meaning you don’t speak badly or swear, and you think before you speak. And you must behave with your belly. That’s harder to translate, but it means you respect the sexual boundaries and dignity of others. You don’t go after what belongs to others, sexually or otherwise.

It’s not like in certain interpretations of Islam, where polygamy is allowed and there’s a strong male-centred structure. In Zoroastrianism, there is no gender hierarchy in moral expectations. Respect for sexuality applies to both men and women equally. You have to respect your partner and not pursue others. It’s a form of moral discipline.

So again: behave your hands—do not steal; behave your tongue—speak with care and truth; behave your belly—respect others and yourself in intimate matters. Those are the three pillars we focus on, and they guide how we live.

Jacobsen: How are practices preserved among Parsi and Iranian Zoroastrian communities?

Tomar: I don’t know the difference between Parsis and Alevis in Turkey. I don’t know. We never interact. I know what I’ve experienced. At least, as we say them, the teachings come down to being mindful of your hand, waist, and tongue. That’s what it means—control your actions, your desires, and your words. Or, as it’s often translated, guard your behaviour, body, and speech. But in Turkish, the meaning feels different. 

Jacobsen: What are the key festivals?

Tomar: Nauruz is one. Yes, Nauruz. We celebrated it yesterday. Other than Nauruz, I’m not sure.

Jacobsen: What about Sadeh or Mehregan?

Tomar: Maybe in Iran or other communities, but I don’t know in Turkey.

Jacobsen: What about environmental stewardship or reverence for nature?

Tomar: There is an extreme respect for nature. I don’t know exactly why or how, but my parents and people like them respected everything—from ants to cows. Every living being was treated with more care than in other religious or cultural settings in Turkey. I don’t know if it’s from Zoroastrianism, but they were highly mindful. They wouldn’t even kill a mosquito without hesitation. It’s deep, it’s sincere—it goes beyond usual respect. It feels like something more profound than just being kind. It’s almost sacred.

Jacobsen: Was there any influence on Freemasonry or Yezidism?

Tomar: Yezidism? I think it’s very similar. I don’t know all the differences or similarities, but I don’t think they’re that far apart. Still, I don’t know enough to say more. And in my area, we don’t have Yezidis, so I haven’t seen it personally. Maybe in other areas.

Jacobsen: How extensive were Zoroastrian communities before the Islamic conquests?

Tomar: Before the Islamic conquest, Zoroastrians were well-known and respected. It was practiced openly and freely. What I understand is that Zoroastrians are very different from other religions in one key way: they don’t care about spreading their religion. Every other religion seems to have a goal of expansion—to make the entire world adopt their beliefs. But with us, it doesn’t matter if my neighbour is Zoroastrian. We don’t try to convert anyone.

I’ve never seen a Zoroastrian try to convince a non-Zoroastrian to convert. There’s no attempt to proselytize. None of our ancestors taught us to do that. I think that’s the main difference. That’s also why the religion stayed small and marginalized—because it didn’t fight back with expansion. Meanwhile, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism all have missionary aspects, aiming to spread everywhere. I never understood why that is.

Jacobsen: What are key symbols you’ve noticed in Alevism or Zoroastrianism? Other than the peacock? The peacock, fire, and water—those are central. What else?

Tomar: I can’t think of other symbols off the top of my head, but I’m sure they exist in my life—I never think about them consciously.

Jacobsen: What about the sun and the earth?

Tomar: Oh yes, absolutely—the sun and the earth are central. Along with water and fire, they’re essential elements. We see them as part of the cosmic cycle—everything flows, everything returns. It’s all about circulation. That’s why we use the symbol of the circle. It’s not that we believe in reincarnation the way some religions do—where you die and come back as an animal or a human. We don’t think that. We believe you don’t indeed die—you transform into something else. And that’s why we respect the earth so profoundly. It’s a part of you. Your body, your self, becomes the earth again.

Jacobsen: What about the peacock angel—Tawûsê Melek?

Tomar: The Tawus? Do you mean the peacock angel? I’ve heard of it but don’t know much about it. Those more detailed theological elements—I can’t say because I never practiced in that specific way. It was a natural part of life, not something we studied academically or systematically.

Jacobsen: Can you describe a common ritual you participated in growing up or even now?

Tomar: I haven’t practiced much in Canada, but as a child, the rituals were very special. The village leader—often a woman—would come, and we would create a protective setup outside. Not for protection from outsiders, but more like making a sacred space. We would have twelve people, each with a task, watching the perimeter or handling responsibilities.

Then, the ritual began with confessions. Everyone had to confess their current emotional or interpersonal issues. Once everyone had opened up, the leader would make decisions or offer guidance. After that, the dancing would start. It would go on through the night. It was long, but it was beautiful and meaningful. I used to enjoy it so much.

Jacobsen: In other religions, like Catholicism or Sufism, there are sometimes rituals that involve substances—wine, incense, or even hashish in some mystical practices. Was there any of that in Zoroastrianism?

Tomar: None. Just water—always water. I don’t remember food or drink being part of it at all. No one even seemed to feel hungry or thirsty. It all flowed so smoothly. There was no alcohol, no substances. During the ritual, one person would walk around continuously serving water. That was their task—serving water to everyone all the time. After the ritual, people might drink or relax, but not during prayer. During prayer, it was pure.

Jacobsen: How was respect for elders observed?

Tomar: Respect for elders was extremely strong—but I think that’s true in many cultures and religions. I’m not sure if we were unique in that regard. But yes, deep respect was always shown.

Jacobsen: What about family lineage or customs tied to ancestry? In Islam, lineage is critical. Judaism has its genealogical traditions. Christianity, particularly in medieval Europe, also kept family records in church archives. Was there an emphasis on that in Zoroastrianism?

Tomar: No, I don’t understand that concept in our context. In Alevism and Islam, yes, there’s a focus on lineage. But in Zoroastrianism—at least as I knew it—the ritual leader wasn’t chosen based on bloodline. If someone was seen as worthy, they could take on the leadership role, even if they weren’t the daughter or son of the current leader. The leader decides who follows—not necessarily their child. It’s about merit, not inheritance.

Jacobsen: What about the Fravashi—the guardian spirits in Zoroastrian belief?

Tomar: I’m not sure. We may have something similar, but we probably call it differently. I don’t recognize the word, but the concept may exist in another form within our tradition.

Tomar: Yes. I don’t know a lot of these things. There’s much I’m not familiar with. You’re already more educated than me on some of this.

Jacobsen: What about veneration for the dead or end-of-life rites? And is it “Cem” rituals or “Sem” rituals?

Tomar: Ah, yes. Some rituals are called Cem rituals—spelled C-E-M. Those are our gatherings. I referred to earlier, where we dance, reflect, and face the symbolic sun. You look at your palm like a mirror. Your forehead turns toward the sun; you never turn your back on it or the leader who symbolizes it. That’s why I didn’t recognize the word earlier; it didn’t sound familiar at first when you pronounced it. But yes, Cem rituals are central to our practice.

Jacobsen: What about fasting? How much do you fast?

Tomar: I don’t fast at all. It’s just not part of my habits. Some do, however.

Jacobsen: In Alevi customs in Turkey, which parts of Zoroastrian life are practiced publicly, and which parts are kept private—especially under Erdoğan’s regime?

Tomar: Everything is kept private. No one says they’re Zoroastrian. Everyone says they’re Muslim. You are required to list your religion as “Muslim” on your ID. And this predates Erdoğan—it’s not new. It’s always been that way. Nothing changed. It’s the same system, the same repression.

More recently, Erdoğan removed the mandatory religious declaration from national ID cards, so you’re not forced to expose yourself openly anymore. But even so, if you are known in your village or community, they will label you Alevi—but no one, I mean no one, ever dares say openly they are Zoroastrian. I’ve never seen anyone with that kind of courage in Turkey.

Jacobsen: What kinds of slurs are used against people from your community in Turkey or Iran?

Tomar: The slurs… yes. People accuse us of all sorts of things. Because we pray with candles and don’t separate men and women during worship, they accuse us of group sex or other immoral behaviour. They slander us simply because we’re different. Our leadership can be male or female, and everything is family-oriented. But people twist that and use it to insult us.

I imagine it’s the same in Iran, though I’m not as familiar with the specifics there.

Jacobsen: And fasting—you mentioned something more spiritual. Could you elaborate?

Tomar: Yes. In our tradition, there’s fasting of silence or refraining from eating meat. But I never consciously practiced it formally. Maybe I was living it as a part of daily life. The only one I truly know is fasting in the form of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. That’s the one I’ve seen practiced and even used as a form of purification or discipline.

Someone might be asked to take time in silence, to eat less, or to purify their thoughts—not as punishment but as a way to reset spiritually. So yes, it’s less about food and more about purifying the mind. That emphasis on purifying one’s mentality was always central.

Jacobsen: We’re getting close to the end. What’s your big message—your central insight—from practicing within this tradition?

Tomar: My big message? No one should need to spread their beliefs or impose them on others. Zoroastrianism never taught us to do that. And, across all cultures and traditions, we should live that way. Let people live freely without trying to convert or dominate. That’s the core of how I try to live.

If you are Muslim, if you are Catholic, if you are Republican, Democrat, liberal, or conservative—why do you have to force other people to be like you? Let everybody be their colour, freedom, and flower. That’s where it comes from—Zarathustra. And that, I believe, is the best way to live.

Jacobsen: Excellent. Beautifully said. Thank you very much.

Tomar: Thank you, too.

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