Koreshanity
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Koreshanity is the set of religious/scientific beliefs put forth by Cyrus Teed. Followers of this belief were called "Koreshans", and most of them formed a utopian communal society called the Koreshan Unity.
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Major Beliefs
The major beliefs of Koreshanity or Koreshan Universalogy, as put forth in the many writtings of Cyrus Teed and his followers are:
- Cellular Cosmogony, which is Teed's unique form of Hollow Earth theory which puts forth the idea that the Earth, and universe are contained within a concave sphere, or 'cell'. The Koreshans even conducted several experiements, similiar to those conducted by believers in a Flat Earth. The most well known was conducted on the beach of Naples (the Koreshan Geodetic Survey of 1897), a town south of the Koreshan Unity commune at Estero, Florida. Here is the discription of the earth from Cellular Cosmogony:
"The sun is an invisible electro-magnetic battery revolving in the universe's center on a 24-year cycle. Our visible sun is only a reflection, as is the moon, with the stars reflecting off seven mercurial discs that float in the sphere's center. Inside the earth there are three separate atmospheres: the first composed of oxygen and nitrogen and closest to the earth; the second, a hydrogen atmosphere above it; the third, an aboron atmosphere at the center. The earth's shell is one hundred miles thick and has seventeen layers. The outer seven are metallic with a gold rind on the outermost layer, the middle five are mineral and the five inward are geologic strata. Inside the shell there is life, outside a void."
- Reincarnation, the belief that we are reborn.
- immortality, the belief we would not die. (of course, if we don't die, how can we be re-incarnated?).
- celibacy, the belief of abstaining from any sexual conduct, which they felt was a scientific method to obtain immortality. (however, during the early years of the Unity, Teed was accused of engaging in affairs with his many female members)
- communism, the community lived communally, with everyone sharing in the work without being paid. This began with the first commune in Chicago, leading to them moving to Estero and building their "New Jersualem".
- alchemy, which was an area that Teed had experiemented in for years.
Koreshan dualism
Koreshan triune
Major Works of Koreshanity
- Cyrus Teed Cellular Cosmogony, or, the Earth a Concave Sphere. Originally published in 1905, later reprinted in 1975. Gives the 'scientific' proofs of a concave earth, and details of their Naples experiement.
- Cyrus Teed Immortal Manhood. Published in 1902, details the relationship of man with God. The work, along with Cellular Cosmogony, are considered the pivotal works in Koreshan teachings.
- A.W.K. Andrews. The Identification of Israel. 1882. Gives the basis for their beliefs in reincarnation and its importance in building their "New Jerusalem"
- Koreshan Foundation. Koreshanity: the New Age Religion. 1971. A fairly recent reprint of 4 works by Teed and J. Augustus Weimar. Covers their beliefs in reincarnation, male-female duality of God, messianic prophecy, and more.
- Ulysses Morrow. Scientific Experiements on Lake Michigan. 1899. Details their first experiements to prove a concave sphere.
External links
- Koreshan State Historic Site (http://www.floridastateparks.org/koreshan/default.asp), official web page.
- Unofficial Koreshan State Historic Site (http://koreshan.mwweb.org/), unofficial web page.
- American Communal Utopias and The Koreshan Unity: A Bibliography (http://faculty.mansfield.edu/skaspere/Restricted/koreshan.html) Brief overview and great bibliography of works, if slightly dated.
- Turning the Universe Inside-Out: Ulysses Grant Morrow's Naples Experiment (http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/hollow/morrow.htm) Examination of the Naples Experiement, and why it failed.
- The Startling Testimony of Plumb-Lines (http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/hollow/morrow1.htm) Earlier experiements of Ulysses Grant Morrow
- Catherine A. Anthony Ohnemus- Dr. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshan Unity Movement (http://koreshan.mwweb.org/teed_kshs.htm)
- Biography of Cyrus Reed Teed (http://koreshan.mwweb.org/teed.htm)
