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Wayism is an early inter-faith philosophical movement that trace its roots back to at least the time of King Melchizedek. Wayists hold that a so-called 'golden thread' of truth is weaved throughout many religions. The various so-called 'Wayist religions' are therefore understood to be different cultural expressions of the same Truth. The study of that 'golden thread' would be the study of Wayism. Embracing any Wayist religion with the understanding that there are other, equally valid, Wayist religions as well – is Wayism.

An often quoted Wayist aphorism is: “Many paths, one Way”. This explains the principle of the 'golden thread, the single Truth weaved throughout the various religious paths. Whether any particular religious path qualifies as a Wayist path or not is decided by the Wayist Council. During the course of the past three thousand years, Wayism was expressed in various different cultures. The main Wayist paths are:

* Philosophical Taoism - is called The Way. The central Scripture of Taoism is the Tao Teh Ching, which can be translated as 'The Way and its Virtue'.

* The Bhagavad Gita - propounds a Wayist form of Hinduism as three possible paths (yogas) one can follow, depending on one's inclination. If combined, these paths are known to become The Way. The Yogic paths are: -The Path of Mysticism and Philosophy (Jnana Yoga) -The Path of Action (Karma Yoga) -The Path of Meditation (Raja Yoga) -The Way of Devotion (Bhakti Yoga is religious devotion. Combine Bhakti with the other three paths and we are following The Way)

* Mahayana - Gautama Buddha founded The Great Way movement of Buddhism which is also called The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering, and also the Middle Way.

* In more recent history, the Jesus movement was called The Way and Wayist Teachers (the so-called three wise men from the East) took care of the holy family and Jesus' education and training. Jesus' Wayist movement flourished in 1st century Persia, Northern India and Western China, giving rise to the original pre-Christian era Church of the East. The original Church of the East situated in Kashmir, India trace their beginnings to St. Thomas the Apostle and his Wayist teachings in the year 45CE. They include Mary Magdalene as a Saint and Mother of the Church.

Inter Faith Dialogue
Wayism is essentially an inter-faith dialogue that acknowledges most religions as valid expressions, and professes the existence of a 'golden thread', a single truth, weaved through most religions and whatever outside of that thread of truth are superfluous additions. Lately (in the past millennium) a mystic Islamic path was allowed into the Wayist fold. Wayists maintain a collection of Scripture sometimes referred to as The Eastern Bible or the Wayist Bible. This collection is dynamic in the sense that Traditions add their particular books but the foundation always include at least the following books: Bhagavad Gita, Tao Teh Ching, Acts of Yesu, Acts of Thomas, Book of Thomas, Book of Wisdom. Some Wayist Bibles include the Lotus Sutra and Avalokitesvara sutras or Upanishads.

Due to continued religious intolerance and violence in the Srinagar / Kashmir area various institutions associated with the international Wayist movement relocated to Europe and North America during the past few years.

Fictional Wayism
Writers of the Andromeda TV Series tapped into Wayism's inclusiveness and ancient history to bring it into the series - freely changing facts and adding their own fiction.

The Wayism of the TV series was founded by the "Anointed", a Magog prophet who amalgamated a number of Human philosophies and religions after spending time talking with a human holy man he had just infested with his larva. Consequently, Wayists refer to "Saint Jesus", "Saint Buddha", etc.

Andromeda Wayists are led by the successors to the Anointed, an office called the "Keeper of the Way".

The Andromeda Wayist clergy are divided into several 'orders':
 * Merciful Breath - charity workers
 * Order of Unity - administrators
 * Society of Wisdom - active proselytes and educators
 * Whisperers of Truth - contemplators

There also appear to be certain 'paths' of Wayism; one of those referred to is the 'Mountain Path', which features a person enduring the hardships the universe offers without the aid of artificial methods such as medical technology to cure illnesses.

Rev Bem, a recurring character in the series, is a Wayist.

Category:Andromeda (TV series) Category:Fictional religions