Astronic religions, sometimes collectively referred to as Astronicism, are the religions and forms of religious expression that first emerged in the Upper Palaeolithic period of the Stone Age some 40,000 years ago and are classified as part of the wider Astronic tradition.

Astronic religions are widely considered to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest form of religion, and they share a number of different themes. The most important of these is their common practice of one or more of the following: astrolatry (worship), astromancy (divination), and astrony (contemplation) which come together to form the Astronic Triumvirate.

Astronic religions include three subcategories of religion: astronomical religion, nature religion, and humanic religion. However, discussions and academic works on Astronic religions typically fixate on the history and character of astronomical religions over the other two categories which are more often described as Astronic-related.

Despite the prehistoric origins of Astronic religions, they were not organised into a clear tradition until the works of Cometan and subsequent Astronist scholarship. For this reason, much of what is understood about the history of Astronic religions is perceived through an Astronist lens.

As a consequence, an Astronic religion either holds Cometanic or pre-Cometanic origins, the latter of which are particularly characteristic of astrolatry and astromancy while the former emphasise astrony. These Cometanic forms, principally Astronism, introduced a series of more theologically and philosophically advanced beliefs such as cosmocentrism and cosmosis as well as incorporating practices like cosmic devotion and astronomical observation which in turn infused scientific discovery and a distinct tradition of rationality into the identity of Astronism.

In comparative religion, the term Astronic religions forms a new division of religious and philosophical tradition comparable to the established Abrahamic religions, Dharmic religions, Iranian religions, African religions, New religious movements and Taoic religions.

However, the term of Astronic religions can also be used comparably with the even broader terms of Eastern religions and Western religions. This is because Astronic religious and philosophical groups do not generally consider themselves to be part of the Eastern-Western dichotomy that has dominated religious and philosophical traditions since the isolated development of those two civilisations. This is largely due to the fact that Astronic religions emerged prior to the dichotomisation of the East from the West.

Astronic groups instead consider themselves to be panenic in relation to the Eastern and Western religious dichotomy, meaning that their beliefs and traditions exist throughout Eastern and Western religious histories yet they simultaneously remain transcendent from those categories.

With The Founding of Astronism came both the revitalisation and the formalisation of the Astronic religions category. For this reason, Astronism is considered to the founding system of the Astronic religions and the wider Astronic tradition. A distinct culture and literature emerged with the development of Astronism that can be described as Astronic in character, lineage and form.

However, as aforementioned, depending on the usage of the term, religions classified as Astronic may include various nature religions popular amongst indigenous peoples and may also include neopagan religious movements that place an importance on cosmic celestial entities and phenomena as part of their system of belief. For this reason, the population of those adhering and practicing some form of Astronic religion or philosophy could be as little as 1 million people or as significant as 500 million.

Lineage and history of the Astronic religions

Main article: History of the Astronic tradition

In the most broad sense, Astronic religions identify themselves through their incorporation of astronomy into their religious beliefs and practices. Astronic religions claim affiliation and lineage with all forms of religious systems, traditions, beliefs, and practices that are focused upon the incorporation of astronomical objects in some way.

Prehistoric Astronic religions

Main article: Prehistoric astronomical religion

Due to this widened affiliation, the Astronic religions category traces its lineage further back than any other religious category as it includes religious beliefs and practices from as far back as 40,000 years ago in the Upper Palaeolithic period of the Stone Age. Amulets and stone walls have been found and verified by archaeologists to depict constellations matching their historical positions, such were used as objects of worship in those times.

For this reason, the Astronic religions profess to represent the oldest tradition of religion on The Earth with the infusion between astronomy and religion having pertinently existed since prehistoric times. Most pre-Cometanic forms of astronomical religion were characterised by astrolatry and astromancy without significant development of full theologies and systems of belief. Perhaps this is the reason for the lack of organisation of the astronomical religions prior to the works of Cometan.

Ancient Astronic religions

Main article: Ancient astronomical religion

Modern Astronic religions (pre-Cometanic forms)

Main article: Modern astronomical religion

Persecution by other religions

Main article: Persecution of Astronic religions

In Islam, the Quran expressly forbids the practice of astrolatry, saying: "Bend not in adoration to the sun or moon". Out of the Abrahamic faiths, Islam was particularly adamant at disallowing the practice of astrolatry most likely due to astrolatry's entrenchment in ancient Babylonian religion present in the same religion. Despite this, most traces of pre-Islamic forms of astrolatry and astromancy were quickly stamped out by the Islamic empires following the birth of Islam in the Arab World.

Astronic religions by civilisation

• Astronic religions in Ancient Arabia
• Astronic religions in Ancient Egypt
• Astronic religions in Ancient India – various tribes in Central India have been confirmed to practice astrolatry, including the Khonds.
• Astronic religions in Babylonia
• Astronic religions in China
• Astronic religions in Mesoamerica
• Astronic religions in Mesopotamia
• Astronic religions in Native America
• Astronic religions in Persia
• Astronic religions in Polynesia

Astronic religious icons in other religions

• Star of Bethlehem in the Christian nativity story
• The star and crescent symbol of Islam

List of religions of the Astronic tradition

Provided below is a list of religions that are categorised to be as part of the Astronic tradition of religion and are therefore known as Astronic religions.

Astronomical religions (astronomism)

'The Big Three' is a Cometanic phrase used to refer to the three astronomical religions of the Astronic tradition which are derived from three different actions known as astrony, astrolatry, and astromancy which involve the contemplation, worship, and divination of the stars respectively.

Astronic Triumvirate

Main article: Astronic Triumvirate

• Astronism (astrony) – an organised philosophy or religion founded by Cometan in 2013 that heralded the revival of all astronomical religions and formed a unique and substantial set of beliefs and practices that influenced the orientation of all other astronomical religions and philosophies thereafter. Astronism is derived from the Cometanic term astrony which refers to one's contemplation of the stars.
• Astrolatrism (astrolatry) – astrolatrism is derived from the practice of astrolatry and specifically denotes one's worship of the stars (compared with astromancy which is divination of the stars) which has occurred in human religious beliefs and practices for thousands of years. In Astronist scholarship, astrolatrism is considered an organised religion in its own right and is considered to be an astronomical religion of the Astronic tradition. An prominent example is the religion of Sabaism.
• Astrology (astromancy) – a widespread pre-Cometanic form of astronomical religion derived from the practice of astromancy, or divination of the stars. It holds a numerous amount of versions across continents, two of most prominent of which are Western astrology and Chinese astrology. All its versions are collected together in Astronist scholarship and are considered under the banner of astrology as a multifaceted organised religion.

Astronomical religions

Main article: Astronomical religion

Prehistoric religions:

• Archaeoastronism (List of branches)
• Proto-astralism
• North Star cult
• Solar religion
• Star-cults
• Stonehenge religion

Ancient religions:

• Asteria
• Astraea
• Astraeus
• Astrolatrism (Moon temple · Moon worship · Sun temple · Sun worship)
• Astrology (List of traditions)
• Morning Star
• Sabaism
• Stellar deity

Modern religions:

• Modern astrology
• Planet worship
• Russian cosmism
• Transhumanism

Contemporary religions:

• Astronism
• Bruere Praxis
• Goertzel Cosmism
• Space Renaissance International
• Terasem Faith
• Turing Church

Nature religions (naturism)

Main article: Nature religion

• Animism
• Dark Green religion
• Earth religion
• Ecospirituality
• Gaianism 
• Green religion 
• Naturalism 
• Religious naturalism
• Totemism

Humanic religions (humanicism)

Main article: Humanic religion

• Anthroposophy 
• Ethical movement
• Freethought 
• Humanism
• Nontheism
• Omnism
• Religious humanism
• Transhumanism
• Singularitarianism
• Unitarian Universalism
• Yoism

Non-extant/Historical and Astronic-related religions

Main article: Astronic-related religions

• Ancient Egyptian religion
• Anthroposophy
• Aztec religion
• Babylonian religion
• Mandaeism
• Mayan religion
• Mesopotamian religion
• Native American religion
• Neopaganism
• Sabaism
• Shamanism
• Shang-Zhou theology
• Sumerian religion
• Zoroastrianism
• Zuni religion

List of Astronic religions and philosophies through a Cometanic paradigm

The Vendox is the best known symbol of Astronism.

Sundials are considered symbols of astrolatry.

Pre-Cometanic

Man article: Pre-Cometanic forms

These religions and philosophies originated before the public life and philosophership of Cometan.

Astral / astronomical religion

• Astrolatry
• Astrotheology
• Astromancy

Astrology

• Western astrology
• Chinese astrology
• Indian astrology

Earth religion / nature religion

Russian cosmism

Transhumanism

Cometanic

Main article: Cometanic

These religions and philosophies were either founded by Cometan or hold their origins during Cometan's lifetime.

Astronism

Astronist Church

Cometanism

Post-Cometanic

Main article: Post-Cometanic

The religions and philosophies that are expected to emerge beyond the lifetime of Cometan.

Demographics of Astronic religions

World map by religious tradition

Astronic religions hold a majority in only a handful of countries worldwide, however, the complexity of the study and desigation of what constitutes a follower of an Astronic religion is largely blamed for the cause of this. So is the lack of academic study on the topic of nature religions, astronomical religions, and humanic religions which form the three major aspects of Astronic religions.

Common aspects

The unifying characteristic of Astronic religions and organised philosophies is that they are all predicated upon their adherence to a cosmocentric worldview as opposed to geocentric, anthropocentric, or theocentric worldviews. All consider The Cosmos, its progeny (entities), and its phenomena (events) to play an integral role in human destiny, spirituality, and origination, however, their theologies both within and between each are diverse with some identifying with monotheism, some non-theism, others atheism, but the majority opting for newer forms of theological orientation, most notably including panentheism and transtheism.

Importantly, to be considered an Astronic religion or philosophy, the Omnidoxy must be recognised either as the founding text, or as a revered text that has influenced the development of the particular religious or philosophical tradition in question. Those whom agree on these similarities and their common Cometanic and Omnidoxic origins tend to also be more positive towards other Astronic groups.

Theological diversity

One of the most outstanding characteristics of the Astronic group of religions and philosophies is the diversity in their theological systems. Although they do share similarities in panentheism and transtheism from the influence of Astronism itself, they are not unified in theological continuity when compared to one another which is largely due to the philosophical nature of the religions and organised philosophies that make up the Astronic tradition. The fact that they are not theocentric means that carving out a distinct and dogmatic theological system is not considered as a priority like in the group of the Abrahamic religions in which theological continuity is provided with the most importance.

Omnidoxical unity

As mentioned previously, the post-omnidoxical Astronic religions and philosophies are unified in either recognition of the Omnidoxy as their founding treatise or at least revering the Omnidoxy as a text of influence that made significant contributions to the religion or philosophy. This emphasis of demonstrating unity in reverence for the Omnidoxy is no doubt Cometanic in its origins. Furthermore, the approach to treatises is also shared amongst Astronic religions and philosophies which principally uphold the contextuality of a treatise, particularly the Omnidoxy, and allow for the text's amendment over time as well as their opposition to any type of sanctification of philosophical treatises to become scripture.

Ethical orientation

Eschatology similarity

Despite the theologies of Astronic religions and philosophies holding a significant amount of diversity compared to other groups, they do share much greater continuity in their beliefs regarding the eschatology of humanity.

The non-importance of Earthly places

Astronic religions, unlike those of Abrahamic or Dharmic origin, do not place particular emphasis on specific regions or sites to suggest that they are more important, more holy, or are generally more in touch with God than other places. This is largely due to Astronic religions' opposition to geocentricity and anthropocentricity, of which the reverence of particular cities, regions, and sites is considered to be a prime example, such as the Abrahamic religions' particular affinity for the city of Jerusalem and the wider the Middle East region. This orientation of the Astronic religions is particularly influenced by their origins from Cometan whom, rather than developing his theology and philosophy of Astronism through acts that pertain to the spirit of the land where he resided, he instead focused on philosophical contemplation, astronomical observation, and by experiencing personal inspiration for the creation of Astronism and his own person form of The Philosophy, known as Cometanism.

Significance of Cometan

Although the reverence of Cometan is opposed to since the founding of Astronism and by Cometan himself, the significance of the philosopher and author is without comparison when referring to the Astronic religions. This is because Cometan solely founded the philosophy of Astronism, the first organised philosophy to think in the Astronic way as demonstrated by their similarity in names and it is Astronism from which Astronic is derived.

Cometanic religions

The Cometanic religions, or Cometanism, are a group of religious and philosophic communities that claim descent from the writings, ideas, and personal inspirations of Cometan. The Cometanic religions, although similar to the Astronic religions collectivity, are not synonymous with this term for instead, Cometanic religions reside within the wider Astronic religions categorisation. This is because all Cometanic religions and philosophies are Astronic, but not all Astronic religions and philosophies are Cometanic.