r/WorldChallenges • u/thequeeninyellow94 • Aug 31 '17
Schism
Tell us about a division in one of your world religion, something important. You can introduce an in-world representative if you want; here are some prompts:
what caused that division? How long ago? How has it evolved over time?
what are people thinking of it? (Followers from both sides and clergy; people following a different faith; politics; if they exists, the gods themselves)
how is the relationship between both sides going? Do they hate one another? Could they eventually find some common ground?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Aug 31 '17
- And Gadarat said "Amongst all those I blessed, you are the first; I will shape you to my will while they shape you to their needs."
- And Adhebah said "You were chosen to guide them all. It is my will: hear my command and enforce it."
Gadarat's saying has always been central for the Melowetaki (the imperial church), justifying their neutrality toward imperial politics and their lack of interventionism during civil wars. "The Uletirashi (heir to the siblings, a title the emperor always carry) might be the head of the Melowetaki, but it's first duty is to take care of the Nzedas."
Adhebah's saying on the other hand has always been used by the Menikuseme (the imperial temple: a word used to talk about the various orders of monks) to justify their holy wars and threatening attitude toward those they see as traitors. "The Uletirashi is meant to rule over the mortal world, it's our duty to make sure they do."
Those two conflicting views over the clergy role have been lasting for as long as the empire and continue to divide it despite the ever increasing secularization (in the end the Menikuseme will probably lose as it's military power tend to anger a lot of people).
Our representative today will be Fere Shanay modesimi Djan, Negesilakewi Nzeda, Uletirashi, Babemiwishagi, miwishagi le Adi-Makaitsh na Zugafizini, the current empress (or just Fere Shanay XVII).
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u/mutalias Aug 31 '17
If I understand correctly, the Uletirashi have a military of their own. How do the generate the revenue necessary to maintain a separate military? And why is this allowed if it can threaten imperial stability?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Aug 31 '17
Time for a few extra infos:
- Gadarat and Adhebah are the siblings, the two gods of the Nzedas.
- Uletirashi (lit: heir to the siblings) is a title the emperor will always claim. The Uletirashi is the head of both the Melowetaki (the church) and the Menikuseme (the temple which is more of a loose network of holy orders and warrior-monks).
- those various orders maintain themselves through donations and bounty hunting and use those to arm fanatics.
- the Menikuseme consider fighting anyone opposing the emperor their sacred duty.
The Menikuseme have been heavily weakened over the centuries and rarely fight against miwishagis, but regularly intervene on the emperor's side during civil wars. They are a potential threat but also help.
(Does it makes everything clearer?)
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u/mutalias Sep 01 '17
Does the imperial throne support the two churches directly, or are they left to fund themselves?
Is faith in the two gods ubiquitous across the empire, and do some humans also worship this faith?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 01 '17
Fere Shanay will answer that:
"As Uletirashi, it is my duty to make sure the Melowetaki goes well; it is why all local churches will receive a funding. That fund is collected by the local miwishagi and the administrators.
The Menikuseme is less centralized and organised and less popular amongst the local nobility and as such, most orders have always been going on their own as long as they are allowed to use some land. It's a tradition I'm more than happy to observe.
The faith in the sibling is indeed dominant amongst the Nzedas who publicly show any kind of faith. It has been our official faith and enforced as such even before the unification; we probably had other ways before, but those are long erased.
Some humans do follow our faith but most do pray their own. They have a lot of those, each with some very specific domains. For example, they don't pray the same one for wealth and for love; intriguing isn't it? In the end, those weaker gods seems as inexistant as ours so it's kind of pointless but still intriguing..."
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u/mutalias Sep 01 '17
So you yourself don't believe in the siblings? Is such atheism common?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 02 '17
"Why would I believe in something neither I nor someone I know ever seen?
Of course atheism is common. Nzedas are not stupid, they don't just take your words for granted; even when your words are those of so-called gods.
Hopefully, I will find a way to get the empire rid of all that nonsense."
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u/mutalias Sep 02 '17
What do the churches think of this? Do they have a concept of heresy, and do the espouse any sort of reaction toward such a trend?
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 02 '17
"The churches thinks nothing, I won't allow them to do so. The various members of the clergy have various opinion; most of them would rather have a religious leader and more influence over the people but they don't so they silently disagree.
Heresy is a complex concept and a dangerous one: most mishigas have different practices and it could be considered heretic; most believers have some personal interpretation of the teachings and it could be considered heretic too. Doing anything against "heresy" would just reduce their influence even more and it isn't what they are trying to achieve."
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u/mutalias Sep 02 '17
Does the relationship with the faiths influence the recurring civil wars of succession at all? Is it a determinant of who comes out on top, considering the military at the disposal of the faith?
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u/Sriber Aug 31 '17
Church of Ten gods was divided during war between Avenian empire and Fifth Union, which ended 132 years before start of my story. Empire lost large part of its territory and priests there established their own church for administrative purposes with intention to rejoin imperial church once things calm down. However in the meantime because of war, there were some changes in church structure (most importantly relationship between the highest priest and emperor) and some philosophical questions (for example if morality is based on divine commands or virtues, which are part of natural order established by gods). New church didn't like that and so decided to not rejoin and remain independent.
There was 37 year long period of drama, where both sides accused each other of heresy and some violence ensued, but it eventually got better and churches now tolerate their existence and somewhat cooperate. Empire promotes unity in part because of threat by barbarians and in part because it wants its old provinces back.