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This notice is pinned on the relevant (upstanding) notice boards, as a proclamation by Rionna Declan nic Criad, Hvarkirik priest, and Celate Theodoric von Greifenwaldtahl of the Salvation Temple, communicated as a cross-faith dialogue on the concept of Apostacy. The notices are underwritten to allow other priests of any faith to co-sign the statement in agreement, or to amend their own thoughts.
The cross-faith dialogue reads:
"The law grants all souls the right to choose their gods—by birth, by oath, or by change. No hand may deny it, not kin, not kind. But such a choice is not private, but a sacred reckoning, judged by mortals and gods alike."
From this starting quote, we assert that the act of Apostasy, a term henceforth used to define the act of disavowing one's previous faith and adopting a new one, or publicly denying a false faith and revealing the truth, or other forms of denying faithfulness and loyalty to one's Gods, is a delicate matter that is often practiced incorrectly. We do not seek to impede on the right or ability of the individual to make these choices, but guide them in the correct methodology, and equip their fellow faithful with the tools to determine their reliability.
The Contemplation
A correct form of conversion follows a contemplative period, where dialogue is initiated with both priests of the previous faith, and of the potential new faith, to get a wider understanding where the broken link in one's chain of faith exists. To consider where the loss of faith occurs within the old faith, and what attracts the new. Neither priest should attempt to force the hand of the faithful, though both should posit a conservative view that attempts to dissuade conversion, for the negative effects it might have on the faithful's immediate society and acceptance by the Gods.
The Adaptation
A correct progression from The Contemplation is the Adaptation during which the faithful must decide to go, or remain. If the faithful decide to remain, the conversion ends immediately and they can be re-confirmed in their initial faith as a purely symbolic ritual gesture. If the faithful decides to depart, a gesture of good faith with a final thanksgiving ritual or event towards the old faith is cordial, but not required. In the Adaptation, the faithful participate in religious events and prayers for their new chosen faith, but has not yet fully converted. In this period, the new priests will work to integrate the faithful and make sure that all elements of society can accept them in good faith.
The Conversion
The final step that follows from The Adaptation is the Conversion, where the faithful makes the actual final step to converting through a welcoming ceremony or ritual or event, where the other faithful welcome them into their community. At this point, it is still possible to back away from conversion, though one must return to The Contemplation to do so, as a step has already been taken to disavow one's previous Gods, and they might not so easily welcome them back. It should be noted that multiple back-and-forths or conversion between multiple faiths may not be well-regarded by the faithful, clergy, or the gods.
Considerations of the Gods
While the mortal act of converting or declaring one's true faith is a decision held in a vacuum with certainty within one's heart or mind, whether or not the Gods will accept their new believer, is not certain. Every faith, from Unionism, to Fornoss, to Estelley, has Gods which uphold the principle of Loyalty and Dedication. Gods are not salesmen looking for a quick bargain, but the dedication and enduring loyalty of the soul within the fold. Simply put, if the act of conversion is taken lightly or abruptly, it shows a lack of discipline, faithfulness, or loyalty to one's gods in the faithful that must give the Gods pause, as it would to secular lords. A Duke who acquires the loyalty of a turncoat Baron on the battlefield does not suddenly invite this Baron into their inner circle, for a single betrayal marks the color of one's soul. Following the Contemplation, Adaptation, and Conversion can alleviate this matter, but the act of changing loyalties, always bears with it a burden that must be addressed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we and anyone who wishes to co-sign this publication, denounce the act of apostasy without preparation, consideration, or due process. It is our firmly held belief, as priests of different faiths, that Gods would reject such cheap bartering of one's loyalty, and that these conversions without foundations are meaningless and false. Faith demands requirements outside of the individual, and a process of acceptance. We generally advise or preach against apostasy, it is our belief restoring faith is the goal, not abandonment. One's conversion should never be used as a bludgeon to punish others, for politics, or personal gain, but because of true belief in the core sets of beliefs each faith holds dear.
Furthermore, both priests have also added their own independent thoughts. These thoughts are meant to be perceived more as individual furtherance on what is written above, but isn't necessarily co-signed by the cross-faith dialogue. They explain more the individual perspectives of the priests involved, and if any other priests co-sign the above statement, they do not co-sign the individual statements listed below.
Rionna adds the following personal perspective:
On the subject of faith by birth, while it is obviously crucial to live one's faith by choice rather than simply falling into it by happenstance, I would like to take a moment to reaffirm the importance of maintaining ancestral ties with one's own gods whenever possible. However, this is a personal interpretation, so it may not be shared by all Fornoss faithful or priests. My reasoning is as follows.
Our world is full of gods, each with their own lands and domains, and many of them are closely associated with the peoples who live in these lands. Severena for the Sihai, Gilan for the Freefolk, the Khama gods for the Asha, the Fornoss for the Velheim and Northfolk, and so on. They have watched over and defended them, written their laws, created their traditions. These gods are as the fathers and mothers of their faithful, connecting them not only with their culture and history, but with all the countless generations that came before them. While a follower of any religion may say, "I respect the gods of other faiths, but they are not my gods," this is not so easily said about the gods of one's ancestors, the blood of your very veins. If kinship ties are important in this life, how much more so they must be for the gods.
For this reason, I strongly urge the faithful of all religions to remember their ancestors when contemplating their faith and seek to hold fast with them. This is not to entirely reject conversion or syncretism in all its forms, as sometimes this represents a return to kindred after separation, and syncretism is an acceptable means of honoring the gods for those of multiple backgrounds. Neither is it to say that these are to be considered ethno-faiths open only to those of certain cultures or heritages, causing the potential faithful to be rejected based on the circumstance of their birth. Rather, it means that those belonging to these ancestral gods should consider carefully before breaking their faith, as it is more similar to the willful rejection of a parent than a simple change of employment or political loyalty.
Theodoric adds the following personal perspective:
On a personal note, I, Theo, would like to discuss the matter of the Emperor's declaration of faith by the sword. Emperor Alexander I proclaimed some years back that faith demanded by the sword, or by parentage, is not true faith, and that only accepting the Gods and their virtues truly can lead to true faith. It is the Emperor's express wish that Unionism is not forced on non-believers at the end of a sword, and that the faithful should not shield their children from knowledge of other faiths in the world.
Unionism has a long and storied guilty past of inflicting religious violence on other faiths and non-believers. While the Great Way is paramount, the faith has in times been used as an excuse to legitimize cruelty, or to simply eliminate those who are deemed obstacles to its completion with utter lack of mercy or compassion. While Unionism as a whole does not bear constant penance for the acts of fanatics, it does bear some collective guilt towards the Fornoss faith in particular for destroying religious artifacts, sites, and beliefs.
Apostasy, especially from Fornoss to Unionism, should be handled with extreme discretion, almost so to the point, I would claim, of attempting to deny any such conversions, and seeking out Fornoss priests to halt such regression of their faith if they are not already aware. The faithful and priests of Unionism have bore silent witness to the diminishment of the Fornoss faithful to personal and often financial or territorial benefit, and bear a communal duty to ensure that Fornoss has a place in the Great Way, as Theomar promised it would during the first proclamations of faith and the role of non-believers in the Great Way.
This does not mean that we should simply allow reconversions or conversions from Unionism to Fornoss. More often than not are these conversions done specifically to appeal to the victim morality that Fornoss has been forced into, to gather sympathy from the minority and to deface the authority of Unionism in the Empire. Until such a time exists, that Fornoss and Unionism can exist in mutually unimpeded harmony within the Empire, conversions between the two continue to happen with the stain of history in mind placing a permanent burden.
This concludes the writing. The subscript is open for other priests of any faith to co-sign this cross-faith dialogue if they agree to its words, and feel like it would also apply to how they wish to treat Apostasy within their own community and their own faithful, or how they would receive Apostates in context to faith.
The cross-faith dialogue reads:
"The law grants all souls the right to choose their gods—by birth, by oath, or by change. No hand may deny it, not kin, not kind. But such a choice is not private, but a sacred reckoning, judged by mortals and gods alike."
From this starting quote, we assert that the act of Apostasy, a term henceforth used to define the act of disavowing one's previous faith and adopting a new one, or publicly denying a false faith and revealing the truth, or other forms of denying faithfulness and loyalty to one's Gods, is a delicate matter that is often practiced incorrectly. We do not seek to impede on the right or ability of the individual to make these choices, but guide them in the correct methodology, and equip their fellow faithful with the tools to determine their reliability.
The Contemplation
A correct form of conversion follows a contemplative period, where dialogue is initiated with both priests of the previous faith, and of the potential new faith, to get a wider understanding where the broken link in one's chain of faith exists. To consider where the loss of faith occurs within the old faith, and what attracts the new. Neither priest should attempt to force the hand of the faithful, though both should posit a conservative view that attempts to dissuade conversion, for the negative effects it might have on the faithful's immediate society and acceptance by the Gods.
The Adaptation
A correct progression from The Contemplation is the Adaptation during which the faithful must decide to go, or remain. If the faithful decide to remain, the conversion ends immediately and they can be re-confirmed in their initial faith as a purely symbolic ritual gesture. If the faithful decides to depart, a gesture of good faith with a final thanksgiving ritual or event towards the old faith is cordial, but not required. In the Adaptation, the faithful participate in religious events and prayers for their new chosen faith, but has not yet fully converted. In this period, the new priests will work to integrate the faithful and make sure that all elements of society can accept them in good faith.
The Conversion
The final step that follows from The Adaptation is the Conversion, where the faithful makes the actual final step to converting through a welcoming ceremony or ritual or event, where the other faithful welcome them into their community. At this point, it is still possible to back away from conversion, though one must return to The Contemplation to do so, as a step has already been taken to disavow one's previous Gods, and they might not so easily welcome them back. It should be noted that multiple back-and-forths or conversion between multiple faiths may not be well-regarded by the faithful, clergy, or the gods.
Considerations of the Gods
While the mortal act of converting or declaring one's true faith is a decision held in a vacuum with certainty within one's heart or mind, whether or not the Gods will accept their new believer, is not certain. Every faith, from Unionism, to Fornoss, to Estelley, has Gods which uphold the principle of Loyalty and Dedication. Gods are not salesmen looking for a quick bargain, but the dedication and enduring loyalty of the soul within the fold. Simply put, if the act of conversion is taken lightly or abruptly, it shows a lack of discipline, faithfulness, or loyalty to one's gods in the faithful that must give the Gods pause, as it would to secular lords. A Duke who acquires the loyalty of a turncoat Baron on the battlefield does not suddenly invite this Baron into their inner circle, for a single betrayal marks the color of one's soul. Following the Contemplation, Adaptation, and Conversion can alleviate this matter, but the act of changing loyalties, always bears with it a burden that must be addressed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we and anyone who wishes to co-sign this publication, denounce the act of apostasy without preparation, consideration, or due process. It is our firmly held belief, as priests of different faiths, that Gods would reject such cheap bartering of one's loyalty, and that these conversions without foundations are meaningless and false. Faith demands requirements outside of the individual, and a process of acceptance. We generally advise or preach against apostasy, it is our belief restoring faith is the goal, not abandonment. One's conversion should never be used as a bludgeon to punish others, for politics, or personal gain, but because of true belief in the core sets of beliefs each faith holds dear.
Furthermore, both priests have also added their own independent thoughts. These thoughts are meant to be perceived more as individual furtherance on what is written above, but isn't necessarily co-signed by the cross-faith dialogue. They explain more the individual perspectives of the priests involved, and if any other priests co-sign the above statement, they do not co-sign the individual statements listed below.
Rionna adds the following personal perspective:
On the subject of faith by birth, while it is obviously crucial to live one's faith by choice rather than simply falling into it by happenstance, I would like to take a moment to reaffirm the importance of maintaining ancestral ties with one's own gods whenever possible. However, this is a personal interpretation, so it may not be shared by all Fornoss faithful or priests. My reasoning is as follows.
Our world is full of gods, each with their own lands and domains, and many of them are closely associated with the peoples who live in these lands. Severena for the Sihai, Gilan for the Freefolk, the Khama gods for the Asha, the Fornoss for the Velheim and Northfolk, and so on. They have watched over and defended them, written their laws, created their traditions. These gods are as the fathers and mothers of their faithful, connecting them not only with their culture and history, but with all the countless generations that came before them. While a follower of any religion may say, "I respect the gods of other faiths, but they are not my gods," this is not so easily said about the gods of one's ancestors, the blood of your very veins. If kinship ties are important in this life, how much more so they must be for the gods.
For this reason, I strongly urge the faithful of all religions to remember their ancestors when contemplating their faith and seek to hold fast with them. This is not to entirely reject conversion or syncretism in all its forms, as sometimes this represents a return to kindred after separation, and syncretism is an acceptable means of honoring the gods for those of multiple backgrounds. Neither is it to say that these are to be considered ethno-faiths open only to those of certain cultures or heritages, causing the potential faithful to be rejected based on the circumstance of their birth. Rather, it means that those belonging to these ancestral gods should consider carefully before breaking their faith, as it is more similar to the willful rejection of a parent than a simple change of employment or political loyalty.
Theodoric adds the following personal perspective:
On a personal note, I, Theo, would like to discuss the matter of the Emperor's declaration of faith by the sword. Emperor Alexander I proclaimed some years back that faith demanded by the sword, or by parentage, is not true faith, and that only accepting the Gods and their virtues truly can lead to true faith. It is the Emperor's express wish that Unionism is not forced on non-believers at the end of a sword, and that the faithful should not shield their children from knowledge of other faiths in the world.
Unionism has a long and storied guilty past of inflicting religious violence on other faiths and non-believers. While the Great Way is paramount, the faith has in times been used as an excuse to legitimize cruelty, or to simply eliminate those who are deemed obstacles to its completion with utter lack of mercy or compassion. While Unionism as a whole does not bear constant penance for the acts of fanatics, it does bear some collective guilt towards the Fornoss faith in particular for destroying religious artifacts, sites, and beliefs.
Apostasy, especially from Fornoss to Unionism, should be handled with extreme discretion, almost so to the point, I would claim, of attempting to deny any such conversions, and seeking out Fornoss priests to halt such regression of their faith if they are not already aware. The faithful and priests of Unionism have bore silent witness to the diminishment of the Fornoss faithful to personal and often financial or territorial benefit, and bear a communal duty to ensure that Fornoss has a place in the Great Way, as Theomar promised it would during the first proclamations of faith and the role of non-believers in the Great Way.
This does not mean that we should simply allow reconversions or conversions from Unionism to Fornoss. More often than not are these conversions done specifically to appeal to the victim morality that Fornoss has been forced into, to gather sympathy from the minority and to deface the authority of Unionism in the Empire. Until such a time exists, that Fornoss and Unionism can exist in mutually unimpeded harmony within the Empire, conversions between the two continue to happen with the stain of history in mind placing a permanent burden.
This concludes the writing. The subscript is open for other priests of any faith to co-sign this cross-faith dialogue if they agree to its words, and feel like it would also apply to how they wish to treat Apostasy within their own community and their own faithful, or how they would receive Apostates in context to faith.
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