I generally would rather not discuss it.
If I MUST, it comes down to an IC and OOC reason.
IC, I dislike the blatant corruption and politicking that goes on under the guise of SA. A lot of what I'd see in the SA conversations weren't even IC-RP like is normal for a religious group. Its all fine and dandy to RP a bunch of corrupt priests wanting to hoard power for the blood-gods but all I really saw were a bunch of chaps ignoring the religious aspect and using the religious chat vessel to talk sh*t behind other's backs and power-play. So much power-play. That already peeves me because I believe in RPing, hence why I'm on Dwilight. If it was another continent then fine, but even our half-assed religions in other continents get RP'd at least a little bit. There are some players who at least make a vague mention of SA in a religious scope, but most I've seen just completely ignore it and go straight for the political aspect. I find this to be in bad taste both as an abuse of the religious system as well as a fallacy on a roleplayer's part - it is your duty to maintain faithfulness to your religion and if you're in it just for the political connections then what the hell? Just make a guild like the 'Moot.
Maybe the brief time I was in the SA I just happened to come across 30 or 40 of the most politically-inclined postings and nothing else. Maybe its just a coincidence that the near-DEAD religion I worship, Triunism, in the two posts that have ever been made in it, were massively more religious and RP than everything I've heard of SA here on Dwilight. Maybe its just that the most SA-related thing I've heard was Vellos randomly forgetting I'm not in SA and asking me if I'd take some gold to increase the size of Vassar's temple - which I guffawed at because Vassar is a 100% Triune nation led by myself, a Triune-worshipping Lord. Oh boy did those scribes of his get a beating I'd imagine. :-P if it wasn't so hilarious I'd have had a fun opportunity to be seriously pissed-off IC for some epic religious-schism RP.
Anyway, back on topic. The most quasi-religious display I've seen IC was Glaumring's nude-dance to the gods of war, the closest thing I've seen to IC SA activity was Vellos' epic mistake, I saw nothing as a member of SA that I'd reciprocate or emulate in my own IC religion, and I disagree with SA's general methods. This has nothing to do with my actual opinion of SA as a religion, which will come next.
Now, for the OOC and my actual feelings on the subject. I find the SA to be a badly-written parody of medieval Catholicism beneath the guise of quasi-paganism, emulating all the things that are commonly despised about medieval Catholicism. The hypocrisy, the corruption, the lack of cohesiveness, the religious crusading for political-economic reasons, and a laughable adherence to religious values that are at best politically deviant and at worst morally destructive. I think its the political pull of SA that has forced its spread and ascension to the biggest religion of BM because the content of the religion itself isn't stressed at all. I'd understand if they RP'd a lot or took it seriously but at every turn I've seen little beside politicking. Perhaps its different on Dwilight or perhaps my vision is skewed due to my relatively recent arrival to BM, but if I am asked for an honest no-holds-barred opinion on SA at this point in time, my belief is this: SA is a political powerbase beneath the guise of religion and in no way seems to take its own beliefs seriously, often flying in the face of its own values for the purpose of economic or political gain - just because "Why the !@#$ not".
Anyway, its not my place to discuss other people's business. I am no longer a follower of SA on any of my characters and couldn't care less. I fully respect SA's right to exist, Terran's right to be partially-SA, and my friends of worshipping SA. I have nothing against what you'll read of SA in the wiki. What I dislike is the power-mongering the players behind SA so commonly engage in. What I dislike is the blatant disregard for your own laws and views as soon as they give you even a slight handicap. Is that not the point of IC religion, to provide incentive to RP, if not an entertaining crutch or handicap which you must roleplay around? I always thought the point of having religions in game at ALL was not for economic or political benefit, which guilds can fulfill just fine on their own, but for a chance for more intensive and entertaining RP than "Oh, let's have a duel?" or "I don't like the way your peasant-like nobles slice their mutton, 'tis a disgrace to proper etiquette! TO WAR! FOR THE MUTTON!"
Jeeze, I am one ranty, brutally-honest bastard today.
Please avoid asking me questions today unless you want the truth, all the truth, and nothing but the bloody F-U truth.
