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Roleplay from Mathurin Hossenfeffer (1 day, 9 hours ago)
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Mathurin allowed the excited hubbub to continue a while, then calmly took up a position at the pulpit and waited.
Voices gradually diminished as he was noticed by more and more of the congregation.
"Lords and ladies of Corsanctum, Faithful, honoured guests," he began when the temple was quiet, "we have witnessed something I consider to be of significance. All too often Sanguis Astroism is accused of a militaristic imperative to cleanse the world of non-believers. And yet today, in the Sacred Heart of Sanguis Astroism, we have born witness to the joiningof Lady Khari, priestess and Guardian Stalwart of the Faith, and Prime Minister Rynn of D'Hara, a follower of the path of Verdis Elementum. The ceremony contained elements, if you'll pardon the pun, of both religions, and I hope it also satisfied both."
He paused for a moment or two. "I would like to take this opportunity to ask; why do we have religion? What is the purpose of faith? What is the place of a church?
"I would suggest that it is threefold, though I acknowledge that it is in my nature to see import in patterns of three." He paused to bow to Baal at this stage. "Firstly, and most importantly it is a unified struggle to pierce the veils of mystery of the world around us, to understand the Truth behind truth, to commune with, in some small, mortal way, and get closer to, Divinity. Secondly, it is a joint glorification of that same Divinity, a public recognition and exclamation of the connection we have with the Divine. And thirdly, it is a community of fellows who tread the same path to Divinity, who can support each other, can aid when our faith is troubled, and comfort when our souls are wounded.
"Recently I have had to travel to Aurvandil to try and understand our Faith's relationship with 'Orthodox' Astroism. Sadly, I'm sure you know well by now, it has been determined to be nothing more than a political tool, designed to validate Allison Kabrinski's heresy and to bring offence to our Church. There was no seeking of truth, no glorification of anything other than possibly Allison herself, and no community other than through vitriol.
"By contrast I ask you to consider the contribution of Verdis Elementum today, specifically the act of consecration of the pendant Verdis we saw. Even as an outsider to their religion, and doubtless failing to truly comprehend all it signifies, I could easily see the desire to understand the workings of our world, the veneration of the elements, and the unity the act brought. We turn our gaze up to the Bloodstars, they turn their senses to the elemental forces at play in the world around them.
"There is much debate in our Church at the moment as to whether or not other religions should be tolerated, especially within those realms which are dedicated to our Faith. To those who would suggest that all others be cast out, I ask this question. Can you be sure that the same Divinity which shines through the Bloodstars, which manifests within each man and woman, which lies at the core of our Faith; can you be sure it does not also inspire the elements, quicken the Wind, hasten the Fire, strengthen the Earth and stir the Water? Verdis Elementum also reveres the element of Spirit, which surely gives a only a different consideration to the Spark of Divinity we hold to be within us all. Can you be sure that they are not simply walking along a different path to the same destination?"
