Not everyone agrees to the interpretation of the Church canon. Not everybody shares the same approach towards heathens and sinners. This page holds the uncesored written result (and evidence) of the heroes theological debate and oral combat. May the Pancreator have mercy on their poor souls when/if these words reach the all-hearing Inquisition.

Newest letter at the top.....

My friend Marcellus Juandastas,

Many times before have I enjoyed discussing the fabrics of faith with you. You have been a beacon of education in a dark sea of ignorance. Although you have been an incarnate with a weak faith, you have forced me to brush my arguments at many times. You have also on more than one occasion pointed out my deviation from my own moral standards, and for that I am grateful to you. But this last letter to me is simply a great disappointment. It is full of straw-man arguments, hollow misconceptions and outright stupidity. I fear that our rendez-vous with these mislead sathraists have gone to your head. You have lost the little faith you had, and you need an accomplice to redeem yourself. You will not find that in me.

My faith is as strong as ever, and I have never deviated from the side of the Pancreator or the Prophet. Nor will I, and you should come to terms with that. Right from the very start of my spiritual journey that begun many years ago, I knew that the creation contained far more mysteries and truths than could be read from the Omega Gospels alone. I knew that the Orthodox church had manipulated some texts and destroyed (or at least tried to destroy) others. They had twisted some of the prophets words to suit their own zealous needs, rather than what was in the interest of mankind. But worst of all, the concept of an upcoming war in heaven – a final battle between the minions of dark and light – The Escaton, was eradicated from their theology, and the future of the universe was blamed on people’s sins alone. That is why they, for so many years, persecuted people of my sect.

The existence of a universal network within the gate system, is another such truth that the orthodoxy has hidden away from us. Not only for the common people, but also from learned men who will need this knowledge when the time come. In a way, I can understand their decision. Travelling in Sathra space is something one should not undertake easily. Playing with the Sathra effect is something I still consider one should abstain from altogether. Not only does it create abominations like Belijah Black, the pirate, but it also it seems to twist the mind of people’s faith to the point where they start worshipping the Sathra phenomenon itself and turn their inner flames away from the omnipotent creating force we call the Pancreator, and his prophet. I still consider this heresy, and I do not share their views, but I think they should be convinced by arguments instead of genocide.

There are in fact two reasons why I choose to help these people out and save them from the clutches of Brother Battle’s zealots and their allied Hawkwood. And it is not because I have become one of them in spirit. Firstly, however bizarre it may seem, we may very well need these people in the time to come. Their skills and their knowledge may prove vital in the upcoming conflict. What the orthodoxy have thrown down the bin, have been preserved among them, even if most of them carry heretical views in matters of faith. Eradicate them now, and we may well loose one of the best weapon of defense we have, and as a consequence the universe will plunge into an everlasting darkness.

Secondly, I cannot support the genocide of millions of people, women and children among them. My soul would be forever lost if I didn’t help them survive when it was in my power to do so. Murderous crusades is NOT what the prophet and his apostles taught us. It is against the very core of his teachings and the Pancreator’s plan for the sentient beings he wove into existence. Even if these people are misguided and heretical to a great extent, it is up to us believers to show them the true way and convince them. Not to kill them en masse, or convert them at flame gun point. For just like among the Vuldrok barbarians, there are many people among them who are inherently good and moral. In a better universe we would just let them see the truth of our (untwisted) teachings, and in the end they would. I am sure you and I agree upon this moral issue.

In matters of belief, these sathraists promote a view that I cannot accept under any circumstances. Even though many of them worship the Pancreator and follow the words of our Prophet, they are in their basic theological assumption completely heretical. They tell me that above all religions is Sathra. It is this mystical concept that in turn create religions. The power of Sathra is what makes the Pancreator real to his followers. This is of course complete and utter nonsense. The Pancreator is the all-being that created the universe. Satari, the Weft, Sathra space or whatever you call it, is naturally his creation, or maybe the creation of his children, the gate builders. Their sometimes foolish usage of the Sathra effect twists their mind. They turn the tables upside down and worship creation instead of creator. They are in fact idolaters, and you have become one too, Marcellus.

This will never be my standpoint. I remain loyal to my faith, in spite of the fact that I now admit to the existence and importance of Satari, that will be one battleground in the conflict to come. It may in fact be just as important as the real universe, and a key gathering point of intelligence of our enemies movements. I also remain loyal to the tenents of the Eskatonic Order, although I believe they will have no more to do with me after the current events. I understand now why so many eskatonics have been accused of sathraism (probably falsely) throughout history. They have likely seen what I have seen, and understood what I now understand. It does not mean that they have wavered in their faith. I hope that my order wakes up and realizes this, but I have no sincere hope it will happen. I am most likely on my own now, as are many of us.

Your sorry accusations of me being “in denial”, Marcellus, has a hollow sound to it. What it comes down to, is that I remain strong in my faith and you do not. Whenever you need absolution for your misguided path, I will be there for you.

Pax Vobiscum,

Venlinni Simon Ven Lahjal

Dear Simon!

At last you have completed the transformation which you have been undergoing for such an extended period of time and finally taken the last step in becoming a true and devoted Sathraist. Please understand that this letter is by no means intended to incriminate or disfavour you but to salute the rebirth and awakening of a potent and powerful psychic-theurgist named Simon Ven-Lahjal.
Now that you have cast aside your veil of unreason and experienced the true ways of Satari, roamed the Weft and openly, to everyone but yourself, confessed to the cause of the heretic Sathraists, it is time to conclude your inner journey and come to terms with who you really are. No longer can you keep up the pretence that you are not a willing and prominent member of the Sathra community and no longer is it possible for you to cling to your former beliefs without mixing and moulding them with your newly acquired knowledge into new and improved wisdom.

You have become a theological bastard my friend, a cross-breed between old and new, and are thus free to write your own saga on the fabric of a blank sheet if only you were to decide what to do with your life and whom to serve.
At this point you must surely be able to recognize that all religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree, that all these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom.
Escatonic puritanism in the fashion you used to preach it is the very opposite and only nourishes the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy. Religions are many and diverse, but reason and goodness are one and sadly enough in the matter of religion, people all too eagerly fasten their eyes on the difference between their own creed and yours; whilst the real charm of the study is in finding the agreements and identities in all the religions of humanity.

Know Simon that man is the religious animal. He is the only religious animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion, and several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbour as himself and cuts his throat, if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the Known Worlds in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven.
Most of us have only enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us care for each other and men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction. It is in our days all too common among priests that the esteem of religion is profitable but the principles of it troublesome. Please take all of this into consideration when evolving into your new self and cementing the foundation of  your ideology.
As sure as spring follows winter and day comes after night, doubt is part of all religion and all religious thinkers were doubters. You must firstly doubt brother and then rise again from the ashes to achieve your full potential, a pillar of light in a darkening universe.

My personal opinion is that there is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. I never preached my own religion nor really scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed. I am satisfied that yours must be an excellent religion to have produced a life of such exemplary virtue and correctness. For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be judged.
I hope and pray that you will not forget this either and you are free to adopt as many of these pieces of advice as you would like. I wish you the best of luck; you will need it!

Yours truly,

Marcellus

God afton kära kamrat

Min uppfattning angående ämnet Wyrd och förmågan att tappa energin eller kraften överensstämmer med din uppfattning. Jag tror att människan är för klent utrustad för att förstå hur det fungerar. Om vi hade visat en tredimensionell figur för en tvådimensionell varelse så hade de haft svårigheter att förklara vad det var de såg. På samma sätt ser du och jag på kraften, som två dimensionella varelser, vi har likheter i hur vi berör och använder Wyrd medan broder Simon har en föreställning om att det är en allena rådande varelse som styr hur han kan beröra och använda denna energi. Över oss, människan, finns det varelser som har en djupare insikt. De ser hela den tredimensionella figuren. De kan använda Wyrd på ett mer rättframt sätt. Egentligen tror jag bara att vi liknar barn som på olika sätt försöker stoppa handen i kakburken. Medan Simon står på tå eller hoppar så klättrar vi upp på en pall för att nå kakburken men vi är fortfarande barn. Det konstiga är att vi lyckas nå kakorna. De smakar tillockmed gott. När vi använder Wyrd är de precis som elektricitet. Det finns folk som inte tror på elektricitet men ändå skadas de eller bedövas om man skruvar upp en el-bedövare (electrical stunner) lite grann. Du behöver inte tro på ett allena rådande kärnkraftverk för att se att lampan tänds när du trycker på knappen men du måste förstå hur en energicell fungerar för att kunna använda den. Vi människor har inte nått till den yttersta nivån. Det finns vissa av oss som kommit längre än andra och har större krafter. Men med noggranna studier av hur andra varelser använder och har använt wyrd tror jag att vi kan komma längre i vår evolution. Tyvärr vet jag inte om vi hinner innan solarna slocknar eller himlen trillar ner! Ovanstående påstående motsäger inte existensen av Pancreator men jag misstänker att han inte är en inbilsk, småsint varelse som dömer oss efter samma måttstock som vi själva gör. Jag tror inte att han dömer oss efter hur vi tror på honom i heller.

Mot nya solar och äventyr

/The Baron

Regarding wyrd tabernacles

Regarded companions! ( This includes those prone to Symbiot infestation. ) As a straight-forward beginning of our obviously longed for debate I dare state that the activation or use of such objects, or in fact all wyrd, is specifically linked to subconscious processes going on in the mind of the person using wyrd or wyrd tabernacles. Most likely all people have the abilities to observe and use wyrd lying dormant within them selves but it is only a few privileged that due to their psychic skills or religious teachings are able to tap into that power source. Since people in common have not evolved in this way and have no recognition of their own aptitude they therefore simply cannot use it and hence remain oblivious but also probably happier for it. Naturally this leads to the conclusion that it is all down to the intricate process of removing mental blocks or obstacles from the mind that provides the ability to use wyrd in any such way although the roads leading to that kind of awareness may vary greatly. Some clear themselves a path via theology while others rely on the human psyche to reach the same goal This in turn means that conviction, religious or otherwise, is the key thing to understanding and benefiting from a wyrd source and when found wanting in faith or psyche, you simply are cut off from the wyrd no matter how great your coherent skill. When making a different approach and examining the true meaning of the word “tabernacle”, it has a very clear tie to religion and religious rites while meaning “place of dwelling” or “place of divine dwelling”. In early pre-Diaspora scriptures dating back to ancient Urth, it can be read that the ancient hedonistic sect of the Hebrews used such items when travelling, in order to bring with them a focus for their false worship. This indicates that a tabernacle is something created by and for people with religious motives and it feels safe to say that if you are lacking religious belief or education, you can not use it. As a short summary of the above I solemnly and slightly heretically claim that the ability to use wyrd vary between people in general following an escalating graph of mental/spiritual awareness and education. When not having the belief or knowledge needed to activate or access an artefact and thus being blocked, it is simply impossible to do so.

Sincerely and curiously, Marcellus

Wavering Brother!

These your bothersome questions are understandingly most inconvenient and hard for you to cope with since this is only the mere beginning of your journey and a long and encumbering way still lies ahead of you. I mean not the journey to the ether of Sathra Space but the greatest journey of them all; the journey to insight and awareness.
The pain and remorse you now experience are the result of you thinking with your heart instead of you seeking reason, from freeing spirit instead of consulting scripture. That process is more often than not excruciatingly painful to the soul and much like a vivisection of ones heart-held beliefs.
I can only console you with the knowledge that it does not last forever and eventually you will emerge on the other side of this moral and mental ordeal a stronger person with a replenished soul.

I hear now from your own mouth the very words I earlier almost begged you to even consider. Here you describe how it is the use of knowledge, power, abilities or influence which deems ones heart as good or evil, not the simple fact that you possess them. You even use very spurious logic to justify your course of action when it is really all so simple and needs no further explaining.
It is your personal choice to do good in this matter, without personal gain or benefit that will see you not swayed to heresy but growing in faith and strength. The road to salvation is never easy to travel my friend; it has ever so many bends and turns in its meandering ways. The only road that is made in an arrow straight fashion is the one leading directly to the seventh Qlippoth and trust me when I say that you are not even close by.

You admit yourself that it is not greed or other self-righteous notions which motivates your doings but an earnest worry for that flock of The Creator which is humanity. (Dare I here mention their cousins the Obun, the Ukar and other alien species who all promote goodness and light according to their own cultures and intricate systems of value?)
You are not doomed to heresy but fortunately embarking on a great and divine adventure that will no doubt liberate you from prejudice and confinement as it heightens you awareness and increases you sensitivity towards the fellow humans around you as well as The Creator.
Do not hesitate but embrace this as the opportunity of a life time. Rejoice and plunge into the well of moral education while ridding yourself from the stagnant beliefs related to orthodoxy.
You said your self that you might be damned forever in the eyes of the church, but who are they to be so judgemental when they themselves do not always follow even the most rudimental of Zebulons teachings?
You are worried that people in common will see both you and your father as sworn heretics. I therefore ask you the simple question of; who or what will you bee in the eyes of The Pancreator and which matters the most in the choice between The Great Creator and the people still veiled by their own ignorance? Ordinary sound men recognize good deeds when they see them. The only people I know of who are having problems with this are generally members of the clergy.

Is it possible to be true to your order while being untrue to your own heart? This demonstrates your amount of inner turmoil and I boldly claim that it will not ease off until you come to terms with your self and your beliefs. Do you not trust your heart or are you afraid that it will lead you astray? It speaks to you regarding the War in Heaven and brings you warning of its coming and from that perspective it suddenly becomes crystal clear.

Follow your hearts yearnings for it knows better than your head which is the right thing to do and for doing so you will get closer to The Pancreator and further from damnation. You are not a lost soul but a reborn spirit waiting to break out of its chrysalis. Follow in your fathers footsteps and complete the task which brought meaning to his life!
You have my whole-hearted support and understanding.


Marcellus

My fellow brother and friend Marcellus,

It is with great pain and hesitation in my heart, that I again turn to you. I am in dire need of confession and absolution for the sins I am about to commit. I know very well that you are not an ordained priest of any church. However, under the present circumstances I find no one else to turn to. Any priest would only dub me a heretic for even considering the course of action I am about to embark on.

Under the present circumstances, it feels more or less pointless to continue our ongoing theological debate. For I know not any longer where I stand myself. It is not that I am losing my religion, but many things that I held for absolute truths, are beginning to crumble in my consciousness.

As you well know, the last few months of events have brought both you and me in league with sathraist heretics. But so far I have remained true to my faith in my heart. I have not in any way engaged in any illegal rituals or swayed from the side of the Pancreator. I have considered these sathraists vain fools that tamper with powers beyond their understanding, but neither have I reported them to any inquisitorial synod, as would be my duty as a priest of the order. Fools they may be, but they seem not to me as evil men that deserve to be put through torture and death under the inquisition. Well, that abomination who calls himself Belijah Black would certainly deserve it, but that is besides the point.

But now when I find myself at the end of the trail, things are different. I stand before the decision to either abandon the quest or proceed and be damned forever in the eyes of the church. There is no longer any doubt that my father engaged in sathraist rituals and entered what they call “sathraspace”. I know that now. The quest to clear his name is over and lost. I can either follow his example or remain loyal to my faith.

So why would I sway from my church and my order and actually follow the trail to its end? Am I just following my lesser instincts in a quest for knowledge. Nam et ipsa scientia potestas es, as the old saying goes. I admit that the scriptures from the Stellar Apcryphon that are rumored to exist in the temple, is tempting to find. But if it were only for that I would not commit heresy. Am I just following my father’s trail no matter the consequences to my inner flame? No, that is not so either. I could just as well turn back now that I know that the accusations against him were not false.

NO! The reason I intend to proceed on this path is that I believe it is the right course of action. The events that played out during my travels in barbarian space have in many ways changed the way I perceive the universe. The encounter with the slave warrior of the shadow court, who called his race Anukai, and his task for us to warn the Vau, proved to me once and for all that the Eskaton is soon upon us. The same with my encounter with a true angel of the Empyrean, and many other mysteries that happened outside the reach of the orthodoxy. I know that the War in Heaven is real and will soon be upon us. It is my belief that the war cannot be won unless we use all allies we have and all battlegrounds at our disposal. One of these important battlegrounds may very well be what the heretics call sathraspace. Maybe these heretics too have their part to play. What should not be meddled with, may have to be meddled with for us to avoid the darkness conquering the universe.

If it is my doom to commit heresy to aid in a greater cause, then so be it. It is a sacrifice I will have to make. My humble soul is a cheap price to save the universe and the light of the celestial sun. I only hope that I am not lured into a trap of vile sathraists, whose only goal is to get some secret from me. That is my worst fear. However, the Pancreator gave me a vision that was more than clear. I should proceed and follow the path to its end. But no matter if my course of action is just or not, the rest of the Known Worlds will deem me (and the rest of us) sinners and heretics. No matter if I follow the Pancreators path, we will all probably be burned at the stake as heretics.

An nescis, mi fili, quantilla sapientia mundus regatur?

I feel a like the prophet of the old cross worshippers of the first republic, Jesus of Nazareth, when he walked through Getsemane that last day before his judgement and crucifixion.

Please Marcellus. You may not be the one to grant me absolution, but at least tell me that you support me as a friend and follower. I feel lonelier than ever.

With hope and prayers,

Simon Ven Lahjal

Dear Simon,

I feel anxiety in my soul that will not dissipate until our discussion has come to a conclusion and once more my conscience implores me to write you. All this because I hold you in such high regard and would greatly regret if you were to traverse into the depths of the Qlippoths. I wish instead for you to obtain the bliss of true salvation and hopefully this letter will set you upon the path of enlightenment.

You see; there is a huge pitfall in the believers of the Orthodoxy thinking that the Omega Gospels are the words of The Pancreator, and you my brother seem to me much like one of these people, hugging and caressing your copy of the Gospels as you go to sleep at night and always finding nifty answers and convenient explanations among its pages when in theological distress.
It is imperative that you understand that the Omega Gospels contains the words of the Prophet as well as those of the Saints but the true word of The Pancreator comes from speaking to The Creator yourself. By not doing this and instead mindlessly follow the written scriptures you will never grow, you will never now from what to repent and you will never find his changing purifying grace; you will not find The Pancreator.
 You can memorize the entire Omega Gospels, quoting chapter and verse, and it will gain you nothing with Him. Therefore you should not idolize scriptures to such an extent as you do but seek The Pancreator, to listen to Him and treasure the words He speaks to you. We have made learning scriptures a rival to learning directly from the Pancreator and for this we still suffer deeply and unknowingly. Know that He wants us to seek Him, not seek knowledge about Him!

I am first in line to admit that The Omega Gospels is good and hold many truths; it is good for understanding right from wrong and a number of other important things but it does not purify you, convince you of righteousness or show you the secrets of your heart.
To accomplish this you must delve into the farthest depths of your soul where the very essence of your spirit may be guided by The Creator into the clarity and wisdom of bliss. To reach such a state is not by any means an easy task and demands diligence and a will to be as perfect as one can be and by perfect I mean to resemble The Great Creator as much as possibly may be achieved by mortals. This in most cases and to no surprise, not even to the Orthodoxy, represents a sober life of denying ungodliness and worldly lusts but what most people do not recognize is that we must do it in this world, not in the afterlife, and in actions as well as in spirit. If this was more widely spread we would all live in a better world.

To diligently strive to be perfect as our Divine Creator is perfect, to seek Him and listen to Him is the road that leads on and therefore we labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in The Pancreator who is the Saviour of all men since all things are reconciled by Him in one.
Remember dear Simon that servant you are to whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. Having incited and urged fellow companions to commit murder you should take this letter very seriously as it well may be your last chance to repent.


With hope and affection,


Jaredh Marcellus Juandaastas

Honoured Simon,

It is with great distress that I read your latest letter and by now I am truly concerned regarding the well.being of your soul. In it you write words laced with gold and honey, but its contents are festering with that self-important elitism you mentioned as well as malpracticed religious fervor.
I understand now that you mean well and your intentions are good, but this only mean that you act out of ignorance instead of malevolence. Can you blame a Graa-Kal for killing humans as it is integral to its nature? No you can not, but the harm is done anyway! Some of the worst atrocities done to humanity has been executed by such persons, more often than wished for strongly linked to religion.

Surely you must understand that as expected of a true nobleman, versed in the canonic arts by upbringing, I am extremely well aware of the fact that the Holy Church branched into various directions. The information I wish to penetrate your unconcious shields of religious programming is that originally, in the beginning, there was only the word of the Prophet and ONE message. No branches, no sects and no interpretations. The inner meaning beeing that of compassion, understanding and the expansion of the spirit, i.e. enlightenment.
All machinations that has since taken place are the result of mortal men suiting the words of the Prophet to meet their own needs and purposes, for example the Escatonics. You are yourself living proof of this fact, but rest assured that I will go to extremes to support you so that you will not descend into the abyss.

I sincerely wish that I could include more in this brief letter but as duty calls, I will simply have to get back to you.

Best wishes ad infinitum,

Marcellus

My revered friend Marcellus,

I wholeheartedly agree that our discussions are a beacon of light in the company of children. In a context where most discussions form around questions like ”where can I buy a really cool gun”, our theological debates form a very welcome discourse. Having said that, I still disagree with you. Sometimes I even fear for the salvation of your soul.

On your first issue. Let me first explain to you the different schools within the church of the celestial sun. First we have the Hinayana school of the Orthodoxy. They maintain that salvation is only possible through the universal church and through no other means, and true faith is restricted to humans. Even this way, most common people will not find their way to the Empyrean. Salvation is a privilige for a select few. Then we have the Mahayana. Their beleif is that all can achieve salvation but guidance is needed. Only those that actively deny the truth will be damned. The Eskatonics are close to the Mahayana, but with a small distinction. We admit that salvation is possible without guidance of the church, but these few examples make the exception. They are not the norm. If the church where not there to guide the masses, millions of inner flames would burn out before their time had come to face their judgement. This is the central difference between Eskatonics and Incarnates. We do not deny elitism.

Surely there are some people with a unique inner flame and an innate wisdom, strong enough to find salvation on their own, but to think that the common serf would be able to acheive a goal of that kind, is preposterous. Your reasoning sometimes remind me of the diaspora movement called socialism. They too believed in a utopian idea that all were born equal with the same prerequisites. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Some are born with a stronger faith and with a more vital inner flame than others. These are the facts and denying it leads nowhere. It is up to us with this gift to take the burden of guiding the less fortunate. It is both a blessing and a curse. Utopianism is the single most contributing factor to suffering and death in the history of the known Universe. Let us not tread that path.

And this leads me to your second question, the issue of free will. All branches of the Universal Church accept the importance of free will. We only disagree on how to counteract those who use their free will to deny the faith. A central tenent to all but the Hinayana (including the fundamentalist Avestites) are these two concepts:

infidelitas secundum negationem puram (Infidelity by pure negation), which is not a mortal sin

and

infidelitas secundum contrarietatem ad fidem (Infidelity by actively opposing the faith), which IS a mortal sin.

The meaning of these concepts is that according to the non-Hinayana branches, a man who has never been properly informed about the teachings of the prophet and commits good deeds, can still acheive enlightenment. A Vuldrok barbarian is judged by his deeds and not by his piety towards the church, since he has no choice in that matter. But a man that has heard the teachings of Zebulon the Omega and actively denies them, is surely damned to burn in the Klippoth for eternity. Further, we differ on how to treat heretics. Mahayana mean that as long as heresy is not practised evil (like true antinomists), it is up to their free will to condemn their own souls, a position supported by the Eskatonics. The Hinayanas standpoint is that heresy in all forms taint the flames of others and should be uprooted, but still it is their free will to commit heresy (however it can be considered free will to choose between death by burning at the stake and following the true faith).

On your last issue, what Zebulon himself said on the matter, I simply don't think that you are being intellectually honest. Firstly, you are quoting an apocryphical text. But what is worse, you are quoting it out of context. The Acts of the Prophet is not a canonical text in the eyes of the Universal Church, but even then, this is not the full contents of what he was saying. In Acts 14:6 (five verses after your quote) he is saying "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one sees the light of the Pancreator except through Me.". This is clearly a reference stating that people should follow the Prophet's representatives in this universe, the Universal Church of the Celestial Flame. There are numerous texts in the canon that support this standpoint.

Yours truly,

Simon Ven Lahjal

Phew!

True HERESY spoken by a true and devoted heretic.
I'm simply burning with desire to meet with you and hold palaver in regards to this hot topic of faith........

Kind regards

/Brother Infurie Coal

Temple Avesti
Vid: +12 +143 943 945
Fatline: coal@avesti.py
Damnation Avenue 6
666 Burning Desert
Pyre

Esteemed Simon,

I always take great pleasure in our multi-topic discussions and always it's a joy to contemplate these thoughtful and important issues with you as they emancipate those taking part. (This occurs all too seldom in our current company. The common discussions within our brave party are more likely to turn your cerebral cortex into a turnip.)
I cannot however cease to dwell upon our latest conversation, this concerning our slightly different view regarding the road to salvation, and hence I would like to ask you a few questions.

Pro Primo ; I sincerely wonder how you can truthfully claim that people have to be properly guided to be able to reach salvation? Why do only certain people need guidance while others apparently can guide without any obvious skill or aptitude for that kind of delicate and spiritual work but that of a burning faith. Abhorrently enough not always even a sound and humanistic kind of faith. This reasoning just seems a bit to self-righteous for me as the people vouching for it often are the ones in most dire need of guidance themselves.
The notion that salvation is not obtainable to the great masses by their own doing but only through the "benevolent guidance" of the clergy is preposterous and clearly only a way for the greedy and power-thirsting priests to further their own interests. All in all this leve a foul taste behind.

Pro Secundo ; if you do not confess yourself to some kind of non-responsible fatalism, freeing you from all important premeditated decisions, you soon realize that everything we ever do is bound to and originates from the free will given to us by The Pancreator as He ignited in us the Holy Flame.
Guidance is not by definition a negative thing but when it incorporates force and blunt violence, as it so often does within the church, it instantly transforms into a tool suitable only for antinomists and demon worshippers. Guidance means spiritual education and personal enlightenment based on the fact that it is the free will that is the key to salvation. By removing the possibility of choosing you also effectively take away, or dramatically decrease, the inner value of faith connected with the choice made by the individual.
Within the Orthodox Church, as well as the Escatonics, most such decisions are made as a result of pure fear. Fear of damnation, fear of the inquisition or fear of condescending priests trying to better others while tarnishing their own soul-mirrors beyond redemption.
Why do you in the name of faith urge people to cower in front of their fears, thus diminishing their inner flames, instead of helping them to face these obstacles in a dauntless act of free will while expanding and revitalizing their spirits?

Pro Tertio ; Zebulon the prophet was unquestionably a man of such a pious and humble nature that we to this date has not yet seen his equal. This extraordinary man preached a simple gospel of kindness, enlightenment and understanding between all sentient species among the stars. By its very nature this message was easily taken to heart and appealed to almost every compassionate soul in the Known Worlds.
This legacy of his we still embrace today but over the ages we have come to interpret and practice it in very various ways, and somewhere along this path many of us have lost their way. If the Prophet had lived today he would surely be weeping tears of despair at the sight of what has happened to his original teachings. Not much of its content still remains intact.
Here comes the noticeable part, i.e. that absolutely nowhere does the great Zebulon mention or speak of nothing else but the single individual's return to the Holy Flame and salvation by his or her own accord. The choice of free will between light and darkness, good and evil is open to one and all. We are all our own potential saviours!
The hierarchy of the Church is a creation of bewildered and confused men with small brains and too much influence, not a manufacture of the beloved Prophet.
Zebulon was also adamant when he stated that " The road lies open to every man with the heart and determination to embrace the light of the Holy Flame . So I have done and so may all who willingly choose to tread upon the same path, for remember well that I am not the stern master, but the good shepherd calling out to his flock in worry."
Would you dare say that Zebulon himself is wrong concerning this?

Conclusively I'd like to offer you guidance of the proper kind so that you may release your spirit from the ball and chain that is close-mindedness. Do not reject this offer too hastily, as I fear that you just might, but please consider it as an alternative and more effective way to reach higher states of mind.

Always your Guide,

Marcellus

Honored Brother,

I see the wisdom in your reasoning and only a fool would miss out on the fact that the differences between the worldly court and the divine literally make them worlds apart.
Our kind has no saying before the celestial judges who await us at roads end, where actions alone will be measured upon the scales of good and evil. There words will no longer be of use while the right- and wrong-doings of ones life unravel to form a hopefully luminescent but eventually horrific afterlife.
The worldly courts on the other hand are not immune to flaws and lack of virtues as they, like the rest of us, are subject to the blessing and curse that is free will. Here words can be everything and the equivalent of life or death, of sanctification or damnation.
By this I do not aim to imply that the courts of mortals do not function properly or that they are bad by design or purpose. Instead I conclude that they are able to be swayed by spurious reasoning, hefty bribes or misdirected conviction and therfore they are not always to be trusted.

Your fathers faith is hence a proven fact, but only proven by men who´s soul mirrors are not neccesarily shining bright. In contradiction to the divine court where no saying can be altered, the rulings of mortal judges can be reversed or rectified. Men of principles have condemned Salah but such principles can be altered, permanently or temporarily by those with contacts or political influence.
Your case is not a hopeless one but much work remain before your father´s spirit will feel the embrace of The Eternal Sun. If it is your wish, I will aid you in this quest. Justice for the soul is even more important than carnal justice and one cannot put a price high enough on salvation.

Yours truthfully,

Marcellus

Dear Brother Marcellus,

When it comes to worldly legal matters I do not doubt your skill and your understanding, but let me humbly advise you that in terms of judgement of the soul, I am the more qualified of the two of us. Firstly you must understand that there is only one undisputed court of law, and that is the Empyrian court we shall all face at the day of our judgement. Orthodox inquisitional courts are only proxies, set up to safeguard the souls of the rest of the flock from antinomist influence. But they are only human, prone to corruption, ill ljudgement and even heresy themselves.

In the year of our prophet 4852, sir Alessandro de Hazat was tried and convicted as a heretic in an inquisitional court on Hira. He was burned at the stake, all while claiming his innocense. Ten years later, the orthodox prosecutor, a young priest by the name of Quintus Kaleido, was found to be a practicing antinomist himself, and put to the flame. Alessandro's case was reopened, he was found innocent and his name was cleared in the eyes of the living (his inner flame was of course untarnished before the empyrean all the time). Although these cases are of course extremely rare, they still prove that courts of the inquisition are not without flaw. Incomplete information can cloud the judgement of even the wisest of ecclesiastics.

I will seek out all the facts of the clouded case of my father. There is no doubt in my mind that my findings will prove once and for all that he was not a true heretic. However, should my findings conclude with those of the inquisitional court, I will accept that as well.

My prayers to you,

Simon Ven Lajhal

Revered Brother Simon!

I feel it as my obligation to inform you that your beloved father was undisputedly proven a heretic according to ecclesiastical law and there is nothing more to it.
However the theological loophole this leaves us with is the fact that his excommunication/damnation was issued by the orthodox church alone and  by none of it´s unsanctioned sects or branches. This means de facto that he was only a heretic in the eyes of the traditional priesthood and if you by chance have ties to any other religious beliefs, he may not even be lesser cursed considering their alternate views on such things.
Since the Escatonics have meekly settled in the Patriarch´s fold I strongly doubt that they will turn a blind side to dear Salah´s ill fate, but more importantly so will probably some of the more open-minded sects.
Either you must change the entire system, convert or accept the fact that your father suffers the unfathomable torments of an everlasting purgatory without hope of salvation.

Yours sincerely

Marcellus

Don't believe the false rumors that my father was a heretic. It was no doubt the doings of an overzealous inquisition that got him convicted of heresy. He was innocent and I intend to prove it!

/Simon

So… you two have already found out that we live in a lie?!  

/Vlad

Revered Eskatonic Brother,


It's comforting to hear your uplifting words and I do apologize about the shouting. Regretfully I more than often tend to get over-exited when discussing these matters of faith and conviction and you must bear in mind that I lack your sophistication and ecclesiastical grace. My upbringing on Kisht favoured me with an unyielding belief in The Great Creator and the commandments of Zebulon were firmly imprinted in my soul. However it did not grant me the education or linguistic talents that you possess and I can only try to the best of my abilities to emphasise my moral predicament to you.

At first I would like to say that I fully conclude with your view on the misled people in this remote corner of the universe on almost all accounts. With acclamation when it comes to sinners. This quest of ours has given me great amounts of spare time to ponder on our mutual discussions as well as the opportunity to do some deep delving into my own psyche. Meditation is a wondrous way of elevating your spirit above the mundane problems of the physical world but at times it also includes soul-searching, and when last doing this I made a grim discovery. You see Brother; the greatest sinner of them all is me!

Almost all of my life I have been told by house elders and scores of commanders that the unfaithful, especially those foolhardy enough to oppose the Holy Terran Church, deserve no better than a quick death and possibly a half-hearted blessing on the way to the otherworld. There were never any margins for questions without committing subordination or heresy yourself. It was just the way things had always been and according to religious zealots the way it was supposed to be. A convenient and understandable world in black and white with no grey areas in between. The life of a Brother Battle Monk is that of blind obedience, nothing else.
Summary executions of "confirmed" heretics were many times considered an act of mercy compared with handing them over to the red hot irons of the inquisition and therefore has neither me, nor any of my brothers in The Order ever before lay awake at night, troubled by the memories of slaughtered peasants and burned temples.
Instead we got promotions and were bestowed honours for doing these horrendous acts of cruelty and the more pagans killed, the grander the laurels. Remorse was long a word unheard of and the end just seemed to justify the means to almost an indefinable extent as long as it cemented the Patriarchs hold on the masses. Imagine a Brothers confusion when seriously beaten for missing vesper and just days later only mildly criticized about faulty sword-technique when running a Gaia-worshipper through.

Due to these moral standards and teachings I have walked battlefields all over the known worlds, soaked in blood from the remains of my enemies to a degree where no part of me was not stained or smeared. All in the name of the Pancreator, may he find it in his grace to forgive me? The innocent blood spilt being that of serfs and free men, trying with force when none were listening to pleas, to win back their right to worship the Creator with words and rites of their own instead of those sanctioned by the church. It is on the verge of being too much to bear.

Since my encounter with the S`srota all this has changed dramatically and my world is in upheaval. I felt my spirit set free from the shackles of orthodoxy when laying my unworthy hands upon this most holy artefact and my visions provided me with new and wondrous insights to enhance the Pancreators glory. But together with this came also the ghastly knowledge of my own former wrong-doings and their grave consequences.
The things I had never thought twice about turned out to be hideous stains on my soul mirror and the teachings I formerly spread so willingly are now more and more often proven at fault. I am a tower of belief, ready to do the work of the Pancreator in honest eagerness and at a moments notice, but the foundation on which I stand is now clay where before it was solid bedrock.

The worst part of it all Brother is that there is no going back to undo these dreadful deeds. The only open road lies straight ahead and suggests redeeming years of mindless and sinful actions, but I have so much to make up for.
What shall I do Brother? I try to turn the other cheek as often as I can and compassion and open mindedness are my guiding stars. Always I try to follow the will of the Creator but the satisfaction and tranquillity I formerly got from putting in solid work for The Order will not come.
Like a flux-sword ripping through a gritty peasant my former tutoring and previous beliefs sometimes contradicts my new ones and on occasion break my fragile peace of mind. It was so easy and now it is so complex.
Prayers do not always help; fasting does not further the cause and self-flogging works poorly with my high pain-threshold.
What shall I do Brother?


Always your Brother,


Joseph the Sinner

Dear Brother,

The taint of darkness comes in many shapes and from many sources. These strange star systems, far away from them we call home, is indeed a test of your soul's strength. But I feel that you judge these people too hard. Yes, the Vuldrok are heretics and they are heretics who are especially intolerant against the faithful. But still, can we blame them? Have we "zebulonites" ever given them reason not to fear our submissive ways? Give the Avestites a chance and they will kill them all, without remorse and without ever giving them time to reconsider.

There are times when I think that the self-righteousness of the Orthodoxy, the Inquisition and the fanatic Avestites, are just as big a cause of the fading suns, as are the sins of the people. The prophet never converted anyone at the point of a flame gun. No, he created the faithful by showing them the truth of his ways and the light of the Pancreator. True faith can only come from free will. Never from fear!

In my travels among the Vuldrok I have seen a lot of heresy and a lot of superstition. Unlike the often twisted view of the Kurgans, they seem to be very far from the insight of the Prophet's wisdom. However, I do not see evil. These people are not antinomists. They act in the way they believe is good. They are only misguided. They worship the angels of the Empyrean as they were gods themselves. Of course it is blasphemy, but is it truly evil?

I would say that there may even be a chance that they have some wisdom lost to us. Something that may help us in obstacles to come. We must look out for this. Sooner or later we will need these people. When the eskaton is upon us all and the fight against darkness comes out in the open, we must stand together. We cannot let quarrels of theology be our downfall. Anyone who is not a servant of darkness must fight together. In the end, they too will see the light of the prophet's ways.

You speak of our companions as they were sinners beyond redemption. Remember Joseph, that we are all sinners. From serf to patriarch, we all sin, sooner or later. The difference lies in how you admit this truth to yourself, and how willingly you step into the path of temptation. Remember that self-righteousness is a sin too. Let me quote a passage from the second republic Omega Gospels that I recovered from the "Juggernaut".

"And Ven Lohji approached the new believers and said unto them: Why do you wish to slay this man? Has he committed any sin that you haven't? Let the one who is without sin, fire the first blaster."

Oddly enough, this passage is not present in the canonic Omega Gospels that we read today.

Still there is wisdom in these words, whether they were ever said or not (and they probably were). Surely there are those among our companions that are unbelievers, and surely there are those that are compulsive sinners. But we must never give up hope that they will redeem themselves, as we do when we have sinned. Most of them are as devoted to our cause as any of us. It is our mission to keep them on the right path, just as it is their mission to help us out in other ways. Be a guiding light to them, not a patronizing hipocrite. I am certain that they will all turn to the prophet in the end. It is in their destiny.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the sacred mission we are on will succeed. We have been chosen to undertake this quest, and the light of the Pancreator will guide us. We will have to delve into places where our souls sometimes we be in jeopardy, but that is why we have been chosen. We will put ourselves on the line for the greater good. That is why we are priests, nobles and well... others. It is our job and we will deal with it.

But there will be times when we will falter, just so that we can get back up with stronger faith than before. Before long, I think there will come a time when it is I who turn to you and ask for absolution. Let us stand together and help each other to keep our inner flame burning strong.

Your sins are forgiven. Go now, and sin no more...

In nomine Pancreatore et suam prophetae Zebulone.

Your brother, Simon the Forgiving

PS Why do you always speak so loud in our conversations? DS

Brother Joseph feels that it´s his duty to follow his flock even though their course is set for heresy, meddling as they are with suspicious and occult lore which most probably should be left to it self.

Audaces fortuna juvat...

/Brother Joseph

What does the Pancreator say about meddling with jumpgates?

Brother Simon will definitely be there to find out.....

/Brother Simon

Dear Brother Joseph,

It is with the greatest distress that I read your words. I have to say that I truly fear for your soul.

There are many sins that we mortal servants of the Pancreator should avoid. I, for one, does not count fornication as one of them, but that is besides the point. Pride is ceratinly one of the worst. The absence of humility will cause your inner flame to diminish rapidly. And what could be worse than to proclaim yourself a demi-god? It is not just heresy. It is hubris beyond belief!

As St Horace once said: "Do not count yourself as more than you are, or the gate of heaven will be closed for you!" (The acts of Horace 14:34). But unlike the self-righteous orthodoxy and their feeble inquisition, me and my Eskatonic synod does not beleive that any mortal soul is beyond salvation. You can still repent.

I recommend that you focus on humble acts, and that you recite the Hymn of the Apostles three times each morning and three times each night. Eat with the poor, share their misery, give away your wealth, and perhaps the Pancreator will reignite the flame within. Always bear in mind that you are just a mortal man - nothing more, nothing less.

Remember that I will always hear your confession when you feel the need...

...and I will pray for you.

Your friend,

Brother Simon Ven Lahjal

I personally, since my recent elevation to the status of demi-god, stand way above the mundane dealings of mortal men. Need I say that this includes the stupid bonfire lovers of the inquisition as well? For you, oh preacher of a confused and illusional gospel, its another matter and I suggest you choose your words more carefully in the future. If not you will perish among the other disbelievers when my.... ehrrrm - the new faith spans the galaxy. (i.e. killed in nasty ways, most likely to include a serrated dagger, a nut-cracker and a live goat.)

St: Joseph the Holy

We'll see about that when you stand before them, dear brother.

/Brother Simon

A curse I put upon thee Derfel, soiler of trousers and practician of the dark arts. May the Pancreator, in his unquestionable benevolence, boil your brain in its own cerebral fluids and most generally smite thee until your demise in horrific ways. Ha!

/Brother Joseph (who shares some points of view with the Inquisitorial Synod)

I, the armed fist of the Pancreator and the scourge of all evil, will once more go into the breach for the sake of justice and truth. Death (or at the least minor mutilation) to the pagans...

/Joseph Sanguinus