Religion

From Gephqua

Religion:

Ashkenzaism: The Ashkenzi were an ancient tribe, their name comes from their ancient mytho-historical ancestor Ashken, whom they sometimes style a prophet. The Patriarch Ashken was, like most of the people of his time, a worshipper of many gods, but while in his father's workshop (Ashkenzi tradition holds that Ashken's family ran a lucrative business building idols for the locals) every idol fashioned would break. After the seventh attempt to make an idol of the god Immunz failed (the idol broke) Ashken heard the voice of the True God (Zyoh HaLayim, lit. "The Living Being" or "The Being of Life" from "Zyoh" meaning "Life" and "Layim" the plural form of "Laya" meaning "To Be"). The voice said to Ashken "Laya Layim" (I am the Being of beings).

Ashken, in fear, asked the voice who He was, to which the voice repeated, “Laya Layim.” Upon further inquiry the voice said, “HaAph HaPhebq HaAtanah Zyoh Zyayim Bakira HaKolah.” (I am the First One, the Last One, the Lord, the Life of Life and the Ruler of the Eons.) Ashken was instructed by the Voice of God (HaS’mah Saddiq) to renounce his family business of idol-making and commit himself to the One True God.

As a result Ashken was rejected by his father and was exiled from his clan, Ashken traveled in despair and loneliness in the wilderness of over a year as to the loss of his family. Finally Ashken came to a mountain and decided to petition the voice he had heard, crying out to know why he should be abandoned by all whom he knew and loved to be cast out of his clan, to which the Voice of God again came to him, telling him that he would become the father of a new clan, and that eventually through his descendants the Divine Light would return to the people and would be signaled by a promised savior, the Masiq (HaMasyqh). The voice then drew Ashken to a nearby village, where he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon, drawing water out from a well. The voice instructed Ashken to take her as his bride and first convert.

Ashken and his bride, (Marha, usually given the affectionate title of “HaKazha” lit. “The Mother” or “The Matriarch” similar to Ashken being called “HaMotza“ lit. “The Father“ or “The Patriarch“) sired five sons and five daughters. These ten children would become the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Ashkenzi tribes.

Over the course of his life Ashken was given a series of visions, which were written down originally by his own pen, but in his later years by his children who recorded what he spoke (at least according to Ashkenzi tradition) The Book of Ashken contains all of these, divided into seven tractates. The first tractate, often seen as the most central, is called “Tobas” and contains all the laws which God gave to Ashken and the Ashkenzi people.

Names of the Ashkeniz God: Zyoh HaLayim (The Living Being), Laya Layim (The Being of Beings), HaSaddiq (The [All] Powerful), HaAph (The One, The First, The First One, The Only One, etc)

The Ashkenzaism is not a unified religion, but has splintered into various sects over its long history.

The Purists, as they are sometimes called, are also sometimes considered the more conservative branch of Ashkenzaism, they prefer to conduct their worship services in the older dialect, they accept the Book of Ashken alone as their sacred scriptures, and do not believe in an afterlife, but rather believe that when the Masiq comes, the Divine Light will restore the dead to life only in the After-Age (that is, the time after the conclusion of history). The Purists are perhaps the largest, in terms of percentage, of the Ashkenzi sects.

The Jarians are another large movement within Ashkenzaism, the Jarians accept the Book of Ashken, but also embrace the Jarayim, roughly translated as “prophetic sages”, and the writings about and by the Jarayim is collected into a book, also usually called “Jarayim” or sometimes “Books of the Jarayim”, it is considered a companion volume to the Book of Ashken. The Jarians are more likely to use modern dialects in their worship than the Purists, and they also believe that the essence of a person is found with God prior to the After-Age. They depart from the Purists on several other issues as well. The other two major sects of Ashkenzaism are actually splinter groups from the Jarian sect.

The Yaddians are a messianic sect that split from the Jarians over the issue of whether or not Yaddi was the promised Masiq, the Yaddians believe him to have been the Masiq. The Yaddians believe Yaddi was more than a prophet, but in his role as the Masiq he is uniquely the manifestation of God. Yaddi was killed, however Yaddians believe he will rise from the dead on the last day and fulfill all the things which the Masiq was to fulfill and bring the Divine Light to all. Yaddians believe that in the meantime it is their purpose to spread the Divine Light (which they believe was given in part by Yaddi to those who follow him) to all they come into contact with. For this reason Yaddians are largely non-violent and reject weapons of war (some Neo-Yaddian sects accept violence as a sometimes necessary evil, but this is a minority position).

The Moqhtians

The Phalashim: The Phalashim are a caste of warrior monks who dedicate themselves to an unseen power which they call Roakh. Roakh is the spiritual fire that permiates all living things, and in their Temple they keep a blue flame perpetually burning as a symbol. The Phalashim are deeply intertwined in the ancient Urgatian Empire, where they served as the protectors of the emperor and the empire. This role has been transferred to the modern emperor, where they still fulfill their duty as keepers of the peace. The Phalashim are dedicated to chastity, celibacy, non-indulgence. Strictly disciplined they are taught to avoid fear, anger, hate, and avoid concepts such as revenge; and to live as simply and as unburdened as possible. Most Phalashim own only the clothes on their back (a simple cloak) and their darqir--traditional swords, or in the modern era, energy swords.

The Phalashim are organized and live in monastic communities, many in remote places, while others can be found in urban centers. The Temple of Roakh is the most sacred site for them, and is also where the Synod of the High Priests are located. Each community is led by two or three avim--elders. There exists a fairly strict hierarchy. Those who desire to become Phalashim must spend a year under the strictest discipline directly under one of the elders. If they pass the tests they are formally brought in as neophytes and are given their own darqir. As a neophyte one is then made the disciple of a teacher. Where they are personally trained. At the end of this training, if the elders of the community agree, the neophyte moves on to become a teacher himself. Teachers may only be graduated to an elder if the Synod of High Priests confirm it. Only elders may become a high priest, the highest level one can achieve as a Phalashim.

Initiate -> Neophyte -> Teacher -> Elder -> High Priest

Only seven high priests can exist at one time. There are several ways which one can cease being high priest.

1) Death. 2) Exile. 3) Retirement.

If a high priest is killed, he (obviously) can no longer fulfill his post. If a high priest violates the Code (the rules and regulations that bind Phalashim life together) the other members of the Synod can vote for him to be stripped of his cloak, darqir and cast away into exile. If a high priest is at a very old age he can choose to retire with dignity, a ceremony is held where the high priest officially renounces offers up his cloak and darqir and no longer holds rank. However, he is expected to continue to uphold the Code--even though several of his vows are nullified (such as celibacy), thus a retired Phalashim may marry, though few ever do.

The word “phalashim” itself means “separated ones” from the root word “phalaha” meaning “stranger” or “to be different” or “make separate”.