Rethenism

plembobria

TNPer
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Rethenism is a religion is Plembobria. It was founded sometime in the 7th century somewhere in the sprawling mass of the McMasterdonian empire. It is the thing for which the Rethenites were named. You are entitled to use this religion in your nations if you wish. You are even entitled to interpret these scriptures any way you like.

Please refrain from posting here.



Book 1: Chapter 1
(The creation)

There was not.
There was no heaven, no earth.
No stars nor moon nor sun.
There was no darkness nor light.
There was not.

There was but One, whose Name is not known.
He is the maker of all things.
From not, he wove the heavens and the Eras.
All that is and ever was is from Him.

From not, he made the birds, the trees, the beasts, the sky and all in it.
 
Chapter 2
(Rethea and Astarial)

He was displeased. He who was not named was alone.
He had none with whom to share his creation.

He fashioned two beings. Divine, perfect beings.
They were his daughters. Rethea and Astarial, He named them.
He thought his daughters beautiful and indeed they were.
Equal and alike they shared the heavens and Eras.
He watched over them and their play.

They enjoyed their things, and forgot Him who made them.
And He abandoned them.

The men and women of Eras enjoyed the land. They were free and happy.
They lived in harmony and peace. There was no war, no crime.
No theft, nor murder.
No rumors, nor gossip, nor arguments.
There was no hate.
Astarial and Rethea cared for the people of Eras.

But the people loved Rethea far more.
To Her they sacrificed their animals. To her they gave the first fruits of their crops.
Astarial became angry. She hated her Sister whom the men and women loved.

With divine power Astarial created Demons.
With these minions of hers she perverted the people.
They lied, they cheated, they stole.
The men lay with each others' wives. The women betrayed their husbands.
They killed and outraged one another. They hated their fellow men.

Chaos reigned on Eras.
 
Chapter 3
(The fight)

The people of Eras, in their unbridled wickedness, served Astarial.
They payed no heed to Rethea and her goodness.

Rethea soon realized she must fight Astarial.
And so the Goddesses fought.
For twenty days and twenty nights they fought to the death.
The people of Eras watched as Astarial and Rethea beat each other.
Fire spewed across the sky.

There was but a small remnant that followed the righteous ways of Rethea.
Rethea descended to earth and said unto them,
"Fight the forces of wickedness, and you shall never die."

And so they attacked the Wicked Ones.
They put them to the edge of the sword.
And die they did not.
Until they were slain by Astarial herself.
All the inhabitants of Eras were slain by the Wicked Goddess.
 
Chapter 4
(The return)

Eras was barren.
Astarial had slain the people and locked their souls away.
And their souls Astarial kept hidden for many ages.
Rethea grieved for the people whom she had loved.

So Rethea went to Astarial and begged for the souls of people of Eras.
But Astarial would not be moved.
So Rethea bargained with Astarial and said unto her,
"Let us put the souls upon Eras, and each shall choose to whom they shall give their souls.
If they choose you, you shall possess their spirits on their death, but if they choose me, I shall grant them new life and a new body."
And Astarial agreed.

The souls of the people of Eras were released upon the barren land.
New bodies they possessed, bodies woven by Rethea.

And so the people of Eras lived together again.
Once again they blasphemed and fought amongst each other.
The warnings the the followers of Rethea were ignored.
The People of Eras had forgotten the Great Fight.

And so Rethea grieved once more.
 
Book 2: Chapter 1
(The revelation)

Woe was Rethea!
The People of Eras with each day sinned!
There was no goodness, no kindness.

Rethea stared upon the earth.
She saw but one good man.
Omar was his name.

So Rethea descended to Eras and appeared before him in a dream,
"Rise, O righteous man."
Omar gazed upon the beauty of Rethea, and was afraid.
"Fear not, Omar. I am the Goddess of Truth and Justice."

And Omar looked upon the goddess and said,
"How shall I know you are not a deceiver?"
And she said unto him,
"Your soul is pure, for you know what is righteous and what is not."
And he saw and believed that it was indeed Rethea.

Then she said unto him,
"You are my prophet.
You shall preach the righteous ways to the heathenish peoples of Eras."

"And what shall I preach?"

"You shall write the revelations that I shall give to you.
And the people of Eras shall see the righteous ways of mine.
Or they shall be forever damned.
Astarial shall take their souls and forever keep them hidden.
And they shall suffer in darkness.
But those who follow my ways I shall redeem."

And then Rethea vanished.
 
Chapter 2
(Omar seeks Rethea)

And so Omar went up from his household to the mountain of $TBD.
And upon the mountain he reached to the heaven and cried to the heavens.
"I am here!
It is I, your chosen one!
Reveal to me your mysteries!"
But Omar heard nothing.

Still were the winds.
Quiet was the air.

Again he cried to the heavens,
"I am your servant, Omar!
Reveal your wisdom and truth!"

But there was no sound.
And Omar tore his robe.
To his knees he fell.
Looking toward the heavens he cried,
"Goddess of Rethea!
Hear the voice of your humble servant!"

Still, silence.
Silence of the grave.

And so Omar descended the mountain.
He said unto himself,
"Perhaps I saw not more than a dream.
Perhaps I am mad."
 
Chapter 3
(Omar pleads for the slave)

And so Omar entered the city below the mountain.
He found a seamstress and went in to her.
He requested of her,
"I am Omar. Will you mend my robe?"
"I shall mend your robe," She said unto him.

And so Omar gave his robe to the seamstress and went outside.
And he saw across the way a young carpenter.
Seeing that the carpenter's work was beautiful, Omar went to him.

"Who is your master, that I might tell him of these great works of yours."
And the young carpenter said unto him,
"My master is a rich man.
He lives in this city.
He walks up and down seeking business."

And so Omar said to the carpenter,
"Might I purchase one of your wares?"
And the carpenter said,
"My master sells what I make, and in return my wife and my sons may live in a small hut of his."
"You receive no payment for your goods?"
"I do not. For I am a slave."
And so Omar felt compassion for the carpenter.

"I shall find your master, and ask that he pays you."
And so Omar walked up and down the road searching for the carpenter's master.
When Omar discovered the master, he said unto him,
"Why do you not give your servant what he deserves for his work?"
"He does nothing. He is as lazy as a lame donkey," said the Master.
And Omar said unto the Master,
"Do you not see the beauty of his handiwork?"
"He does as he is told and I clothe and feed him.
You should go your way and seek trouble elsewhere," said the Master.
And Omar said,
"You are doing wrong, for the fruit of a man's labor is his own.
By the sweat of his brow he brings value to his life.
What right do you have to own this man who brings more value to the world than you?
He must work for whom he pleases, and seek payment in his own right.
You must pay the man, and let him live as he pleases."

And the master said unto Omar,
"What is this nonsense you speak? Are you a fool? A false prophet?
This man is my slave. He is to do as he is told. He does not work hard, he deserves no pay."
And Omar asked the master if he ever looked upon the slave as he worked.
And the master said he did not.
And Omar said unto him,
"I shall work, and you shall see the hard labor this man does for you."
And the master responded,
"You shall work."

And Omar toiled until sundown, and when he was complete, he said to the master,
"Do you not see that I am tired and weary?"
And the master said,
"You are a deceiver, go home."

But many had flocked to see this spectacle.
And a woman cried,
"You must pay the slave! For this man speaks wisdom!"
And the flock of people shouted and cried at the master.
And the master said unto the flock,
"I shall not pay the man. But I shall free him, and he may work where he pleases. This folly will soon lead to his destruction."

And Omar realized that Rethea had spoken through him to the master.
He looked up to heaven and said quietly,
"Thank the Goddess."

So Omar went across the street again for his cloak.
As he walked home, he found that the crowd was following him.
He said unto them,
"What is it you seek that you follow me?"

And a man in the crowd responded,
"You are a new prophet, for you speak the wisdom of Flemingovia."

And Omar said unto the crowd,
"Go to your homes. I speak not for Flemingovia.
I speak for the Goddess I saw in my vision.
She is Rethea."

And another man yelled,
"Who is this Rethea of whom you speak?"
And Omar said unto him,
"She is the true revelation of Flemingovia. For he is but the a fool's view of Rethea."

And some of the crowd said,
"Truly this man speaks the truth."
But others said,
"This man lies, for he says Flemingovia is false."
And those people returned to their homes angrily.
 
Book 3: Chapter 1


These are the words of the Prophet Omar, who spoke that which is revealed to him by the Goddess Rethea

Rethea is the Goddess
She is all goodness and life
From her does all virtue flow

It was Rethea who banished the darkness of Astarial
And ushered in the light

There is no goodness without Rethea

From upon the mountain I spoke to Rethea
She said to me,
"Consider my words and follow my wisdom,
Those who follow my ways will be again reborn
For my servants shall be are mine, they cannot be lost

The wicked ones who defile Eras
They are the servants of Astarial
They lie beyond my grasp
Away from me do they walk

There is no hope nor rescue for the wicked
Astarial shall take their souls
And they shall never again be born

But the wicked one has no power upon Eras
Only in death does she take the souls of her servants

O wicked ones!
If you follow the ways of goodness and life
If you serve the Goddess Rethea in righteousness
You shall be reborn

For it is man who chooses his own way."
 
Book 3: Chapter 2
(The holy law)

And Rethea spoke to Omar,
"You shall reveal these things to the people
These are my laws and statutes which all Men are bound to follow on Eras."

Behold, Astarial seeks your soul!
Seek wickedness and you serve her!

You shall follow my ways and I shall guard your soul.
Keep the ways of justice and you shall be born once more

You shall not kill any man, woman, or child, for all souls belong to Me, and anyone who dares take the soul from the body which I have given shall not receive my protection from Astarial

You shall not commit theft, for justice is my way

You shall not take by force the virtue of any woman, for the power to give life is mine

No man shall enter into a covenant of marriage with more than one woman, for the Flemingovians are perverse

You shall not allow the poor to starve, for I shall hold the greedy responsible for the souls lost

What animals you kill, you shall kill only for food you shall slaughter swiftly, for suffering is an abomination, and the gods who demand the shedding of blood are the idols of fools

You shall not beat your children, for the ways of patience are pleasing to me
 
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