PeterZ wrote:I would not say the Inner Circle has been lucky. They have had to inform Safeholdians about the Truth. Safeholdians whose belief in their own religion is based on millions of first hand accounts of their own creation, their lives spent living with angles and the War Against the Fallen. All the first hand accounts found in the Testimonies.
As a religion the CoGA fosters commitment and agreement, not faith. The run of the mill CoGA adherent has an atrophied faith when compared to Terran Christians, Jews, Muslims and any other human religions. Or to the SSK.
That is a group that has had to question the very nature of their Church and religion. They have seen an archangel send home their hero's dead body after visiting the Temple. They have seen divine fire smite their abbey without even an explanation of their misdeeds. Even so, this sisterhood remained committed to a god that has shown all the signs of forsaking them. These people have faith...no, they have Faith.
Nynian and Sandaria believe because at their cores they know that the god the CoGA has shown proof exists is not the God that embraces them through their Faith. Perhaps more like the Ahrmahgian Satanists of Prince Roger they know that the winners in the War of the Fallen may not be God's unblemished Champions. Believing that takes Faith.
So, while I agree with everything else you post, I believe that persuading Safeholdians in general is not so difficult a task. They do not have that Faith you so correctly ascribe to Nynian and Sandaria. Show Safeholdians proof and they will compare your proof to the proof they have been taught. The Church is based on proof after all.
No the Inner Circle has not been lucky, they have simply persuaded people using acceptable evidence as proof. What evidence besides God's touch to one's soul will a person of true Faith accept in this matter? I suggest that none exist.
I'm with PeterZ on this, and he brought up two very salient points. First, most Safeholdians don't have faith, they just believe what's been handed down to them. They'll have a battle of
belief when the Great Reveal occurs, but very few will have a battle of Faith.
So show them absolute proof that discredits the Writ and the Testimonies and explains that both of them are actually lies, and not only will a
lot of Safeholdians accept it, they'll be absolutely
furious at the chains the CoGA has kept them in! Sure, a lot of them will refuse to believe because change is difficult, and the CoGA offered them a comfortable worldview in which God and the Archangels looked out for them. How is that worldview working in Siddarmark these days? In Old Charis? In the reformist movement that's sweeping across the globe while the Inquisition tortures and murders those who question the CoGA's corruption? Those who realize how utterly corrupt "Mother Church" has become are likely to accept the Truth in droves, so Merlin's task may not be quite as difficult as he's dreading it will be.
I'm not saying there won't be some religious wars that may rival the War of the Fallen - and probably exceed it, since mortals numbering in the millions will oppose each other. They'll disagree vehemently, but they won't all be shooting at each other, and in the meantime Merlin and friends can start teaching those who believe them how the universe
really works. Eventually the improved quality of life that the "techies" enjoy will convince the CoGA faithful that they're basically being a bunch of Luddites, and more and more of their children will abandon the brainwashed "religion" that enslaved their parents, and will join the techies to have a better life.
Secondly, regarding those who have Faith in God,Staynair knows how to direct that faith to continue believing in a benevolent God, rather than a belief in a religion organized by psychopaths and megalomaniacs to keep mankind chained to Safehold forever. So the SSK will have a new focus, and a true understanding of what happened to Seijin Kohdy and why. They'll still believe in God, but as painful as it will be, they'll abandon the CoGA as the abomination that it is.
I'm not sure that the members of the SSK believe in God rather than the CoGA, even though the Archangels murdered their revered Seijin Kohdy. For example, Nynian and Sandaria both believe in what the CoGA
should be, but TF tech will help the poor and mankind as a whole a
lot more than the CoGA ever did, and without tithes and an Inquisition that tortures and murders those who disagree with it! They're clearly disillusioned, which is why Sandaria is having such a hard time accepting the Big Reveal at the moment, but I expect that they'll eventually accept it, and at least in Merlin's cave there's the option of keeping one or both of them there or in cryo.
But they had faith in the
CoGA and were
true believers in it, so they're facing a major crisis of faith as their cherished beliefs are shown to be a steaming pile of lies. If
they feel that way, many of the SSK likely feel the same, despite the horrors of what the Archangels did to Seijin Kohdy. (Which shows some cognitive dissonance on their part, but exactly what choices have Safeholdians been given to believe in? Only
one!)
The continued acceptance of God won't be universal among the true believers. Although
proof will shatter any faith in the Writ and the Testimonies, it won't necessarily destroy a belief in God for those whose faith in Him is strong enough, as Staynair and the inner circle have shown. Most of them still believe in God, even though some are becoming agnostics. Without Staynair to guide them, I expect most of them would have rejected God entirely as part of the fabrications of the CoGA, although Merlin and Nimue would stubbornly stick to their beliefs.
Perhaps opening the books on Terra's various religions will help people understand God in whatever form they choose to believe in Him. Let's just hope they don't latch on to the more militant ones - the CoGA is already more violent than any religion from Terra ever was!
I hope they end up more "New Testament" than "Old Testament" in picking or adapting Terran religions, for example, believing in a benevolent God rather than a vengeful one. (I'm trying very hard
not to start a fight over religion with that statement. I'm just pointing out that the God depicted in the two books of the Bible is quite different because it's an example I'm familiar with.)
Emerging from a religion where everything is black and white to a universe that's every shade in between will be a major struggle for Safeholdians, and latching onto something that feels like the Writ will be tempting - although since it cribbed parts from most major religions, they'll find some familiar teachings in most of them. Where they'll ultimately place their faith will be fascinating to see - for those who don't reject religion altogether. After all, rejecting religion entirely gives you Wednesdays off and a 10% raise!
How all this will affect the fabric of society and the family will also be critical, since most of Safehold currently shares a belief system that encourages the status quo. Just how many Harchongese serfs or Desnairan slaves are going to accept their lot in life when they learn that the religion that put them there is a fraud? Massive slave revolts anyone?
seems child games...