Valtinism
Valtinism is a major religion that became popular in the early 24th century
The Insignia of the Rangers (Militant arm)
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Origins
Valtinism's origins began with the philosophical teachings of Professor William Kay at the University of Rhodes on New Carthage. He taught a class about the universe, foreign policy and espoused a belief that the universe itself as sentient and active. His students brought his teachings to various worlds and they begun to gain popularity, especially on the Frontier worlds. Valtinism was first organized as a religion or following in 2325 when a group of students on New Corinth began a commune espousing the core Valtinist creed.Key Tenets
Valtnism is not a dogmatic religion and teaches its key tenets which are:- The Universe itself is sentient and benevolent
- Living beings in the universe are not subject to the universes will
- But following that will lead to right outcomes and peace
- The universe wants peaceful coextistence for all living things
- Violence is an anathema to the universes design
- There is no need to believe in a creator God or a Soul, though Valtinists often do believe in this
- Other religions are tolerated as long as they do not teach violence or repression
- All adherents are free to express themselves
What Do Valtinists Do
Valtinism is a non-doctrinal religion and has no recognized “book of prayer”. All Valtinists are allowed to continue to worship whatever God or Gods they wish, or worship none at all. Holding some contrary views is allowed within Valtinism IE There are a number of Valtinists who do not believe in the soul or any form of the afterlife. They are not a mainstream group but their views are not considered wrong or heretical. Valtinism has only a few requirements: Learning: all Valtinists must do all they can to learn, especially about other cultures and race. Valtinists are encouraged to gain as deep an education as possible and there are Valtinist schools run either free of charge or at a very low cost across Terran Space. Understanding: Valtinists are expected to listen to the views of others and to be open minded. A core tenet of Valtinism is that the universe is always trying to teach those who keep an open mind. Those showing bigoted or closed-minded views in Valtinism are encouraged to change their ways or risk being “excluded” from future association Charity: Valtinists are strongly encouraged to support their community, especially other Valtinists. Those with the means to do so in a Valtinist society are encouraged to donate money, time or other assets to the less fortunate and those Valtinists who are in need or are struck with poverty will be directed to those who can help them. As a side-point to this, Valtinism has a very low tolerance for criminal behaviour as they believe there is always someone who will be able to help you Association: probably the loosest concept in Valtinism is that of association. There is no requirement to pray and there are no formal places of worship. Valtinism teaches that you can worship alone by a tree or with a thousand others in a school, a library or in the cargo hold of a starship. Valtinists are encouraged to associate, to share knowledge, theories and experience. They are also encouraged to share in social ways and in most Valtinists communities there is a rich program of social activities ranging from theatre, comedy nights, sports, lectures and board-games. There is no mode of dress or symbol of Valtinist worship, though often they will be associated with light blue colours and like simple star chart patterns.Conversion
A person is not required to “convert” to Valtinism and anyone is welcome to attend a Valtnist event unless it is for “Leadership” circles only. Those attending but not yet a Valtinist are not approached to convert and must make the first step, to ask for membership, without being prompted. Valtinism is not evangelical and it is strongly encouraged to leave possible worshippers to their own devices. Those who do wish to convert and become a Valtinsts are asked to attend a college or school, with travel paid for by the Valtinists in their area if they cannot afford to do so. The core tenets of Valtinism is explained to the person over a period of a few months and when they emerge, they are considered a member.The Rise of Valtinism
Valtinism continued to gain in popularity during the 2320's to the 2330's and communes and learning centers sprung up across the Frontier, especially in the South. Its teaching, along with no central leadership, lead to it being perceived as somewhat idiosyncratic but no threat. The Federated States recognized it as a formal, organized religion in 2331. It was granted a partial tax exempt status in 2336 Valtinism continued to gain popularity and attracted major figures from finance, business and the celebrity world. It's formal leadership was based around a Select Advisory Committee of 27, which eventually was upgraded to 41 members. The SAC usually selects multiple spokespersons and often reached out to lobbying firms. Awash with money from donors and allies, the Valtinist SAC founded its own political party in 2340 referred to as The New Horizon Party.Politics
Valtinism had a fairly low political profile for its first fifty or so years. However, it later formed the The New Horizon Party was founded to lobby for and support the aims of the Valtinist community. It was, initially, a fringe party that could only win elections in the Southern Frontier. It ran Presidential campaigns but never made too big an impact. The Party was disbanded after the Imperial Coup of 2387 The Valtinist faith formed two new political parties going into the 2485 Parliamentary elections: The Justice and Truth Party -a socially liberal party dedicated to spreading the core values of Valtinism the Raven Heart Coalition - a conservative party that campaign on disbanding TND and reducing AI rights These two were later joined by a third: Vishnu Elpis - a centrist party dedicated to spreading the core values of Valtinism but leaning away from the more pacificist tenets of Justice and Truth.The Rangers
The Valtinist SAC, after much debate, formed its own private militia force to protects its adherents. This group was referred to as The Rangers and was trained on Fort Verekker. The Rangers was initially a force of about 5,000 men and women but continued to grow. There are some within the Valtinist faith who see the Rangers as contrary to the nature of the faith. However, the Rangers are encouraged to use non-violent means whenever possible but, that violence in self-defense is acceptable if unavoidable.- Leyton Reid - 2380-2400
- Paddick Montrose -2400-2455
- Fortis McDere -2455-2475
- Powell Hamlyn -2475-2510
- Marta Warren -2510-2535
- Owain de Bassari - 2535-2578
- Athena Henson-2578-
The Hassirites
Influential Valtinist preacher and lecturer Lidia Hassir became hugely influential during the mid 25th century, espousing a simpler and more codified version of Valtinism which, after her death, was referred to as Hassirism and her followers as Hassirites. Broadly speaking the Hassirites believed that Valtinism needed to move away from the complex, dense and intellectual approach that it had begun with and become simpler and easier to explain, with more leadership from the top and a tighter structure. It was generally on positive terms with the main-stream faction and the Rangers, though there had been some concerns from the Rangers that Lidia Hassir had too much influence.The Navigator Faction
The Navigators were born out of intellectual discussions and debates around the need for Valtinism to return to more traditional "pacifist" leanings and get away from the militarism of the Ranger faction. However, putting it apart from the Mainstream faction, the Navigators were far more willing to embrace "artificial life" such as AIs and robots. The Navigators enjoyed a sudden surge of popularity in the 2550s and worked closely with the mainstream faction before settling in as the newest major faction.Rites of Valtinism
Birth
When a baby is born to parents within the Valtinist community their commune will arrange for a Book of Wisdom to be written for the new baby. The Book of Wisdom is a unique and treasured item for many. Typically the Book of Wisdom will contain hundreds of pages written by community members and cover many aspects of life with a focus on life after the baby has come of age. It is traditional for the books to contain history, philosophical musings, recipes, and general life advice from elders in the community. The front pages are always reserved for the parents to write a letter to the baby. The books tend to be bound by hand and usually have leather or hardbound covers that are embossed with the baby’s name and birthdate. Lots of new parents choose to celebrate with a naming ceremony, known as The Koru [Core-oo]. During the ceremony the baby is dressed in light blue clothing, a traditional colour associated with Valtinism, and is placed in a ceremonial basket that is usually hand woven for each child - though some families choose to have a hardwood basket that is used for all babies in the family. On planets where there is a shortage of natural resources such as wood communities often improvise the resources to make the ceremonial basket choosing to make use of materials like heavy plastics, repurposed metals, and toughened fabrics. The basket is placed on a small dais during the ceremony and guests stand in a spiral formation from the baby’s feet. The baby’s parents begin the ceremony by washing the baby’s hands and feet in a small copper bowl before placing petals on the baby’s head; there are no rules regarding the type of flower used, so many families use their favourites but Lotus, Lavender, Carthage Lily, and Martian Daisy are common choices due to their spiritual significances across many Terran cultures. The Koru usually includes a reading or singing to bless the baby with the joy of community. During The Koru, six people are called forward through the spiral to bestow the baby with a ‘gift’ for each sense: hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch, and intuition. Common gifts include music boxes, silver bells, flowers, fruits, honey, woven fabrics, and written prayers. At the end of the ceremony the baby is lifted from the basket and the parents reveal the child’s name to the assembled guests. All in attendance repeat the name three times and the ceremony ends. The arrival of a new child in a community is a time of celebration and whether other Rites are followed or not, all names and birthdays are recorded in a Book of Songs that is maintained by a dedicated Preacher attached to the commune. All children born are recorded for each individual day with a piece of music dedicated to that day. Music ranges from short compositions, all the way to epic pieces created for Days of Significance within the calendar.Childhood & Coming of Age
Children can be raised in Valtinist households but are not considered to be Valtinists themselves until they ask for membership of their own free will, following the same channels that any other convert would. As a result of this, classes offered to new initiates are often attended by a mix of age groups, though most major communes offer a specialist class groups for students under 21; often broken down to classes for ‘Under 11s’, ‘Pre’s & Teens’, and ‘Early Adulthood’. A child celebrates their ‘Coming of Age’ anytime between their 14th and 17th birthday, depending on emotional maturity and planetary culture. It is typical for the child to receive gifts after a short ceremony celebrating all they have learned so far and have left to learn throughout life.Marriage and Commitment Ceremonies
Valtinists are supportive of the positive effects of marriage on a couple and their community regardless of the type of ceremony chosen to mark the occasion. Many ceremonies across the Republic are considered secular with a small nod to elements of Valtinism, though many others are more involved. Involved ceremonies are often conducted by a Preacher from the couple’s commune, usually someone who has known them well during their relationship. Guests are positioned in a rising spiral and the couple walk through the spiral from opposite sides before meeting in the centre on a slightly raised platform, similar in nature to the Koru ceremony. The Preacher begins the ceremony by ringing a silver bell and covering the heads of the couple with a measure of sheer cloth called the Pasora [Paz-oh-rah]. The cloth represents a barrier marking a transition between one life and a new one entwined. The cloth is removed at the end of the ceremony to symbolise the couple breaking through the barrier and starting a new chapter of life. The ceremony ends with the bell being rung again. Promises made during ceremonies often include themes of commitment to learning and growing together, gratitude that the Universe led the couple into each other’s path, and dedications to honour the different stages of life during their shared journey. Clothing for the ceremony can be as plain or as ornate as according to the wearer's wishes but many Valtinists choose to attend their commitment ceremony dressed in simple fitted robes, often in shades of blue, grey, or white. It is common for the couple to change after the ceremony into something more elaborate for their celebration event if one has been planned. Common 'traditional' gifts given in honour of a commitment ceremony include charitable donations in the names of the couple, memorial plants, and pottery.Death
Death is a part of life and Valtinism celebrates this final stage as much as any other Life Rite. As with many other aspects of Valtinism there is no strict agreed belief in what happens to an individual who passes away. Many Valtinists believe in an afterlife, or in reincarnation, and as such many Death Rites include reference to the next stage. Burials are unusual and usually limited to individuals who are very wealthy; the majority of Valtinists choose cremation with a second ceremony for their ashes. The cremation service is usually completed within three days of death though can occur up to ten days after death in exceptional cases. Often the cremation is attended by immediate family and close friends with a short service involving the reading of favourite passages, looking upon the deceased and saying a last goodbye, and giving final gifts to the deceased for their final journey. Typical ‘gifts’ include photographs of loved ones, letters, and favourite food items so the deceased is prepared and not truly alone as their soul is freed from the physical body. The individual is often wrapped only in a light blue shroud for cremation, though some opt to be placed within a woven vessel similar to one used during The Koru, reinforcing the idea of life spirals and journey rather than life being a linear line that is followed. After the cremation the family of the deceased host another ceremony called Heliks [Hell-ix] which is a joyous celebration of the deceased with an open invitation for attendance, Valtinist or not. The Heliks typically takes place at the deceased’s home and involves feasting, music, and sharing stories about the deceased, whose ashes are normally present for the event. The Heliks usually lasts for several hours and it is common for mourners to come and go throughout the event. The final stage of honouring the deceased is to give their ashes a resting place and this location is often used as a focal point for those who wish to remember them. This ceremony, known as Tura [Too-rah], is an extremely private event with only immediate family in attendance. Tura is carried out in silence to reflect the solemnity of letting go of the last physical remains of a loved one. Communes often have gardens of remembrance that Valtinists can scatter ashes in, though this does require a donation to the commune before being allowed to do so. In exceptionally tragic cases relating to the death of children, the rites are altered and are referred to as Kadarae [Cad-ah-ray]. Children are shrouded in white cloth representing purity or yellow cloth representing light and are buried without exception. Mourners line the grave with flowers and the body is placed on top of them before being covered over and committed to soil. It is common for storybook pages to be left nearby grave sites, often tied in place with braided, brightly coloured threads. After burial the families of the child tend to lead their community in an activity that visually benefits the local area in memory of their child, commonly planting projects. Heliks is not carried out for deceased children, though many families do arrange gatherings to celebrate their lives with friends and family members though these are private events.Universalist Valtinism
Begining on Earth, the Universalist Sect sprung up around the view that the universes plan, a key part of the faith, was being enacted by humans and therefore the humans were a vital part of the "engine of the cosmos". This version of the faith also preached tolerance towards AI and TND. The faction remained popular on Earth but struggled to make any headway against the more popular and well organized factions.
Founding Date
2325 (Organised)
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Founders
Divines
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