The Axiom
There is only one god, and that god is Ágios.
Structure
The design of the organization is loose by design, as it it both new and grassroots. The highest authority is Theodoros Ágios, who is seen as the incarnation of the one true god, the most pure of the Eidololatria. Followed by this are the Templars, a small, highly devout, and often harshly violent group of paladins and clerics who travel with Ágios. At the bottom of the hierarchy are The Enlightened, average followers, believers, and worshipers.
Public Agenda
Proselytize. Liberate the masses from their own consciousnesses. Save the world.
Divine Origins
It was said that the Child of the Hereafter, the One True God, descended from the impossibilities of the Grand Crevasse. And it was on that day, shrouded in nothing but light and life, he was brought to this world. He was clothed and nutured in his formative years. He took to fishing, retrieving his schools of fish as if with purpose. Soon, his net widened, and he sought a more enlightened life. His travels took him across the planet, where he explored many a land, seeing its rampant corruption and degradation.
On that day, the Templars united around Ágios. They aided him, guarded him, and so he led them. He traveled with his Templars, knocking down institutions that served no one, defying religions that saved no one, and aiding those who merited aid most. And all was good.
Cosmological Views
The world is seen as pure chaos and without order whatsoever, accepting all previous cosmologies that came before it. It says that because of this lack of order, the fabled child, Theodoros Ágios, left the great city of gods in Hereafter and made his way through Grand Crevasse. This is a holy event, as this pure innocent child is a raw manifestation of god: born of nothing, anointed by no one, and perfect in every way. As such, he is assumed to be the One True God, and will become this god in time by performing miracles in a time of need that will strike the planet.
Tenets of Faith
- There is only one god, and that god is Theodoros Ágios.
- Corruption is purely wrong. All that are corrupt deserve nothing on this realm.
- Material property is pointless. All that is needed is faith in the destiny of the multiverse.
- That which is unneeded should be given to others. One only needs what is necessary to sustain life.
- Life is meaningless. We all are meant for death.
- Heresy is unacceptable. One may not believe the True Word, but atheists and disbelievers deserve death.
Ethics
Ethics are loose in The Axiom. When it was clear that Ágios had grown a following of believers, The Templars decided that proclaiming Ágios' word as law was needed. But with Ágios showing no interest in believers or what his word meant, they created this meaning themselves.
The core ideas are those similar to the personality of Ágios himself, and the vague core tennants taken from his words and teaching.
All corruption is seen as inherently evil. Rebels to corruption are praised. This means those who wish to overthrown corrupt kings, or publicly denounce impure merchants or clerics are proper in their judgements.
Furthermore, there are no restrictions on punishment. Although Ágios disagrees with the practice, in practicality, murder and violence are actively encouraged toward atheists and non-believers. Those who are seen as impure or corrupt are also free game for violence. Believers often have been seen accusing heretics to Ágios as "impure," thus allowing even heresy of Ágios as an eidolon to be justifying of violent assault. There are rumours of people enslaving others, forcing them into service and faith to The Axiom under penalty of death. Although these people are not slaves legally, in practicality, they are given little recourse beyond imminent death.
Material posession is seen as less than dirt. This takes many forms from worshipers, however. Some interpret this as freedom to thieve and steal in the name of God, so long as it is toward impure people or to benefit someone that is not the self. Others use this as justification for arson and destruction of property. Still more will gladly destroy items as a form of sacrificial penetance. The belief system also has been seen to extend to slaves being seen as property, and thus "destroyed" like an "unholy object" in some cases.
The least controversial thing related to the religion has to be its raw charity work. As is sees material possessions as pointless, and values caring for others (especially those that are poor or destitute), believers tend to give the vast majority of their possessions to charity. Clerics to The Axiom will recruit some non-believers and beggars as larger portions of their flock, offering to preach the word of Ágios for food and shelter. This has been remarkably popular, and has very quickly increased the amount of worshipers, many of which live in raggedy flophouses near large cities.
Priesthood
Structure is loose in The Axiom. Templars have righteous dominion over religious speaking and texts, their journals being cherished between themselves and others as raw manuscripts of a god in the living. As these texts are spread and shared through proselytism, many people declare themselves priests to The Axiom, and begin declaring the adventures and "true words" of Ágios as his heavenly acts upon the realm, raconteuring his miracles across the lands.
Granted Divine Powers
Templars in particular, but some clerics as well, find themselves graced with celestial powers. All manner of radiance and arcanic powers can be gifted, from creating light to casting spells of raw holy energy. The Templars are the most proficient with these abilities.
Political Influence & Intrigue
The Axiom is actively eroding political and religious institutions everywhere it resides.
The concept of a monotheistic religion based on a living soul is seen as both deeply intriguing and deeply controversial. Institutions devout to the Eidololatria tend to denounce The Axiom, but hypocritically must allow its devout to use their services. This causes great conflict both within, without, and between various holy sites, paladins, clerics, and priests. While some temples and churches fully accept The Axiom, others refuse to allow worshipers practice, while others have been noted to fully convert, destroying iconography to the Eidololatria in favour of pure worship of Ágios.
Meanwhile, political institutions in general disfavour The Axiom. Wherever a flophouse exists housing residents, violence crime tends to follow. But with the growing amount of worshipers, this means attempting to punish or control worshipers of The Axiom is deeply unpopular, and cause riots, arson, and even more violent as a result of keeping the peace. As such, many cities and officials try to ignore the religion and its worshipers, hoping the phase dies out quickly, although signs show it only growing exponentially.
Pacify the world; achieve enlightenment for all.
Founding Date
1716
Type
Religious, Cult
Alternative Names
Cult of the One True God
Demonym
Gestalts
Leader
Deities
Divines
Location
Notable Members
Comments