Harsuism
Harsuism is a belief system based on the teachings of the Azzartian philosopher Harsu, who reasoned that there must be a single perfectly good, all-powerful god who created the universe and set all things into motion. Harsuists lack a formal priesthood, instead electing ‘thinkers’ from among their most educated, who teach the faithful in matters of faith and reason. These thinkers are in turn led by councils of the most respected thinkers in a given realm or kingdom, the most influential of which moves between various Turantian cities. Thinkers perform their duties from temple-libraries, where they both amass knowledge, and offer sacrifices to the Unknown God. There are competing schools of thought within Harsuism, though most laypeople don't subscribe to any particular one.
Cosmological Views
Harsu observed that all things are in motion (i.e. experiencing change), and are set into motion by something else, which is itself set into motion by something else. He determined that such a causal chain cannot be infinite, and that there must be a beginning to it - something which set the first objects into motion without being set into motion by anything else. He reasoned further that, as the past is finite (since an infinite past would mean never reaching "now"), time itself must have been created, and such a being as he believed to have set all things into motion must have made a decision in to create it. This meant that Harsu's creator must be conscious. Harsu reasoned also that this being must be infinite, and that there could thus only be one creator - one god, outside of time in a perfect act of being, responsible for creating all things.
Harsu believed that good and existecne were essentially synonomous, and that evil was thus defined as a lack of good. He thus rejected the idea of a dualistic cosmology as taught by Auneirism. He also believed that, as there is only a single creator, both matter and spirit are inherently good, and only through corruption or deficiency can they become evil.
Priesthood
Harsuists lack any form of formal priesthood. The closest thing they have to a clergy are the "thinkers", intellectuals who interperet the teachings of Harsu and other philosophers, and guide communities toward righteousness. The temple-libraries from which thinkers are generally based also act as places of worship and sacrifice, but the specifics vary heavily in different locations, even within the same realm. Sacrifices of animals and agricultural products are offered to the Unknown God on a regular basis at the temple-libraries, overseen by one or more Thinkers. In Azzartian cultures, daily or weekly sacrifices are offered by Thinkers on behalf of their communities. In Vettanic cultures, Mystics offer monthly sacrifices, usually on a full moon, while Thinkers offer ad-hoc sacrifices whenever items are brought to them for sacrifice. In Caranthia, the temple-library system has been influenced by foreign Thinkers, and so the Azzartian and Vettanic systems are used in the south and north respectively.
Sects
Legalists
The Purist school of Harsuism teaches that Harsu's philosophy is as close to the truth as anyone could feasibly come. Beyond minor, gradual developments, Legalists reject any changes to established teachings. They are generally opposed to the practice of mysticism, believing that any apparent revelations achieved through otherworldly communication to be misleading at best, or demonic at worst.Mysticists
The Mysticists generally believe that Harsu's teachings were merely a foundational stepping stone to achieving further truth. As their name implies, they commonly practice Mysticism, communicating with supernatural beings as best they can in an effort to gleam insights into the nature of reality. Most hope that the Unknown God will one day send a true prophet to teach the world the full truth of the universe.Syncretists
The Syncretists believe that elements of the truth can be found in existing religions, and thus adopt many of their teachings and customs. They will often venerate elemental spirits, and some even claim that Oulos and the Unknown God are one and the same, and that Auneir was either a legitimate prophet, or at least a knowledgeable mystic. This is the smallest of the major schools, existing mainly among tribal Scytarans and Uvjolinen.
Founding Date
717
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Demonym
Harsuist
Permeated Organizations
Related Ethnicities
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