Ryou Gu Tykou/Beliefs & Gods
Our Beliefs
The Highest Teaching of the Ryou is "Adherence to Principles". Many initiates find this to be a difficult concept. Most religions focus on Worship of Dieties, Ceremony, Sacrifice, and Tradition. These are fairly absent in the Ryou.
What is "Principle"? It means thinking ahead, choosing the action that most fits your intentions, and keeping to that intention in all that you do, to the best of your ability. In the Nation of Giblot "Goodness" is considered the highest Principle. That Nation has been Blessed by achieving their foremost goals through Perseverance and Personal Sacrifice by the Leaders and Nobility in general. Other nations have achieved their own goals by working in unison on their own chosen Principle even though they may have never heard of the "Ryou".
"Principles" are the forces that drive the universe. The stars, the clouds, rivers and mountains and creatures around us disclose how Principles drive their actions. Principles drive even the gods, since they are subject to the way things work out, depending on their persistence in Principle.
Within the Ryou Gu Tykou there are three historic "gods", Korojima, Mizuki and Takanobou. They show how their own chosen Principles work out in life. There is one Principle they all adhere to - "Rightness". Similar to Goodness, this also means working to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number.
The Gods
The "gods" had once been humans who used to fight and quarrel about whose morals were better. When all their fighting was finally finished they came to an agreement that each of them had an admirable quality, "Adherence to Principle", even though each was trying to show that their own Principle was the greatest.
They found a way to "Unify" and "Work Together" by "Acceptance" of the like-minded Principles shown by others.
And so they formed the Ryou Gu Tykou to show the rest of mankind a way to True Greatness. Men and Nations had been driven by the 'problem of the day'. They would act without thinking ahead, doing whatever their untrained emotions drove them to at the moment. They may have gotten what they wanted that day (or not) and the next day the 'prize' from earlier became a new problem.
The "Ryou" would teach men to control their destinies by working together, considering their actions, and "Sticking to Principles" in thier lives.
"Each of a man's actions has a consequence. Many similar actions will have a greater influence. Many men practicing the same actions can break a mountain open."
By now you may have noticed that you are being introduced to some of the Principles, as they are shown in quotes and capitals.
The Rule
Korojima, Mizuki and Takanobou came together for the purpose of showing others what good it brings to come together and admire and enjoy our differences instead of bring hate to them. The Ryou Gu Tykou has one rule. That is "Acceptance".
Acceptance can be defined in any ways and can be applied to many situations. This explanation aims to show what the Ryou Gu Tykou mean excactly by acceptance. The Ryou Gu Tykou do not wish to let this rule apply to every single daily situation. Such as your scribe forgetting to send a message you spend ages creating. The Ryou Gu Tykou's definition aims more at.
"Accepting Differences"
A war or any quarell based on someone who is physically different from them is disgusting. A war or quarell based on a claim for a region is completely legal on religious terms. A situation like thatw ould be completely ignored by the gods. The Ryou Gu Tykou want people to be at peace with different types of cultures and such but also take pride in their own. One is completely free to do whatever he feels except scrutinize someone else's culture or looks.
For people that are willing to defy this rule and tell the Ryou Gu Tykou that they are wrong in their practices. A Religious Army is Reserved.