Ordo Charta/Zanaras/Religions and Priests
Written July 18th, 2009, this essay is a personal view on the ability of religions done by Zanaras Tian, Bishop of the Order of Saint Iestyn.
One cannot deny the power of religion in this day and age. Sanguis Astroism is arguably one of the most powerful religions on the continent, with the most followers by far, in both realms and followers. Even being among the Order of Saint Iestyn leadership it is hard to deny that their way does not have some power.
Still, even religion in and of itself is powerful. Even the smallest of religions is more powerful than the army of the largest realms. When the power of religions is underestimated, that is when they are the most powerful groups in the world. A single priest can stop the expansion of any realm, but at the same time, multiply the expansion of another realm several times over. Their words can carry far and wide with the common folk.
When realms understand this, they will embrace religions. Some may come to be ruled by religions, but that is not the intention of religion. Religions are there to guide realms, not control them. It is when they try to control realms that things start to go sour. It is then that people will start to turn on the religion, and then it will all fall apart from the inside out. That is what all religions must be careful of--they must not over extend their influence on the realms that follow them.
Of course, another threat to religions is heresy. The thoughts that flow contradictory to the religion. These are possibly the greatest threat to any religion. These are the things that will eventually tear a religion apart if it's leadership is not careful. Sometimes this heresy starts as something small, a rogue mind, other times the actions of a faith do not fare well with the wants of a realm, so then the realm as a whole acts against the faith it called it's own.
While religions can be the reason relations break down, they can also be the reason relations are built. If two neighbors have the same religion, they are less likely to go to war, and more likely to build relations further. For this reason it would take a lot of work to pit two realms, say Astrum and Morek, against each other if they have the same religion. And even then, priests, the true swords of religion if there ever were swords of a religion, aren't limited by official realm stances, but by the religion's stances. One would hope that the actions of a priest would coincide with that of their home realm. If not, things can happen and wars can start.
I feel there will be a day when wars are not decided by realms, but by religions. That will be the day when realms and religions have finally realized that priests are the the powerful weapons in their arsenal, and that military numbers are the primary choice anymore, but are there to support the priest's actions.
But then again, I myself am a priest. Even though I have served as marshal of an army, that was long ago. Now I use my oratory skills to enforce Order in the west. But think about it.
Who really holds the pieces? The realms? Or perhaps, the religions backing them?
