NationStates Jolt Archive

(OOC: This is open for anyone to comment on, if they like.)

IC:

In the Solar Pantheonic Church, it is traditional for a new High Priest to issue a series of statements that outline his stance on issues of concern to the faithful, as well as where the Church will stand on those issues as an entity. With his recent elevation to the highest of holy seats, High Priest Isthana I today issued the Statements of Principles for his reign. While most of them were relatively benign, a few of them stood out:

On abortion: "The Solar Pantheonic faith does not support or condone the act of abortion, except in cases of rape or where the life of the mother is endangered. 'Abortion' is a polite medical term for 'taking a child's life'. We fail to see why this is treated any differently from any other form of murder, which is exactly what it is. There are options out there for parents who do not wish to keep their child, such as adoption or foster care. But it is not the place for us mere mortals to deprive a child of its right to grow to the full potential of its spirit which the Pantheon, in its grace, placed upon this world. The Solar Pantheonic Church will take up stronger efforts to see that the stain of abortion is removed from the laws and, more importantly, the moral character of the Altan peoples."

On homosexuality, gay rights and gay marriage: "The people of the Altan have always, traditionally, been pansexual in their nature and outlook. Therefore, it is illogical in our minds to restrict the rights or privileges of an entire class of people based on who they love, or who they are sexually attracted to. This has been the stance of the Solar Pantheonic Church since its creation, and will continue to remain our stance. It is our goal to be welcoming, and open, to all who come to our doors. As a church, we will also, both as individuals and on an organizational level, continue to fight to ensure that the governments that hold sway over the mortal lives of the peoples of the Altan never give in to pressure to take rights away from people for such trivial reasons."

On the Church's role in government and society: "The Church has, for many years, been restricted in its role in government and politics by the powers that be, for they fear that the Church once held too much sway over the affairs of mortal men in such arenas. We feel that this is a shortsighted stance. As the Church has only the best desires and goals for the improvement of people in mind, it is only natural that the many religions that now call the Altan home should have the same role that any other group is allowed to have. In my role as leader of the Church, I plan to press for our faith to have a greater role both in government and in society. And while I encourage other religions in our lands to do the same, I respectfully ask them to remember that the Solar Pantheonic faith is bound to these lands by historic and traditional bonds that they can never hope to emulate, and should never attempt to sever, lest they damage the very culture of the peoples of the Altan."

On new immigrants and new religions in Altanar: "We welcome all people and faiths to our lands, as well we should. However, again, I would urge all newcomers to respect the traditions, values and faith that have always been a part of the Altan, and have flourished in the hearts of our peoples since long before they arrived here. It is the hallmark of a good host to be gracious to their guests, but it is the hallmark of a good guest not to be too imposing upon the hospitality of their host."

On the future of the nation, being determined in multiparty talks: "The three peoples of the Altan were given the steppes and plains of the Altan by the Pantheon, to live on, develop and thrive. There were no physical boundaries placed between them, and this is symbolic of the desire that there be no other kind of separation between the peoples of the Altan. The Akamians, Argali and Altanari were meant to live on these plains and steppes together, as brothers and sisters in the grace and faith of the Pantheon. It is not right to separate them, and anyone who strives to seeks to undo the will of the gods and goddesses themselves, and is thus fallen from that grace."

Lauru on Solar Pantheonic Church: "No comment"

Asked whether he wished to comment on the statements of principle emanating from the Solar Pantheonic Church in Altanar -which include an opposition to abortion, a call for the Church to occupy a special place in the country and an active role in government, and an opposition to political autonomy for the indigenous Akamians and Argali minorities-, Ariddian Second Secretary Turei Lauru said that such issues were up to the people of Altanar to decide upon.

Mr. Lauru did, however, briefly praise the Church's progressive stance on homosexual rights.

Isthana expands upon Statements of Principle

- High Priest: Church "not opposed to autonomy"
- Protests for, against the Statements take place

MONASTERY OF THE MOUNTAIN, MT. KILARIS - In a press release issued by his office, High Priest Isthana I denied reports in some domestic and foreign media that the Solar Pantheonic Church plans to oppose the autonomy efforts of the Akamian and Argali minorities at the hasha.

"When I stated that the peoples of the Altan should not be split apart, I didn't mean that we would oppose the autonomy movement. I meant that we would oppose anyone who outright demands independence for the Akamian or Argali regions - in other words, anyone who tries to split apart our nation. We can, and should, give autonomy to those who desire it, but we must not go the route of separatism and splittism," Isthana said in the statement. The statement also added that Isthana would make the Church's stance on the issue more clear at the hasha, once the government has made its presentation.

The High Priest issued his statement after protests began to break out in Akamia and Argalia. The Solar Pantheonic Church is the predominant faith among Akamians and Argali, as it is among Altanari, and the idea that the Church might oppose the autonomy effort stirred the already high tensions surrounding the issue.

Protests also took place in several Altanari cities after it was made clear that the Church plans to lobby against current laws allowing most abortions, with womens' rights groups and civil rights groups railing against the "rightist and backwards-looking trend" they feel Isthana plans to lead the Church down.

"We didn't fight in 1936 to get the right to abortion in the Altanari Constitution, and again to defend that right in 1945, 1974, and 1981, to see the progress we've made turned back now by a child in a funny white robe and a goofy hat," Ikira Asplanar, leader of the Altanari Womens' Rights Society, declared at a protest in front of the Peoples' Assembly Building in Ael Khalas. Asplanar vowed to sue the government if any move was made to alter current abortion laws.

Isthana's stand was praised by anti-abortion groups, who staged their own protests. "The 'right' to kill an unborn child isn't a right, it's a crime - or at least, it should be," Keras Shakan, the president of the Defend Altanar's Unborn Children Campaign, declared at a rally in Nalioka. "We are glad that the Holy Isthana has had the courage to speak out against abortion that his predecessors did not have," Shakan added.

There were also protests both for and against the stand that new immigrants and other religions should "not be too imposing upon our hospitality" and that the Church should hold a preeminent religious, political and social role among all religions in Altanar. "(Isthana's) stand is not only a violation of the right to free worship in the Altanari Constitution, it's blatantly prejudiced besides," Cardinal Anton LeRue of the Altanari Catholic Church declared. "The Solar Pantheonic Church is no more worthy of special privileges than any other church in Altanar."

Meanwhile, the Immigrant Rights Watch activist group staged its own protest in Kyrinia, the major port of entry for new immigrants to Altanar. "For Isthana to say that new immigrants shouldn't 'be too imposing on our hospitality' is basically him saying, 'don't act like foreigners, act like us'. That's incredibly prejudiced, and also not at all in keeping with the great Altanari tradition of welcoming immigrants with open arms," IRW leader Lisa Rainier said. While there was no active counter-protest at the port, several people did boo the IRW activists. One of them, who refused to give his name, said this: "All these new immigrants who keep coming to Altanar don't speak our language, don't follow our customs, and are a huge drain on our national and local budgets. I just don't see the benefit. What's worse, many of them don't want to adapt to our ways, but expect us to change to suit them. That's just wrong, and Isthana was right to say so. Look, if someone walked into your living room, plopped himself down on your couch, changed the TV, ate all your food, and then told you to redecorate the place at your expense because he didn't like the furniture, what would you think? It's exactly the same thing with immigration."

The Qooi Times spent three days discussing the issues. The three day series concluded with a column by Marzerette Upton-Nu, renowned foreign affairs commentator.

Key quotes:

"As much as the Solar Pantheonic Church could be an institution for good, it is likely to have negative social consequences; their commitment to conservative values, as well as their barely hidden ambition to have much greater influence in government are all cause for concern."

"And what of the man behind the ideas, High Priest Isthana? Little is known of this figure, his past and more importantly his future are unclear at this stage...With the potential for growing domestic tensions his leadership potential may be tested sooner than he realises."

"Religion has a great role to play in any society; The Great Cult remains us of our past; however we must remember this past is not always entirely peaceful. Conflict has been borne out of religion as much as greatness and hope. The citizens of Altanar must hope for the best during this time."