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Symbolism II - The Dark Separation
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Repentence Tyrathlion
Tyrathlion Interstellar
#1 - 2013-09-27 16:56:54 UTC
I had intended to delay the second part a while longer, but discussions have begun which suggest to me that it is necessary to explain the second symbol – the Dark Separation.

As before, let’s take it at face value, from an aesthetic perspective.

1. Recall that the upward curve with the lower capstone represents God, and the downward curve represents man.
2. Compared to the Unbroken Circle, the two aspects have been broken apart. Man and God have become separate and unconnected.
3. The literal positioning places God above (in the stars) and man below (on the ground).

The basic meaning of the Dark Separation is fairly universally accepted; it shows the time after the collapse of the Evegate, and the plunge into darkness that ensued. Our origins were reduced to myth, our technology into legend, and the stars rose away from our reach. Our forebears forgot God, and he forgot us.

That is not to say that there is not debate, however. Many theologians argue that this was the state of all of New Eden – and the Dark Separation still holds outside of the Empire, in the barbaric ranks of the heathen, the heretic and the unbeliever. It is this attitude that lies at the core of the cultural and religious compulsion of Reclamation. There is a logical progression in the Symbols, and the Empire itself lies in the Third (the Imperial Seal itself); there is, at heart, a charitable need to raise our kindred from the darkness, quite apart from any commandments of the Scriptures themselves.

However, the core of the debate – as arose in the previous topic – is the question of where the Amarrian (or perhaps I should say proto-Amarrian, given the time period in discussion) people fit in. Two main schools of thought exist, to my knowledge. Again, I will be summarising and simplifying for the benefit of those unfamiliar with the knotty business of theology, so some may feel that I have missed aspects.

The first is essentially that the Amarrian people were chosen by God, possibly even prior to the Dark Separation. The ancient bloodline of Amarr was picked out as God’s children, destined to convert and rule over His creation, and although the Separation was devastating, they themselves never succumbed to the full implications of the Second Symbol, transitioning into the Third. They lost their direct kinship with God, but never forgot Him.

The second instead argues that all men were cast down by the Dark Separation, including the proto-Amarrian peoples. It was as they struggled to recover from the sudden bereavement of all that had supported them, God approached the ancient tribes and marked them as messengers of His will, thus enabling their transition to the Third.

While at first glance, the difference seems minor, it is actually one of the most fundamental questions in theology. You only need to glance over recent discussions on the IGS to spot proponents of both aspects. Although the official line leans towards the latter interpretation, enforcement of this by the Theology Council has been lax; although it may not be outright stated or argued, it is not hard to see how the former argument can be used to defend some of the harsher and more destructive aspects of Reclamation, conquest and slavery that have taken place in the Empire’s history. If the Amarrian bloodline are God’s chosen, then that innately implies superiority. Conversely, if they are His messengers and heralds, it encourages the consideration that all people are created by God, and Amarrians (in a cultural rather than racial sense) are only the agents to return all men to His light.

From a purely historical sense, the Dark Separation can be very clearly tied to a lengthy period of time, between the collapse of the Evegate and (at least) the rediscovery of space travel, in the big picture. Whether the rest of New Eden remains in the Second state is something I will return to later. In terms of Amarrian history, we can safely chart the transition to the Third symbol, the Imperial Seal, with the acceptance of their place as God’s instrument and the first creation of the Amarrian Empire (even if it would be some time before it was large enough to earn the name Empire).

So let’s summarise. The Dark Separation shows the darkest part of our history – not just within the Empire, but across all of New Eden. Indeed, although each of the Symbols applies primarily to Amarrian history, each has import to all of us.

In the next part, I will move on to the Third symbol – the Imperial Seal, which has fewer arguments surrounding it, but is far more complex in its own right.
Nicoletta Mithra
Societas Imperialis Sceptri Coronaeque
Khimi Harar
#2 - 2013-09-27 18:31:19 UTC  |  Edited by: Nicoletta Mithra
Cpt. Tyrathlion,

again, I think you put too much emphasis on the history and too Little on spirituality. I'd like to remind you that the history the symbols are connected to is in itself merely symbolic of the greater truths both Point at. At least in the Empire the basic meaning is given by textbooks as

"After the Fall, the Long Dark: Man and God entirely separate, with man below on his planets and God above in the heavens."

The heavens don't point to the stars or any cosmographic area. Rather it is pointing to the heavens in the spiritual sense, which are not a physical location. The fact that God and man are entirely seperated gives little leeway in Interpretation: ethnic proto-Amarr and God were seperated as well, the (proto-)Amarr People had a Dark Time as well. While this is frequently connected to the time after the collaps of the EVE gate, this should not make us think that the Symbol is pointing to a certain time in history, but rather that the time and the Symbol are pointing us to the same higher truth.

This is also supported by many of the more popular parts of the Scripture, which are easily accessible, e.g.:

""The Amarr people came into the world and the world came into being. Our illustrious ancestors freed their souls from the evils of the old world and created a new one.
The great Amarr Empire was founded to cultivate the spirit of man.
To do so the enemies of the outside had to be defeated and the enemies of the inside controlled.
The Lord gave our Emperor the power to harness the Good and punish the Evil.
Ever since, the Emperor has lived the lives of his subjects and breathed the air of authority."
- The Scriptures, Book I 1:6

Here is clearly stated that the Amarr were a people that needed to be freed from the evils just as anyone else. It is also historical fact that there was a Long time between the closing of the EVE gate and the founding of the Amarr Empire. Both the Time of Contemplation and the Settlement of Athra were before that. The Prophet Dano Gheinok was active in this time long before the Empire. We will see how intricately linked the third symbol is with the Empire, though. But how can this be, when Dano Gheinok himself already had preached the Word of the Lord? It is because history points us again and again to the same higher truths.

The Fall isn't something that has a definite place in time and space: It is to be properly understood as a state of the Soul, of which certain events in time and space are indicative. It is a self-inflicted spiritual wound from which we need healing.

No reputable theologian claims that the Amarr were or are predestined to be 'superior'. The concept of predestination is heterodox at best already and in combination with the idea of predestined superiority it is dangerously close to, if not already identical to, Sabikism. The idea that people are predestined to greatness by birth is reminiscent of the babaric idea that a mark can reveal the destiny of a person. The Amarrian people aren't in need of such superstitions though, we have reasonable ways to justifiy the stratification of our society.

God gave mankind the power to moral action, he might or might not be prescient of our actions, but he didn't predetermine them, because that would imply that true moral action isn't a possibility and that God is ultimately responsible for evil action: That God is responsible for evil is impossible, though. It is in moral action that we Amarr and in deference and service to God - just as any other human - that we acquire superiority. Those that deem themselves already justified - by pedigree or else - should be weary.

The Kingdom has been, though, historically more lax on Scriptural exegesis, taking refuge to personal interpretation, lacking direly in a central institution regulating and policing religious speculation among it's population by communicating the results of scientific Scriptural theology. The confusion about doctrinal matters that leads to the idea of an inherent superiority of the Amarr is a consequence of this.

Also, God didn't visit the Amarr to relieve them of their struggles. Rather He rewarded them for struggling successfully:

"Our Lord visited his flock and saw that all was not good.
Blasphemy and heresy ruled the land.
The Lord punished the sinners and drowned them in their own blood.
But the people of Amarr lived righteously and in fear of God.
Thus they were saved and became God's chosen."
- The Scriptures, Book II 2:1

The Amarr were chosen out of merit, their successful struggle to lead righteous lifes in fear of God. God chose them because of this quality in moral action and it is a quality which isn't inherent to mankind, it is something we have to toil for. This is why the Amarrian religion values hard work, toil and struggle so much: Because it is aware that man needs to struggle and toil to be deserving of God's gifts and favour. This is a message found in the Scriptures over and over again. It is not God who left mankind alone, but mankind who left God and it is in us, not God, to reapproach and make ourselves deserving.

That offical doctrine - that being chosen is not a property of race or anything likewise inherent, but a spritual and ethical property that has to be acquired - is clear from the times onwards that Khanids, Udorians and Ni-Kunni were written into the Book of records, arose to Holdership and were rightfully called 'Amarr' as people that live righteously and in fear of God - and ethnically Amarr have been struck from the Book of Records. At least.

Faithfully,
- N. Mithra
Repentence Tyrathlion
Tyrathlion Interstellar
#3 - 2013-09-28 09:44:41 UTC
My thanks for the additional input, Ms Mithra.