Intergalactic Summit

Recently, I've been receiving a few comments and mail rounds asking, in their various ways, how precisely I am alive and not imprisoned if I preach the Word in foreign space. I suppose, after so many years of doing it, I forget how dangerous it sounded even when I first began working in foreign ministry. The Theology Council was very concerned that the program was literally sending us to our deaths. They foresaw four results: that we would die, that we would be imprisoned, that we would be exiled back to the Empire with nothing to show for our efforts, or that we would need to alter the message so much that it became uncontroversial.

Yet, here we are today, with a far-flung but otherwise thriving church community in foreign space. I regularly preach the Word as I taught it in Amarr in foreign space, and I very rarely see a legal challenge these days, much less a lynch mob.

Given recent posts on the subject, I suppose it has become somewhat surprising that I have so little difficulty when even the IGS is a fairly combative place rhetorically. As such, I decided to give a short survival guide for presenting often controversial opinions in somewhat hostile places. These will be very general points; I would hope people would give some more specific legal advice if they are schooled in their local laws. I would also say that the official number ten on this list is to get a good local attorney or team of attorneys that can keep you out of hot water.

So, without further ado, how do I not die during foreign ministry?

RULE 1: BE POLITE!

Rule number one would be rules one through ten if I were listing them in order of importance. Ninety percent of all of your problems will be avoided in foreign space if you leave your attitude at home. Remember that you are essentially being welcomed into someone else's house in foreign space. Call everyone you don't know by name "sir" or "ma'am", mind your etiquette, wipe your feet and remove your hat after you cross the threshold. Some places have different customs which you may need to adapt to, but courtesy is fairly common throughout the cluster.

This is especially important when applied to law enforcement. If you do what I do for a living, you will eventually run into police who might question your legal grounds for saying what you say or doing what you do. I will cover that later, but it is important to realize that law enforcement officers are simply doing their jobs the way they have been trained to do it. I can only remember a few instances where being courteous and even-handed with the police has not been reciprocated. This also applies regardless of class. Treat every laborer as you would like to be treated. Be gracious, be understanding, and most of all, keep your anger in check.

RULE 2: BE POSITIVE!

Rule two is another great way to present your ministry no matter where you are. Trust me, people almost fetishize negative points and debates. When you open the floor for questions or you listen to someone else present their views, nearly everything is going to begin with how terrible something or someone else is. My own thread in which I field questions from the IGS is essentially a long list of explaining negative topics. People almost get a sense of satisfaction from such things. One would wonder why we live anywhere if it's so horrible.

So start with the positives. Talk about how lovely it is to be wherever you are and what you like about what you see. Find common ground and praise what is around you. Talk about how it reminds you of things and places you like at home. When you get to control the flow of conversation, always swing the conversation into the positives and try to find agreeable points from which to start more controversial materials.

RULE 3: START AT POINT A, END AT THE END!

Every time you begin a sermon in a place where government agents are literally across the street listening intently to you, the temptation is to give your thesis first and then present the evidence of it. This isn't always the best approach. My grandmother taught me my favorite rhetorical style, the "how did we get here?" method. You begin at the evidence, presenting the thesis last.

It's going to get you quickly arrested if you step onto a soapbox in a Gallente high street and begin vigorously accusing everyone around you of sin at the top of your lungs, even if it's technically legal to do so. Not only does that break rules one and two, but people are going to very quickly recognize the abuse for what it is and will find a valid reason to arrest or assault you. Instead, you start from the positives, as described above, and work into things you see that could be better. Common points that are objectively things everyone agrees needs some work. By he time anyone realizes where they are, they are listening to a sermon on Scriptural moderation and agreeing that, yes, it seems like a good idea. From there, they may want to see what else the Scriptures teach.

You would be amazed what you can get away with saying in even the most totalitarian areas if people follow your argument and you leave the hypothetical means up to them. Ease them into your thinking, don't it them with it headfirst.

RULE 4: GET INVOLVED!

Rule number four is the most difficult for most people to follow and takes a lot of presence of mind. However, it is far and away the most satisfying. Are you in Minmatar space preaching to laborers in a quarry about hard work? You have better be ready to break some rocks and get involved. If Caldari are playing a card game, ask if you can join. Most would be more than happy to teach you the rules as you go. You have to be careful not to get carried away and start doing drip with Gallente drug addicts, or you become part of the problem. But if that same addict is recovering, wants to go to an art gallery and invites you, by all means go!

-cont-

RULE 9: BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE!

Last and most importantly, we know that no matter how outgoing a society is and how universal your message is in that culture, speaking publicly always has an element of danger. Do your best to minimize the danger for everyone involved. If you know going somewhere is going to get people hurt, work on making sure you can eliminate that threat before going. If you know there is a civil conflict brewing, don’t drop in and make matters worse if you can remain distant and attempt to mediate the situation. Don’t fly into dangerous situations where you know there will be no way out, instead see if you can choose more neutral and safe ground. The most important weapon to use in survival in these situations is pure common sense.

You’ll make everyone happier with you if you try your best to minimize the possible problems. A governor might attend and attentively listen if you go out of your way not to cause a problem in his jurisdiction, even if you have warranted criticism that you bring up (remembering those rules above!) If you set up unannounced at his doorway and preach for his demise, you’re not just breaking the rules above, but you’re just asking for trouble.

It’s maybe not the most complete list and anyone can feel free to voice their opinion on it, but it’s part of the methods I’ve developed that work. I’ve done the things above and found that, as long as I plan ahead and work with the locals instead of against them, not only has the ministry been better received but the headaches are almost nonexistent. I really do mean it when I say that surviving in this ministry is easier than you’d think. Most people are just trying to do the best they can by their families, friends, and fellows. Come to them with unnecessarily judgmental and bombastic rhetoric, and you will both make your ministry ineffective as well as your legal prospects difficult. Come to them with open arms and an understanding, pleasant demeanor and you will be usually tolerated, at the very least. You will more than likely make a few friends, and even learn something yourself while you are at it!

Above all, remember that you aren’t just representing yourself. You are representing every people that your parishioners and audience associate you with. Everywhere I go, I know that not only are the stereotypes of all the people they have ever met that I resemble going to be applied to me, but that I will then inform stereotypes of all those people and even people they have not met yet. People are often desperate to make you fit, so you have to stand strong and set the best possible example. Be precisely what you think those stereotypes should be and accept nothing less from yourself than that model perfect person in your mind. Perhaps you will always fall short of that goal; we all do. But you will always have something to hone in yourself and will have something to work towards.

Do all of that, and even you might be able to say what you want to say without fear even in hostile environments. God did not make a universe in black and white, it only seems that way when you look at it from a distance and ignore the multitude of people around you. Be confident, gracious, and humble in all your dealings. You’d be amazed how well people will listen to you, even when you’ve been told all your life they’re sworn to kill you instead.

I suppose the best thing to have when you’re preaching on dangerous ground is a little faith. People will feel it before you even open your mouth.

A valid criticism. I think the reason I don't go farther into worst case scenarios (and believe me, I've seen a few scenarios so bad that I hadn't even imagined them) is because they are so specific to their local cases. I was trying, in the interest of brevity, to keep it broad.

However, yes, you need to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I think you might count that as an addendum to point nine. You need to minimize the danger to yourself as best you can.

When things go wrong, remember that you aren't going to always be able to shoot your way out or rely on the kindnesses of strangers. I've bombed occasionally in my life on stage, I will not deny that. This ministry has been surprisingly peaceful, but not totally peaceful. I expected quite a bit more violence and danger to myself than I've received, but that is not to say I haven't been detained or attacked in my ministry. I've certainly come close to dying before. This is, of course, the first official Theology Council foray into foreign ministry, so it was bound to get hairy at some point.

All I can give in the way of advice is that situational awareness is king over all your senses. Don't wait for danger to dictate your terms for you. Control the situation. If it does creep up on you and the worst does come to worst, follow the rules above. DO NOT PANIC! If you really need to get out of town in a hurry, make sure you do your best to blend into your surroundings, don't break the skyline, and make sure you always have an escape route planned if the worst really comes to worst.

I can count the number of times that has happened in these years with my hands. That may only be because I was fortunate not to lose any fingers.

I am sure there are soldiers out there who have been in worse scrapes and can certainly give you better advice than I can. I know that it was a Caldari soldier who really taught me how to handle myself in a total whitewash when everything went to Hell and I was an unarmed priest in a foreign town with a hostile enemy hunting me.

The best advice I could give for surviving these scenarios is to make sure you've had some survival training, both urban and wild. Even better, try to always avoid the worst of worst case scenarios. If you do make a mistake, make sure you don't repeat it.

I thank you for that, however, I would hope that you would read my message before judging it too harshly. In future, I mean. In the short while I've found this forum and been active on it, I've written quite a bit.

In short, I believe that we give far too little credit to those who have joined us, such as the Khanid, Udorians, and even the Minmatar in shaping our society. We focused too blindly on the racial and ethnical Amarrian and too little on the faithful and devout Amarrian. Truth be told, we have them to thank for quite a bit of our development.

With that, I jumped into my foreign ministry with both feet. I was determined that even if I could not pierce the veil of reinforced ignorance in some areas, I was at least going to follow my own advice and learn something while I was out there. I've played Saktball on Rens and helped press fittings at a Lai Lai's plant. I've debated the paintings of Sjerto at the University of Caille and then bought a student's work to hang on the wall of my personal residence on Amarr Prime. I've been all over and really wanted to see and do a bit of everything. If nobody wanted to learn, damnit, I wanted to!

The result has been surprising, and yet unsurprising at the same time. If you start learning things about one person's culture, it makes them surprisingly open to learning about yours. I've preached the Scriptures in all of those places and it's been fantastic. Once people get past the initial ethnic divide, people are open to education and to hear what you have to say. I can't say it's ever been boring. There is so much variety and so many things that we can learn from each other.

In the end, I think the Scriptures are simply good advice. They have survived the test of time and led us, more or less, in the right direction. I think we need to stop thinking of the Reclaiming in terms of what the cluster can do for us. That was a somewhat ignorant and lazy way of going about it. We need to think in terms of what the cluster is getting from us by it, and what we can get in return.

In time, we will all come into the congregation of God. It is inevitable, I think, because the Scriptures are so valid. I would think it a loss to the cluster, though, if that congregation were simply more of the same. There is simply so much out there to see, do, and experience. To only know one culture and to think that it is all there should ever be, anywhere, almost seems to ignore that God created such great diversity.

The Amarr people were chosen to bring the Word of God to the cluster. That is our great responsibility, and one I relish the opportunity to perform. It seems almost selfish to think of what the rest of the cluster will bring to us, but it stands. When the Khanid returned to the fold after a mere reign of one Emperor, we were flushed with new technology and ways of doing things. I learned to operate rocket launchers and today fly a Malediction.

God separated us and gave us all purpose. Ours was to spread the Word through the cluster, but everything has a purpose. It is not until you have gone out and seen the great variety of the universe that you know what God has in store for us.

Weird.
Well, I don't think anyone will want to just hurt preacher, if preacher don't annoy peoples and don't violate the law. They are philosophers and bearer of knowledge. They help people emotionally and to establish their worldviews. Even if you are of different religion, talking with preacher can help both parties, provided neither of you will start throwing insults and pointing fingers on items that you consider "wrong", but rather share ideas.

Of course, there are some peoples who would attack you regardless, not even because you violated something, but just because they don't like you. I was in such situation, and, believe me, you would want a real handgun on your belt instead of a wooden sword. But it is another story for another day.

Personally, I think this should be required reading for many Imperial officials and Clergy.

This sort of work is important and uplifting to see.

How to Not Die During Foreign Ministry
An Easy How-To Guide by Andreus Ixiris

1. Do not minister to foreigners

Fixed it for you.

Thank you to everyone who found this article enlightening for your kind words, especially those who found these ideas to be applicable to more than just a wandering priest, but in even more dealings. Truly it is one of the greatest joys found in life to hope you've made someone else's life just a bit easier. I can only hope you all find these points useful if someday you meet people who greet you with initial hostility.

Please, do add anything you think I have missed or gotten wrong! A preacher who does not enjoy listening is a teacher who has never learned.



And that, Diana, is what I discovered during my ministry. People are often shocked that I can get by without being a magnet for flechette, but it really is all about common courtesy and understanding the law where you are. It's almost strange how especially shocked some people are that Caldari space isn't my bane, but just by being rational and engaging the local authority first I've really found that there aren't many more pleasant places to be. Caldari people are well worn of fiery aggressors telling them what they've done wrong. As soon as they realize you aren't there to yank the carpet out from under them, Caldari space has been more than peaceful.

Carrying a gun is probably something that intrigues a lot of people who've read this. I can certainly understand that, especially since I can't say I've flawlessly avoided all strife in my ministry. However, I've found that carrying weapons tends to quickly escalate a situation if it does go south. If you are unarmed, you can be yelled at fairly efficiently from behind a gun. If you have a firearm, most people shoot first rather than allowing you time to draw your own weapon.

That's been a personal preference, though. I can see how some people might need them. I suppose it helps that I'm a terrible shot, so a scrambler pistol won't do me much good anyway. Of all the things I've learned to do, no one's ever taught me to fire a pistol.



I do believe you prefer Lady d'Hanguest, correct? Well, fortunately for both of us, then, my mandate assigns me as bishop for areas outside the Amarr Empire. The Khanid Kingdom presently has its own ecclesiastical administration, including its own multitude of bishops and archbishops. As such, you may refer to your local clerical establishment for your needs.

Other business I have in the Khanid Kingdom is not met in an official role, though I do have friends there that I visit. If, indeed, you are referring to my efforts to get involved in the local culture when I visit, I am afraid then you will simply have to shoot me if you've no other recourse. While it isn't necessarily my job to help with reintegration, I don't fly Khanid ships because I was born doing it. A friend really turned me on to the technology, and he's too amicable a fellow to forget.

I do apologize if that inconveniences you, but it shouldn't be difficult to miss each other. His holdings are not next door to yours.



God did not intend those things worthwhile in life to be earned easily, my friend. Though perhaps more difficult than preaching to those who were raised as believers, I truly feel a great passion for foreign ministry. There is nothing in the cluster more rewarding than to enter into someone else's culture and give the gift of God's love. It is a gift to be welcomed into these places and to see the world not as a series of conflicts, but as a universe in harmony. People, especially non-capsuleers, love sharing the things they love about life if you take the time to listen. When you do, they will often listen in return.

It is true that it may be safer and easier to avoid danger and difficulty. However, to say that you cannot preach to a culture is to say that the culture is incapable of listening to you rationally. If there are an entire culture among the stars like that yet, they are not the Gallente, Minmatar, Caldari, or Amarr. Grace can make all things possible if you try your best.

Perhaps the best advice is that, even if you never do develop a faith in God or any other deity or religion, have a little faith in people. They may disappoint you from time to time, but life is all about those moments when they really surprise you and rise above your expectations.

If I'd never ministered to them, I may never have experienced the low times. However, if I'd never ministered to foreigners, I'd have also missed the best of times. A few close scrapes are far and away worth the rewards of experiencing the glory of the entirety of the cluster. It's truly an inspiration worth any price I could personally pay.

I look forward to beginning my own foreign ministry.

The Spirits' messages must be heard, even on the streets of Athra.

In all seriousness, while I am no fan of proselytization (sp?) I hope your work is safe and calm.