Lura Syllana
It only takes us a quarter of a season to learn what we need and pass the test to reach level three. Our next class is taught by Voborrie, and we’re given Sins against the Light by Amaranthae, another current Mother of the Light. Fortunately, the book seems to be brief compared to the others, and Terel’s notes at the back make it easy to learn.
The most severe sin anyone can commit is to take a life since it is the duty of the servants of the Light to preserve life. The other sins are less severe, but not by much. Lust of the body makes those who desire turn into lesser beings controlled by lesser urges. Worst, anyone who takes what is not offered or freely given when it comes to the acts of the flesh has committed a grave sin.
To a lesser degree of sin is to take what is not yours or not given on to you – when speaking about worldly possessions.
To covet and envy is a dark and slippery path to follow. It leads to greed, thievery, and even murder. This comes from attachment and possessiveness to worldly possessions.
Attachment to a thing leads to possessiveness and greed, along with the fear of loss. These traits can lead to one sacrificing duty over self-possession. Attachment by itself is not wrong, but it can go too far. If one can learn to let go, attachment can be tolerated. However, attachment can also lead to jealousy and envy, both of which will make a person irrational and erratic.
As the Angel Akrasiel said, it is better to stand in the Light of the truth than hide in the shadow of lies. Lying leads to more lies, and soon you cannot tell the truth from lies. They are like chains that bind you to the darkness. It is easy to drown in your own lies when lies are all that come out of your mouth.
Laziness, or better said as sloth, is a slowness in the mindset. A disinclination to action or labor. The field will not plow itself and food will not be harvested without the hard work of the farmer. Likewise, without the work of the priest or priestess, those who are ill and sick will not be healed if the priest does not act. The priest cannot act without the hard work of learning the ways of healing that the Light provides. Without hard work, the civilized world falls apart.
Wrath, anger, and hate are sins that are just as dangerous to those who wield them as they are to the ones who suffer from them. They are like poison one eats to kill the one he hates. It does more damage to the hateful than it does to the hated. You cannot put out a fire with fire, it’ll only cause it to spread. Likewise, you cannot put hate out with more hate, or anger with anger. You must put a fire out with water and likewise, only love, compassion, kindness, and hope can smother the fires of hate, anger, and wrath.
The Angel Akrasiel said that self-pride leads to arrogance, and that leads to ignorance. Pride is a complicated thing. It can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Pride in your work makes you work harder and smarter. It strengthens the quality of your work. You gain confidence in your abilities. But if you take that pride and put it in yourself, you become arrogant, and with arrogance, ignorance is not far behind. Like a young apprentice who believes just because he knows how to make a good horseshoe, he is now an expert and is ready to take up the master’s apron. However, when one believes they know it all, they will soon realize how little they know. The apprentice may know how to make a good horseshoe, but what will he do when someone needs a hammer? Without the humility and humbleness to accept the help and advice of those with more experience, the apprentice will only make more horseshoes to the benefit of no one. Ignorance is blindness. The only cure for the pride that swells the ego and leads to arrogance and ignorance is humility and humbleness.
Last is gluttony. To eat every day as if it were the harvest will lead to scarcity and laziness. Food only comes when the crops are grown and harvested. Food is not a limitless resource and should be eaten with caution. Fasting helps remind us what it is to be hungry, for there are many who suffer from starvation.
These lessons we learn from the book make a lot of sense and are rather indisputable. However, Amaranthae mentions attachments, but she never connects them with relationships. Most of her words on attachments are from worldly possessions and not with people. If she never mentions relationships, then why are they forbidden? That doesn’t make any sense.
“Why are relationships forbidden?” I ask the others.
Biremeril looks up. “Because they get in the way of duty and service.”
“I don’t know about that,” Ralodan says, scratching his chin. “To me, it feels like relationships only strengthen one’s sense of duty and service. Doesn’t love give us strength? Why should we not embrace it? I understand how attachment leads to possession and possession leads to the fear of loss, but even Amaranthae mentions that if someone can learn to let go, then attachment isn’t as bad as it could be. I think forbidding relationships is a mistake by the church.”
“I agree with you,” I say.
“And so do I,” Melyis says as she smiles at Ralodan. Those two seem to have been getting quite close lately. Once again, I feel that pang of jealousy. I have to learn to let go and not be jealous. She’s right, jealousy leads to erratic and irrational behavior. Besides, I now know the truth of Orym. He is still out there, fighting. I pray he returns and will forgive me of my doubt.
“I don’t know. Maybe,” Biremeril says, biting his lip. “But it isn’t up to us to decide. We can only follow the teachings and rules set by those who are above us.”
“Just because they are above us doesn’t make them right, and just because it is a rule or law doesn’t make it just,” Ralodan says.
Biremeril clenches his fist but releases it with a deep breath. I can tell he’s still uncomfortable with defying those with authority. I truly feel for him. No one should have to experience what he has.
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