Part the second

I believe I do not need to follow any of the gods, that I can (and will) walk my own path.  The gods reality does not necessitate a need to worship, I can understand the words of a great leader without following them, I can see the reality and tangibility of political parties, schools of thought, or churches, without being compelled to "take a side" or define myself by them. 

I believe in self-sufficiency, in self-determination, in personal responsibility.  I believe that if I have the right to say I control my own destiny, I have the responsibility to do it wisely and, when I screw up, accept and do my best to fix it.  If I decline to worship in prosperity, I have absolutely no business expecting any aid in distress.  I believe that there is a deep connection between control and dependance, and I do not let myself be dependant if I am not also willing to hand over control - which I will not do without very good reason, and never systematically.  I believe I can be properly respectful to the gods without expecting or owing anything to them.

I believe that many people, especially those who rarely think about what they believe or blindly follow,  pray to gods as to parents, to take control of their lives for them, so they need not think or act.  I believe such need to grow up, as all children must leave their parents someday, and learn to take responsibility first, then appeal to gods only in that which gods may affect.  I believe that those who maintain close and personal relationships with their gods, and who take responsibility for themselves first and appeal to the gods without conceit are the exception rather than the rule, but also the most proper, if I dare say, way to worship.

I believe that with time, growth and learning a person may become as much a part of the divine as any god.  They may grow and mature, they may become a part of something larger by those they affect through their actions, they may accumulate strenght and wisdom and possibility, until they can affect the fabric of reality itself, the universe - which is what a god can do.  I believe it will take a really long time before such occurs, at least a couple thousand lifetimes and much work between.  I believe that being a part of the divine fabric of life, whether specifically as a god or generally as part of the weaving, is the destination of every soul, once sufficiently grown.

I believe in honor, and loyalty, and ironbound morality.  I believe in drawing lines and standing by them, rather than letting go "lesser" infractions while waiting for fights that matter.  Every fight matters, and making clear the drawn lines will prevent greater infractions, because it is known they will not be ignored.  I believe that "for your own good" and "for the greater good" (and specifically, "for the children") are the face of the greatest evils upon the world.  These are mere justifications for forcing uniformity, and harming the individual with impunity.  After all, numbers do not rightness make.  I believe it is better to fall, better for the world to fall, than to give in to the demands of monsters.

I believe in giving up anything on heaven and earth to keep one's people, one's friends and family, safe.  I believe in "never trust a people, that doesn't put their people first".  However, putting people first does not always mean doing what they want any more than it means deciding for them.  Sometimes it is nescessary to simply respect what the results of a choice are.  I believe there is very little that is taboo under the circumstances of people at risk, but those that are must be kept.  I believe it is in times of crisis that morals are needed most and strongest.  Mere necessity, like self-justification, is a pliable thing that is too easily adapted to be a fair standard. 

I believe in judgement solely by the individual, never by stereotypes or collective identities.  I believe there is no thread that binds all people, there is nothing in any group that can be taken as equally true for all members.  I believe that there is exactly one thing in any group that is the same, and that it the thing they are group-identifed as, this is as true for physically-based groups as for ideologically based ones.  I believe a lot people still need to learn this.