User talk:Strategos7771

Neo-Cathari


History
 * Contrary to popular belief the Neo-Cathari were not all wiped out in the Abeginsian Crusade but a number survived living in somewhat isolated communities where they suffered persicution from the government and other citizens from France up until the modern day. During WWII they reemerged onto the international stage by helping the resistance in occupied France and even managed to form a full brigade which was named Adar after the Divine's cleansing fire. Their entry into the war came as the result of the more progressive Magi who felt the Cathari should be more active in the fight against evil (in this case the Nazi's). They quickly gained distinction as one of the most fierce and brave brigades in the Free French army and succeeded in liberating many southern French cities including Marseile. After the war the Cathari wrere granted special privilages from De'Gaul including autonomy and development funds, allowing the Cathari to modernize their area. Currently they reside peacefully in their main city of Montpellier, participating in many a UN peacekeepiing mission and waiting always waiting for the true face of evil to show itself.

Religion
 * The Cathari or Neo-Cathari as they are sometimes known religion is officially Mazdaism. Well many use the term Mazdaism and Cathari interchangeably, Cathari refers to the people and not to the faith.

Main Beliefs

Cosmology
 * The Cathari have largely reworked their cosmology since the middle ages and have sought to emphasized their Zoroastrian and Buddhist roots. To Mazdanist's the universe is a constant and eternal battle between two all powerful competing forces. The Progressive force, Mazda (which is also refereed to as the divine but never as god or in an individual sense) and the Nameless regressive force (normally referred to as the void). Mazda can best be defined by a Mazdanist's answer to the Euthyphro Problem, which is Mazda does not love good, Mazda is the good. Mazda is not a being or a deity but is instead a universal will or force composed of all that is good and spiritual. All life, knowledge, wisdom and energy is part of Mazda, some of it existing in a pure spiritual state, but most of it mixed with the void in the form of the observable universe. Because of this Mazdinist's hold all knowledge sacred and scientists are given the same respect as priests as they are creators of knowledge and batterers of society. Mazdinist believe that the meaning of life is to better ones self and the world around them through learning, moral actions or general evolution and change as a society.

Death Mazdinists believe that a soul must live many lives and purify and grow until it is able to permanently join with Mazda which is the ultimate goal of Mazdaism. It should be noted that this is indistinguishable from the Buddhist and Hindu concepts of Nirvana. While hell does not exist because Mazda is all loving a soul may become so curropted that it extinguishes its own spark of divinity and is removed from the cycle ceasing to exist.

Texts and Practices Mazdinists have no canonical religious texts although the Magi do have a recommended reading list which contains writings from many of the worlds major religions pieces by many famous philosophers. In terms of ceremony's prayer is held both individually and in groups and sermons from Magi tend to be about moral philosophy or current events, since there is no scripture. The main ceremonial aspect is the Fire Temple which is identical to a Zoroastrian one.

Magi The priests of Mazdaism, they undergo extensive education is the areas of philosophy, physiology, science and medicine, in addition to religious instruction. They are secretive and are always ready for the day when evil will directly reappear in our world.