There are two kinds of native beliefs in the Crescent Continent—or in other words, there are two kinds of native beliefs that exist today: one is the primitive polytheistic belief that is as long as the country’s history. Those shrines that are spread all over the land and are closely related to various sacrificial activities belong to this kind of local belief, which is also the mainstream in today's society.
Primitive polytheistic beliefs are close to the concept of animism and are integrated into life and even part of social class. Almost all Kazuto believe that the current Xinjing royal family is the son of the Moon God, and most of the nobles who are different from the common people in terms of hair color claim that their ancestors are connected by blood to a certain god.
Modern Laman scholars believe that the tradition of the Kingdom of the Moon, which follows the concept of polytheism that no longer exists in most countries in the Rigal world, was repeatedly consolidated by the ruling class during four thousand years of peaceful unity before it became what it is today. The appearance——
"We are fundamentally different from them. There is a decisive gap from our birth to the blood flowing in our bodies." - In essence, this is an expansion of the Rigar people's now-shaky concept of divine right of kings to the entire The aristocratic class, and the brainwashing that has been engraved into everyone’s blood through long-term state education and propaganda.
Of course, similar statements are not accepted by the people of the Moon Country. The scholars who proposed this statement made religious people full of indignation even in the Padrosi Empire, but it has to be said that it is like many other annoying things. Laman's point of view is the same. He would provoke such resistance precisely because it was sharp and to the point.
Traditional polytheistic beliefs are equivalent to gods entering the world. They are part of the secular power and are the rhetoric used by rulers to strengthen their own class - commoners cannot become aristocrats because aristocrats are born. This authority is given by God. They are the descendants of gods who walk in the world. They are destined to be fundamentally different from the common people from birth.
But this is not the only religion in the Moon Country.
Long before the White Church of the Lamanites was introduced, it was believed that people from the more peaceful areas of the Abu Serah steppes were vegetarians and sworn men. Another religion that had something in common with the White Church to a certain extent but was more peaceful had also been spread. It has a long history.
Where it originated is no longer remembered; all that is known is that it is almost as old as another religion.
This seems to be a weird religion that has some things in common with the White Church - for example, it requires practitioners to be isolated from secular society and not be tempted by worldly prosperity to perform ascetic practices; for example, it also pays attention to the theory of afterlife, but it is not as good as the White Church. It emphasizes punishment and often curses believers that they will go to hell and cannot be saved. Instead, it adopts a concept of reincarnation, which believes that most of the results people get are caused by their past actions.
To a large extent, this is a religion that lacks the desire for influence. It is not as strong and eager to influence those in power as the church, so it does not cause strong resistance. Perhaps it is for this reason that this religion finally took root in the Kingdom of the Moon step by step, so that now there are their temples almost everywhere, and their scale is almost comparable to the original faith.
But just like any religion is actually born out of social emotions and bound to social progress. Even such a religion that seems harmless to humans and animals actually still has some statements for believers that are essentially "as long as you believe in me and offer money, you will get benefits."
The most well-known of these is probably the concept of atonement that is similar to the white church's concept of confession.
Not surprisingly, this was a favorite practice among samurai and nobles.
When you are almost above the law and have abundant financial resources without having to worry about daily life, the only thing that can restrain you, apart from those in a higher position, is your own inner guilt.
The White Church uses "God's forgiveness" as a selling point to make countless murderous noble knights unswervingly follow them. In the Kingdom of the Moon, it is not surprising that most of the warrior class will believe in this local religion. matter.
After being attacked by ghouls and witnessing the miko and ghost troops, it did not have any great impact on the team's purpose and journey. After replenishing the house and repairing equipment and recovering until Yajiro's injuries were generally recovered, the group of them prepared to continue heading south to Xinjing.
But before that, Narumi led the team to visit the large temple near Anshang for the third time after arriving in Taizhou.
The crime of killing is worth thousands of gold, and praying for Yajiro's recovery is much cheaper in comparison - maybe the people in the temple also know the water contained in the effect of this kind of prayer - and this time, praying for a peaceful journey, There is no need to donate too much incense money.
The attitude of the people receiving them at the temple was fair and lukewarm. The Luoan girls and other foreigners, who covered their faces with bamboo hats and veils, were able to observe with swagger. But Mira didn't know whether this was a form of reserve to maintain her religious image, or whether it was just that the incense money donated by the rural warriors of the Qingtian family did not make him smile.
Good and evil only exist in one thought, and murder is a sin. But as long as you free yourself from the knot in your heart and put down the butcher's knife, you can become a perfect saint with great enlightenment.
——Of course, you still have to be able to afford the incense money to untie your knot.
How similar is this.
The knights and warriors who should clearly be regarded as the social elites of Rigar and Crescent Continent all believe in this theory of atonement, which when calmed down would seem to be nonsense. It can only be said that one is willing to fight and the other is willing to suffer.
The inner hurdle has to be overcome, and spending some money to find some external help is not a big trouble for a wealthy samurai. As for the effect?
Believe it or not, there is nothing.
Things related to faith are always so mysterious. No matter what the barriers and differences are in language, race, culture and continent, in the end people always have more in common than these differences.
As non-believers, it is probably difficult for our Luoan girls to understand their psychology.
Henry used to be the steadfast sword of the church in the distant past, but as time passed, many things changed. His name and past deeds may still be remembered within the church, but these things have been passed down from generation to generation with various interpretations and embellishments as the times have evolved, and many of them have long been far from the original truth.
People always tend to divide things into black and white, good and bad, but history is more often like a pot of stew that the peasants of Avenella love to eat - the longer it simmers, the more things become mushy and indistinguishable. .
But some things are still certain.
Although most people believe that one thing can change everything as an opportunity, pursuing those small-probability sudden miracles can change a person's life. But most of the time, even if an emergency really changes a person's life, it is often in an unfortunate direction.
Those who suddenly become rich on the West Coast often don't survive three to five years because their mentality and consumption outlook are still the same as when they were poor.
Many people understand the principle of not showing off your wealth, but if you really get rich overnight, there are only a few who can resist going out and living and drinking out of vanity. It's easy to attract thieves, but on the chaotic West Coast, it's more likely to have your throat slit, your treasure taken away, and left to die in a cold garbage dump.
Even if you successfully keep this windfall, it will most likely be quickly spent due to improper financial management in the following days. Eventually, you will end up living a life of poverty before, but because you have experienced the taste of luxury, you will be unable to adapt to it, and you will end up in an even more miserable situation.
There are positive examples, and our little Mila is one.
The encounter with the sage changed her life, but it was just an opportunity rather than a real process.
If she did not actively ask to be followed and returned to the village after just one encounter, then the impact of this episode on her might last for a few days, weeks, or months at most, and then would be worn away in her daily life. No matter what, it will still be the same in the end.
No matter how intense the life-and-death crisis you have experienced, as long as your original living habits remain unchanged, the impact will only be temporary and will gradually fade away with the passage of time.
In the end, people are still the same people.
Only those who are determined to change their living habits and life trajectories from the inside out due to opportunities can embark on a new path. But the high mobility and perseverance of such people are the real driving force for change.
So it doesn't matter whether the opportunity is important or not, and whether it is credible to say that one or two actions can change your life.
It can only be said that it is like a person drinking water, knowing whether it is cold or warm.
Yajiro may have changed, but it's unclear what path he will take after that. After Narumi and others prayed for forgiveness for the killing, they also prepared to travel with prayers for a safe journey ahead.
My thoughts are extremely tangled, and there are many things that need to be sorted out and thought about, but even if I get the answers, they may not be really useful.
If what Mira had always seen when she was in Rigar was how powerful and omnipotent our Mr. Sage was, after arriving at Crescent Continent after a series of experiences, she finally felt that Henry, even if he was so valuable, could How powerless are sages?
One person and one sword.
No matter how strong he is, he is only one person and one sword.
He is still alone.
No matter how much knowledge he has - no, precisely because of this knowledge, he is even more lonely.
His vision is no longer on the same level. He can see farther and understand more than others. Because of this, it is impossible for him to be in a conversation with other people.
The relationship between respect and intimacy has always been somewhat mutually exclusive. The more worthy of awe, the harder it is for you to get close to someone. And no matter how high your abilities are, if no one is willing to get close to you and accept you, if no one is willing to listen, then what is the meaning of it all?
How Henry solved all this, she didn't understand.
The still immature white-haired girl felt very tangled and sad when she felt that what she believed to be right was rejected or even laughed at by others. But Henry’s gray-blue eyes were as calm as ever, with no fluctuations visible.
Maybe even if he was here, surrounded by disciples and companions, he would still be lonely.
Was he already prepared for this realization when he planned to embark on this lonely and eternal road more than two hundred years ago?
Or is this the result of the habit of adapting after a long period of time and countless helplessness.
It was impossible for Mira to understand at this moment that her little head hidden under the bamboo hat was racking her brains, so that Galeva behind her watched Mira's bamboo hat begin to sway slightly and irritably until the sage stretched out his hand. He took out his hand and knocked it for a while before stopping.
"I really want to drink tea." Under the bright sunshine, the man shrugged and said in a steady tone.
