Terminus Cult Makes Inroads in Citadel Space

Terminus Cult Makes Inroads in Citadel Space

By Tobias McKaffer, Presidium Sun

Tayseri Ward, Citadel- The comparatively recent relaxation of tariffs, bans, and restrictions on trade with the Terminus Systems has seen a dramatic uptick in the exchange of goods, raw materials, technology, and information between two very different regions. Various cultural groups finding new homes in the transition is far from unusual in such circumstances, however until now few have attracted any significant following or engendered substantial local development on their own.

The religion known as the Va’liat has, thus far, defied the current trend; claiming four Ward councilmen from Tayseri, a not insignificant portion of Terminus expatriates on the Station, and no less than fifteen Tier Twenty Hierarchy officials as converts. According to notable political scientist Foles Ialdrik this development, while startling for its relative speed, is also worrying.

“A kind of social osmosis is inevitable in this situation” he stated in an interview earlier today, “that is to be both expected and accounted for. However, the main issue with this is that, like most religions, this ‘Church of Flame and Void’ promotes a sense of community and direction to people who feel adrift. Given the group’s origins, their predilection for extremist action and what could charitably be called war crimes when threatened, and connection to and cultivation of radical elements and warlordist states, it is only reasonable to be concerned about the potential impact they might have on this Station and throughout the rest of Citadel Space.”

It would appear that no few individuals agree with Mr. Ialdrik’s position, in recent days plans by the followers of the Va’liat, or the “Va’liavas”, to open a joint temple and community center in lower Tayseri have drawn criticism and fiery condemnation from other citizens of the Station’s arm.

“We don’t want these people sticking around and putting down roots, we want them gone.” Stated Ward resident Aloysia T’Sulo at the picket line outside the construction site “It’s not enough that they’ve sent our crime rates spiking up higher than they’ve been in centuries, it’s not enough that they’ve made everyone in the Wards afraid to leave their homes off-cycle, but now we have to host fundamentalists and cultists too? No. No we’ve had enough.”

“This Temple exists for the faithful of Tayseri, a place for them and their families to worship, to meet, to celebrate, to mourn, and to simply pass the time. No one is forced to come here and no one is retained against their will.” said the ranking and religious official Kirsjval, or “Cleric”, Valiheirex Amalsinia in a press release also held today.

Despite the Cleric’s words, reporters from the Sun were barred from accessing the Va’liat’s temporary Temple in Tayseri’s eight hundred blocks and deterred from seeking an interview with Amalsinia by security staff. Requests for interviews among other members of the community have yet to be answered.

Newspost about new faith coming onto Citadel with implied unsavoury past.

Express dislike in case it is indeed a faith with unsavoury and recent past.

Get called a bigot, xenophobe, horrible pile of shit.

Do you have something at stake here REDACTED or why the immediate personal attacks?

I don't think anyone here wanted to go guns blazing in those churches and kick them out of Tayseri, but yeah new religions come from the terminus tend to get people worried. If only because one entire cult blew up on Omega recently, and because for many legitimate religions wanting to make the life of the impoverished better, you also get a lot of cults who just want to prey on the desperate. That article may not be great journalism, but the core news (a new religion from Omega is implanting in Lower Tayseri) is valid.
So yeah we're going to use healthy skepticism and check them out, not get torches and form a mob.

You, in particular, have simply proved yourself a horrible pile of shit on a regular enough basis for me not to really bother being nice when you buy into xenophobic trash.

Seriously, you're unashamedly calling a religion with billions of adherents a cult and are claiming this doesn't make you a xenophobic/bigoted shit.

I'm with HD on that, you're acting really strange and angry about that news REDACTED. What's with you? And what's with the xenophobia thing, they're a religion, not a species. Also maybe those folks are fine, but you can actually find cults that are billions strong in the terminus. The difference between a cult and a religion isn't how successful it is. It's the goals and methods.

...So, these guys are a cult because why? What are they doing?

Because protests and quotes of 'we want them gone' definitely say: "We're totally not trying to kick them out, for real!"

Oh woe is me, someone hates me on the extranet.

But back to being serious. You say the church of flame and void has billions of adherents. It has an established clerical hierarchy. It can command influence at enormous scale, and now it's making headway into C-Space and right into its center. Damn right I'm wary of an organized religion with I'm not familiar with, as much as I'd be wary of a nation or a corporation with unknown motives moving in next door to me. Call me whatever you want, until they've proven themselves to be good neighbours, I'll treat them with reservation.

I meant the reactions this thread.


I... Don't know? The only thing we said is that we should check them out.

REDACTED, the Va'liat are far from the only group of people who for a variety of reasons are not a good fit for living in Denakot. I have been running this neighbourhood since the initial collapse of support and I am running it according to my own experience and, yes, culture, and to date, all C-Sec has done about it is to come by to ensure I'm not doing anything contrary to Citadel law. So far, they seem to recognize that as Denakot is a secure neighbourhood that asks for very little in way of support, and so many other places still aren't, they're going to concentrate their attention there.

A long story short, we are a tightly knit group with a unified philosophy that appears sadly incompatible with Va'liat beliefs. Fair enough. We're not particularly compatible with the Hierarchy either; few of our members are citizens. We're also not very compatible with Innnataaar, Jainism or many of the more pacifistic faiths.

We certainly welcome Va'liat customers and will safeguard the security of Va'liat passersby.

As for Mr. Pasharan, I should let you know, REDACTED, that declarations of our willingness to defend ourselves are an integral part of our culture. I apologize for any offense. Please note though that he did not express a desire to attack anyone unless they attack us first.

Because spirits forbid someone not approve of bigotry in the modern galaxy.


In This Thread: People don't know what xenophobia is.


It's an incredibly negative perjorative used to make religions and groups 'other' and legitimize discrimination, and if you are using any sort of accepted church-sect typology cults exclusively refer to new, smaller denominations. When they grow to include billions of people they are no longer classified as a cult.


Now replace 'Va'liat' with, say, 'turian hierarchy' or 'salarian unions' and you're a Terra Firma member!

Nonsense, Redacted.

A church is a cult when it comes from those evil, evil Terminus Spacers.

Why I myself just finished sacrificing a krogan heart to Sel'thnul, the eldritch leader of dark thoughts.




That was a joke, before another Extranet Slacktivist starts jumping down my throat like a credit chit is lodged down there.

*sigh*

Here, everyone, have an extrapedia article: Church of the Divine Flame and Holy Void

taking bets on who actually reads the whole thing

No as Redacted said that is exactly the difference.

But moving on the more pressing issue of your rank hypocrisy:

To clarify this is you talking about turning children you're responsible for against a religion you admitted you know virtually nothing about. You do know that we have memories longer than goldfish don't you?

Well good, I was going to call you a narrow minded xenophobic bigot but I appreciate being granted permission prior.

It's perfectly sensible to expect trouble over there if someone new parks their ship next to yours, but suddenly it's xenophobia over here? Hypocrites.

They have an Inquisition?


That doesn't even begin to ... I'm actually rather intrigued by that.

No, see that does not work. You are applying standards for the potentiality of mutual hostile action in unclaimed regions of the Terminus to a one sidedly aggressive civil situation in Citadel space and claiming equivalency because clearly contested space is identical to Lower Tayseri.

That is so mind numbingly ridiculous I can't even think up a witty reply beyond framing your quote and going "this man is completely serious".

Like so

Also, congratulations, you just summed up the Old Terra Firma platform. Aren't you supposed to be Mr. Open Minded friend to all that isn't my present society?

Let's see...

No separation of church and state. Check.

Spreading through war? Check.

The newsarticle was mistaken. It talks of a cult, when it should talk of a sovereign state making a foothold for itself on the Citadel in guise of religion. I think that's a fairly good reason to be wary.

I

... you're serious aren't you?

You brave, stupid little soul at least you stick to your unpopular opinions.

It says in the article that they allow violence to be used to defend their tenets. I've decided to ignore the rest because this is my viewpoint!

OUT WITH THEM! Out with the outsiders!

lol


Whoops, there goes my extranet privileges!


Ahh, man :(