Post by David on Nov 15, 2005 16:51:38 GMT -5
Hospitality is closely related to a city-dweller's willingness to be tolerant. A guest need not share the beliefs or racial heritage of the host to be accepted and welcomed. Indeed, a fellow Zakharan with varying religious or social beliefs -- who venerates a different enlightened god or comes from a different part of the civilized world -- can count on several evenings of lively discourse but nothing worse (visitors to the Pantheist League frequently encounter exceptions to this rule). Though agreement among civilized peoples may be uncommon if not rare, tolerance of other ideas is in effect a Zakharan tradition.
Tolerance does have its limits, however. In general, it extends to those who profess a belief in the words of the Loregiver, a belief in the authority of the Grand Caliph of Huzuz, and belief in a god or gods, regardless of type. An individual who does not believe in some higher divinity is viewed with suspicion and even hostility. A true atheist is no better than an animal and may be treated as such. A lack of belief in divinity indicates that a person also lacks the moral anchor that separates civilized folk from barbarians. To the Al-Hadhar, it is better to believe in a competitive, non-enlightened god than to believe in nothing at all. Unbelievers can expect to be denied hospitality by most, to be sent on their way by many, and to be verbally or physically attacked by a righteous few. A wise unbeliever, it can be said, keeps hi or her philosophy private.
Tolerance does have its limits, however. In general, it extends to those who profess a belief in the words of the Loregiver, a belief in the authority of the Grand Caliph of Huzuz, and belief in a god or gods, regardless of type. An individual who does not believe in some higher divinity is viewed with suspicion and even hostility. A true atheist is no better than an animal and may be treated as such. A lack of belief in divinity indicates that a person also lacks the moral anchor that separates civilized folk from barbarians. To the Al-Hadhar, it is better to believe in a competitive, non-enlightened god than to believe in nothing at all. Unbelievers can expect to be denied hospitality by most, to be sent on their way by many, and to be verbally or physically attacked by a righteous few. A wise unbeliever, it can be said, keeps hi or her philosophy private.