Emirate - A Day Without A Christian

More classes. There was something multicultural about endless study even when it served no particular purpose.

Chaya knew that one of the duties of a Guardian was patience. But did it have to be tried so very much?

"Al-Hadin!"

She looked up, trying to hide the guilt from her face. What had she missed?

The slide deck had been displaying familiarization with Christian imagery. Not to proselytize of course, that would be inappropriate and also pointless among so many of solid Islamic faith. To warn of the symbols used among the subject populations. And also by the handful hiding among them that were terrorists.

"Explain the symbology of the cross."

"The Christian cross is a symbol of the martyrdom of the prophet Jesus, also sometimes known as the Messiah or Christ or in our literature, the Carpenter of Nazareth. The ancient Roman-American Empire executed enemies by securing them to the crossbars in such manner that they would die of positional asphyxia."

"Go on."

Go on how? She had explained it.

"Christian beliefs vary, but all agree that the Carpenter interceded for them before Allah. The nature of the intercession varies. The gnostic Father-Son-Spirit believes in his divinity. The Protestants claim a more personal relationship with him, calling on him directly in prayer. The Catholics gloss over him in favor of his mother Mary and the Catalog of Saints. In all, the cross is a symbol of his willingness to die for his people. The counterterrorism implications are obvious."

"Then explain them."

The instructor was in a rare mood.

"A significant danger of martyrdom is the false association of giving ones life for a cause or goal. The Catholics in particular list in great detail how each Saint spent their life, or more often gave it, in the service of their view of Allah. The gnostics point out that it was Christ's choice to give his life, and that humans actually seeking out martyrdom smells of impiety. One reason of several we encourage gnosticism. The Protestants are most vulnerable to the martyrdom heresy, due to that same personal prayer and personal relationship dynamic."

The instructor blinked. But did not let her off the hook.

"How, in your opinion, Guardian, does the Emirate favor gnosticism?"

"The Bureau of Religious Tolerance allocates the most number of buildings, the greatest ration of construction materials, the most generous remission of taxes and permits nearly free publication and dissemination of gnostic religious materials. Of course, all Abrahamic religions are tolerated, but some are more tolerated than others. I have never heard of a gnostic church being razed nor of gnostic leaders being arrested or imprisoned - even when they approach the limits of free speech."

"Have you made a special study of the false faiths?"

"Yes, honored instructor."

Well, he wasn't expecting that answer.

"Why?"

She glanced around the room. All Guardians.

"Counterterror specialization."

"In that case. Explain Satanism. And Wicca."

She took a deep breath.

"Satanism is a Christian heresy. Two forms persist. One is a direct inversion of all of the beliefs of the Christian faith. This form, often called the Satanic occult, or mistakenly the occult, celebrates evil acts such as torturing animals and perversions of the Christian mass, such as using urine for the Communion. They are criminals and we pursue them as such, but are often weak spirits, children and the feeble minded. The second form is the Church of Satan, associated with enjoyment of hedonism and," she paused, "immoral acts."

In the Emirate, there was only one meaning when one said "immoral" in such manner.

"This Church is not a direct inversion of Christianity. They have their own Bible, which is of course illegal. The Church of Satan operates using a cell system and recognition signs, but does not appear to engage in terrorist acts. They do encourage sin and identified members are placed on strict surveillance until they recant."

"Wicca," the instructor frowned.

"Very little information is available about Wicca. They appear to have at some point broken with the Church of Satan, likely before the Emirate was first settled."

Eleven centuries prior.

"Wiccans are extremely selective about who they recruit. They refer to each other as witches and warlocks. They practice divination and sacrifice. Including human sacrifice, both torture-murder and terrorist atrocities. They use a modified Star with two points upward as their battle, or I should say, murder symbol. They practice some of the Satanic Occult but prefer those that are most disturbing. Misuse of all body fluids. That has been useful in forensics."

She paused.

"All three of the Dark Faiths have a dispensation to pretend to practice the Abrahamic faiths while celebrating their own rites secretly."

"You have anticipated much of this afternoon's materials. But what is your faith?"

Everyone looked at her and at the instructor. A clash of wills.

She got up from her chair. Knelt on the ground. Rubbed her hands together, as the special dispensation permitted when washing was not possible. Bowed her head forward in the full prostration. Said to the floor.
"There is no god but God and Allah is his Prophet!"

Sat up, rubbed her hands together again. Got up, resumed her seat.

A murmur from her peers and superiors. They hadn't expected that.

"Have you heard of the many faiths heresy?" the instuctor persisted.

"Yes, honored instructor. This is a secular heresy, reinforced by misunderstandings of Abrahamism, that many religions practice a concept of tolerance and of celebrating the diginity of life, and that they are therefore much more similar to each other than they are apart. This heresy is ... tolerated. And monitored."

"We have covered most of the faiths. Jews? Atheists?"

She frowned.

"Judaism is an Abrahamic faith. Historically, and their history is extremely deep and wide, there were two branches - Sephardic and Ashkenazi. The Jews in the Emirate trace their beginnings to the African nation Ethiopia and thus are Sephardic. Their loyalty to the Emirate is unquestioned and their faith in Allah as wide as their history. The Ashkenazi were all but destroyed in the Second German War by the Hitler and have since been underground. It is likely that there are some among the Emirate Jews. It is also likely that we would never know it. The only public Ashkenazi are part of the Rome Guard over the ruins of Jerusalem."

"Your studies are also very deep, Young Guardian."

A slur. Not utterly unsurprising. Deep study of the alien faiths was ... discouraged. Sometimes by ferocious punishments. Yet she had found them fascinating as intellectual constructions, with no temptation to change her own beliefs.

"I respectfully disagree, Honored Instructor, that atheism is a faith."

"What is it to be called, then?"

"A heresy, of course. But a useful heresy."

A cough from the back of the room. Two men had entered. Proctors of the Faith.

As well to be hung for a goat as for a lamb.

"The atheist denies divinity and Allah entire. There are two uses for this. A atheist will persist in effort when a theist believes they have been abandoned by God. The good works of atheists - and they indulge in good works precisely because they belief in neither Heaven nor Hell - are inspirational to believers. Also, I am unaware of any atheist terror acts."

"Very well, Guardian. Class will resume. These two Proctors will have words with you in the hall."

###

"We know the instructor called you out. Yet you have spoken openly and severely of dark matters."

She nodded, eyes front in the position of attention without saying anything.

"Speak."

Well that was an order, if one normally given to a dog. She suppressed the temptation to bark. She was not a dog and this was not a subject for humor.

"Guardians must know the darkness to bring the Light."

"A correct answer. Yet it is written among the Christos that a Devil may quote the Scripture."

A pause.

"This class is a waste of your time. You will instead spend the remainder of this week in proper study. Supervised study. Stand at ease, Guardian."

She did so. Now more afraid.

"Normally a Guardian must spent at least ten years on active duty to be considered for this. We knew this was coming. The instructor was on orders. Your answers ... exceeded expectations. We had contemplated penance and warnings."

She prepared herself for a week of being on her knees, possibly with mat, more likely without.

"The problem, young Guardian, is that these studies deeply test the faith of even the most devout. You are not that devout. No disrespect intended, it is clear that you are not called to be a renuniciate."

She frowned. "Permission to speak?"

"So ordered."

"My faith has been tested already. And so far I have not been found wanting in it."

"The gross tests. Explosions, fire, blood, death and war. Those you pass. But the young often do. The subtler temptations, you have not been exposed to. But the one, and you _are_ young. We do not propose for you female instruction, and you have avoided the intimate company of women as you are enjoined."

They knew everything.

Then again, they were Proctors. Guardians could not be arrested. Except by them.

"Has it ever occurred to you, young Guardian, where it is that Proctors come from? Not full formed from the head of Allah?"

She shook her head in a minute amount.

"We reinforce your faith through direct support. A panel of mullahs. You will be frank with them as you were with the class. They will counsel you. Never one on one, we do not trust the mullahs the way we wish to be able to trust you.

"Then we supervise your further study. Dark and deep, I fear, as the needs of Allah and the Emirate require. We need Wicca experts yet the ones we have we cannot really trust. Ever.

"You we can trust. You just proved it. That means we need you."

"Star One, Proctor, authorize Chaya Al-Hadin unlimited network access."

She could not hide her shock. She only knew one person who had that access, by the nature of his duties. The Emir Himself, May Allah's Blessings Shine Upon Him And His People.

"Go and purify yourself. Go to the Temple. In full dress uniform, this is duty. You will be prayed over in relays. Tonight you stand sleepless vigil, fully armed. At dawn we begin your studies.

"There is another reason for this. The outside world intrudes."

Perhaps one of a hundred realized there was a world outside the Emirate. The Emir held the planet, the solar system, the limited space activities intended by the Settler long since deceased but still venerated - and yet never worshipped.

"The Wiccans have access to restricted technologies and explosives. We have analysis of the WAT incident."

The Wide Area Transit, in which her hands had been washed in the blood of so many others, doing the grisly work of triage and first care.

"The explosive used was not of planetary origin."

That had implications. Wiccans in contact with enemies of the Emirate from outside the star system? Pathfinders for invasion? Occupation? ... Incineration?

"You see the implications at once. Go and make thee ready."

She had a guard now. Another Guardian, fully armed who did not speak to her.

Naked, she was, in the shower as she purified herself.

But likely never again really alone.

The Emirate had a way of using up the people it needed.

Human sacrifice was not limited to the Christos, or the Wiccan.