Heresy, Blasphemy and Apostasy

Since religion is central to at least one of the player character’s identity, I wanted to clarify the difference between these 3 terms.

This way Alabaster can accuse someone of the correct crime – and met out his “proportionate” punishment.

Heresy is simply believing/following another religious path than you.  Sometimes it can be as simple as believing Unconquered Sun is not a God of Mercy and Compassion but one that is terrifying in anger and utterly merciless. 

Of course there is the obvious “Heresy is whatever I say it is” reasoning common to the Spanish Inquisition.

 

Blasphemy is a bit more serious.  It is a direct insult to the god or religion.  This is often grounds for execution in Rathess, for they take Lèse majesté with deadly seriousness.  Though this strictness actually a corruption of the Unconquered Sun’s wishes and is on the path of Apostasy.  Hastha-sth have already purged the law from Rathess, but people still secretly (and illegally) punish those accused of Blasphemy.  Some even turn themselves in after such murder to face judgment – such is the blind zeal of their faith.

 

Apostasy is the most serious of it all.  In normal terms it is simply the rejection of a religion.  However in the context of Exalted it takes a more serious turn.

Religion of Celestial Worshipping is not only all encompassing it is actually the basis of Creation’s existence and a native law of its existence.  To reject it is to turn into its enemy.  The most common form of Apostasy is to reject the light of Unconquered Sun for ultimately doomed pursuits such as power (usually via Malfean methods) or Immortality (usually via Death Cult Worshipping).

These crimes are universally unforgivable.  Even one as compassionate as Gladrien Vanja realize the depth of depravity one who committed such Apostasy naturally is disposed towards.  While she takes severity into consideration many do not.  For all her compassion and temperance Hastha-sth is still a Dragon King with all their innate cruelty and aggressiveness.  Apostasy is one of the few times one can see Hastha-sth’s un-saintly side.