I shall not bore the public with another long drawn out analysis of the
issue at hand. I know many do not enjoy such as we do. Thus I happily
invite you to continue the discussion in private if you so wish, where
we can perhaps discuss things such my previous assertation that the
Church government's use of violence is a manefistation of its
immorality, supporting the claim that it is not good.

Though I shall publically take issue with one side thing and ask that
you defend it or retract it. "I applaud Saruman's beautiful reasoning
and his search for objectivity in spite of the fact that he belongs to
the order of Vastar."

What basis do you have for such an insinuated claim of Vastar and His
order? Let the record be clear on this. Vastar's order has enjoyed
membership from most walks of life, from the occassional occultist (we
actually just recently doubled the number of occultists in the order to
a total of 2) to numerous monks, druids and snakes, from members and
secretaries of the priests and paladins and dawnstriders to numerous
citizens of Cyrene and Hashan. Vastarians have included whom I deem the
most honorable and respectable paladin in modern history and numerous
guild leaders, city rulers, and prominent rogues. It includes people of
all alignments who respect each other and learn from each other's life
choices with an open mind.

Vastar stands for freedom and achievement. Vastar once wrote, "My order
represents the Freedom of thought and action." The idea behind the
philosophy is that people have a right to choose their own destiny while
accepting the consequences of their choices. (It is important to qualify
"accept consequences" since the order is not about lawlessness nor
anything else chaotic.) It is believed that under such conditions can
one achieve their greatest potential. Thus one who is free to choose
their own destiny and chooses to sit on a couch eating mutton all day
long is not really Vastarian. Things which tend to go against the
Vastarian way would be enslavement, censorship, coercion, and
authoritarianism. Though some Vastarians do persue such paths (because
limiting against such paths would be denying them the freedom to choose
their own destiny), such are not very typical of Vastarians. Though the
philosophy does not rule out such things as something to be banned from
life, those who choose such paths are expected to realize and accept the
consequences when those they hinder rise up for bloody vengeance and
justice.

Another aspect of Vastarian freedom, perhaps the real thrust of the
religion, is mastery of the self, perhaps what could be called spiritual
freedom. When a person has become master of himself, no chains and
fetters can contain his spirit. Those who have achieved this free spirit
can not be coerced. Only they can change their own spirit. One could
argue that this is the best form of freedom because though the body may
become enslaved by a tyrrant, the spirit is more valuable than the
corporeal body, and that can never be captured.

This is in stark contrast to other orders, most of which focus on dogma
and creeds, which in my personal opinion hinder objectivity and
open-mindedness. Rather, it is moreso an abstract approach to life and
living. (Though obviously there still is some amount of neutral belief
in it, not to be totally devoid of such.)

Please, explain how one who avouches this philosophy is dumb and
unobjective, as implied by you. How does "Freedom of thought and action"
lead to such? It seems to me the most open-minded approach to life there
is. It seems to me that those who lack objectivity are actually those
who spread the lies and rumours about the order without bothering to
investigate the truth of the order.

As an addendum, I would add that my personal beliefs that do not invoke
the name of Vastar are just that: my personal beliefs. I'm sure few, if
any, in the order agree with most of my own personal, individual
beliefs.


Regards,
-Saruman.

Penned by my hand on the 4th of Ero, in the year 331 AF.