If you dislike boring, badly written posts, skip this. I am neither a
scholar, nor a thinker, so excuse me. My thoughts are based on my common
sense and my imperfect, humble knowledge.

Saruman,

Your short, yet informative story about monkeys and their cage is rather
a nice one, and proves your point in the case of Vastars ban, but also
points out a gap in your own previous arguments. Let me explain.

We - unlike monkeys - have the right, no: the privilege to choose which
organization to join. We are free to choose.
We also know what are we not allowed to do in this organization and, at
least in most cases (and I believe this is not the case of the
relationship between Vastar and the Church - thus I agree with you at
this point), why had it been forbidden. We have the right to know all
this before we enter our cage. Most organizations have their imaginary
gates open, we are free to leave it at any point and for any reason, and
nobody will seek to hurt us for leaving it, unless we break any law of
this organization. Again, we know - or should know, if we are not
ignorant fools - these laws before we decide which organization to join.
Yet we choose, we freely choose to be hindered, bound, to obey. Why?
Because we want to serve a higher goal. I guess the most obvious
reaction to this is: Cant you serve a higher goal alone? Why do you seek
an organization to help you with that? Indeed, this is a just question.
However, I say, we are not all like that. Some of us are weaker than
others, and thats why we gather to create organizations. Together, we
can achieve our goals. Divided, we fall. Yes, there are several people
who serve their goals all alone and they are successful. Those have my
admiration, but that doesnt mean it is my way. They have - again, freely
- chosen their path and who am I to criticize them?
Now, you can say, why do you oppose those with different philosophy
then? Now, I am not a member of the Holy Church, but I believe they all
knew what are they going to strive for and what are they going to fight
against before they joined. The thought is trivial, but I believe its
clear: You choose to serve the Evil? I choose to obey the Good. See you
on the battlefield - be it a real, bloody one or a philosophic one or
whatever.

There's one more thing I'd like to point out. You're talking about city
governments, among other things. You talk about this government as if it
was something outside, or perhaps above the city. A man with a firelash,
standing near (but outside) the monkey cage, perhaps? Thats not how it
works though. The government is voted; a member of the government is a
citizen. Hes hindered in the same way the common citizen is, he works
for the same higher goal. The organization, each and every individual of
the city, participates on the governments forming. This firelashing man
is a monkey, he has to live within the cage, other monkeys have granted
him the firelash ring and they are able to - and will - take it back, in
case he doesnt do his work properly. The leadership serves the
organization, not the other way around.

Humbly,
-DW

Penned by my hand on the 12th of Valnuary, in the year 331 AF.