I take it you did not in the least understand Lothair's post, as yours
proves his point. Simply put, your post makes the Church look more evil
than the Infernals guild! The Daemon Xian I am sure was pleased to view
your post, as were many others that see the Church as a cult of Evil
hiding behind a mask of rightousness. But aside from those views, let us
assess, and dissect, your post.

Please forgive that I cannot quote directly, my copy of the Codex was
stolen from me by a Church member that did not wish for me to study it.
But here I go anyway.

The Codex tells you to protect innocents. You however, protect only
innocents that server your cause. But...so does the forces of Evil!
Dacian, the Infernal Guildteacher is an innocent, why should he not be
protected? My guess is that he servers Evil. If that is the case, all
innocents are not protected, or your definition of 'free of guilt' does
not allow someone to teach others.

Now, if because Dacian teaches Necromancy to his pupils, he is Evil and
not under the Church's protection, does that mean that Onorol, a
well-known innocent and devout follower of Oneiros, is not protected? He
teaches Necromancy, and Domination. Two arts you consider Evil and
Chaotic. Tell me now why Dacian has been slewn, even when Onorol is just
as willing to teach the same students the same lessons. My guess is for
revenge, a relatively Evil concept, as it does not go along with the
motto of "Forgive and Forget". I had always viewed the few Good church
members as forgiving.

Obviously Dacian is an Infernal, but does that make him any less
innocent than Marhisa or Syvelium? Those two never harmed me anymore
than Onorol. Oh well, on to your next, "point" if you could call it
that.

You attack Lothair for leaving the Church, claiming he can never be the
most powerful. Interesting, as the most powerful, Tranquility, is not a
Church member. Cannot be the most dominant? That is open to debate as to
which mortal better dominates others, though I very much doubt that it
is/ever was, a member of the Church, but as I said, open to debate.

You claim that he has lost the chance to 'enjoy the simple pleasures of
unselfishness, and Compassion, and Good'. Unselfishness does not exist.
No one does anything that does not benefit themselves, or at least they
think they will benefit themselves. Say, you selflessly give your life a
hundred times for your guild, then donate 100,000 gold so that the other
members may become stronger, you did that because you know that serving
your guild earns you guildfavours, and thus higher rank.

As for Lothair being able to enjoy compassion, go see Onorol, he is more
than compassionate enough. If you want to see Good, one need only look
towards Pentharian, for He is the embodiment of Good, and at one time or
another, we can all enjoy the presence of a God, even one that conflicts
our own interests. Say you wish to fight, and a God you despise starts a
free-for-all, at that very moment you are happy that they were around.

I wish to address a point I missed, in which you claim that one death by
each church member for a single crime will make them repent for their
sins. If anything, the brutal slaughter by your kind would make, at
least myself, hate you far more. Brutal slaughter, isn't that an Evil
act? So therefore your brutal slaughter is actually Righteous
retribution, how could I have thought otherwise. But either way, the
current Righteous retribution carried out, appears more an act of Evil,
and turns people even further into Evil.

One example I give of showing someone that the Light -may- carry a
benefit somewhere/someday, would be during the time of Dresden's rampant
damning of people. Her choice, fine. However, Grimsblade, not agreeing
with this, or for whatever reason, had at the time, been undamning those
of us he didn't really think did anything to merit that punishment. (us
refers to Ashtanites).

Perhaps, one last hope for the Church, was when Xianty's soul was
present, a small window of time, a fraction of a moment, he was not
annoying, but rather had given a bliss to a friend at NoT. As I figured,
he found it unfair to help just one person, when as a generally Good
person, he could help them all, and thus, we all enjoyed the blissful
blessings of Xianty. Afterwards he became annoying again, but that was
solved when the Daemon Xian threw Xianty into eternal torment and stole
his body. Though, a trace of Xianty may still remain, for he can't seem
to remove the Grace of the Gods from himself.

I've said more than enough to here, but in conclusion, I wish to add
that the Church on its current path, is turning more and more Evil, and
pushing those of us who are already neutral or Evil, close or further
into Evilness. You get what you give, which may be why you are appearing
as an Evil Cult, not the Righteous Church of Light. It is not too late
to change at least your front image.

The Ximilia, Ximili Ximilus

Penned by my hand on the 21st of Scarlatan, in the year 282 AF.