Editing Minjian (section)

==Theological Debates==
Scholars of Minjian disagree on some matters regarding the teachings of the Divine, Min-jian, and the Luminaries. This is largely to to the large number of conflicting advice contained within <u>Dialogues</u> and the <u>Book of Luminaries</u>. The Host and the Lady disagree on certain matters, with the Lady advocating that responsibility toward others and the community is the highest good, and the Host suggesting that free will and personal liberty is most important. Additionally, the varied Luminaries often disagree in their outlook on life, leading some theologians to believe that the Divine intended to find a diverse collection of outlooks on life and existence rather than creating a single unified creed. The 14 Edicts of Minjian often contradict one another. For example, the 5th Edict, spoken by the Lady, suggests that humans should pay respects to those higher in authority or more deserving of respect than them. The 6th Edict, spoken by the Host, is more egalitarian it its outlook, saying that "all are equal in the eyes of the divine". Current disagreements within the Faith include the following:

*''To what extent should bodily modifications and body art be condoned by the Faith?'' The 4th Edict states that "nor shall you mutilate or defile your body, for you are a creation of the Divine and to defile such a creation is to defile their greatest creation". Some members of the clergy have interpreted this as forbidding piercings, dyed hair, and tattoos. Others believe that this only refers to modifications which injure the body, such as circumcision, female genital mutilation, or ritual scarification, all of which are near-universally condemned among the faith.

*''How should the 4th Edict be applied to environmental conservation, hunting, and meat-eating?'' The 4th Edict states that "you shall respect the creations of the Divine; you shall not take from their creation more than is necessary, nor shall you prey exceedingly upon the wild beasts of Their creation". This vague wording has been interpreted in a variety of ways throughout history. Today, some Minjian interpret this Edict as a ban on hunting or the consumption of meat. However, most Minjian take this Edict as a suggestion to avoid trophy hunting and other behaviors which are excessively destructive to the environment.

*''What should the Minjian Faith's position on gender relations be?'' The Minjian Faith is unusual in that it features a male and female deity both equal in power. Additionally, 3 of the 12 Luminaries are women. However, the 5th Edict states that "a wife shall pay respect to her husband". How should this be interpreted in the modern world? Some feminists have noted the 7th Edict, which notes that "you shall recall the duties you owe to...your wife..in all your actions", as stating that women are worthy of being treated as equals to men. At present, the Minjian Faith officially states that "men and women are equal in the eyes of the Divine", although a few Minjian fundamentalists believe that this is incorrect.


[[Category:Religion]][[Category: Culture]]