Worthism

Worthism
Роʀþсᴜтаɴ
Type	Universal religion
Classification	Leutish
Scripture	Doelgriths and Latergriths
Region	Western Belisaria
Language	Erish
Origin	Turn of the second millennium, CE Pre-Confederation Erish States
Branched from	Leutish paganism
Number of followers	X million
Slogan	"Роʀþ, кԝʀɴ, фʌігта, геʌфа." "Worth, compassion, duties, help."

Worthism (/ˈwərθɪzəm/; Erish: роʀþсᴜтаɴ, wordsutan [ˈɣʷɒʀːθˌsuːt̪ʼɐ̃], transl. “the custom of worth”) is a Leutish religious and philosophical tradition founded on the teachings of the Doelgriths and Latergriths. There are over X million adherents to the religion, who are called Worthers.

Worthism teaches that this universe is one of the dreams of a primordial being known in Erish as Yng (Erish: Учг), who dreams in order to understand existence using the experiences of sentient beings. Worthers do not believe in a good versus evil dualism, as it is believed that both joy and strife are inherent to the experience of sentient beings; they do believe, however, that excessive suffering is unnecessary. The theology of Worthism is flexible; while traditional Worthism believes in two families of gods, the Onses (ønzo) and the Thors (dorso), various branches have adapted it to their own theologies, with Christian Worthism, for example, believing in a form of the Christian Trinity. Worthist scriptures are founded in the Doelgriths (Erish: Þԝʌаzгʀіѳо, transl. “the writings of the Sages”), a body of literature written between the 1100s and 1300s in what would become the Erishlands. However, the canonicity of various Doelgriths, as well as Latergriths written after this time period, is the subject of variation between different branches of Worthism. The core doctrine traditionally held by all Worthists is the Fourfold Teachings (гſос Воuʀваʌþо Ʌһуzос), which emphasize the paramount worth (word) of sentience, and the need to act on compassion (kørn) for and duties (ꝑligtа) to sentient beings by helping (gelꝑa) them realize their worth. Notable common practices amongst Worthists include vegetarianism, a concern for animal rights and pacifist defensivism.

There are two major branches of Worthism: Wyckism (Erish: грукʌһуzо, transl. “the mind teaching”) and Seylism (Erish: сһуʌаʌһуzо, transl. “the soul teaching”). While the divides between the two have grown to encompass a number of religious and philosophical issues, the foundational divide between the sects is on the nature and continuity of consciousness. Wyckism teaches that consciousness is a product of the brain and therefore ceases upon death. Seylism teaches that consciousness is a product of the soul, and thus there is continuity of consciousness after death, though the manner of continuity is itself the subject of an internal divide in Seylism.

Worthism is traditionally dated as beginning in the 1100s, but scholars widely recognize that it emerged during the preceding centuries out of Leutish paganism as practiced in what is now the Erishlands. Between the 1100s and 1300s, a number of political figures, priests and scribes collectively referred to as the Doels (Erish: Þԝʌаɴс, transl. “the Sages”) began a period of religious and philosophical discourse that both brought prior pagan religion into the literary medium and synthesized new beliefs. Worthist religion in the Erishlands coalesced in a Wyckist form around the institution of the Queen at the end of this period. At the same time, various Seylist forms began to spread across western Belisaria, though Worthers often faced persecution by Christians. In the modern day, Wyckist Worthism is most widespread in the Erishlands, where it is supported by the Wordhist Community (Erish: Роʀþс Камһіɴþо) as the de facto state religion. Sizable Wyckist communities can also be found in Ottonia. Seylism is mainly found outside of the Erishlands, particularly in western Belisaria.