Palmerism

Palmerism
חָכמָה
Temple of the Holy Wisdom, Gebul
Classification	Imirianic
Scripture	Gilu'im
Theology	Tritheism
Region	Abaria Hylasia
Language	Ifrahi
Founder	Judith of Holon

Palmerism (Ifrahi: חָכמָה; hernicized: Hakkma), is a tritheistic religion centred on the Gilu'im and the teachings of Judith of Holon and her successors. Its followers, who are called Palmerists, are mostly concentrated in Ifrahi-speaking communities in Mizbeh, Almeraei, and Marjah, with significant diaspora communities in northern Hylasia and worldwide.

Palmerist doctrine centers around the principle of Immanent Reflection, under which reality is held to be fractally organized into three Substances, personified in three fundamental deities united in a Godhead. Palmerists hold that evil and suffering are caused by humanity's unwillingness to realize the shared unity of experience, and that God has sent various hakmim (lit. "wise ones") to assist others in the path to self-actualization and enlightenment.

Palmerism originated amongst Ifrahi communities during a period of instability in the Kingdom of Almeraei, when mystery cults, contemporary polytheistic practice, and Adorationalist influence consolidated into a set of Pre-Palmerist beliefs. Judith of Holon, a priestess from modern Sarulom, joined these disparate beliefs into a unified framework, and is testified to have written the earliest sections of the Gilu'im. Palmerism became the state religion of the Ifrahi Kingdom, and after Ifrah was conquered by the First Mizbehi Kingdom, spread along maritime sea routes to create significant communities in Hylasia, Abaria, and Calesia.

Theology

Trialism and Immanent Reflection

The most fundamental doctrine in Palmeric thought is that of Immanent Reflection, in the world is said to consist of three Substances, called tchushaa (sensation), makshava (thought), and pee'ula (action). These substances are held to be all that exists, manifested in fractal reflection across all levels of reality. While reflecting phenomenological conceptions in the human mind, the substances are also universal and transcendent; the inability of humans to recognize this is held to be one of the Great Misconceptions.

Palmerists hold that all instances of a given substance correspond to an Ultimate Principle, or deity, corresponding to that substance. Thus, tchushaa, makshava, and pee'ula are held to be manifestations of the deities Ardatu, Erei, and Batulu, respectively. While described as transcendent and fundamentally unknowable entities in Palmerist literature, these gods are said to manifest in the mythic archetypes of "Daughter," "Father," and "Son," respectively, which allows them to be depicted in a more humanlike form in Palmeric Anecdotes.

While separate entities, the three gods are held to be part of one Godhead, which is unified in thought and action; the unity of the Godhead reflects in the fundamental balance and unity of the three Substances, and hence the shared unity of reality and experience, a truth referred to as the ehhad.

Misconception

Palmerists hold that human flaw is rooted in Misconception, which is the lack of recognition of the shared unity of experience in the form of Immanent Reflection. This often takes the form of not recognizing the unity of the Three Substances within one's own experience and the Substances as they manifest elsewhere; for instance, arrogance may result from a person believing in the supremacy of their own thought, and not recognizing their experience as part of one "lifeworld." From this key lack of understanding, Palmerists hold, originates all evil and suffering in the world. Misconception is seen as an inherent flaw in humans, present from creation; hence, it can only be eliminated through discipline and self-actualization. Eliminating Misconception within one's own self is seen as a duty upon every Palmerist, and eliminating factors that encourage Misconception plays a key role in Palmeric conceptions of the state. Within this framework, devotion to and worship of the gods and meditation upon the nature of the Godhead is an essential element in eliminating oneself of Misconception.

Enlightened Ones

Palmerists hold that while Misconception is inherent in humans, throughout history, some individuals have been granted divine knowledge of the true nature of reality, and are tasked with the divine duty of eliminating Misconception and assisting others in their path to self-actualization. These individuals, known as hakmim (lit. "wise ones"), have manifested throughout history, and are viewed as perfect figures free from Misconception. Many hakmim have been recognized in the Palmeric literature, and historically recognition of hakmim was a location- and culturally-dependent matter. However, most Palmerists recognize the preeminence of Judith of Holon and the following Fifteen Sages.

Afterlife and Eschatology

While Palmerists almost universally accept the idea of a life after death, views on the afterlife on Palmerism differ; often, different passages in the Gilu'im seem to offer contradictory visions of the afterlife and its nature, and viewpoints on where one goes after death historically varied based on location and culture. However, the general consensus is that upon death, the weight of Misconception decides the plane of existence one enters: while those who worked towards self-actualization will enter upon one of various heavenly planes, those who did not will enter a hellish existence until the weight of Misconception wears away. Depending on viewpoint, hakmim and others who have attained self-actualization may permanently reside in one of several "Pure Lands," eternally meditating on trial Godhead.

The eschatology of Palmerism centers on the Revealer, an Enlightened One who is held to come to the world in a time of great ignorance and Misconception, and usher in a near-permanent Golden Age on earth. Interpretations of who this messianic figure is and the exact circumstances of his or her arrival have differed throughout history and the political or cultural context. This Golden Age is held to last until all humans have achieved enlightenment, after which Palmerists differ on whether the world ends or cyclically begins anew.

Religious Texts

The religious corpus of Palmerism is referred to as the Gilu'im, or Revelations, which are the compiled writings and meditations of various Enlightened Ones. Historically, there has been no accepted "standard version" of Scripture; often, various additions would be made depending on the Enlightened Ones recognized in a given culture or location. Moreover, Palmerists generally accept all versions as "valid," as scripture is conceptualized not as the divine word of the Godhead, but as divinely inspired wisdom filtered through the unique experiences of the hakmim; this results in a non-absolutist view of scripture. Regardless, all versions of the Gilu'im contain the writings of Judith of Holon and the Fifteen Sages, which are held to be the foundation of the faith.