Re: The Code Of Chivalry - Per Lady Thalia's Request

["Michael A. Chance" <mchance@crl.com>]

Xavier wrote (responding to Tibor):

> > The "religion bit" (Governing and Policy Document 6) does not permit
> > religious practice to be sponsored by the SCA Incorporated.  But it actually
> > encourages individual research and practice.  If you want your persona to be
> > a true Christian Knight, you might have trouble with the public knighting
> > ceremony, but there is no reason why you can't study, practice and
> > re-create.
> > 
> > This is important enough to emphasize.  The Society is not a religion-free
> > zone.  (Comfortable though that would be for atheists like me.)  It is a
> > religion-tolerant zone, with no official support for a particular
> > religion.  Current biases of the Society Seneschal notwithstanding.
> 
> Agreed
> I meant it in total and utter sarcasm. A sentiment
> that does not transmit on the net well. The religion bit I was 
> referring to was not the religion free rumor but the mandating 
> of a religion, which a belief in christ for the chivalry might
> be construed as. 

However, though you may have meant it in sarcasm, there are many, many
people that accept that viewpoint as SCA "gospel", i.e. that the SCA
doesn't permit *any* religious displays or practices, even private
ones, at SCA activities.  And each time someone states "Corpora forbids
religious stuff", whether in jest or in earnest, it perpetuates the
fallacy.

It is important to immediately counter such untruths, since the SCA's
policy toward religion, as embodied in G&PD 6, is one of the most
misunderstood and misinterpreted parts of the SCA.

WRT to the present discussion, the Code of Chivarly that has been
presented here cannot be required of SCA participants as a requirement
of participation, nor can it be included in any official SCA
ceremonies.  However, there is nothing that precludes an individual
from (a) publically practicing the tenants of this code at SCA
activities (within the bounds of reason - attempting to wipe out all
non-Christians at SCA events would probably be frowned upon), or (b)
including it in a *private* ceremony held away from the main public
areas of an SCA event.

Personally, I'd like to see MORE personal religious display and
expression at SCA activities, provided that it's done in a
historically accurate manner.  This Code of Chivalry would be a good
example.

Mikjal Annarbjorn
-- 
Michael A. Chance          St. Louis, Missouri, USA    "At play in the fields
Work: mc307a@sw1stc.sbc.com                             of St. Vidicon"
Play: mchance@crl.com