vila_restal | Religion

From theatrical_muse: Religion

Well, religion's banned on all Federated worlds, you know, but they can't stop you believing in what you like. Well, they can actually if they muck about with your mind, but with me it never took.

They let us Deltas have our Festival of Light at the end of the year though because it keeps us happy. First you light a candle every night for eight days from a special candle called the servant (fair enough, Deltas are service grades, not that I ever went along with that) and eat good food and play games. After that, for the last four of the Twelve Days, we have lights blazing everywhere and markets and hot food stalls, and people give each other presents, and forget their worries and laugh. It's a good time and it's one of the few things I miss about Earth.

Underneath it all, where the authorites can't see it though, there are old stories about a lamp burning for longer than it should have in a temple, and freedom from oppression, and a baby being born who grew up into someone who said everyone was equal. He got killed for it--well, you could see that one coming, couldn't you?--but you know, there was a thief there with him too who was promised a place in paradise. I like that. A man can hope.