Yu-hon and temple
Sifya: Talking about Yu-hon and Sw i don’t think are ateist. SW said there are gods but they don’t care us(by the way is true only Hiryuu loves humans), and Yu-hon didn’t destroy hiyruu’s tomb and his clothes have dragon decorations. So i think he believe in god but not in temple,an important similar historical event was capture of rome. Italy was separate for long time after fall of the Western Roman Empire ,the catholic churh took so much power until becoming an indipendente state between small states of the north, and the southern kingdom,every attempts to reunite Italy, was hindered by the papal state. In all Dark Ages pope could decide the fortunes of the kingdoms under the pretense that he spoke with God, Frederick II reluctantly participated in the Crusades, but the kings were terrified by the pope because he could excommunication:to cut off from communion with a church or exclude from thesacraments of a church by ecclesiastical sentence. For kings means to lost te right of ruling on population. But after Dark Ages Papal state iwas slowly losting power until Napoleon, who made his coronation by himself, said God give to be and I will got it, Napoleon refuse importance of chuch in political questions. After Napoleon ’s death, Italy started Italian unification that finished with capture of Rome,Italy left Vatican City to Catholic churh,that never accepted this and forbaded Catholics to participate in political life. Italians were believer and they have to choose between faith or home, but in the end choose the home.
Like you see priests of kouka are more similar of papale state,they don’t care about faith but power, so Yu-hon actions was for Kouka,yes kouka now was more free to make its decisions,explacially military,but Kouka is always be a militar country from beginner:Hiryuu made the peacge with force.
Distinction between religion and state is not negative, also Yu-hon captured, tried and sentenced the temple in legal way.When Knight templars was senteced ,they didn’t have to right of correct process, in only night they were almost killed eveeryone. But the way Yu-hon give them right of process and priests like Ik-soo were free to go. Yu.hon didn’t ban the religion Ik-soo is going to around all kouka without problems,in fact after Yu-hon’s death Ik-soo could go anymore to capital,so did il have problems with priest?
Il was agreed with brother about banner,because he never take them back. So Yu-hon was possibly believer but not liking the temple, my mother is catholic but she don’t like behavier of church
Egao: Very interestung historical remark indeed, and I totally agree with you about how important role religion plays in culture of any country. And how important is balance in how goverment and church influate each other. But there are some more moments in AkaYona universe. For example, dragon gods are likely build on consept of shinto gods, rather then (at least, not solely) God’s. It’s big difference. Shinto gods are not allpowerful, or always immortal, nor they are fully ideal, and sometimes they are not even directly related to humans. Also there are type of gods in the stories, who are born from himans’ wishes and/or “feeding” with beliefs and prayers of the followers, and would die/suffer if these followers’d forget about them, or become too sinful. That consept bringing not only a problem of gods/believers relationships, but also (and maybe even more) a problem of coexistining of different spices, who are in sort of simbiotic agreement. So there can be different variants of opinion any AkaYona character towards religion and dragon gods. For example, one can believe, that dragon gods exist, but don’t trust them. Or other can perform rituals in hope to get some protection, but understimate dragon gods as a persons with their own quirks, and so make mistakes. Or other way around – see them as magical beasts to be used and don’t respect enouh godly part. There are possibilities of quarrel, grude, fear, misunderstanding between humans and gods back and forth even as they are, but then there are also priests as possible additional force to blame if something happens. It’s hard to say, what exactly were Yu-Hon opinions and views on religion and temple in this context. But I have a kind of feeling, that nowdays in Kouka are too many variations of understanding some dogmates to claim person solely believer or not. What I was trying to say, that Yu-Hon, intentedly or not, created himself an image of non-believer, and so was Su-Won. What were Yu-Hon true intentions towards religion, is still a mistery for me (truth to say almost all royal family is one big mistery by now). Banishment of the priests don’t necessery make him non-biliever, as not destroying mausoleum don’t make him some kind of adept. Why priests were shooed away? Because one or another way it seemed needed. But what it need truly looked like? Why mausoleum was not destroyed? 1)Out of beliefs. 2) because Yu-Hon was just a prince and couldn’t do as he pleased. 3) because he saw Hiryuu as real person in no matter of existance of dragon gods, and didn’t want vandalise the grave. There can be different variations. But I think, if Yu-Hon was religious, only his family knows it well. He don’t seems kind of man, who would spread feely inner personal stuff too much. About priests, sure, I think, at times there could be some power-hungry priests, who could use their power and authority for some unhonest deeds. But I don’t think it was a mainstream. Obiviously, dragon gods had no possibilities to come to human world and directly punish sinners more or less often, but at least, when it comes to priests, they could yell at them or stuff, so it’s much easer. Anyway, I don’t think that it was the case at the time of question. Compared to Zeno’s era, priests couldn’t have this mich political influence, or else Yu-Hon or any royal couldn’t be treat for them so easily. It’s my first reason to doubt some “bad behavior”. And second, it’s somehow hard to believe, that very spoiled person could rise a successer like Ik-Su. Well, Ik-Su could be choosen one among spoiled temple, but even if he do, I don’t think royals had no other way to silence them, then forcefully to sent away from the capital. So, as Sorasan mentoned, real reason more likely can be about some information or secret property (if so, it could be simply misunderstood, knowing what twisty form properties can take). By the way, I can’t say Ik-Su is safe with his work. Maybe, he will not be imprisoned for being a priest, but I don’t see him protected or respected anyway. It’s looks like he is half-illegal or something. And Il, being so accurate about rituals, was not interested at all in finding some true priests to serve gods properly in castle. So there totally can be something behind that. As for Su-Won, I even had a post somewhere, that I can’t help, but see him as believer, or at least former one. His speach about gods was to emotional for person, who don’t think someone above the sky would listen. I see him more as a believer, who once lost his faith in gods and nowdays confronted the need to question his distrust. And somehow slowly gaining the faith back. Or/and maybe the one, who is hiding his believes not to be manipulated over them. Or/and maybe partly copied his father’s outer image in his own way, seeng it fit. But he was trying so hard, it would be mean not to praise his work. So for now I called him non-believer. But I hope my first version of his views will be close to truth. It can give oportunity to see more of his inner and very personal feels. After all, this boy looks like the dragon too much somitimes, not to care about dragon gods. Anyway, thanks for interesting submission and sorry for the late comment! I hope I didn’t discourage you to write interesting stuff. I was quite busy to make long commet it deserved. So it waited in my drafts.