IV.   Faith

Heresy is a fictional term used to describe a controversial or novel alteration to systems of beliefs of a Religion or Cult that conflicts with its established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal rejection of a whole Religion or Cult, rather than one or more principles.

The concept of Heresy depends on two other fictional systems being the creation of one or more formal pronouncements of faith or Dogmata and then the development of a formal system of by-laws to criminalize any breach of Dogmata or Doctrine through a system of Orthodoxy.

The absence of a code of criminal acts to formally define Heresy as well as the absence of any judicial procedures to adjudicate such a matter renders the legality of any accusation of Heresy null and void.

By definition only a person who has been accepted through initiation into the faith of a particular Religion or Cult and who upon the age of majority has consented to being known as a member and subject to the laws of a Religion or Cult can be accused of Heresy.

By definition, a person who has rejected their membership and disassociated themselves from a particular Religion or Cult is an Apostate and cannot be accused of being a Heretic as they are no longer subject to the jurisdiction of the rules of the Religion or Cult.

Any Religion or Cult that seeks to impose its laws concerning Heresy and Apostasy upon a person who has rejected their membership and disassociated themselves from the Religion or Cult is itself guilty of a supreme ecclesiastical dishonor and offence against the living law. Therefore any such rule, statute, edict or dogma is immediately rendered null and void.

When a Religion or Cult has developed the formal criminal and judicial procedures to hear and adjudicate matters of Heresy, it is most common to distinguish two types of crime being willful and ignorance, namely:

(i) Willful Heresy is when the accused heretic is aware that their beliefs are at odds with the dogmata of a Religion or Cult yet continue to adhere to their belief resolutely; or

(ii) Ignorant Heresy is when the accused is not aware that their beliefs are at odds with their faith.

As a general principle of law, it is considered unjust to convict a person of Heresy who is ignorant of their alleged crime without giving them an opportunity to correct their position.

When a Religion or Cult has developed the formal criminal and judicial procedures to hear and adjudicate matters of Heresy, it is most common to distinguish several types of alleged heretics, namely:

(i) Heretic Penitent that admits their crime yet has shown signs of remorse and may or may not be a relapsed heretic; and

(ii) Heretic Impenitent that admits their crime yet has shown no sign or remorse and may or may not be a relapsed heretic; and

(iii) Heretic Negative that does not admit their crime.

As a general principle of law, it is considered unjust to sentence a Heretic Impenitent, Heretic Penitent or Heretic Negative with the same form of penalty. One who admits and is remorseful must receive a significantly lesser penalty than one who admits, yet shows no remorse. Similarly, one who admits must receive a lesser penalty than one who refuses to admit their heresy.

Any statutes, edicts or statements of a Religion or Cult that permits penalties including death, torture or imprisonment for Heresy are an abomination against the Divine Creator and Heaven and are therefore null and void from the beginning.

Any person that carries out a sentence against an accused heretic involving death, torture or imprisonment is guilty of a supreme ecclesiastical dishonor against all of Heaven and the Divine Creator and automatically loses all power, right and authority of office.

Any Religion or Cult that permits or does not condemn its followers imposing sentences against heretics that involve physical or mental abuse is itself guilty of a supreme ecclesiastical dishonor against all of Heaven and the Divine Creator and immediately loses all spiritual authority and rights until such behaviour is banned, forbidden and not permitted to be revived.