Astrianism

Astrianism (Vaktrian: Ⲁϣⲧⲁⲓⲣⲁⲋⲧ, Aštaırast) is a pantheistic religion based on the teachings of the Vaktrian-speaking prophet Astera (Vaktrian: Ⲁϣⲧⲁⲓⲣⲁ, Aštaıra). It has X million followers, most of whom live in Terranihil.

Beliefs

Astrianism's beliefs are based on the teachings of Astera, a Vaktrian prophet who lived sometime from 1200 to 900 BCE in southern Vaktria.

Pantheism

The core belief of Astrianism is in Nav, which is considered God, the universe, being, and truth. Nav is a singular being, which is absolutely infinite, causa sui, and eternal. Nav is a being that encompasses everything in existence. It contains the entirity of the past, present, and future of what exists in both the natural and supernatural world.

Nav causes and contains an infinite number modes, as in all singular things emerge from the essense of Nav and exist within it. Nav caused the existence of matter and soul and caused individual things consisting of these properties. The modes can be understood temporally, as an infinite chain of events determined by previous events leading back to infinity (Nav). However, Nav transcends time as it contains within it all temporal things.

Beliefs about the nature of mind, matter, and their potential relation vary from denomination to denomination. One view is neutral monism, which says Nav is neither mind nor matter but the being that underlies and brings rise to these two properties; mind and matter are expressions of Nav and their events occur in parallel and without interaction. Another more recent and materialist view interprets Nav as synonymous with the physical universe. Yet another perspective is idealistic, and claims Nav and everything in existence consists of soul, while physical reality is illusory.

The idea of a personal relationship with Nav comes from the view that one is part of an infinite interdependent organism. Evrything is connected and derivative of Nav. Most denominations believe in determinism, and some go as far as necessitarianism.

Supernatural world

The existince of the natural world and its details is also a contentious issue in Astrianism. Astrian denominations are often divided into naturalistic and supernatural denominations, though many do not fit neatly into one or another. Naturalistic schools reject the existence of a supernatural world and/or hold that Nav acts in clearly understandable patterns. Supernaturalistic schools believe in worlds other than the natural one, such as heavens or hells, supernatural beings like spirits, and/or direct intervention by Nav in human affairs.

The supernatural world in....

Cosmology

Since Nav is infinite and eternal, it has no beginning and no end. Writings may often explain Nav as the beginning or origin of everything, but it is not so in a temporal sense. Everything is determined by Nav's nature and is encompassed as a mode or propetty of it, but it all exists at once as a whole. Denominations may still describe the development of the world contained in Nav.

Naturalistic denominations hold that the world, whether physical or spiritual, have always existed and will always exist. Ancient interpretation usually took this to mean the Earth, the heavens, and organismal life have and always will exist. However, modern interpretations generally accept the scientific consensus about the formation of the solar system and development of life, but consider the universe as a whole to be eternal. This can mean disagreement with the Big Bang theory, though not necessarily, as some schools posit an infinitely cyclical and repeating universe. The eschatology of this latter branch decribes the decline of human life through warfare, disease, starvation, and drought, and the destruction of the heaven and earth via fire.

The supernatural world...

Denominations and branches

Diagram showing the differences between dualism and the types of monism