༺ Thesium ༻

Renaissance

It came to be known as the ‘Great Counsel’ in later years, but right then the High Neem knew it to be the beginning of the end. Neemian control was slipping through his fingers. At the centre of the main Cathedral there were now seated all the representatives of the excluded. Sitting right THERE, in HIS Cathedral, actual women! Next to them a group of black-skinned people. There were gay rights, disabled rights, poverty action groups, on and on the outrages proliferated. At the far end, ‘business’ people! Oh Neem, what a disgrace! Folks whose only purpose was making money. Their champion was called the Exec. He looked fearsome indeed and had a coterie of acolytes about him. They were all dressed in a curious new fashion he didn’t like, a fashion they called ‘suits’, drab and dark, close fitting and unadorned.

They had him though, he knew. Any show of authority now would expose him as toothless. Too many had joined the rebellion, the whole population, it seemed, had erupted in a clamour for change. The one he most feared was the Top Prof. He had come out of hiding and was at that moment in full flow, addressing those assembled, denouncing all he held sacred.

“My good people, although this Ship of Light here has been put back together, we all now know that there is nothing ‘sacred’ in it. We saw all the individual parts lying here on the floor did we not? It seems to many of us that the story about the ‘soul’ has been to the advantage of only a few. THESE few!” At that the professor pointed at the High Neem who looked down. He felt his cheeks burn at the gaze of many scornful eyes falling upon him. He heard whisperings agreeing with the scientist and felt himself as though frozen.

As the professor continued his denunciation, the High Neem began wondering what it would take for this crowd to turn into a mob and do him real damage. He grasped at ideas that might rescue him from this nadir in his life. Suddenly he was roused from his ruminations as the scientist raised his voice.

“This religion may be GOOD, but is not TRUE! All these years the Neemian authority has been telling us LIES! Neemianism is built on a LIE!”

Everyone sprang to their feet shouting “Yes! Yes!”, everyone but him. The clamour gradually died down and all eyes were fastened upon him. Glancing up at the distant throne he was now not allowed to sit in, he rose to his feet and the hall fell silent.

“Although the holy faith of ages is vested in me and remains, although the great mystery of the continuation of essence through many changing forms remains, even so, let this counsel now assembled become the central authority. I hereby now step down!”

Thesium shifted on its axis.