M'acunism: Difference between revisions

'''M'acunism''', also referred to as '''Koema M'acune''' (lit. "Red River Faith") is the primary indigenous belief system of northern [[Crona]]. Best understood as a faith tradition rather than an organized, centralized religion, M'acunism is semi-{{wp|monolatristic}}, embracing a complex system of ancestor worship as well as veneration of an Earth goddess. It is generally accepted by scholars that [[Arzalism]] and M'acunism are related, with Arzalism either forming from M'acunism or the two religions mutually influencing each other. M'acunism has been losing adherents as a percentage of the overall population of Crona partly due to increasing missionary activity of the [[Levantine Catholic Church]] but also due to the rise of secularism in some sectors of Cronite society.

The central deity in M'acunism is Makuahine, the Earth goddess, who formed all of creation and imbued life within all of it by imparting her very presence into all living beings. According to M'acunism, Makuahine is the primary deity that which living creatures can interact with and perceive. By her presence in living beings, M'acunists believe that all of nature is part of Makuahine's divine essence and life, and consequently believe that the Earth itself serves as lifegiver and consequently must be respected. Her role is emphasized within the Nature School but somewhat reduced within the Man School, and she is viewed as a somewhat neutral or at times malevolent actor within the Man School whereas the Nature School emphasizes her inherent goodness. Within both schools, her influence over the afterlife is extremely limited to being able to impart the status of Kānenaka on living beings as other deities oversee the afterlife. Consequently, prayer and sacrifice to Makuahine within M'acunism is mostly related to gaining benefits within mortal life, typically for good weather, curing of sickness, and other immediate benefits often related to biology and climate. Animal sacrifice is considered the highest form of prayer within M'acunism as it is understood to be a returning of the divine life essence of Makuahine back to her, which M'acunists believe is a way to gain favor with the goddess.

M'acunists believe that all living things fall within a hierarchy of life, ranging from the simplest to the greatest among the living, mankind. The various kinds of life are listed below, ranging from least to greatest:  

Within M'acunism, blood sacrifice is viewed as the highest form of prayer to the goddess Makuahine. Sacrifice on a ritual basis is often done in thanksgiving to the goddess, while individual sacrifices or mass sacrifices are done in reparation or in petition. Every living creature is viewed as suitable for a sacrifice as it is believed sacrifices return the divine life to Makuahine which pleases the goddess. The hierarchy of life dictates the value of sacrifices, with a large animal sacrifice being of the greatest value and insects being of the least value. In modern M'acunism, human sacrifice is banned and viewed as a sacrilege against the Great Oneness. A central legend cites a period of of mass human sacrifice in ancient times before stopped by a collective incarnation of every Kānenaka before all the people. Archaeological evidence, however, suggests that human sacrifice did occur but was rare and not universally practiced. A minority of scholars have suggested that Arzalism broke away from M'acunism over the issue of human sacrifice, a position which was once widely adhered to before falling out of favor in the 1970s. In M'acunism, sacrifice is offered in any and every public place rather than in structured temples, though a segment of the Man School has adopted the use of "sacred earth temples" for the use of sacrifice. The sacrifice involves a careful collection of the blood of the animals slaughtered; this blood is then released into the nearest body of running water, which M'acunists believe is the completion of returning the divine essence to Makuahine. In large-scale sacrifices, rivers and lakes can run red with the blood of sacrificed animals, a practice which gives the faith its name. For most creatures besides insects, the whole animal must be consumed in a feast following its sacrifice, and its bones are typically used for construction or tools.

M'acunists are mostly monolatristic, worshiping Makuahine and their ancestors with some exclusivity. This, however, can vary by region and nationality. Other deities, such as sun and moon gods are given worship as extensions or partners of Makuahine in some parts of Crona. Additionally, a minority position within the religion states that worship of L'e'afu - the god of the underworld and death - empowers an individual to achieve life after death in the form of becoming a Kānenaka. The centrality of L'e'afu within the minority sects is viewed by scholars as the clear origin point of or pointing to a shared beginning with [[Arzalism]].

As M'acunism is not a formally organized religion, the difference between denominations is soft and are comparable to different schools of thought and jurisprudence. Consequently, the beliefs described below should not be understood as a strict dichotomy; many adherents of the Nature School may acknowledge some form of human privilege, while many adherents of the Man School may acknowledge the solidarity of all forms of life. These Schools are generally understood to represent the "core" belief of the two major groups of M'acunists.