Rihannsu Religion

What do Rihannsu believe? The answers are as varied as the Rihannsu people themselves; there is no one single Rihanha religion or philosophy. Yet there are still a few generalizations that can be made about Rihannsu beliefs.

First, religion is much more of a purely personal matter among Rihannsu than among Terrans. There are fewer organized religions or religious groups publicly advocating their beliefs. There is not and never has been a state-sponsored religion -- not because it would violate citizens' rights, but because the idea would simply never occur to most Rihannsu, any more than they would seriously consider having the State sanction one's favorite color. What would be the point?

Given this near-total lack of organized, mandated, or "activist" religions, the extent to which religious beliefs pervade daily life is quite surprising. Not only traditional ceremonies, but governmental and military occasions, typically involve dedications or vows to some deity, power, or potentiality. Starting at a very early age, children learn several different faiths -- not in the name of cultural diversity, but simply as something every Rihanha ought to know.

It is impossible in this short course to fully address the breadth or the depth of Rihannsu beliefs. Rather, its purpose is to provide the reader with an overview of one of the most prominent and representative faiths, that of the Four Elements.

The Origins of Element-Worship

Introduction to the Elements

The Quatrad

Air

	Fire		Water

Earth

Teaching Poem

Are the Elements Real?

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