Racing Turtles

anti-dogma (pro-catma)

i think it was a very interesting choice by muir that, out of all our protagonists and characters, the only two people who tried to stop the lyctor trials in gtn were:

1. silas octikiseron

2. judith deuteros

the two most devout characters! and both characters’ opposition to the trials that were explicitly sanctioned by god and designed by the lyctors stemmed from their devotion to the laws and practices that developed from their empire and god.

silas wanted to stop the trials on the grounds he believed it was unholy and judith wanted to stop the trials right after the fifth died on the grounds that people were getting killed over this and it’s her duty to prevent that.

and like. silas is the one who attacks ianthe, a now SAINT, and brands her a heretic for becoming exactly what god wanted them all to become. and it’s judith who attacks teacher to flag down the emperor’s ship for help, which is what cytherea wanted because it endangers god. and silas, and later judith, both refuse to become lyctors on the basis of their moral belief systems.

and anyways where im going with this is that all throughout gtn muir paints them in an unquestionably negative light from the lens of our protagonist but ultimately both end up being right? in the most ironic possible way. i think it was a really neat choice for muir with her book that plays heavily on the theme of religion and dogma and what it looks like in different people.

moxperidot replied to your post “saul of tarsus: I used to be all about the Oppressing Marginalized…”

someone’s gotta!