Greetings to you, esteemed citizens.
Before this election, Hosianism was briefly restored as the "official" religion of Lodamun. I believe our position on this was made clear in the Sermon on the Steps (viewtopic.php?f=18&t=5985). Shortly after, the Powers government u-turned and restored Nationalism. Our huge electoral gains can only be considered, given our emphasis on this issue in our campaigning and propaganda, as a protest against this restoration.
It is clear that Nationalism in its current form is no longer viable, if it ever was, as a unifying factor. It is also clear that a constant spiral of conflict between Hosians and Nationalists will become inevitable if we keep changing the state religion every chance we get. In our discussions amongst ourselves and with other parities, the position of having no state religion as a compromise has been suggested. Should it emerge that this is the best means of uniting the nation and creating a functioning majority government, we will perhaps accept this - but under protest.
We also know that if the Nationalists will certainly never accept this, and even if they do it will too be under protest.
We must therefore seek a true compromise, one which does not lie in neither side receiving what they want, a compromise that will naturally be abandoned as soon as elections make it possible for one faction to use the Presidium to force themselves on the other.
We believe that we should open a discussion on the Reformation of Lodamunese Nationalism, if it is to remain the state religion of a nation in which Monotheists and other dissenters of all kinds are active politically and can hold government office. We believe that Lodamunese Nationalism must come to accept the existence of, or take a agnostic position on, the existence of higher spiritual powers. We believe that this is theoretically and theologically possible.
We have discussed with the NAP-EL the possibility of the writing of a new Lodamunese testament, which would be included in a general holy book containing the key Qedarite and Aldegarian religious texts.
We also believe that the option exists whereby Nationalism become state ideology, representing the secular side of our culture, but non-denominational Hosianism or Monotheism is the national faith, with both having voluntary membership. As individuals, we would be free to reject or accept both or neither.
Our overriding aim is to secure our own freedom to worship the One and True God without the state forcing idolatry upon us, and will accept any compromise as long as this is possible.