Gabreelism
Gabreelism was traditionally founded by Gabree-el Dahnara in Jerusalem on Terra (popularly known as Earth) in the Imperial year 1132, the year that she gave her famous "Call to the Faithful" speech. The New Terran Calendar uses this year as "year zero".
Description (Specifications)[edit]
Doctrine: Not all doctrine within Gabreelism is universal. There are allowances made for individual interpretation about such subjects as polygamy, birth control, appropriate attire, the use of certain technologies, and other issues. All however follow the teachings of the Priestess of the Faith, and hold certain dogma and precepts to be absolute--a summary of these appears below.
There is but one God, known to the Gabreelists as the Divine Being. The Divine Being is known by many names--‘Yahweh’, ‘Allah’, ‘Vishnu’, ‘Holy One’, ‘Gaia’--all of them equally valid as they are but one facet of the infinite facets of the same entity. The Divine Being creates through evolution--thus mankind (and for that matter other races) is the result of millions of years of its work. The Divine Being did not create sentient creatures merely for its own amusement, but for some purpose that will not be revealed to us until we are joined with it. Beyond that, it is futile to question to motives of the Divine Being, since we are incapable of understanding them beyond the most rudimentary level in our current state of existence.
All naturally occurring sentient creatures (and some semi-sentient creatures) have a life spirit or soul. The soul survives the death of the body and is reincarnated in a new one. Existence consists of a cycle of births, lives, and deaths, so that the soul can gain the experience and the knowledge necessary for the Final Judgment at the end of this Universe. Those who are judged to be righteous will become holy and one with the Divine Being. Those souls who refuse to learn the lessons of existence will fail the Final Judgment and will cease to exist when this universe ends. Forces of light and darkness (results of the Divine Being’s creation) permeate our universe, in a constant struggle with each other. Those that can accept that which is good and righteous will be looked upon favorable by the Divine Being, and their struggle to become holy will be eased. Those that choose to follow the forces of darkness will have their burdens increased and their way through their existence made more difficult. Prophets and holy persons are inspired by the Divine Being from time to time to reveal some portion of the lessons to be learned during our existence in this universe to the masses. Gabree-el was one of the Divine Being’s prophets, as was Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, and others. By collecting their lessons together and understanding the common threads, we come closer to the Divine Being. There have also have been false prophets, those influenced by the forces of evil in the Universe. The Rebellion Era was a time of false prophets, people who led humanity nearly to its doom.
One can obtain forgiveness for transgressions (sometimes known as sins) through the Contemplation and prayer. Transgressions can vary in severity from a minor nuisance to severe. Words and thoughts are not in and of themselves transgressions--actions and deeds are. The ultimate fate of an individual is in his or her hands. The future is not fixed, but can be predicted or seen based upon the actions or events leading up to the time an event occurs. Not even the Divine Being controls the future beyond knowing when the Universe will end, because sentient creatures have free will, and a universe in which the future has already been pre-determined makes freewill superfluous.
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
Gabree-el was born Gabrielle Annah Joachim. Her father, Dr. Karl Joachim, was a historian at the University of Alexandria and her mother, Almira Joachim, a computer technician with a corporation based in Cairo. Gabree-el had two brothers, Wilhelm and Lawrence, both of who died fighting for the Solomani Navy during the Second Solomani Rim War (1117-1130). She received her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Los Angeles (Los Angeles is where it is assumed she received her psionic training), and later received her Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Terran Religion from the University of Damascus, where she later became an associate professor. She met her husband Dassaq while visiting Rome on holiday in 1123--they soon married and had a son, Daniel in 1125.
References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
- EXTERNAL LINK: Gabreelism by: Harold D. Hale
- Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science