Дюна
Appendix II: The Religion of Dune
ThemajordamsagainstanarchyinthesetimesweretheembryoGuild,theBeneGesseritandtheLandsraad,whichcontinuedits2,000-yearrecordofmeetinginspiteoftheseverestobstacles.TheGuild’spartappearsclear:theygavefreetransportforallLandsraadandC.E.T.business.TheBeneGesseritroleismoreobscure.Certainly,thisisthetimeinwhichtheyconsolidatedtheirholduponthesorceresses,exploredthesubtlenarcotics,developedprana-bindutrainingandconceivedtheMissionariaProtectiva,thatblackarmofsuperstition.
ButitisalsotheperiodthatsawthecomposingoftheLitanyagainstFearandtheassemblyoftheAzharBook,thatbibliographicmarvelthatpreservesthegreatsecretsofthemostancientfaiths.
Ingsley’scommentisperhapstheonlyonepossible:
“Thoseweretimesofdeepparadox.”
Foralmostsevenyears,then,C.E.T.labored.Andastheirseventhanniversaryapproached,theypreparedthehumanuniverseforamomentousannouncement.Onthatseventhanniversary,theyunveiledtheOrangeCatholicBible.
“Hereisaworkwithdignityandmeaning,”theysaid.“HereisawaytomakehumanityawareofitselfasatotalcreationofGod.”
ThemenofC.E.T.werelikenedtoarcheologistsofideas,inspiredbyGodinthegrandeurofrediscovery.Itwassaidtheyhadbroughttolight“thevitalityofgreatidealsoverlaidbythedepositsofcenturies,”thattheyhad“sharpenedthemoralimperativesthatcomeoutofareligiousconscience.”
WiththeO.C.Bible,C.E.T.
