The Kemetic Religion is a Force for Good in the World

Thank you for accepting. My argument for Kemetism being a force for good in the world will be based on the following points.1) It helps its members.2) It encourages charity and kindness.3) It is peaceful.4) It does no harm. I hope that by demonstrating these points, I can prove that Kemetism is a good religion that means only good for the world.1) It helps its membersI know of many members who have troubles in their personal lives. I cannot give personal details out of respect for their privacy, but for one example, I know of an abuse victim who was "assigned" (there's a complex ritual involved to this) to the worship of Yinepu (Anubis). He had been abused as a child, and felt "broken" or "incomplete". I remember this individual recounting how this all changed when he began communion with Yinepu. From Yinepu he felt a sense of encouragement, a warm hand on his shoulder, a comforting reassurance that everything was alright. In Yinepu he found a parent who he believes cares for him deeply. Even if Yinepu doesn't exist in your philosophy, surely this is a good thing?What's more, the Kemetic Orthodox Forums are always full of people asking for prayers and advice on personal issues, not even always related to the religion itself. From each other we feel a sense of brotherhood, that we are all part of the same big family, and we are constantly encouraged to help each other out because we constantly see each other doing it. I'll provide a link to the Kemetic Orthodox Forums at the bottom of my argument so you can see for yourself how we take care of each other in a loving, family environment. Being a member of Kemetism feels like having a very large second family, to constantly know that other worshippers and also the gods themselves have your back. It's an indescribably reassuring feeling.I have seen people overcome anxiety, depression, and other such disorders with the help of their faith in the Kemetic religion, the help of its members, and their trust in our gods. For information on how religion may be good at treating disorders such as depression, please refer to the following:http://www.goodtherapy.org...http://www.nhs.uk...;2) It encourages charity and kindnessOne of the most important concepts in Kemetism is the principle of Ma'at (which I will be referring to a lot during this debate). Ma'at does not have a direct English translation, but the closest way to phrase it would be "that which is right". Ma'at is a system of morality that is based on solid ground, but is flexible enough to change with the times. It is based on order, justice, charity and honesty as its foundation ideals, however it acknowledges that the definition of these things change with the time as society changes, and so does not give out specific rules. There are, however, areas that are strongly if not universally agreed on within Kemetism about the specific details of Ma'at in this day and age:1) Showing kindness to others is Ma'at.2) Honesty is Ma'at.3) Charity is Ma'at.4) Love is Ma'at.5) Hatred, cruelty, killing, stealing and whatever else along those lines can NEVER be Ma'at. Motivated by the principle of Ma'at, Kemetism teaches its members to value the lives of others, their wellbeing and their happiness above all else. There can be no putting religion before happiness, as Kemetism is a religion of happiness. If someone is made unhappy by an action performed by a Kemetist, then it is not an action that reflects the teachings of Kemetism.Kemetism also teaches of a concept called Isfet, which is the opposite of Ma'at. Isfet means intentionally causing harm to others for selfish reasons, and it is invariably immoral. In many Kemetic stories, Isfet is represented by an army of demons, and the gods are portrayed as warriors slaying those demons. This represents the triumph of Ma'at over Isfet, and how being on the side of Ma'at will bring you to the side of the gods.3) It is peacefulKemetism does not discriminate. There is no racial superiority (our members are from all over the world), no gender supremacy (our Nisut is a woman), no sexual discrimination (gays and transgenders are openly welcomed) or anything of the sort. We believe we were all created as equals, and any difference in our gender, race, sexuality or whatever else is simply a different form of Netjer's (God's) creation, no greater or lesser than ourselves.Kemetism also teaches that every god is an extension of a singular entity, Netjer, the self-created one. Kemetism does not claim to be the "one true religion", and many of its members (myself included) believe Netjer extends beyond just the Kemetic gods. Many of us believe all gods are manifestations of Netjer, so not only do we all accept other religions, many of us also believe in the legitimacy of their gods (withholding belief in the legitimacy of any teachings that contradict ours). So Kemetism is not a religion in which members can honestly pick up protest signs and say "Ra Hates F*gs" or something like that, nor can we be called discriminatory based on gender or race. Kemetism keeps its arms open to members of other faiths and encourages members to be loving and peaceful towards everyone, regardless of their gender, sexuality, religion, race or any other factor besides their own actions.4) It does no harmEarlier I referred to the concept of Ma'at, the ultimate guiding moral principle of the Kemetic faith. The very nature of Ma'at and Isfet, although vague and flexible, is surprisingly inflexible on issues of harm. While there are no set rules or commandments, it is accepted that Isfet is wrong, and that Isfet is intentionally causing harm to others, especially for selfish reasons. Ma'at, on the other hand, can never involve the harming of another. In such cases where the harming of another is necessary (for example, going to war to defend yourself from an attacker), it would not be considered Ma'at or Isfet. You see the extremists of other religions, the minority of Christians who protest gay marriage, the minority of Muslims who kill in the name of God, that can't happen in Kemetism because there is absolutely no way to justify it. While militant Christians and Muslims may use old, outdated texts now considered irrelevent by the majority of their religion's community, Kemetism has no such texts. Ma'at can never be used to justify murder, oppression or hatred, as those things fall directly under Isfet in any instance. The concept of a militant Kemetist is self-contradictory, as no Kemetist can possibly justify such actions under our belief system.In conclusionWhile Kemetism operates on a small scale at the moment, what little it does is good. It helps its members, it encourages them to be good, generous and charitable, it is loving and accepting of all people regardless of race, gender, sexuality or religion, and cannot justifiably cause harm to anyone.As a final example of Kemetic charity, I would like to link you to a post on the Kemetic forums in which members encourage each other to donate to a cause providing shelter for homeless people. Threads like this on the forum are common, and I advice you to check out the "Serving the World: Ma'at in Action" section of the forums for more examples.http://www.netjer.org...;Kemetic Forums:http://www.netjer.org...Serving the World: Ma'at in Action:http://www.netjer.org...;