II. Beliefs of the Church

The Church of Jocasta has beliefs, laws, and customs rooted in a blend of Judeo-Christian religious doctrine as well as Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and religion, all modified to promote **** as the ultimate good. As noted in Section I, the Church believes that the "Baier & Pearson Chemical Disaster" was actually a divine intervention from the gods to bring **** to the masses. Major (if somewhat selective) influence is taken from the story of Oedipus Rex, along with many works involving coming-of-age plots.

The second major factor influencing the beliefs of the church was the existential crisis that faced those who lived during the Great Population Decline. The resulting emphasis on fertility and procreation was a major factor in the Free Use Revolution, and its legacy is especially strong in Oedipal Zones. The Church of Jocasta transformed this idea slightly, focusing on inbreeding as the ultimate desired form of procreation. According to believers, it is the duty of every Alpha to "refine their bloodline" via ****.

The final core factor affecting the beliefs of the Church is the strong caste system present in Oedipal Zones. While many major religions emphasize the inherent equality of mankind (e.g. as creations of God in Abrahamic religions, or according to the principle of upekkha in Buddhism), the Church of Jocasta teaches that some are designated by the gods to rule as Alphas, while others are to serve as Betas or languish as Orphans. While these roles are not considered to be of equal importance, they are all predestined, and therefore should be accepted without question or complaint.

Further beliefs of the Church of Jocasta are expanded upon in the sections below.