Heya, I was just wondering what the stance of the Temple and the Tribunal was in the 3rd Era (During the game time during Morrowind and pre-Morrowind).

Since the Anticipations were a thing and the House of Troubles existed if I remember well, I think people were allowed to aknowledge them as holy but their worship was forbidden:

"The worship of these four malevolent spirits is against the law and practice of the Temple" http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:The_House_of_Troubles

The book "http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Anticipations" talks a little bit more about the Good Daedra but does not mention if their worship is allowed. I assume from the sources that since the Tribunal achieved apotheosis that the worship reverted to them and that there is no need to worship the good Daedra.

So does that mean that cults to Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala are not tolerated? Are they considered holy but all worship is to be directed to the Tribunal? Would the Temple discovering a cult to Azura try to eradicate them? If you were a priestess of Azura would that be illegal? Are there monasteries dedicated to the good Daedra or would they be a secretive organisation that would try to hide their true nature?

These questions are referring to activities that occur within the land of Morrowind of course.

I think the Anticipations were treated as being like very high end saints, similar to Veloth and Nerevar. Not worshiped, per say, but highly respected.

While the Temple does oppose other religions, there seems to be freedom of religion in the Empire. While a group of Sheogorath worshipers wouldn't be welcome in Morrowind, they couldn't be legally prosecuted for it. That probably wouldn't stop Dunmer citizens from killing them and the guards doing the bare minimum amount of work to find the killers, though.

Vivec says that the Dres worship Daedra; since they're also called persistent Temple supporters, that means their support of the Temple has everything to do with its support of slavery and casually reinforcing the institution. This explains why they would ally with Hlaalu after slavery is outlawed.

All hostile Daedra worshippers in Morrowind (the game) worship the Bad Daedra (the cultists at Ald Daedroth have a statute of Azura, but it's not the only statue; Azura's shrine has no worshippers, Boethiah's is destroyed, and the Morag Tong keep a shrine to Mephala, presumably in violation of the agreement that keeps the organization lawful). According to dialogue in Morrowind, the Temple explicitly forbids the worship of the Bad Daedra. Presumably worshipping other Daedric princes is not illegal, but it's seen as dangerous (because all Daedra are capricious) and backwards.

I wonder if forbidding the worship of Malacath has a deliberate prejudicial aspect, since many Orcs revere Malacath.

There is a temple quests about destroying a Sheogorath cult .And another one during the main quest were Ordinators attack one.

He says :. House Dres represents the past of pre-Tribunal Great House culture, a persistent tradition of Daedra- and ancestor-worshipping civilized Dunmer clans.

And while that conforms with Temple doctrine, I don't think it conforms with Imperial law. Like I said, I don't think it's technically illegal to worship Sheogorath, but they will kill you anyway.

^^^Wouldn't surprise me. They did antagonize the Chimer during exodus before the whole Trinimac thing, and later allegedly allied with the Nords and Dagoth in one version of what happened at Red Mountain. There's at least a cultural precedent for hostility.

Yes it may be legal in the Empire but Morrowind had that funny Treaty allowing them to continue use their own laws.

"...Always firm Temple supporters, House Dres is hostile to Imperial law and culture, and in particular opposed to any attempts to limit the institution of slavery." -- Great Houses of Morrowind (also quoted by Artisa Arelas, nobles, and savants



"You should know how the Temple feels about killing. Killing is justifiable in war, self-defense, defense of property, affairs of honor, Great House affairs under the sanction of the state, and affairs of heresy... The justice of killing heretics is a source of bitter controversy. Killing heretics is against Imperial law, but not dishonorable or scandalous."


***


"Council and Temple law forbids the worship of the Rebel Daedra Molag Bal, Malacath, Sheogorath, and Mehrunes Dagon in Morrowind."

"Cult worship of Molag Bal, Malacath, Sheogorath, and Mehrunes Dagon persists in remote regions despite the efforts of the Ordinators, and is particularly strong among Dunmer dedicated to expulsion of the Empire and restoration of an independent Dunmer nation."

"Despite the Empire's public policy of religious toleration, Imperial authority permits the Ordinators a free hand in persecution and extermination of Rebel Daedra cults." (because the Empire outlaws cults that are hostile to the Empire)

So the only Daedra worship that's actually outlawed is worship of the Four Corners, but I'm afraid I don't really see the connection between anti-Imperial sentiment and worship of the Four Corners in particular.

Ah yes, that does ring a bell, veneration as something a bit more than saints sounds familiar. Like saints, worship is not focused on them, but I assume people would be harshly chastised if they worshipped the Good Daedra on their own merit instead of something that will bring glory to the Tribunal?