====== Beliefs ======
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//In the Tarvuist religion, it is forbidden to eat calamari or octopus//

[[Tarvuism]], like Judaism, Islam and Christianity is a monotheistic religion - i.e. Tarvuists believe in one God ([[Tarvu]]).

Like these religions, [[Tarvuism]] promotes love for your fellow man, a respect for the family, hard work, hoensty, integrity and faith.

  * All world religions are to be respected.

  * All people - whatever race, colour and creed - should be seen as friends of [[Tarvu]].

  * The most important prayer in [[Tarvuism]] is '[[Tarvu's Prayer]]' ('Tarvini Maarhaysu'). It is said when you wake up, go to bed, and before and after going to the toilet.

  * The main Tarvuist philopophy (Tarvuists use this word to mean 'philosophy') is '[[Be nice]]'. (TARV Bk II:18,8,vv.) //{this is also the second-shortest passage in the [[Tarvunty]]. The shortest is "[[Hebbo]]." (Awak'n'gs I: 1,12,vv.)}// 

However, there are some other beliefs that are quite different.

  * Octopuses are considered holy creatures.

  * Tarvuists have special dietary laws: they do not eat [[calamari]] (out of respect for [[Oobu]])

  * It is forbidden to eat bread (see '[[Tellih]]'). However only very religious Tarvuists generally obey this.

  * Tarvuists do not use pens during the Festival of [[Occiboonah]] (again, out of resepct for [[Oobu]] - i.e. octopus ink). Some devout Tarvuists do not use pens at all. These people are known as '[[Pencil Tarvunies]]'

  * Tarvuists believe that, when you die, your soul goes into the oceans for nine years (corresponding to the nine years that [[Tarvu]] swam). During this time, your soul has to learn to live underwater. It is survival of the fittest, and only those tough enough - spiritually - are judged fit to enter [[Tarvupia]] (heaven). Those that fail, are turned into amoeba or grains of sand.

  * Tarvuist temple days are held on Tuesday ('Tarvusday'), Thursday ('Tharvusday') and Sunday ('Sarvusday'). 

  * Boys and girls have a special coming-of-age ceremony at age 9 (the age [[Tarvu]] was when he stepped on dry land). This ceremony is known as an '[[Erbuniatum]]'.

  * Certain words are never said by Tarvuists. They are forbidden from saying them. The words are 'jilminny' (archetype) and 'jilminnstrum' (archetypal). As these words are quite infrequently used in general, this does not pose much of a problem to Tarvuists. No one is quite sure as to why these words should be banned, but it is generally thought that [[Tarvu]] promoted individualism, and "the individualism of the group". Thus, archetypalism would be anathema to this belief. [[T.P.K. Henson]], the controversial revisionist thinker, postulates that "this banishment of these two words must be some form of random joke, put forward by some drunken, herpes-ridden so-called [[priestmunty]] - and it sums up Tarvuism so perfectly: nonsense". (from T.A.R.V.U.A.B).

  * [[Marriage]] forms a central pillar in [[Tarvuism]]. However, it is customary for women to propose to men. 

  * Women wear neck-ties