Celta Thursday, Cut from Heart Sight

Celta Cut from Heart Sight, Vinni and Avellana on religion and emotional blackmail, so you are warned!: Vinni-Religion
Avellana said, "I will not give up my faith. Not if you or your whole Family, the whole city or planet demands that!"

"I would never ask that of you," Vinni stated calmly. "Your spirituality is your own and essential to you as it is to each of us. No one in my Family will penalize you for your faith."

"They do."

"Who?" His brows rose. "Tell me and they will be disinherited from our Family. Like the High Priest and Priestess of Celta, I will not allow such pernicious beliefs that will divide our Family, in our Family. We respect others. Always. I will have a Hopeful Chapel built for you. I will attend certain rituals important to you with you, in respect. If you will do the same."

"I don't want to be a divisive force in your Family."

"It's not you, it is that particular warped member of the Family. Family stands for certain qualities, our Family, my Family is inclusive not divisive. If one is divisive one should find a different Family."

She stared at the arrogance of that statement. "That sounds good, but it feels like what I've been threatened with all my life. Be a Hazel, the right kind of Hazel, not the Hazel you are. If you are the person you are, you don't belong in the Family."

He stared right back at her. "You can't think your parents would ever disinherit you. They love you."

"But you said you would disinherit someone who doesn't think like the Family and you love them. Don't you love them even though they are flawed?"

"Don't ever call yourself flawed. I will not have it!" Sudden anger flushed his skin.

"We're not talking about me, but about hypothetical Vine members."

"They aren't hypothetical if you are worried about alienating them if you come into the Family. And I want those names. Respect for all is important. Disrespect for you translates to disrespect for every other member of the Family, if another member of the Family crosses this person. That's emotional blackmail, Avellana, and you – I – no one can give into emotional blackmail, because like all blackmail, it never goes away."