At any rate, this is what I have so far:
“Correct observance of ritual and social traditions; the maintenance of the agreements, (both personal and societal), we humans have with the Gods and Spirits. Keeping the Old Ways, through ceremony and duty.” ADF Dedicant Manual
Dictionary.com
- Reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations: a prayer full of piety.
- the quality or state of being pious: saintly piety.
- dutiful respect or regard for parents, homeland, etc.: filial piety.
- a pious act, remark, belief, or the like: the pieties and sacrifices of an austere life.
Piety, as an act, requires only actions in service of something greater than oneself. In terms of service and piety, there is no much difference between a soldier serving her country and and priest serving his God(s). It is the act of service that is the pious act. Piety is duty. Duty to the Gods, duty to the local spirits, duty to the surrounding community and family. It is part of the sacrifice made on a daily basis to ensure a functioning society. Piety asks one to serve others who are less fortunate; to take care of the the environment and recover what can be replanted; to trust the Gods’ wisdom and be their hands when they cannot act themselves. Piety is related to integrity/ honor and perseverance. While the easier thing in many cases may be to be selfish, honor and integrity demand service to something greater, Keeping the oaths and commitments made to others and the Gods. However, it is not enough to honor those oaths and commitments once. It is done repeatedly, until it has become embedded. It is the perseverance that takes a mundane task: standing at the altar for 20 minutes a day, meditating and turns it into service of the Gods and piety.
This is crap. I know it's crap. But piety isn't one of those things I have a clear mental definition of, and I have a bye week in a few weeks where I can sit down and revise things.
