Wow, I hadn't thought to look back for your comments on the situation in Jerusalem... and now I almost wish I hadn't. It's so painful to read about all the hopes King Richard has now dashed.
First off, a belated welcome to these boards. [Both IC and OOC] I hope you like it here.
Second - what hopes has King Richard III dashed? On the contrary, I think he's fulfilled many of the hopes and aspirations of the Palestinians.
I'm studying at Jonah Memorial Seminary to get a post in government here, and our professors have used him as an example of what not to do. Of course, no one actually burns heretics or infidels nowadays (well, at least no one outside some backwaters), but you don't welcome them into your government, and you don't let them speak with your sponsorship!
See, that's the funny thing - most of what people outside Palestine called "heretics and infidels" back in the days of the Latin Kingdom were not really heretics and infidels at all, but were mainly political prisoners [often for no reason or fault of their own] or common criminals. Those people who were common criminals have remained in prison; those who were political prisoners have largely been rehabilitated. What many outside the Kingdom of Jerusalem also don't know is also the lengths to which the Greek Orthodox Church and even the Jewish community co-operated with the Catholic Church on numerous things - but that's another thread altogether.
Overall, I think that if you take off the religious veneer our King should be seen as an example of what to do, no matter if you're religious or non-religious - particularly in certain areas like the economy. Within my own lifetime, we have made a gigantic leap from being a poor country with very little in the way of an economy to a rich country with a very strong, diversified economy that is now the envy of the region. My country has now become a major destination for new immigrants (and even Diaspora Palestinians have started to return home, which is always a positive), and I welcome that. For new immigrants, of course, there is a learning curve and some culture shock vis-à-vis Palestinian culture and our standards, but a lot of that can be easily picked up.
And why are you studying at a seminary to get a government job when there's now the National School of Public Administration? How old are you?
Believe me, I know that Jerusalem has had problems. I prayed day and night for Richard to know how to keep the peace... and he's done it now, but at what cost? He's taken the first step on the slippery slope; before long, I'm afraid the Latin monarch of Jerusalem will rule over a kingdom that's Christian only in name. I think I might actually apply there after graduation; the Kingdom needs some devout Christians there to promote the faith.
We already have devout Christians in the Government, number one, so that's a give-in. I have to ask - are you from Palestine? If you are, you sound like one of the Latins - but even there, the Latins have mellowed out and have enthusiastically accepted the Government as being just as Christian as before. (Not to mention Papal support and support from the HRE, too.) If not Palestinian, may I remind you that it has been a long-standing policy dating from the Latin Kingdom that only Palestinians can get government jobs - foreigners have to be naturalized as Palestinian citizens first. If you are from Palestine, from which canton are you from?
Number two, I don't think Palestine will be Christian only in name for a long time to come - given how long the Latin Kingdom ruled over Palestine, I'd say that, even if one doesn't want to admit it, I'd say that Palestine in general is culturally Christian. Granted, it has absorbed many Oriental elements (which is natural for any state of Crusader origin which is located in the Levant), and the indigenous Christian and non-Christian communities have contributed a lot to Palestinian culture, but even with that, due to what the Crusaders set up, Catholicism still has had a huge impact on Palestinian culture and has influenced how modern Palestine has become.
[OOC: If the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Pope's temporal power have survived this long, there really should be some of this perspective...]
OOC: I know that - I chose to be the Palestinian way back when it started to try and inject some realism into the whole thing - and how it has changed for the better over time. In hindsight, I think it worked - particularly since I now have a useful treasure-trove of info I can mine for a TL I'm working on.
IC:
IC: As a loyal subject of United Sylvania, I would like to remind you that the Kingdom of Jerusalem has been the bulwark of all Christendom beyond the Mediterranean. Certainly, some kings have shrugged off the duties of their office -
I wouldn't say "some", mind you - a lot of them did. Those that were mindful of their duties were exceptions to the rule, I'm afraid. This king has been very mindful of his duties, and it has paid off very well. Oh, and I wouldn't say that the Latin Kingdom had "been the bulwark of all Christendom beyond the Mediterranean".