Amongst one of the stranger sects of the Church of Humanity, Repentant. It believes that planets have no surfaces, that in fact the underground terrain of their worlds continues in all directions for as far as possible. (It is a point of contention within the sect whether the planet-universe is infinite or not.)
It also believes that the planetary core of the planet-universe is in fact the physical manifestation of the Divine, the body of the God Soul that warms the universe. It is this second belief that led the sect into the arms of the CHR.
Though some in the CHR have raised concerns about letting such demonstrably false beliefs go unchallenged, local Demnoph and Haqani community leaders emphasize the need to respect local customs and allow people to believe and worship in their own way.
History[]
Demnoph[]
One branch of the Sky is a Lie was born and bred deep in the bowels of the A.C.R.E. homeworld of Demnoph.
Far below the upper levels of that city planet, workers toil in nightless days and dayless nights, the only cycle that of their shifts and breaks. Many who lived and died in those catacombs of capitalism wondered whether there wasn't more to life, some greater existence to be found, high above their stature, on that mythical place known as 'the surface'.
Some decided that the answer to that question was: no.
Thus the faith that proclaimed the surface a myth, and the sky a lie, was born. It's one unerring claim being that the City is all there is, that it extends infinitely upward, and tales of 'surfaces', 'skies', let alone 'other worlds' are lies to try and lure gullible people to their doom. Successive generations expanded the faith with the doctrine of the Divine Core, the belief that Demnoph's planetary core was the body of the Divine, the God Soul that warms the universe.
After initial attempts at suppression by A.C.R.E. directors, eventually local CHR leaders decided to support the faith as a sincere attempt at communing with the Divine. Of course, extracting church dues from the sects' extensive membership also played a part for less scrupulous leaders.
The sect had no trouble signing up to the CHR's three tenets, as it believes all life to have been created at Demnoph's core by the Divine, and sent into the city-universe from there. Aliens and Synthetics are merely lost cousins of humanity, twisted into unnatural shapes by their distance from the ordering warmth of the God Soul.
Haqani[]
Truly, few underground environments are so idyllic as the underground cities of Haqani. To those born and raised there, it is easy to forget they are living underground. A select few, for various reasons, never properly learned that lesson to begin with.
After many years of believing their fake holographic or fluorescent ceilings were true skies, when the moment comes where they are forced to confront the truth, there is only one conclusion: All skies are a lie. The process of coming to this conclusion is called "the Awakening" and some parts of the sect have a version of the CHR ritual of unveiling with added emphasis on the process of awakening to this truth.
Determined not to be fooled again, these believers-turned-skeptics are convinced the supposed 'skies' of the supposed 'planet' Haqani are just as fake as those illuminated and holographic ceilings of the underground cities.
Contact[]
Though often dismissed as mad ramblings, eventually, the nascent faiths found each other: through messageboards and mailing lists, the Haqani sect made contact with their fellow believers on Demnoph.
Though at first there was mutual suspicion, soon, both sides came to understand what their contact meant: real proof that they were right!
Clearly, the powers that be had artificially compartmentalized humanity. Telling adjacent cave systems that in truth they were different 'planets', to thus deceive and divide the faithful. The only thing they needed was to somehow circumvent the plots and traps of the deceivers, and find that which links them together: the Connection.
After the two sects made contact and officially merged, the CHR leaders on Demnoph informed and supported their Haqani siblings in embracing the sect members into the local CHR structures.
Cabina[]
On one occasion the Demnoph branch of the sect invested in pamphlets, which they requested that the CHR distribute to the cave system of Cabina. One such pamphlet was read by Truecaller Canary Samson Samuel, who believed in its truths and went on to (attempt to) found a Cabinan branch of the sect.
Samuel spends much of his time underground trying to break through walls and finding lost Connections, but routinely emerges to spread his message on the streets of Lux Gravare. His message gained greater prominence and attracted numerous converts when he ran as a candidate in the Cabina's Second Governor Election of 3200.
Hallger[]
A small but stubborn branch of the Sky is a Lie has also spread amongst the subterranean communities of Hallger. It is unsure how exactly the sect spread to Hallger, but it is assumed at some point a believing serf was brought to Hallger by a noble, and that said serf proceeded to spread their beliefs among some receptive members of the local population.
Being very cold, Hallger is considered a cave system at considerable distance from the Divine Core, receiving less of the holy warmth than cave systems more closer to the Divine. Believers argue this lack of Divine radiance also explains the continual dooms that befall the planet and its people.
Doctrines and Practices[]
Though to many adherents, the knowledge that the sky is a lie is simply a comforting thought as they go about their daily lives, the priests and zealots of the sect have developed more extensive practices.
The CHR practice of unveiling has become part of the sect's initiation rituals, though with an emphasis of being released from the lie of the sky. In addition, the sect's more devoted members believe in enlightenment through proximity to the warmth of the God Soul, i.e. the planetary core of their respective planets (which they believe to all be the same planet).
On Demnoph, The sect's main temple is set-up in an abandoned mine, the closest location to the planet's core A.C.R.E. would allow them to set up shop.
In their main temple, as well as more modest places of devotion, the sect's priests sing praise to the Divine and Their warmth. As well as providing counselling and spiritual support to its members, toiling away at their jobs in often harsh and unforgiving conditions.
In addition, enterprising A.C.R.E. directors have made use of the sect by hiring particularly zealous members to guard the deepest of Demnoph's vaults. Giving them access to even closer proximity to Demnoph's core than their own main temple, while counting on the zealot's fanaticism to make them impervious to bribes or other forms of persuasion that might tempt more conventional guards to abandon post. In addition, few would be willing to brave the heat of Demnoph's lowest reaches the way the sect's devotees are.
On Haqani, members of the Sky is a Lie have become known as eager volunteers on exploration missions. Many are impressed by the members' bravery in going on missions to harvest or hunt Haqani's creatures for medical substances. Though, of course, their real goal is to find the Connection that will lead them to their siblings on the supposed 'other worlds'.