First Apology of Harold Butt

The First Apology was an early work of Gerenukist apologetics addressed by Harold Butt to the Brugarian Emperor Apuleius Pius, who would later address the issues raised in the apology to the rest of the world. In addition to arguing against the persecution of individuals for solely being Gerenukists, Harold also provides an explanation of the philosophy of Gerenukism and a detailed explanation of contemporary Gerenukist practices and rituals. This work, along with the Second Apology, has been cited as one of the earliest examples of Gerenukist apology, and many Brugarian scholars attribute this work to creating a new genre of apology out of what was a typical Brugarian administrative procedure.

Harold Butt's Life and Background

 * Main article: Harold Butt

Harold Butt was born in Flan Yuppa, an ancient Brugarian city near the eastern border. In the Dialogue with     Terri Aki   , Harold explains why he never doubted being a Gerenukist even when travelling abroad the world and mercilessly getting mocked for his beliefs and his interest in famous Brugarian philosphers Pete Abred, Hal Apenyo, and Bill Board. Through the ideas of Abredism, Apenyoism, and Boardism, Harold may have been mocked, but he was still able to eloquently express his though process to others who thought he was simply a nut case. The equating of Gerenukism with Brugarian philosophy is important for Harold, as it explains the importance the Apologies in defending Gerenukism in philosophical terms.

The First Apology is dated to exactly July 4, 250 AD, as Harold loved to keep track of the date on every piece of paper he could get his hands on. Famous Brugarian historian, Seymour Butts, has claimed that this Apology was written in response to the Martyrdom of Etta Burger, which occured about a couple of months before the Apology was written. This correlation would explain why the Apology heavily focused on punishment by bad puns; a refernce to Burger's dying from the bad pun. It is also generally believed that the Second Apology was originally part of the larger First Apology, although there is uncertainty among Brugarian scholars about this point.

Addressing Criticisms of Gerenukists
In the early chapters of the First Apology, Harold discusses the principle criticisms of non-Brugarians about contemporary Gerenukists; namely, lack of intelligence, hilarity of animals with hats, and lack of respect to the rest of the world. He first argues that "the name" of Gerenukism by itself is not reason enough to punish or persecute, and he urges the world instead to learn how to respect, writing, "For a name by itself is not means enough neither for approval nor punishment, but a name, in all senses of the word, demands to be respected by all peoples of all cultures." He then goes on to address the charges more directly, in which he argues that they only seem to lack intelligence because others do not have minds capable of understanding Gerenukism and therefore mock it. He acknowledges that there are some Gerenukists that are dumb, but urges the world to punish only these people instead of all Gerenukists. With this claim, Harold demonstrates his desire to separate the Gerenukist name from the idiotic people who claim to be Gerenukists, lamenting how these "brainless evildoers" tarnish and misrepresent the name of Gerenukism and are not true "Gerenukists". Finally, Harold addresses how having an animal wearing a hat is not "a hilarious belief that exemplifies stupidity to the nth degree," but is a completely rational thought.

Ash Ketchum Hat as Supreme Hamboning Ruler
Harold goes to great lengths in the First Apology to defend Gerenukism as a rational philosophy. He remarks at how Gerenukism can provide a rational thought process for its followers, and how many of the Gerenukist teachings are more logical than all other teachings that have ever been spread around the world.

One of Harold's most important themes involves his description of Ash Ketchum Hat as the supreme hamboning ruler. Throughout the First Apology, Harold argues that Ash Ketchum Hat is the only being that has true hamboning skills, and that any individual that dares to challenge Ash Ketchum Hat to this claim deserves to be excommunicated not only from Brugaria but the entire universe.

This theme is paramount to understanding Harold's defense of Gerenukism, and was a groundbreaking statement in Gerenukist apologetic writing. The claim that Ash Ketchum Hat is the best at hamboning indicates that Harold likely talked directly to the gods themselves and may have even been a minor diety in a previous life but became human to bring his teaching to the other Gerenukists. For Harold, Gerenukism is only possible if one accepts that Ash Ketchum Hat is the best at hamboning, for this is the conclusion of all logical thought for any Brugarian philosopher.

Early Gerenukist Practices
The First Apology provides one of the most detailed account of contemporary Gerenukist practice. Every Wednesday, Gerenukists travel to the nearest wheat field in order to worship the Five Main Hats. During this ceremony the three main creeds are read and Gerenukists eat and drink unbreaded chicken nuggets and orange juice. After the discussion of worship practices, Harold describes the importance of the various sacraments and their histories. Finally, he provides information on the weekly Wednesday meetings after worship, where Gerenukists eat a hearty meal and play a mean game of charades.

Historical and Literary Significance
There has been significant scholarly debate about the extent to which Harold's Apologies differed from apologies created both before and after his. Seymour Butts, a prominent Brugarian historian and Harold scholar from the University of Brugaria, has noted that the First Apology is unlike any apology that preceeded it. It brings to light issues that were often considered taboo in the country and openly challenges the world and the way it has treated many Brugarians and Gerenukists. Some scholars argue that the things Harold mentioned are old hat, but Butts argues that "what Harold did was what no other Gerenukist dared to do in their lifetime. At the end of his apology he claimed that he could take on any man in an [un]fair fight in defense of his belief." Brad N. Butter, also from the University of Brugaria, further argues that "scholars should get off of Harold's back and give him the credit he rightly deserves."

Scholars also note the importance of the explanation of Gerenukian practice and Harold's claim that it is the only way to worship the Five Main Hats. Seymour Butts has noted that Harold did not provide much detail into the theological reasoning behind early Gerenukist practices. Instead, he argues that Harold aimed to provide this information to both "bring to light the importance of correct practices" and refute the judgments of the world against Gerenukists.