Wasn't Jul an atheist though? Even at the end of [i]The Thursday War[/i], I recall him entertaining the idea of their gods being real, but coming to a conclusion that was more or less "if they are, -blam!- them anyway; my wife is dead." I'm not saying that Jul isn't exploiting those he commands and the rest of The Storm (former Abiding Truth?) are devout though. All I'm saying is, as always, Jul has his own ulterior motive; that motive being "-blam!- humans."