Passing over the fact that the "experiment" that filled Toby with such righteous anger was completely invalid and useless (Public news number 21073, true believers!), the current discourse is really demonstrating a lot of the issues with Hashan's ethos. First, and rather embarrassingly obviously, the constant refrain that we must join them and be free from deific interference, while at the same time offering such abasing platitudes towards Lord Twilight that I am embarrassed for all parties involved, makes clear that dedicating oneself to a cause does not in any way aid in actually bringing it into practice in one's own life. Second, Hashan makes great noise about Progress, claiming to be its only true home.
The thing is, it is very clear that their definition of Progress is dimensional, not vectoral. They are like a party of fools, packed into a carriage on a high mountain road, whipping the horses bloody to drive them to ever greater speeds. Perhaps they will stay on the road, and boast of how quickly they are moving. Perhaps they will miss a turn over a long drop, and congratulate themselves on learning how to fly - only briefly, of course. At no point will they ask what it is they are rushing towards. Speed is the point, not getting to a destination.
In Cyrene we have the Pillars. We have an idea of what we want to achieve, and will strive for it. And while we are setting pitons and carving stairs on our way to the peak, we might look down and derive some amusement from a few joyriders careening past, but we will never think their path a suitable way of getting where we want to go.
I could add a few lines on the subject of Hashan's extremely poor standard of scholarship, but I'm not sure any progress can be made there. Instead, I'll ask just one thing: mare's milk? Really? As in, out of a horse? You do you, but I'm not sure why an entire city would become fascinated by a drink that doesn't even have alcohol in it...

Penned by my hand on the 1st of Glacian, in the year 866 AF.