10. I will submit humbly to honorable authority.
The Order does not exist in a vacuum. It subsists within a country with a government, and smaller governing bodies within that. Members of the Order will have dealings with people in Authority outside of its walls, from voting to property taxes to noise complaints, and they must decide how they are going to view that Authority. It is appropriate to submit to a governing body that is just and honorable, in that it does its job as fairly as possible. It is inappropriate to submit to a dishonorable authority, as one cannot honorably serve a dishonorable master.
Each House needs to decide how they are going to handle issues of outside government. Rebellion for the sake of rebelling does no one any favors, and is childish. On the other hand, if a situation is honestly unfair, the Order may feel required to do something to change it, even if that is only to show up and vote on the right day. All members of the Order are encouraged to vote in every election. There may not be anyone or anything that you want to vote for, but there must be something that you might want to vote against, so Go Ye And Vote Against. To turn down the opportunity to make a difference is a waste of useful power.
Such issues as civil disobedience must be carefully considered, preferably in light of Principle # 11. Would not submitting to this authority tear the House apart? On the other hand, would submitting to it make existence in the House unbearable? Would it feel like too much of a violation of other Rules? Active protest can be a useful tool, but on the other hand a House cannot survive if most of its members are in prison. Such things should be carefully considered, and no one should ever be pressured into participating if they are not fully comfortable for whatever reason.
There is also the issue of authority within the Order, as well as outside of it. To live in a House is to live under obedience to the Principles and the Horai. It is the job of the House Mama or Papa to set the tone for the rest of the House, and to be an example. Each member has the job of making sure that the other members live within the schedule and laws of the House, although no one should assume that they know what someone else's personal issues are without being told. Obedience is important, and boundaries are there for a reason. If you cannot stomach living under that strict a Rule, then perhaps this lifestyle is not for you.
The Order is not a collective. It is hierarchical, in the sense that there is a chain of accountability. Branch members answer to the Root members and their specific teachers. Root members answer to the elders in their House, and to the House Mama or Papa, and their specific teachers. The House Mama or Papa answers to the Elder Council in Asphodel, and to their specific teachers. Each brother or sister is assigned a teacher when they enter the Order, and that teacher is obliged to check on them and their progress throughout their membership, until one of them dies or leaves the Order.
To start one's own House, one needs to live and study in another House, and have been a Root member for at least a year. If it seems like a hard thing to give up everything, fly across the country, and study with a bunch of strangers, then perhaps one is not ready for full-time membership in the Order. A possible exception could be made for a group of people who own their own building and collectively want to start a House of the Order. In this case, the Elder Council could work with them closely, via email and letters, and occasional visits, until such time as at least 3 members are deemed Root members with adequate training. When a House Mama or Papa retires, they choose their successor.
To be a House Mama or Papa is no easy thing. You must be a constant example of living within the Principles of Clarity, and that means constant struggle with oneself. You should never cease to strive to be worthy of the authority that you wield over others, and not become a tyrant. Every order you give should have a sound, well-thought-out reason. You should judge those is your care as you would like the Gods to judge you, and you should always be aware that you are answerable to Them. This does not mean that you have Their favor, only that you have a greater responsibility.
A lay member struggling with issues of authority should walk carefully with this Rule. Rebellion against an unfair and dishonorable authority is a duty, but it should only be done if you have clear vision about the issues, and no baggage about dealing with authority, or your personal wounds will foul your efforts. Make your decisions about what is the best form of rebellion carefully. Think less about how satisfying they might seem to you, and more about how effective they will be.