Re: Gloranthan reality of magic and religion

From: Trotsky <TTrotsky_at_blueyonder.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 17:07:31 +0000


Jane:

> In Glorantha, this kind of objective evidence
>is available, in abundance. In the RW, it is not. So,
>there will be differences in how people approach their
>"faith" in deities. Those satisfied with the vague
>stuff will exist in both, so forget them. How will the
>existence of hard, provable, all-too-obvious evidence
>affect everyone else, that's the question.
>

Personally, I'd disagree that this evidence exists in Glorantha, either. This is what I envisage happening:

Heortling Priest: My god Orlanth can call down the lightning and bring the thunder! He is a real and mighty god, and his way is the truth! Zzaburi: Bollocks.
HP: Well doubt this, sucker! ZZZZAAAAPP! <Calls down lightning bolt> What more proof could you *possibly* need, you dimwitted meldek?! Zz: Orlanth is not a god. His religion has no true power, and it certainly isn't the true way. I deny *all* gods, yes, the whole pack of them, Heortling, Dara Happan, Teshnan, I don't care: I'll doubt the lot of them. Do you hear me? None of them are what they claim to be, and I have never and will never sacrifice to even one of them. No, not spirits or saints, either. It's all bollocks. And yet: ZZZZAAAAPP! <Calls down lightning bolt> Now, you were saying?

 From the Zzaburi's perspective, the Heortling's lightning bolt is perfectly real, but it proves nothing about the nature of Orlanth, still less his moral standing. It no more constitutes proof in his eyes than weeping statues, liquefying blood and miraculous cures at Lourdes constitute proof of Christianity in the eyes of a RW unbeliever. So, to my mind at least, the difference between Earth and Glorantha isn't so great in this respect as it might at first appear.

-- 
Trotsky
Gamer and Skeptic

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Trotsky's RPG website: http://www.ttrotsky.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/




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