So put that list in the past, would it make any difference? And they *weren't* all Christian/spinoffs, by any means. Mandeans definitely aren't spinoffs, nor are the Falashas. And I wouldn't call Islam a spin-off of Christianity.
I shall spell out the point I'm making: the term "Malkioni" covers as much ground as does "Eurasian Monotheism." People in the past surely had partial and biased views of each others' beliefs (for example, Christians calling Muslims "Muhammedans" betrays a fundamental misunderstanding). But that didn't mean they were eager to get together and debate whether Jesus was merely a great prophet or the incarnation of God.
Whether there have been many conferences is a point I'll concede; what I meant to say was that only in the 20th century have we seen conferences which included people who had formerly excommunicated each other: that is, Eastern and RC churches, RC and Protestant churches, mainline protestant and radical protestant churches, etc. Point being: only recently have we seen something comparable to your 7th Malkioni conference.
You can't have a consensus of all believers across such a broad range. Does the Pope care what the Southern Baptist Conference decides? If 16th century Anabaptists had invited the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark to a "Conference of All Eurasian Monotheists," do you think he would've come? I doubt he would have run much risk of the Coptic Church being seen as "not a true faith."
I'm glad Greg thinks there was a 7th Malkioni Conference in Sog City in 1625. I just hope he comes up with a justification for getting all those diverse groups together.
Another point that occurred to me after my last post (l'esprit de l'escalier): one of the guys at Mike's seminar said his character was barely speaking the same language as the others there, because the way his faith was described used a different set of terms and assumptions. This should have been a general problem. Even assuming you could get a Stygian High Priest and a New Hrestoli Bishop in the same room, would they be able to talk to, rather than past, each other?
The write-ups seem to contrast lords and bishops. For example, Syanoran women may become bishops, but not lords. However, the unpublished Malkioni write-up says: "Lords may be ecclesiastical, temporal, or military in nature. They are the governors, dukes, kings, counts, barons, generals, *bishops, and archbishops* of the Malkioni."
Anyway, multitudinous thanks for the various church write-ups. I particularly liked the two Syanoran churches, with their just-a- little-different slant on things.
A comedian (Emo something) does a routine in which he's trying to talk a guy out of jumping off a bridge. He asks the guy if he believes in God. "Yes, I do."
"Really, so do I. Are you a Christian?"
"Yes, I am.
"Really, so am I. Are you a Protestant or a Catholic?"
"I'm a Protestant."
"Really, so am I. What franchise?"
"Baptist."
"Really, me too. Southern Baptist or Northern Baptist?"
"Northern Baptist."
"Really, me too. Eastern or Western conference?"
"Eastern."
"Really? Me, too. 1923 Book of Prayer or 1943 Book of
Prayer?"
"1923."
"Die, heretic!" <pushes guy off bridge>
It's those people with the closest beliefs that hate each other the most.
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