The Logical Laws of Malkion

From: Nick Brooke <100270.337_at_compuserve.com>
Date: 08 Mar 95 03:57:14 EST



Alex wrote:

> Some of the Brithini have, at the Dawn, "converted" to Malkionism, some
> have not. "Hrestolism" arises in the former, and starts converting
> both. So at one point, one has orthodox Brithini; "pure" Malkioni;
> Hrestolised Malkioni; and (a probably small number of) straight
> Brithini to Hrestolism converts. Yet more fun.

Yep: sounds good to me! Of course, Hrestolism *includes* Malkionism (i.e. Hrestol nowhere chucks away the Laws, etc: he just adds an extra layer of interpretation to them: look to God's Will rather than the letter of the Law).



Sandy wrote:

> I believe that at the Dawn, there was a Book of Malkion, that was used
> by the Brithini as (part of) the basis for their social system. This
> Book of Malkion has survived to the Third Age, in varying translations,
> and most (but not all) Malkioni sects accept it as the word of the
> Prophet.

My take on this "Book of Malkion":

The Prophet Malkion had been Founder and Lawgiver of the ancient Kingdom of Logic. His sons were the exemplars of the Dutiful Life he expounded to that people. They lived forever obedient to the Immutable Laws he had proclaimed in the Age of Logic.

The Law was Malkion's perfectly Logical guide to how the world works, and how you can live in it. It requires no "Faith", and takes little account of many key concerns of modern Malkioni: funeral rites, inheritance laws, love and marriage, etc. Remember that this was written back in the Golden Age of Godtime, before Death entered into the world. It is, essentially, the defining document of the Brithini Way (although modern Brithini-ism does indeed have anguished funeral rites, this only goes to show how even the Brithini have had to change since the Age of Logic).

The problem nowadays is that most folk lack the rigorous, Logical minds possessed by most Brithini, and all inhabitants of the Golden Age Kingdom of Logic. This is due to the general diminution of humanity (cf. Western doctrine of devolution/degeneration/separation from divinity). This old Law fails to satisfy them: they ask for more, for something their limited minds can grasp. And modern Malkionism does give them something new: it's called Faith. "You don't have to understand it to know it."

Part of the reason the Law is so difficult to interpret is that modern Malkioni users can't make the "obvious" Logical connections between what is stated and what can simply be assumed by the user of the Law. The original text leaves vast areas unstated, because they were blindingly obvious to anyone with a Logical mind (i.e. to any conceivable user, at the time they were written). So Malkion stated, "Do Not Ruin That Which You Love", and probably at the time there was only One Possible Meaning for this statement: hardwired into the Brithini language, educational system, and brain.

So while this book has indeed survived into the modern age (albeit in God Learner translation for the most part), it is usually too difficult for readers to understand and/or implement as a basis for society. Hordes of later scholars, commentators and exegetes come along, each writing their own interpretations of how best to implement the Logical Laws of Malkion. These texts, together with accounts of the lives and teachings of the Prophets and Saints, are far more commonly used as the basis for modern Malkioni society. Perhaps monastic communities are able to run themselves in accordance with the Logical Laws: I'm uncommited to this at the moment. Certainly a modern human kingdom would have big problems (though Rokarism represents a brave attempt to turn back the clock).



Sandy also wrote:

> Shortly after Hrestol's death, I believe that his followers compiled
> their recollections of his words into "The Teachings of Hrestol".

As long as the delay and degree of variation this scheme of things allows is the same as that which plagues the real-world Gospels (i.e. many and various accounts, often mutually contradictory, some of which would be burnt as heretical blasphemies by followers of the others), I have no problem with this. I don't think this needs to happen very "shortly after Hrestol's death", or that we need envisage universally-accepted editions of the "Teachings" existing for a while yet.

God Learner selection/compilation vs. God Learner translation: whichever makes you happier! I'll stick to my guns, but without any conviction that there's a significant difference. Jrusteli God Learning was always a whittling-down process, though, so I imagine the same instincts to have been at work when they "did over" their own religion. Possibly they start by taking the "Logical Laws of Malkion" (the oldest accepted scripture) and use this as their touchstone for judging which of the subsequent diverse/heretical/apocryphal texts should be included in the Standard Edition. If their interpretation of the Logical Laws differs from their interpretation of the Apocryphal Text, the Apocryphal Text is junked (or, given the God Learner hobbies, subtly rewritten to make it acceptable: "correcting the errors which have crept into it through the Devolutionary processes inherent in Time").



Nick

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