> My main problem is that I don't quite understand what illumination is
> all about, except that it accepts a balance between chaos and order.
> This balance can be understood in a pretty straightforward way, so
> I don't see why the mysticism of illumination is neccessary.
Most Gloranthan cultures accept implicitly and explicitly that there CANNOT be a balance between Chaos and Order (the Lunars are the honourable exception). In the course of their lives, EVERYONE they know has decried all Chaos as Evil, Harmful, having No Place In The World: their parents, their peers, their society, their myths, their gods.
Becoming Illuminated -- gaining the CERTAIN knowledge that there is room for Chaos in Creation -- thus has the potential to cause a vast crisis of faith: the Illuminate's previous world-view is swept aside by this new and undeniable personal understanding.
Given how close many Gloranthans are to their gods, don't you think that finding out your god is WRONG is not something that "can be understood in a pretty straightforward way"? Something that could perhaps cause personality-warping, amorality, insanity?
Powered by hypermail