mystery converging

From: Carlson, Pam <carlsonp_at_wdni.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 13:46:00 -0700


Mark -

Thanks for your explanation of the near eastern "Mystery Cults". I agree that the mainstream Gloranthan cults are more community based than these. (And that they would make great models for small, self-oriented cults, like the Lunars, ThanAtar, or possibly even Lankhor Mhy.)

My point was that we shouldn't lose sight of the mystery involved in even the public, community based cults. All religions have mystery, truely comprehended only by their initiates. (That was my point with the Aboriginal example. I could have easily used the Christian mysteries of baptism, the sacrament, faith, salvation, etc.) Indeed, comprehending the mysteries is what makes one an initiate.

>but IMO the public cultic rituals of the polis and the later Roman world
(or the Celts or
the Scythians or the Egyptians or Sumerians, for that matter) fit pretty well
with Gloranthan religion (and their ritual calendars certainly included plenty of restricted, secretive rituals and sacrifices); this would certainly
seem to be the case in Peloria or Safelster, frex.

There you go! And among the Orlanthi, to a lesser extent.

Pam


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