> Given that definition of Dogma, one could claim Buddhism is dogmatic
yup.
> Likewise
> Catholic Christainity is one of the most dogmatic religions there is,
> but even then one can find mystic movements within it.
yup.
> Given such
> parallels, I do not see the Perfecti doctrines precluding the
> Perfecti from being a mystical cult.
My understanding is that yes, the Perfecti is originally a mystic cult, which has been joined, however, by a whole bunch of non-mystics, (someone pointed out that mystic countries always end up being invaded; it's the same with religious organisations ...) who have already deformed it, 'cos they can only understand the trite, literal meaning of the theology. Which is why I think that the Perfecti as a whole are dogmatic. That is, the Perfecti, in their dealings with others, are a dogmatic cult. (Actually, my view of the Perfecti is drawn from the HTWWO write-up, which is a presentation of dogma. Looks like my source material fails me. Damn!)
I'd still make a parallel with the Franciscans, Albigensians, and other catholic cults or heresies which attempted a purer, better form of the religion, and ended up as variations of catholic dogma, or lots of dead bodies, variously. (info NOT, of course, from an informed view of the history of Roman Catholicism, but from one of Umberto Eco's novels !!) but it's early enough in the Perfecti movement that there are real mystics still in the sect, ie the Cult of Silence.
> Given that they are explicitly
> said to be a mystical cult in their writeup, I am quite happy to
> treat them as being mystical.
OK by me, mate.
> >Yes, but Void is one of the Runes of Chaos
>
> *Not* to the Lunars and the Kralori!
Yes, their words for Void are different in meaning to the Uz Rune.
Powered by hypermail