FGS on Arkatism. from Alex Ferguson on 1999-02-12 (Glorantha Digest Vol 06)

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_oconnor.ucc.ie>
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 18:33:14 +0000 (GMT)

Here's a repost, it seems from the proverbial Year and a Day ago, of some comments Greg made to me, which is pretty much the sole basis on which I make my comments distinguishing Arkati and Illuminants. If you like it, don't use it, I'm just trying to share some information.

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>From abf Wed Feb 11 01:34:06 1998

To: glorantha_at_chaosium.com
Subject: FGS on Arkatism.
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Naturally, no sooner have I thrown my tuppence in on a topic, it dies a death, but since I pestered Greg into letting me quote this (in misguided anticipation of a storm of protest over my paraphrasing), here it is anyway.

Snips are hopefully not of any context-depriving import, beyond the standard format of the "I ask Greg a Dumb Question, he points out how hideously flawed the whole premise of it was, and then counters thusly: " sort. ;-)

Gregisms follow. <genuflects to the west, then scurries off stage>

Slainte,
Alex.
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[tonight]

Here is a further thought on them:
Arkatism and Illumination are both legitimate methods of understanding the Mystical perspective. They share the fact that they both come from the same mystic unknowable singularity, and are different in their representation of that insight.

[mid-'94(!)]

I don't think anyone in any descendent cult views it as a path to illumination. They had a system of information, the Arkati Way.

[...]

Illumination is an entire system of understanding information which is taken in, and then expressing it into the world again. Arkat would never admit that he was illuminated, or that his way was. He fought against it and destroyed it.
There is a vast amount of information n the Gloranthan Lore and theory which is not mine, such as questioning whether Arkat of Gbaji really won the last fight. Such theory is not part of the original Arkat mythos, upon which all subsequent Arkatism has built or from which it diverged. So, yea, Illlumination and Arkatism are different.

[...]

I think that "some Arkati have experiences which allow them to act in ways recognized as being similar, if not the same, as the ways that Illuminants act."
But they are not illuminated.

[...]

The RQ rules for Illlumination and dealing with higher states of consciousness were always the shoddiest part of the magic system. To base Gloranthan insight upon those is weak proof of anything Gloranthan. Saying "Dayzatar's weak Rune Magic (in RQ) is indicative of the god's distance from humanity" is correct, and inidcates a legitimate Gloranthan pattern. But saying "RQ Illumination rules allow Arkati to detect Illuminates" is not equally correct.
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End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #443