Re:Digest V7 #88 initiations

From: Bob Stancliff <stanclif_at_ufl.edu>
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 09:07:54 -0400


> Alex.
> Where this gets even more confusing, though, is trying to work out
> whether these 'initiations' are of a similar character or not. As
> I understand Current Thinking (which may be scarcely at all -- take
> this impression with quantities of salt to taste), one's adulthood
> initiation is into the 'pantheon', or approx. one half thereof, by
> gender role; subsequent initiations are matters of devotion to a
> particular god (such as Issaries) or aspect of the appropriate
> cultural deity: Orlanth the Farmer, etc.

        The opinion was presented on the RQ rules list, that true pantheon initiation is what was intended when the 7 Mothers cult was written up... everyone joins the 7 Mothers pantheon and the advanced members specialize at a later date.

        For Orlanthi, this is not quite the case. It would be better to describe Orlanthi as being lay members of all the pantheonic cults that they are willing to attend services for, but most actually join one or two cults as initiates, especially since initiation is a rite of passage to adulthood in barbaric and primitive cultures. The cult write-ups could use some discussion of lay member obligations and favors. Bob


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