>That would have a certain logic too, especially for the 'more
>way-back-when-than-thou' Rokari. Maybe more problematic for
>the Idealists, though perhaps they can rationalise such types as
>'eternal acolythists', or some such.
And Peter replied:
*FWIW The Idealists also claim to embody the 'more-way-back-when- *than-thou'. But the sorcerers aren't commoners in the sense *of an ordinary commoner (i.e. one-of us), they are considered *foreigners (because they don't believe in God) with the attached *distrust that implies.
But let me ask this then; working from the assumption that 99% of people start with the religion of their parents (and then either accept or reject it from that basis), can we presume that the civilized "West" - barring the occasional oddball immigrant family, exclusionist community (notably Arolanit), barbarians, non-humans, etc - starts as essentially 100% Malkioni of one water or another? Would this make practitioners of sorcery generally apostates? If these (broad) assumptions are true, than I would think most Westerners would view sorcerers with more than an average level of distrust and suspicion. (think: obvious and vocal atheist in the midst of a cozy Southern Baptist community). This would be much more than the dismissive "oh, she doesn't understand" that most foreigners would get.
Living here in the staunchly Protestant upper midwest USA, there's a superficial sheen of liberality in the public acceptance of atheism, but deep down everyone really thinks they are pretty damn wierd. I mean, it's one thing if people are of a different faith, but to have NO faith...well, everyone can agree to hate THEM. I guess I'm suggesting that *personally* I doubt that most communities in the West would even have that much tolerance, forcing most Sorcerors (until they're powerful enough to NOT be treated like crap) to keep their beliefs strictly private or even to 'go along' with the community...
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