Re: Hypocrisy

From: Andrew Larsen <aelarsen_at_facstaff.wisc.edu>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 22:18:40 -0500


> Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 14:12:54 -0400
> From: Douglas Seay <douglas.seay_at_marconi.com>
> Subject: Re: Hypocrisy
>> Do people become devotees of a God for purely personal reasons rather than
>> because they want to become more like the God?
>> 
>> How widespread is this?

>
> Not very. I'd imagine that if you were on your initiation HQ and didn't
> believe then you'd fail. Period. Exceptions for the Illuminated (they
> can fool the gods), Arkati (special rules while on HQs), and other
> oddballs. But if Joe Unbeliever tried to fake out Orlanth, Orlanth
> would ensure that Joe was toast. "Lightning Boy, go zap that SOB.
> Repeatedly." Any any case, even if Orlanth didn't send a SoR (called
> "God of Retribution" these days?), Joe wouldn't get any affinities, much
> less feats.

    I think this question actually misses an important element of most forms of polytheism, namely that they are religions of orthopraxy, rather than orthodoxy. In most monotheistic religions, the key element is whether one believes the correct body of beliefs (Judaism is somewhat different on this point). For example, the benefits of Christianity revolve around whether or not one has a personal belief in Christ as the Savior. Proper ritual is less important than proper belief. Christ might be concerned with how I pray or how often I take Communion, but what he's really interested in is whether or not I believe the proper things about him. The key idea here is "I believe in order that You might give."

    Orthopraxy, which is the basis for all historic forms of European polytheism (and probably of non-European polytheism as well, although I'm less versed in this), is based around the principle of correct practice. What matters is not what one believes in the heart or mind, but rather how one performs the rituals. For the ancient Greeks, for example, the key thing is not whether I believe in Zeus, but rather whether I have performed the rituals in the proper way to satisfy him. Zeus may also care whether or not I obey his laws as I live my life, but he couldn't care less whether I think he actually exists. The key idea here is "I do so that You will give."

    That said, what is important here is that ritual for polytheistic religions is a matter of contractual obligations. If I perform the proper sacrifies, Zeus is obligated to give me rain for my crops (or whatever) and if he fails to follow through, I have a good reason to be angry with him (and if there were a divine law court, I could probably sue him for breach of contract). Now, if Zeus doesn't like me, he can watch me closely to see if I make any small infractions to justify his with-holding of benefits. Obviously the system is a little more complex than this, but the essence of the relationship is contractual.

    What does this mean for Glorantha? It means that for Orlanthi and other polytheistic cultures, belief is largely irrelevant. I can join a cult for whatever motives I choose, and if I perform the form of the heroquest correctly, Orlanth has to accept my efforts. He can fault me for not properly living up to his virtues or for making the wrong sacrifice or incorrectly playing his role during a quest, but he really doesn't care if "have a personal relationship with him" or if I joined the cult because it was a path to social advancement. The question is largely irrelevant, unless it means that I can't properly manifest his virtues.

Andrew E. Larsen


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