>After reading most of what's available about the
>Yelmalio/Elmal controversy, I'm still not sure why all
>those Sartarite Elmali decided to convert to a foreign
>god and adopt his foreign ways.
For a RW example of this, I would look to the impact of Hellenism and Brahmanism upon the surrounding cultures. Because their customs and practices are so marvellous, there is a strong tendency by the neighboring cultures to borrow what they can as a sign of sophistication. And somewhere along the line, it becomes a matter of seeking to become a member of the "marvellous" culture, be it becoming a Greek, Hindu or a Dara Happan.
In the case of Elmal/Yelmalio, there is also a case of Lunar subversion...
>Why were Elmal
>worshippers so keen to give up their god and their
>customs?
They weren't so keen to give up their god (okay, in a HW sense they were). What they were so keen to do was to adopt a much better image of their god and related customs.
>Why did Yelmalio displace Elmal, and not
>simply set up housekeeping on his own?
I don't quite understand this last phrase. Do you mean why wasn't Yelmalio worshipped alongside Elmal?
>Are the two gods conflated in the minds of the people?
No.
--Peter Metcalfe
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