> In message <45AE7480.3030009_at_...>
> Trotsky writes:
>
> >OTOH, of course, just because it 'makes no sense'
> to follow a particular
> >religious theory doesn't mean that there aren't
> several people who do
> >exactly that! Whether in Glorantha or the real
> world...
>
> I can't think of any religious theory which causes
> large numbers
> of people to act contrary to the practical
> requirements of the culture in which they live.
I can't think of many that don't....
> What outsiders often
> fail to recognise is the practical requirements of
> the culture
> which support particular practices. So a Dara Happen
> women wears
> a veil in spite of the practical problems that
> causes because it
> sends a message that she is a respectable woman and
> means she will be treated respectfully.
So that isn't a practical requirement at all. It's a "message", using a code that could have been chosen so as not to cause practical problems (wear a ring? choose from one of some practical hairstyles?), but instead was chosen so as to make her life awkward and keep the power in male hands. And she does it because she doesn't want to get beaten up or starved. Religion. Rarely makes sense, rarely practical, usually about a power-group using threats to keep their power, and imposing humiliating restrictions on anyone who isn't one of their power-group. At least the Orlanthi do less of that crap than most.
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