> It worked for Islam (too successfully at first - the revenues from
> taxing unbelievers plunged and the resulting crisis led to the
> ousting of the Ummayad Caliphate by the Abbasids).
Well yeah, but this is not the same as living in a world in which magical manifestations of holy powers occur directly and in the home, or in every battle. I mean, I can see the conversion process you describe as essentially political rather than religious. But HW is describing a religious process with manifest gods - do you really give up the manifest faith of your ancestors simply to pay less tax? This does not ring true to me - or at least it renders the significance of relion in Heorlting society much less important that I had thought, if its really just a bureacratic or cost/benefit decision.
> Furthermore even if the original conversion is only half-hearted,
> the children of the converts will not have much attachment to the
> old ways. That was how Tarsh was converted: over time.
Hmm, but if the controlled populace is, as the Heortlings are, conducting covert rituals our of sight of prying eyes, then the children would constantly be exposed to the manifest power of traditional worship again.
"Swear allegance to the flag, whatever flag they offer.
Never hint at what you really feel.
Teach the children quietly, for someday sons and daughters,
Will rise up and fight where we stood still"
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