> untrue), how does this make the statement "the Orlanthi
> believe their myths _are_ the truth" absolutely wrong.
That statement is NOT wrong, and I do not believe that anyone has claimed that it is.
However, the fact that Orlaanthis believe X does NOT necessarily mean that X actually happens in Glorantha. What we want to know is: what ACTUALLY happens in Glorantha? Whether the Orlanthis believe their myths or not is irrelevant to the question.
> If one were to say that the bible was myth, it doesn't
> prevent Christians from believing that it is true.
But it DOES make it ridiculous to assume that the Bible is a complete and comrehensive description of the real world BECUASE it is believed by some people. It would certainly make it implausible to use the Bible as a substitute for actual observation of actual behaviour.
> If you are with Garreth, could you mind explaining why I should
> not use myths to infer cultural behaviour (like for example,
> the Orlanthi should not be presumed to use storm magic for
> their battles) because myths have no value other than as
> psychological descriptors?
For much the same reason that, I suspect, prevents any modern christian state from expecting to see a pillar of fire on the battlefield.
> So? As I said before, one needs to only consider the interpretation
> a particular culture uses to infer its behaviour.
The world would be a much nicer, and much simpler, place if that we true, but it is not true.
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