Trotsky, I think you're downplaying the unusualness of Devotion, and the common man's reaction. I'll make an analogy that reflects what how I see it, using a religion we're almost all familiar with, Christianity.
Western Society, by and large, sees being a Christian as a good thing.
Most Christians go to Church on Sunday, they say their prayers, they may even give to food drives at Christmas and Thanksgiving. Beyond that, not so much. They like their football games, they lust after the 17 year old actress they see on TV, they drink a little too much beer sometimes. These are Lay Members of the Church.
Some Christians have willingly gone back for another baptism, other than the one that they get smacked with as a baby, to indicate their conscious decision to follow Christ and the Church. They'll work in a soup kitchen at the holidays, they'll donate to charities. They help out with Church functions, they join the Church choir, they go to Bible study, they buy concordances to the Bible to help them better understand what their sacred text says. These are your Initiates. Lay Members feel better having these guys in their Church; they make you feel holier by association. You know not to invite them to your stag party, but you have no problem bringing them over for Sunday dinner.
And then you have some people who only think about Christ and being Christian. They quietly write letters asking for less blaspheming on TV, they vote for politicians who are in favor of school prayer, are pro-life, and are not in favor of gay marriage. They go to Bible College. They give (comparatively) large amounts to Charity, they volunteer regularly at shelters and soup kitchens, they'll take a homeless person, showering them, giving them a nice suit, even help try to get them a job. Conversation inevitably has a religion tinge with them. Sometimes, they'll spend several years in the third world trying to bring the word of God to the benighted. They're vastly more offended by someone saying "God Dammit" than "Fuck". They look down a little on other religions, but try not to show it because it would be un-Christ-like. These are your Devotees. They buy the doctrine entirely and without question, even the unpopular parts. You may admire them, but you don't want them hanging around too much. They make people uncomfortable. They make you start questioning how holy you are. They make you feel bad when you "slip" or don't "give your all" to the Church.
Homer Simpson is a Lay Christian. Ned Flanders is a Devotee Christian.
YGWV, most likely.
Powered by hypermail