I think it is probably more accurate to say that those who venerate saints do not *necessarily* become more like those saints. I think it is possible to venerate Xemela without becoming more compassionate, or Gerlant Flamesword without becoming more honorable - but I think in practice, those who venerate saints are regularly exhorted to emulate the saints virtues, both implicitly by studying the life and writing of the saint, and explicitly by their fellow venerators. And usually this has some effect (venerators of Saint Xemela are likely to be more compassionate, venerators of Gerlant more honourable) - though for essentially non-magical reasons.
>
>Here's another way of thinking about it, to the Malkioni
>philosophers such as Socrates or Aristotle would be saints. They do
>not directly provide any magic ("Socrates give me strength!") but
>they show (through deeds, speeches, or writings) how to understand
>the workings of the Invisible God, and therefore sorcery. Certain
>Malkioni sects (but not all!) honor their saints, giving them the
>respect such holy individuals are due.
Again, I think this is literally true, that the saints do not provide magic. But in a practical sense, for many saints there are valuable sorcerous techniques that are known ( often? or sometimes? exclusively) through that saints, even for saints that are not gods or Eranschula but mortals.
The saint is not the 'source' of the magic, but the discoverer of, and authority concerning, its true Essential source. But in practical terms, the saint provides valuable magic unknown to those who do not venerate/study the saint.
>
>That being said, sometimes the veneration of a saint crosses into
>divine worship - and sometimes the entity being venerated is
>actually a divine being or Eransaschula.
In which case, they may be the actual source of such magic. Do the Malkioni normally understand or acknowledge the difference between these two types of saints? My guess is some sects yes, some sects no.
> > The worship of Saints does not involve sacrifice therefore it is not
>> theistic worship.
>
>The saints do not provide direct magical benefit. A specific ritual
>of veneration may be a spell that provides a benefit, but you get
>the benefit not because of saintly intercession but because you know
>the incantation, prayer, or whatever.
Yes, the saints do not technically provide direct magical benefit. The indirect/de facto magical benefits, however, can be considerable, and to the ignorant (or heretical) the distinction may sometimes be lost.
Cheers
David
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