From: Joerg Baumgartner (joe@sartar.toppoint.de)
Date: Mon 16 May 1994 - 19:10:46 EEST
Cullen O'Neill in X-RQ-ID: 4012
>> All (85%) Orlanthi males are initiated to Orlanth (KoS p.245f).
> To me the idea that 'All Orlanthi males' need to be actual
> initiates is ridiculous. Most are probably just lay members. I
> regard all information from KoS with suspicion anyway.
One of my main characterisations comparing lay membership to initiatehood is the question of the mutual commitment between deity and worshipper.
An initiate has made a commitment lasting past his death, a commitment which affects his soul, spirit or whatever. This affects his afterlife, but as well his spiritual life before death.
Being initiated into a certain cycle of myth allows participation in these myths via reenactment, aka worship, or heroquest.
(Most of these myths have their roots in Godtime, although by the cyclical nature of Time events within Time may become mythical as well. Arkat's struggle against Gbaji is the most prominent one.)
A standard form of (religious) initiation is to a specific deity. Except in rare cases (like Humakt, or the majority of the Invisible God sects) there is no claim for exclusivity of this worship. In several cases more than one entity is recorded as recipient of a cults worship. Generally only entities sharing a cycle of myths are worshipped as a group, such as the Seven Mothers. Sometimes this cycle has been fudged with to create a common cult, as in the case of Caladra and Aurelion (assuming Tales 7 tell the "truth"). More often a whole group of entities worshipped is projected into the worship of a single deity, as is the case with Ernalda, Orlanth, Pamalt and Yelm, who reign over a plethora of (locally divergent) subservient cults.
Sometimes around one of these entities a cult of its own evolves, fuzzying up the myths. As a result, loyalties get mangled, and cultic relations are at a strain to be explained. The concept of associates tries to step in, but fails to answer all demands:
>> Is this worthy associated with e.g. Eiritha, Babeester Gor or other >> associates of Ernalda? Since he uses oxen to plow, possibly with Eiritha >> If he tends an orchard, maybe even with Aldrya? Is he associated with >> the Lightbringers? With Heler? With Mastakos? Urox? Humakt? Valind?
> I think associate cults were created to address this exact point.
The published lists don't answer my questions.
> The whole idea of initiation to me is of the initiate identifying
> himself with a particular god(dess). His relationships with the
> other gods then would be similar to his gods relationships with
> that god. He would probably have his relationships with those
> other deities laid out in myths. Also the word associated comes
> up... he would be associated with those religions that there is
> a mythologically defined association with. He might be a guest
> at the worship services of some of these other deities, but they
> are not his Archetype (ie: he isn't trying to become like them)
> as is the case of Orlanth (in your example)
You are what you do, and what you do reflects your role model. Sometimes,
as for the warrior, you have the choice how to do something, but mostly
you are required to do what the master does.
--
-- Joerg Baumgartner joe@sartar.toppoint.de
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