Malkionism: Clarification please?

[dutch206]

After reading the new "Glorantha: Second Age" book, I have some questions about the teachings of the Invisible God. At various points in the book, the beliefs of this cult contradict themselves.

For instance, in the "Cultures" chapter, the Malkioni entry says that it was Zzabur who slew the devil during the Greater Darkness. Later in the Glorantha book, it is Saint Gerlant who did the deed. Which is correct, or are these two viewpoints conjecture by different groups in the cult?

 

[Loz]

Both are assertions by different sects within Malkionist belief: and both are correct. Other points of view assert that Saint Talor slew the Devil, as did Arkat, as did Ginna Jar, as did Storm Bull, and so on. Every sect in every culture has it own interpretation, and Malkionism, like most religions, has many different sects and interpretations.

This contradiction happens a great deal in Glorantha. All things are true - annd things are false, depending on your standpoint.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

Even "There is no god but Makan, and Malkion is his Prophet" is not universally held by all worshippers of the Invisible God!

It's like herding cats... with everyone arguing about "what's a cat?"

 

[simonh]

A good way to thnk about this is that these different sects have different ideas abou the nature of the IG, the nature of the devil and what cnstitutes victory or defeat. Historicaly on earth, some sects even believed that the god worshiped by mainstream Chrisianity is actualy the devil. Religions n Glorantha are similarly fractious and confusing. There are no simple answers.

Simon Hibbs

 

[simonh]

This contradiction happens a great deal in Glorantha. All things are true - annd things are false, depending on your standpoint.

IMHO all (well, most of) these sects have true insights, which are valid within a particular context. The problem is that as a sect or religion grows in power they start applying their bit of 'truth' in situations in which it isn't applicable. There are universal truths in Glorantha, but there are very few of them and they tend to be fairly nebulous in nature.

Take something like 'thou shalt not kill'. Fine as a general principle, but what about self defence, or to prevent a greater crime, or accidents, or animals? What was the exact orriginaly circumstances in which that was said, and how was it interpreted at the time? Context matters, and this is why so many great, widespread religious movements in Glorantha have overreached themselves and ultimately fallen.

Simon Hibbs

 

[dutch206]

Thanks for the replies. It helps me a lot.

 

[kintire]

Both are assertions by different sects within Malkionist belief: and both are correct. Other points of view assert that Saint Talor slew the Devil, as did Arkat, as did Ginna Jar, as did Storm Bull, and so on. Every sect in every culture has it own interpretation, and Malkionism, like most religions, has many different sects and interpretations.

This contradiction happens a great deal in Glorantha. All things are true - annd things are false, depending on your standpoint.

I take issue with the suggestion that ALL things are true...

There are many contradictions in Gloranthan religion, of which the above is a good example: "The Devil" is not a single entity, nor is it clear that it can be "slain" once and for all. Its a title used to identify a very powerful Chaos deity that is the mover and shaker of chaos at the time. There may or may not be any single entity "the Devil": it may well be more of a title or office than a creature. All of the above have defeated A "the Devil".

Most contradictions are like this. They arise from forgetting (or not knowing that:

1) There were many worlds before time, now wound into one. What was true in one world was false in another, now they are brought together they are both true and false.

2) The old worlds did not work the same way as the new, and applying labels that mean something in this world to the old is often pointless.

3) There are some things that we just don't know.

 

[camocoffey]

This contradiction happens a great deal in Glorantha. All things are true - and things are false, depending on your standpoint.

It is for this single reason that Glorantha is my favourite world setting.

I fell in love with it when reading the old AH-RQ3 box set, and going, "But, but, but -- this paragraph directly contradicts the last one ... It makes no sense ... I don't understand ..." And then taking a step back and realising that Greg Stafford meant it that way.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

Only the Harshax knows.