Yanshui
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
In WotFG, we know that the gods are real and fulfil essential functions. I was wondering if this necessitates that truly all societies in this world follow the same essential faith? Did the Old Weald still believe in the five gods even though they were fighting against Darthacan Quintarianism? And if so, what does this imply for Roknari society? It would be like a modern nation disavowing a fifth of physics!
Lois McMaster Bujold
Yes, the 5 gods are real and thus everywhere the same. It does not follow that all human societies understand or worship them in the same ways. For a better analogy you may want to think of the variant theology/theologies more as like science in the era of phlogiston or the epicycles of the planets or the four humours: plausible, accounts for the observed facts, widely accepted, and wrong.
The Old Weald did believe in the 5 gods; they were fighting more for their culture and, hm, less national than tribal identities. And territory, of course. Romans versus Teutons are one example, but even closer are Carolingians versus the still-pagan tribes to their east (itself a descendant of the prior conflict.)
Although the Great Four have set gender identities (not sexes; sexes are a classification of material bodies, which the gods do not have), I might note that the fifth god does not, being variously worshiped as male, female, both, or neither. I can't quite call the Quadrene beliefs a temporary aberration of theology with their classification of the Bastard as a demon-god with the emphasis on the demon part, as that's not wrong; it's more a sort of theological nationalism gone rigid and sour. Possibly started with two theogogue brother divines having an ego-driven fistfight about it, and spread from there, the way these things do. (The split between Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodox worship circa ~1000 CE being an instructive historical model; the catch-phrase "it doesn't matter one iota" comes from that. The real fight was much less about the minutia of theology, and much more about Who Is Going To Be In Charge Here, a clash of some towering egos of the day.)
Ta, L.
Yes, the 5 gods are real and thus everywhere the same. It does not follow that all human societies understand or worship them in the same ways. For a better analogy you may want to think of the variant theology/theologies more as like science in the era of phlogiston or the epicycles of the planets or the four humours: plausible, accounts for the observed facts, widely accepted, and wrong.
The Old Weald did believe in the 5 gods; they were fighting more for their culture and, hm, less national than tribal identities. And territory, of course. Romans versus Teutons are one example, but even closer are Carolingians versus the still-pagan tribes to their east (itself a descendant of the prior conflict.)
Although the Great Four have set gender identities (not sexes; sexes are a classification of material bodies, which the gods do not have), I might note that the fifth god does not, being variously worshiped as male, female, both, or neither. I can't quite call the Quadrene beliefs a temporary aberration of theology with their classification of the Bastard as a demon-god with the emphasis on the demon part, as that's not wrong; it's more a sort of theological nationalism gone rigid and sour. Possibly started with two theogogue brother divines having an ego-driven fistfight about it, and spread from there, the way these things do. (The split between Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodox worship circa ~1000 CE being an instructive historical model; the catch-phrase "it doesn't matter one iota" comes from that. The real fight was much less about the minutia of theology, and much more about Who Is Going To Be In Charge Here, a clash of some towering egos of the day.)
Ta, L.
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This isn't a question, but I haven't been able to get the system to send you a message any other way? My dad loved your books, but we especially enjoyed Curse of Chalion. Sadly he died in 2019 from mesothelioma. Which is when I discovered that the memorial ribbons for all lung cancers are white or cream. My mom and I are now planning a Bastard's Day ribbon for this year. Thank you! Alexa
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