(i) "On solemn occasions the Cloud People used a repetitive style that to [Wanda] sounded almost Biblical." (p. 209)
(ii) "...societies frequently attribute abnormal powers to those whom they lord it over - early Scandinavians to the Finns, medieval Christians to the Jews, white Americans to the blacks...." (p. 21)
And Answerer, the Cloud People shaman, to the "Vole People"/Tulat. The reference to Scandinavians and Finns reminds us of Poul Anderson's Mother Of Kings.
(iii) The Cloud People depend on their shaman for intercession with spirits and for spells but also regard his celibate, sedentary lifestyle as peculiar, reminding Wanda of Catholic acquaintances' attitude to their priests.
How much do we have in common with our remote ancestors?
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I find it quite hard to imagine people as pathetically weak and primitive as the Tulat having sinister powers! But that's just readers like you and I, "watching" the events of this story from above or a distance.
While both Our Lord and St. Paul approved of celibacy, when done for the right reasons, the idea of a celibate priesthood is not a matter of DOCTRINE for the Catholic Church. More a matter of custom, prudence, and law. Eastern rite Catholic priests can marry once, if they do so before ordination to the priesthood.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I am reading a John Grisham novel where the lawyer hero is also an Episcopalian priest. Grisham's titles are forgettable. I will have to go upstairs to remind myself what this one is.
Paul.
THE GUARDIANS.
Kaor, Paul!
And what kind of man was this Grisham character? A decent person or someone I would probably dislike? And was he a high or low church Episcopalian minister>?
A Catholic priest who was a lawyer would probably be practicing canon law. But some canonists also have degrees in secular law.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Very dedicated to freeing the innocent. We are not told high or low.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I certainly don't object to persons wrongly convicted for crimes they have not committed being exonerated, and if possible, compensated.
I'm reminded of my article "Crime and Punishment in the Terran Empire." Anderson seems to have tended to disapprove of penalizing crime by means of prison sentences. If only because it would be impossible to truly compensate wrongly convicted persons for years lost in prison. Rather, he favored using corporal punishment at least for some offenses. It would be possible to compensate someone wrongly sentenced to 20 lashes but not for losing, say, two years of his life in prison.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
20 lashes, no thanks.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And in my "Crime and Punishment..." article I believe Anderson made a good point, many criminal offenders will find a lashing more of a REAL punishment and deterrence than in doing time in prison. He was also careful to add this could be done mechanically and only after a convict was examined to make sure he could that lashing.
Ad astra! Sean
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