Divine

The Game Of Empire.

Olaf Magnusson accepts the immediate objects of his thoughts:

"...as the aspect of the Divine which was set before him tonight."

-CHAPTER FOUR, p. 250.

The announcement that he is going to:

"...take leadership of the Terran Empire..."

-CHAPTER FIVE, p. 261 -

- ends with:

"'Stand by. The Divine, in whatever form It manifests Itself to you, is with us.'"

-ibid.

A very carefully worded statement that can provide a basis for any response whatsoever to the announcement!

A long time ago, I was impressed with the phrase, "the Divine Ground," in Aldous Huxley's The Perennial Philosophy because I wanted to move into mysticism while remaining monotheist. However, "Ground," like "It," is an impersonal term.

Today, I met with another guy called Paul who practices meditation taught by Elan Vital, the former Divine Light Mission, reads Christian mystics and attends the Church of England. Again, a light is not a person although I have just texted Paul to ask whether "Divine Light" implies a personal God.

If I were in the Patrician System to hear that announcement, then I would accept the statement that the Divine - in some sense! - is with us but I would also be wondering how to respond to Magnusson's attempted coup and, of course, I would not yet know what was really behind it. Poul Anderson is always full of surprises.