White Tower vs Vatican

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  I just thought the similarities were very overbearing for anyone taking a deeper look into it. Some of the similarities between the Catholic Church vs Aes Sedai I noticed:

 

1) Single sex order

 

2) Members are seen as more educated and wise than laymen. Often they are asked for advice when the possibility arises. Both tend to speak in riddles.

 

3) Members are deeply respected where they are presented it is considered grave manners to be rude to Priests/Aes Sedai.

 

4) The Amyrlin is called "mother", whereas the Pope is called "father."

 

5) Amyrlin is elected by a council of high ranking Aes Sedai. Not much unlike the Pope being elected by the Cardinals, who are nothing more than the highest ranking priests

 

6) Different orders. Where the Aes Sedai have their blue, reds, yellow's, etc.. the Vatican has the Dominicans, Jesuits, Franciscan, etc.. orders. Each also having different emphasis. Jesuits being concentrated on education and science. Franciscans history, poverty and nature. Dominicans law, charity and order.

 

7) When rising to the rank of bishop, the priest in question is given a ring. Very similar to an Aes Sedai receiving their ring. Both are symbols of seniority and power.

 

8) Amyrlin Seat and the Papal Seat

 

9) One of the stages of Amyrlin vote is assuring she is a woman by baring her chest. Same in the papal vote before it's conclusion, the Pope sits on a chair to show he has male genitalia to prevent an imposter.

 

10) Both the Pope and the Amyrlin manipulate the leaders of foreign nation "for their own good."

 

11) It was not uncommon for monarchs to have Jesuit advisors, as it is not uncommon for the monarchs in WoT to have Grey advisors. Both orders being schooled in diplomacy and worldly matters.

 

12) Both live in a closed compound of spectacular beauty, filled with marble and architectural wonders inside a big city.

 

13) Priests and Accepted seem to share quite a bit. Both are in tradition a minimum age before the Bishop/Aes Sedai ordains them to the position of Priest/Accepted following years of being a novice. Exceptions to the tradition which is followed so rigidly it's almost a rule can only be dispensed by the Amyrlin or Pope.

 

14) Same as with Aes Sedai, in the Catholic Church some thousand year+ old traditions are so ancient they are seen almost as rules, despite not being rules but merely traditions.

 

15) The Hall of Sitters and the College of Cardinals almost carry out the same function. Also the hierarchy and membership base is practically the same.

 

 

 

 

          I decided to leave the comparisons at #15. There are doubtlessly many more.

 

      So am I the only one who has noticed how RJ seems to have based much of what is and constitutes the Aes Sedai off of the lay order and structure of the Roman Catholic Church? Since it seems awfully coincidential... all the similarities.

[eflynn]

I wouldn't disagree with that.

[Majsju]

This has been known for a long time.

 

Aes Sedai: Aes Sedai organization is based on the way convents were organized between 1000 and 1800 AD. (RJ) Also, the Aes Sedai seem to have an "ecclesiastical" hierarchy, with the Hall of the Tower and the Amyrlin Seat being similar in nature to the College of Cardinals and the Pope. The current split in the Tower and election of two Amyrlins is similar to the Great Schism of the Roman Catholic Church (1378-1415), when two Popes claimed authority over the Church [Robert Dahm].

 

http://www.darkfriends.net/wheel/3_sources/3.14_countries.html

[CUBAREY]

Quote:

 

15) The Hall of Sitters and the College of Cardinals almost carry out the same function. Also the hierarchy and membership base is practically the same.

 

 

Not to quible but this is incorrect. The college of Cardinals is made up of all cardinals (princes of the church) its onlt De jure function is to Elect a Pope (Pope being the english bastardization of the latin/italian word Papa meaning Father or more correctly Dad). The Hall of Sitters acts as a House of Lords limiting the Amyrlin's day to day power.

 

Also in Italian ans Spanish Priests are known as "Padre-- literally father. A priest unlike an Accepted is a full member of the ecclesiastical" hierarchy. A monsignor, bishop, Arch-Bishop and Cardinals are the officers of the higherarchy. All priests are given a ring as they are "wedded" to the church.

 

Quote:

 

Same in the papal vote before it's conclusion, the Pope sits on a chair to show he has male genitalia to prevent an imposter.

 

Urban myth.

 

Quote:

 

14) Same as with Aes Sedai, in the Catholic Church some thousand year+ old traditions are so ancient they are seen almost as rules, despite not being rules but merely traditions.

 

Actually in the catholic Church established Traditions are Dejure Rules that must be followed and respected.  Dogma (religous laws) are deemed immutable and can not change. Thus the prohibition against a priest marrying is tradition, the prohibition against women priets is Dogma.

 

These aside, I agree with your general point- RJ stated as much.

 

Also the "Children of the Light" are modeled after the Tuetonic Knights. And the Questioners are a direct parrallel to the InQuisition.