Sketching on the bus to Uni, I wrote about a religion which believes in a heaven/hell concept. They world as they knew it was a coin, but since no-one (they knew of) had ever traveled to the other side and returned, it was reasoned that the other side was hell.
The Religion is known as the Coynerites. They follow the concept that in the beginning, the world was flipped like a coin, as a bet between good and evil. If the coin lands (in the distance future, or maybe tomorrow) on any given side, its because its the heavier side. that side will be crushed, all who reside will be destroyed, and good & evil will know their place in this world, i.e. part of or banished.
So, in order to be the winning side, its imperative that the good side must make as many people bad, without being bad themselves, so that the bad side becomes heavier, and thus squashed, so the good side will be the inheritor of the world.
Mixed up logic.. but logical in its process (as any religion would be) and theoretically its right.. except that as creator of the world, I know that its not.. but that never stopped any religion before, from believing that its right.
And I begun to think.. hang on.. I don't ever remember reading about a gaming religion that had it wrong.. most of them, believe in a god, and that god exists, and they know it, because occasionally he does things and can be seen & heard. Clerics ask for powers, and receive them, so they know their god exists (albeit, the reasoning for the god might not match what the followers believe)
Does a religion, based on faith alone, belong in gaming? can it exist?
I've done a little research into different worlds, different gods, for the most part, its always true (cept some planescape) each religion believes in a god/power that exists, as such there is no real faith, its all choice.
The Religion is known as the Coynerites. They follow the concept that in the beginning, the world was flipped like a coin, as a bet between good and evil. If the coin lands (in the distance future, or maybe tomorrow) on any given side, its because its the heavier side. that side will be crushed, all who reside will be destroyed, and good & evil will know their place in this world, i.e. part of or banished.
So, in order to be the winning side, its imperative that the good side must make as many people bad, without being bad themselves, so that the bad side becomes heavier, and thus squashed, so the good side will be the inheritor of the world.
Mixed up logic.. but logical in its process (as any religion would be) and theoretically its right.. except that as creator of the world, I know that its not.. but that never stopped any religion before, from believing that its right.
And I begun to think.. hang on.. I don't ever remember reading about a gaming religion that had it wrong.. most of them, believe in a god, and that god exists, and they know it, because occasionally he does things and can be seen & heard. Clerics ask for powers, and receive them, so they know their god exists (albeit, the reasoning for the god might not match what the followers believe)
Does a religion, based on faith alone, belong in gaming? can it exist?
I've done a little research into different worlds, different gods, for the most part, its always true (cept some planescape) each religion believes in a god/power that exists, as such there is no real faith, its all choice.
2 comments:
In _GURPS Banestorm_ refugees from Earth believe in Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc. There's no evidence any of them are true, or at least no evidence that can't be explained by magic.
Also, it's pretty standard in Swords and Sorcery that the gods either don't exist or provide only minimal, plausibly deniable help. In _Barbarians of Lemuria_, for example, priests' only power is to use their Hero Points to make a lucky coincidence happen.
Finally, if I recall correctly, in Eberron clerics gain their power through faith ... even if the thing they have faith in is not a god or doesn't exist.
Interesting, I have played S&S and Eberron, but not GM'd so I was not made aware that the gods might not actually exist. so that'll be my first bit of research.
... refugees from earth would not be a game world, so I don't think that counts,
and curiously the BofL, is a really good idea of how gods might actually work!
Thanks Semi, you've given me some direction to research further.
Look forward to other research from the community.
Post a Comment