Religion, pertaining to Freelancer

[Praetyre]

I find it mystifying that it is acceptable to roleplay protagonist characters with political leanings similar or nigh-identical to that of among the bloodiest ideologies in human history, and yet it appears Edvard Munch imitations spring up with any Disco-religious discussion.

Ok.. here's my view:

I think Liberty is predominantly Protestant, but has elements of nearly all religions in it. Assuming Exodus-era America has roughly similar religious diversity to present-day America, it wouldn't surprise me to find everything from Scientologists to pagans to Jews to Hindus.

Britain, along with western Europe in general (save, possibly, Spain) is getting more secular. Given the monarchist structure of Bretonia, I imagine Bretonia would still retain the Church of England, but most of it's people would be "Easter and Christmas" sorts. And I imagine there's a variety of other religions in the mix, from both Britain's native population and it's colonies. Probably a minority of Hindus from more Alliance-sympathetic parts of India.

On Kusari, I'll quote two things I wrote for these purposes:

Yes, they do. The Furya cult is just one of over 150 religions and cults which practices the removal and preservation of organs for spiritual purposes and occasionally as part of larger rituals.

Well, Kusari has 500,000 cults and religions known via census as of last count. Look at Earth. They had less, and look at their wars, like the Long War.

Rheinland's is generally the best known, and it's damn near certain it's illegal to believe anything else there, so I'll leave it at that.

For Outcasts and Corsairs, I imagine a largely Catholic derivation for both. The most common objection to this hypothesis is A. Brutality (especially in the Corsairs case) and B. The supposed xenotheism of the Outcasts.

In response to which..

A. There have, historically, been religious crime lords, in the West, in the last century. And they were not merely paying lip service, either. Bugsy Siegel severely detested Al Capone for Capone's establishment of prostitution in the Stockade, Siegel being a regular churchgoer. While reading a Cosa Nostra-related encyclopedia, I recall a case of a church statue or other piece of property being stolen, which enraged the devout local crimelord, who threatened violence on the thief and managed to intimidate the local fences enough to make the item a hot potato, so to speak. And for a non-real life example, well, look at the Godfather.

Also, given the desperate economic situation of the Corsairs, I'd find it hard to believe they wouldn't turn to the religion of their heritage (whatever it may be). Of course, if they are predominantly Greek, that would orient them more towards the Orthodox Church, unless a merge occured in FL's timeline.

B. There is no evidence the xenotheism (which is actually more akin to misattribution of ancestral spirits, a belief held even in heavily Catholic countries like Mexico to the activities of extraterrestrial folk) is universal among the Outcasts. What's more, besides the aforementioned Mexico, there are many cases when Catholicism and Christianity in general has integrated aspects of native religions (such as the "Son of the Great Spirit" in America) to aid in absorption of the faith.

Intercession with the saints (the Outcasts seem to revere their deceased warriors) and the angels is also a common Catholic belief, along with intercession of the dead. Not quite analogous to ghosts, but it provides a baseline.

Lastly, out of the remaining houses, the Phantoms religious affiliation is obvious while the SK have been described in lore as a largely secular society. Only the Coalition provides an interesting exception to Marxist atheism, given the presence of at least one Egyptian (Egypt, at present, is partly Coptic and partly Sunni). If the Middle East and Persian Gulf (and possibly Pakistan) is among the Coalition's survivors/membership, this provides an interesting quandary as to the fate of Islam.

My own theory, though solely my own and not in any way endorsed by the Coalition, is that as Marxist-Leninist-Stalinism is the predominant philosophy among the CCCP Coalition members and Maoism is predominant among the PRC Coalition members, a philosophy akin to the secular socialism of Edward Said is predominant among the ME/PG/Pakistan members of the Coalition.

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[Malaclypse 666]

I find it mystifying that it is acceptable to roleplay protagonist characters with political leanings similar or nigh-identical to that of among the bloodiest ideologies in human history, and yet it appears Edvard Munch imitations spring up with any Disco-religious discussion.

And no mention of Eris or the COEE whatsover. Boy are you gonna get a Jakin' from the Lady.

Remember to say "Hail Eris!" when your arches collapse.

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[Praetyre]

Well, I only covered entities I consider Houses (Liberty, Bretonia, Kusari, Rheinland, Outcasts, Corsairs, Phantoms, Coalition and Slomon K'Hara). You could make a case for Zoners being a House, but I'd argue they are too dissolute to count.

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[jpo]

Anyone who thinks religion in a sci fi game is OK should read A requim for Homo Sapiens by David Zindell.

If you still think it belongs afterwards and isnt too complicated then introduce it.

That of course is just my E-pinion. I doubt that anyone would read that much for a background to an RPG but it covers everything that can possibly come up in freelancer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Requiem_for_Homo_Sapiens

BTW Hanuman Li Tosh is the best fictional character ever portrayed.

[old.steel]

Praetyre you better get a step out of that far away piece of land your living in.

You guys better keep that kind of things out of the game unless it is fun intended.

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[Koolmo]

Lastly, out of the remaining houses, the Phantoms religious affiliation is obvious while the SK have been described in lore as a largely secular society. Only the Coalition provides an interesting exception to Marxist atheism, given the presence of at least one Egyptian (Egypt, at present, is partly Coptic and partly Sunni). If the Middle East and Persian Gulf (and possibly Pakistan) is among the Coalition's survivors/membership, this provides an interesting quandary as to the fate of Islam.

My own theory, though solely my own and not in any way endorsed by the Coalition, is that as Marxist-Leninist-Stalinism is the predominant philosophy among the CCCP Coalition members and Maoism is predominant among the PRC Coalition members, a philosophy akin to the secular socialism of Edward Said is predominant among the ME/PG/Pakistan members of the Coalition.

The current theory is correct as above. However, among the Sirius-Convert members, many of them still either profess or actually do worship a nominal "God" or "Gods". Commonly seen only while cursing, for example "By the Gods!" or "For Lenin's sake!", the Coalition as exists currently in Sirius is generally lax about matters of religion, provided the troops persist in following orders and keeping religious differences to themselves.

This, of course, is likely to change as time goes on, and may eventually lead to internal strife, due to the fact that "Converts" and "Originals" exist in fairly equal numbers in the fighting arm of the Coalition, the SCRA. Almost all civilians, however, are either Marxists or Moa-ists, and it is suspected that both of those shall be combined to form "State Religion" at some distant point in the future.

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<span style="color:#FFFF00">&quot;General Solo, is your strike team assembled?&quot;
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I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.

[bluntpencil2001]

Of course, we can use your religion as an excuse for liberation/oppression, since it is against our ideals. We keep a file of potential excuses to liberate/oppress those that bother us.

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[Praetyre]

You guys better keep that kind of things out of the game unless it is fun intended.

Please explain why it is acceptable for the RM and RFP to roleplay (as protagonists) followers of a general ideology which has resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of people and it is acceptable for the SCRA/some of the Xenos/some of the Mollies/some of the Rheinland criminals to rolepaly (in quite a few cases, protagonists) followers of an ideology that has killed hundreds of millions, whereas it is unacceptable, in any form, to roleplay followers of philosophies who's deathcounts are mere fractions of that (a few exceptions, unlikely to be present in Sirius, notwithstanding).

It is a double standard to allow Space Nazis and Space Soviet/Maoists/communists as protagonists, along with drug smugglers and yet act like this over the fact some people don't believe religion plays no role in Sirius.

That said..

@Koolmo: Interesting. So, it would vary among personnel? Since I've seen one of Adrian's characters chastise someone for mentioning Hell.

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[bluntpencil2001]

@Koolmo: Interesting. So, it would vary among personnel? Since I've seen one of Adrian's characters chastise someone for mentioning Hell.

Depends on the current mood of the revolution. Currently, Ares will be pushing an anti-religious front... mostly because he wants to see the Outcasts punished for fraternising with aliens.

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[old.steel]

Praetyre, this is a game.
The stories around the house are just for fun.
You got a very serious mental problem if you think this is for real.

And again, stop refering to the german history. This is not the place for this.
You oversea guys may think it is funny but it is not.

Rheinland is supposed to be played as a military state with a religious 'president'.
Kusari is an empire with a special codex.
Liberty is a corrupt state.
Bretonia is an old fashioned state.

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