| From: | "S.F. Eley" <gt6877c@*****.GATECH.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Gods and the SR Universe |
| Date: | Mon, 18 Sep 1995 16:14:35 -0400 |
Very considerate of you, chummer, but there's more than one "occult
informant" on this list... Just watching this thread, I count five or six.
> [. . .]
> This type of god is not really interesting for use in the SR Universe, so
> we're going to skip it and look at what the majority of religions look like.
>
> The polygod belief system.
You may want to watch the way you say that. I'm Pagan and I understand
(pretty much) what you're TRYING to say, but you're on thin ice deciding
what is "really interesting." The majority of the POPULATION in the world
is monotheistic (Christian, Muslim) or semitheistic (Buddhist), not
polytheistic. Much of your message strays pretty much off-topic from
Shadowrun, and you should be aware that what you're describing is largely
personal opinion, not logical exhortation.
> And now the SR part.
> [ . . . ] Who ever said
> that totems are not gods is probably right. The indians don't call 'em
> gods and we don't either, so most probably they are not gods. They are
> Totems, and they have personalities, but they don't have the stories that
> tend to be associated with other polygod systems.
You obviously are not familiar with Native American culture and mythology.
There are MANY tales about Wolf, Snake, Crow, etc., more than there are
Greek myths. I'm not making a value judgment in comparing them (my pantheon
is Greek) - I'm just saying your value judgment is based on incorrect facts.
> [ . . . ] Shamanism tends to be a one Totem thing. You "worship" one,
> the one who has chosen you, and therefore you and he are the same.
To reiterate once more -- shamanism is NOT worship-based. You don't have to
"worship" a totem; some totems may even disdain that sort of approach. In
my game, Raven pushes the PC shaman to be independent, strong-minded, and
willful. "Worshiping" Raven, protrating oneself before her and following
her without question, would earn Raven's disfavor pretty quickly. Most
totems want respect, not adulation.
> But what are they really. It's said they are free spirits from the
> metaplane called Guinee, just as the viking gods would be free spirits
> from walhalla, same for Olympus, Nirvana and all the other "heavens".
Now who said this? Is this a Shadowtalk comment or something that was
actually in the rules? And is your implied comment about other pantheons
also stated in the same source?
> So heaven is a Metaplane and the gods are Free spirits.
Whoa. MAJOR inference. It makes for a nice theory, but there's no
overriding reason for most of the post-Awakening population to believe it,
nor for it to enter into the game system.
(Sending PC's to Hell WOULD be a nice adventure.. >8-> I can just see my
players' reactions now. "How's it different from Seattle?")
> Hope to haven't insulted any religious fanatics out there. But then again
> if you are a relious fanatic, I guess you desperatly need to be insulted. :)
One should never be insulted by another person's opinion.
Blessings,
_TNX._
--
Stephen F. Eley (-) gt6877c@*****.gatech.edu )-( Student Pagan Community
http://wc62.residence.gatech.edu| "Program flowering --
My opinions are my opinions. | Procedures, functions, data
Please don't blame anyone else. | Bloom effervescent."
