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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Variations on Religion


A few days ago, I listened to a lecture about how the ancient Greeks expressed their worship.

The custom changed from using small bronze and clay figurines, to presenting huge bronze kettles, to creating bronze statues of their gods.

I was stuck by that diversity, by the options that exist for religious expression. I know that I for one will endeavour to use such or simliar versions in my stories. I love how our own history offers such richness.

Do you know of other ways to express religious ritual that would be useful for fantasy?

Last edited by Firlefanz, 7/23/2006, 5:21 pm


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- Firlefanz

Reading: "Unser Kosmos" by Carl Sagan
Writing: Rewrite of the Unicorn Girl YA novel

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7/23/2006, 5:20 pm Link to this post Email Firlefanz   PM Firlefanz Blog
 
naca Profile
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Journeyman

Registered: 12-2005
Posts: 90
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Re: Variations on Religion


I think, or at least hope, I have unique ways for my people to show their religious customs. In essence all of my cultures have different relgious beliefs, but if someone had an understanding of the "gods" and the world and such they would understand that they all worship the same god/gods, but in very different ways.

I also have customs which are different. But again, if you were to know the history you'd understand that they have the same roots. I have no intention of telling my readers "Hey these are two very similar rituals that have evolved from the same ritual." Instead I want to tell the story and have my readers realize for themselves "oh, thats just like such and such"
Those are the best moments for me as a reader.

Sorry for the rant. emoticon

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Currently Writing: Daughter of Rage (YA fantasy)
Currently Reading: Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan
12/10/2006, 2:03 am Link to this post Email naca   PM naca
 
Firlefanz Profile
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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Variations on Religion


Naca, that's not a rant at all.

I very much like your point - that religious practices are rooted in your world, even though they have evolved differently.

Thanks, that's a good idea to keep in mind. emoticon

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- Firlefanz

Reading: "The Golem's Eye" by J. Stroud
Writing: Kiera and the Juggler Boy - YA

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12/10/2006, 7:39 am Link to this post Email Firlefanz   PM Firlefanz Blog
 
Corvus Profile
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Grand Master

Registered: 12-2003
Posts: 300
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Re: Variations on Religion


(Warning, long!)

My existing fantasy world uses religions based on the classical Elements. Each culture's religious rites and cults are different, and each cult tends to differ from other cults even of the same culture; for example, human followers of the Firebird, the chief human god, go through elaborate rites reminiscent of the Roman Catholic Church, while followers of Aatan, the sun god and ruler of natural cycles and agriculture, have rites that more closely resemble stereotypical depictions of "druids" (from fantasy and other fiction, as opposed to "real" druids like the folks who gather at Stonehenge every year) and country churches.

I based these decisions on two things -- one, the environment of the cult, and two, the Element associated with the cult's god. Firebird cultists tend to be rich and powerful, so their rites and trappings are ornate, while Aatan cultists are usually neither rich nor powerful, so their rites and trappings would be simpler. Both, however, use fire and fire-related imagery: candles and magical "eternal flames" and talk of death and rebirth for the Firebird, but bonfires, open-sky rites at dawn, midday and sunset, wooden torches and the scattering of sacred ashes over fields for Aatan.

The fun part about all this is finding ways to take a particular ritual or symbol and "bend" it to fit in with the "feel" of a particular god's cult. Sometimes I can do this more than once. For example, the four human cults all have different takes on the moon:

* Aatan's cult say the moon was a mirror that Aatan created so that he could reflect his light across the entire world even when he was beneath the earth, but the project went awry, and the mirror was not perfect and took on a life of its own.

* The cultists of the female three-in-one Triunity add to this myth, stating that the Triunity struck a deal with Aatan whereby the Triunity placed a small portion of herself/themselves within the rogue mirror moon and gave it life, making it a symbol of femininity.

* Officially the Firebird cult claim that the moon was a lesser light created by the Firebird to light the night when Aatan had fallen into slumber -- but some chauvinistic male Firebird cultists involved in a war of ideas with the Triunity perpetuate a belief that says the moon is the inconstant, inferior symbol of women because women are inconstant and inferior.

* The cultists of the Salamander, the human god of secrets, stealth and sudden, unexpected chaos, are of the opinion that the strangeness of the moon is something the Salamander did. As the tale goes, the Salamander either created the moon as it is, or caused Aatan's mirror project to go awry, in order to create a light that would generate illusions and deceiving shadows at night, which are even more effective than the cover of darkness at hiding things.

Because each cult sees the moon differently, they all have different moon rites. Salamander cultists whisper quick, furtive prayers in the shadows for the moon to guard their steps. Firebird cultists either give lip-service thanks for the moon as part of larger rites or ignore the moon entirely. Triunity cultists hold open-sky rites under the full moon, in some cases nearly as elaborate as full Firebird ceremonies. And so on.
12/10/2006, 3:09 pm Link to this post Email Corvus   PM Corvus
 
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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Variations on Religion


Thanks for that look at your religious system, Corv.

I think it's a great illustration of how rites and beliefs can evolve and treat something like the moon in many different ways. Wonderful!

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- Firlefanz

Reading: "The Golem's Eye" by J. Stroud
Writing: Kiera and the Juggler Boy - YA

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12/10/2006, 3:38 pm Link to this post Email Firlefanz   PM Firlefanz Blog
 
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Initiate

Registered: 10-2003
Posts: 14
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Re: Variations on Religion


This will by first real post on this board...

A little background first:
I use religion extensively in my novels, and in fact studied it all throughout college (as a minor and a hobby; my major was business management). I focused mostly on "Eastern" systems such as Islam, Buddhism, the various beliefs of India, Shinto, and a few others. Though I did have to do a semester on early Christianity (not my choice, but it did turn out rather interesting). Now while I'm am far from any sort of expert/academic, I do have a passion for religion (spirituality, etc...) and its ENORMOUS impact on the human condition.

In my latest work I decided on a challenge and brought out human sacrifice. But not in the, "oh my God, these people are pure evil" mentality that human and blood sacrifice is associated with by many. More in the "there is no greater tribute we can make to our ancestors and gods" line of thought. Any fool can kill a goat or burn some incense in honor of a spirit. It takes devotion to give the blood of your own children to the gods. When this happens in my novel, it is for a greater good like uniting a fractured people or offering defeated enemies to the spirits.

Both the main villains, for example, are deeply religious but also perfectly rational people. One is using the spirits to meet his own ends. The other truly believes humans were chosen to rule the earth and must honor the gods. The main character comes from a land far to the north with drastically different beliefs, which factor into the narrative.

Last edited by mspatric, 12/24/2006, 9:45 pm
12/24/2006, 9:41 pm Link to this post Email mspatric   PM mspatric
 


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