RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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I see a lot of people exchanging opinions on religion on these boards (this religion sucks because of X, this religion says X because of Y, etc.) and it bugs me. I don't like to see all this religious name-calling so I think this thread will help settle things:
What are the religions represented by you and your players? I think people will be surprised at how many religions manage to see D&D as common ground. Maybe this will be the first step towards world peace. Who knows? I'll start:
1 Pagan, 1 'general' Christian (no denomination), 1 Unitarian Universalist, 1 Roman Catholic, 2 Athiests.
Please refrain from religious commentary. Just place the facts, please.
EDIT: Seeing that most people have decided to identify themselves, I will too: I'm one of the Athiests and my wife is the Pagan. I'm sure you can imagine how fun THAT combination must be!
Christian lay-minister (me) and 1 other Christian, 1 Bahai, 1 non-orthodox Jewish and 1 staunch agnostic.
Don't know about the rest of the group, but I am a Roman Catholic by baptism but believe all religions are one, just practiced differently.
FH
Interesting point.
I'm a non-practicing Catholic. I play with athiests, Seventh Day Adventists, and non-denominational worship goers.
Of my group of five players, only I have anything resembling a "religious" or "spritual" worldview and I find myself very difficult to categorize. My folks are of jewish and catholic background but both converted to Sufism early in life and my mother who comes from a jewish background is now a methodist. I can't say I was raised Sufi, but it profoundly influences my daily life and spirituality.
Roughly half my players come from a christian background and half jewish, but none of them attend regular services (unless you count D&D) with any sort of group. One of my players is the son of my mother's last pastor at the Methodist church, but he seems fairly a-religious. If I polled them at the next session I believe all or most would profess at least belief in "some higher power", but most disdain religion (and discussing it), and I suspect at least one of them is a hardened atheist.
Licensed Southern Baptist preacher (with an undergrad in religion), just moved from a United Methodist church to a Communion of Evangelical Episcopals Church. So I'm Christian, but denominations don't mean much to me. My players are all Christian, including: (1) my wife, who was asked to be the new Young Adults minister at the CEEC, thus our move; (2) a friend and previous comrade-in-student-ministry (he's still in it, looking to become a Youth Pastor as a life career); (3) a new friend from the local D&D Meet-Up group that's, I believe, Southern Baptist. Beyond that, our D&D Meet-Up group includes wiccans, agnostics, and more Christians. Haven't heard any professing atheism. Oddly, I've never met a gamer from any of the other "major" wide-spread world religions (Islam, Buddhism, or Hinduism) of which I'm aware.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Oddly, I've never met a gamer from any of the other "major" wide-spread world religions (Islam, Buddhism, or Hinduism) of which I'm aware.
I used to play with a Buddhist couple a few years ago, so they're out there... just hard to find. Then again, Buddhists in general are a rare find in America.
My sister plays (alas, 2000 miles keeps us from playing round the same table...) she's a buddhist, her husband is Methodist in background...dunno about the rest of her gamers.
I'm Jewish. My other players are 2 athiests, 1 wiccan, an agnostic or two, and some Christians (don;t ask denominations, I never could figure out the differences between some/most of them).
My wife is a partially practicing wiccan too.
I try not to argue religions, but I will discuss them. You know what they say... religion and politics you don;t discuss with friends.
Ok, there seems to be some misunderstanding. I didn't mean to imply or directly say that any religion sucked. I merely said that I didn't agree with any religion and stated several complaints about how certain vocal groups do things that make me extremley angry. I have no personal quarrels with people who beleive differently from myself and I have some freinds who I like a great deal who beleive differently than I do.
I personally don't beleive in any religion, spirtuality or anything like that. I don't agree with organized religion (even atheism which in a way is a religion). I have no problem with people beleiving differently than me as long as they don't try to impose their views on me. That said, what class would a Buddhist play? What class would work with their policy of non-violence?
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Ok, there seems to be some misunderstanding. I didn't mean to imply or directly say that any religion sucked. I merely said that I didn't agree with any religion and stated several complaints about how certain vocal groups do things that make me extremley angry...
...That said, what class would a Buddhist play? What class would work with their policy of non-violence?
I never said you were the one who prompted me to make this post, Arc. This has been an ongoing theme on the boards since before I ever started seeing you post here and I finally decided to start this thread based off of the previous discussions. No blame on you, man. :)
As for the Buddhist's characters, I'll tell you: One of them played a half-dragon sorcerer who dearly loved his fireball spells and the other played a hardcore fighter who tried to kill everything in sight. Clearly their personal belief does not carry over to the world of make-believe.....
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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No. I mean socialism as a religion.
I know, but I don't have an opinion on the topic, so I made a joke instead. I wouldn't classify socialism as a religion and have difficulty seeing how it could be classified as a religion, but I've never seen the issue raised before so I don't have much of a rationale for my answer.
I can't speak for the rest of my gaming group, but religion has always been to me a deeply personal experience that can't really be taught or shared. I would have to say I'm more "spiritual" than "religious."
Well, most of the gamers I know are christians or christian baptized, but only very few are practicing christians. In fact, I decided to resign from the official church two years ago, and did get rid of my church taxes that way. (If you don´t know it, in germany it is mandatory that you pay church taxes if you belong to one of the main christian churches - and they still wonder why people resign in droves...)
In the group I´m DMing, we´ve got one roman-catholic (resigned) - me, on lutheran - resigned (my girlfriend), another lutheran (her brother - I don´t know if he resigned), and one unknown, but probably also lutheran and probably resigned). So, all christian.
The other AD&D group has six people, two roman-catholic. Me, of course. The others are probably lutheran, but I don´t know if they resigned.
Stefan
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No. I mean socialism as a religion.I know, but I don't have an opinion on the topic, so I made a joke instead. I wouldn't classify socialism as a religion and have difficulty seeing how it could be classified as a religion, but I've never seen the issue raised before so I don't have much of a rationale for my answer.
Well, Camus called it a religion. My point is this: in order to have a "religion" all you require is a believer and a focus of adulation. Atheism could for some be this focus, just as I'm sure there's atheists down there to the atheist meeting just trying to show off and pick up chicks. ;)
I was baptized catholic, but that's because no one bothered to ask me what I wanted when I was only six months old...
Religion (all religion) is just beyond me. There's something I'm not getting or understanding about it. I don't see the point. Heaven, hell, budha, allah, jovha, whatever; I put it all in the same basket as witchcraft, voodoo, card reading and astrology.
Religious people don't bother me, though. Most people I frequent at home and at work (specially at work, since I work for immigration) have many different religious backgrounds, and I have yet damned any one for it.
As long as it's not disruptive (and I don't know many that aren't).
(You all must think I'm dummer than a bucket of bricks.)
Sorry...
Ultradan
...just as I'm sure there's atheists down there to the atheist meeting just trying to show off and pick up chicks. ;)
Atheists have meetings? ...with hot chicks? =)
I like to think of myself as an agnosti-heathen. I doubt the existence of many gods.
My players are varied - 2 nondenom xtians, 1 buddhist, 1 pagan, 1 atheist, and 1 jew (non-orthodox). They never bring up religious topics, at least so far as I've noticed.
I call myself an agnostic rather than an atheist, because I have no belief that there are no gods (since you cannot prove a negative); I just don't see any evidence that there are.
Or, as www.dictionary.com puts it: "An atheist is one who denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings. An agnostic is one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe and refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine."
I seem to recall that one of the other guys in my gaming group is a Catholic. The rest I have no idea about.
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Well, Camus called it a religion. My point is this: in order to have a "religion" all you require is a believer and a focus of adulation. Atheism could for some be this focus, just as I'm sure there's atheists down there to the atheist meeting just trying to show off and pick up chicks. ;)No. I mean socialism as a religion.I know, but I don't have an opinion on the topic, so I made a joke instead. I wouldn't classify socialism as a religion and have difficulty seeing how it could be classified as a religion, but I've never seen the issue raised before so I don't have much of a rationale for my answer.The Pastafarian is right, atheism is not a religion. It is the lack of belief in god/spirituality/metaphysical entities/what have you.
Adulation is not worship, properly speaking. I practice adulation towards Snapple iced tea but I do not look to it for miracles. Intense fervor or belief in anything not related to the supernatural cannot truly be called religion. It (object of adulation) can be compared to religion in the sense that it generates fervor but it is not an actual belief that (object of adulation) is transcendent of the physical world.
Also, the spirit of Camus told me you are wrong.
So, essentially, the coke bottle in "The Gods Must Be Crazy" could not be replaced by Atheism by any human being, anywhere, ever.
Or, as www.dictionary.com puts it: "An atheist is one who denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings. An agnostic is one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe and refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine."
That would be my stance, as well.
Stefan
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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I call myself an agnostic rather than an atheist, because I have no belief that there are no gods (since you cannot prove a negative); I just don't see any evidence that there are.
I assume you plan the same evidentiary standard to the other areas of your life? E.g., you can't prove the invisible magical mice cause objects to fall, therefore you don't really believe in gravity. You can't prove you are really a person and not a brain in a jar in the Matrix, so therefore you don't really believe you exist.
Edit: I always liked this quote from Richard Dawkins:
Well, technically, you cannot be any more than an agnostic. But I am as agnostic about God as I am about fairies and the Flying Spaghetti Monster. You cannot actually disprove the existence of God. Therefore, to be a positive atheist is not technically possible. But you can be as atheist about God as you can be atheist about Thor or Apollo. Everybody nowadays is an atheist about Thor and Apollo. Some of us just go one god further.
...But you can be as atheist about God as you can be atheist about Thor or Apollo. Everybody nowadays is an atheist about Thor and Apollo. Some of us just go one god further.
Actually, there are Nordic Pagans and Greek Pagans. Quite a lot in both camps, actually. Their religious traditions may be reconstructionist, but they are quite serious about their beliefs.
I typically introduce myself as either a "heathen" or "self damned". Just cause they make for better conversation. I love arguing about religious beliefs with those that worship, and stirring up those who do not, but thats because I like to debate things. And the easiest way to find the dunces from a flock of believers or non belivers is to throw up a firery religious point then step back and watch the fun.
Religion in fact is the one topic I don't like to discuss with intelligent people. Smart believers agree to dissagree and that I have no faith and they do and that an argument or logic cannot breach that gap. Which is a quick way to earn my respect, but isn't any fun. Smart non-believers just end up agreeing with me for the most part, boooring.
I study religions to better understand them. Then I use that knowledge to combat the religions views. Which brings me great amusement. I'm not out to destroy their faith or anything, I honestly don't care whether the ranks of agnostics grow or not. I just think that your beliefs (or lack their of) is something that should be thought about carefully and not taken for granted. I find it funny when someone can't answer a question that hinges simply on what they believe.
I assume that a I'm an agnostic since I don't feel the need to aknowledge a higher conciousness, but am eagerly awaiting further info (that heaven deal sounds a lot better than what I've got). But given the rest of the above I might just be an orthodox a+*#%##. The polls aren't all in yet.
Oh and I currently game with one christian guy. Back when I played regularly with Saern we had. Ummm...... We had two agnostics (counting me) one christian, one guy I can't recall ever making a difinitive statement one way or the other and Saern, who (as far as I know) has never made a name for his system of personal beliefs.
We're almost uniformly atheist in both groups I run. One guy is kind of Pastafarian but he's not super-orthodox.
Director of Sales
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Atheists have meetings?
Yes.
But it's NOT a service. It a meeting. There's no ritual about it. Well... except for the fact that it happens on the third Thursday of every month, but that's not ritual. It's just a meeting. Of people with a common disbelief system.
...with hot chicks? =)
Depends on the group.
For the record: I would classify myself as non-practicing, unexamined, lapsed Roman Catholic with many acanonical ideas. But I do enjoy red wine.
3 Christians (1 Southern Baptist, 1 Methodist, 1 Church of Christ,) 2 Agnostics (1 raised Southern Baptist me, 1 raised Catholic) and a Pagan.
We tend to try and not talk about religion at the game table. It’s happened, things got heated and the Southern Baptist, the Church of Christ, and the Pagan started arguing. They all 3 ended up pissed. The other three of us decided to get some drinks.
Fizz
I wouldn't presume to try and quantify the beileifs of my fellow players, and I've only really talked with one of them to any degree about religeon, but for myself, I'm Roman Catholic (as are my kids who play as well).
I practice zen meditation but I am not a buddhist. I don't think God or whatever is an important thing to worry about and people should just get on with their lives. By the way that is my personal stance and I am not suggetsing religious people are fools. It just doesn't work for me that's all.
My players as far as I know are 1 wiccan, 1 raised wiccan but now agnostic (my girlfriend), 2 I don't know because they never mention it and I would never ask.
As far as I can tell religion is a much bigger deal in the USA than it is in Australia. If someone even mentions their relationship with Jesus or whatever here we tend to react as if they are over-sharing. I guess it's not polite to mention it in Australia unless you know the person REALLY well (like family/partner/very close friend).
Myself - Christian (raised a mixture of Russian Orthodox and Presbyterian, and now years later I know a bit too much theology and history to cleanly fit into any specific branch of the religion, but classify me Xtian nonetheless).
My group - 2 Catholics, 1 Protestant, 1 Agnostic, 1 Wiccan (for the moment anyway), and one person who I don't know enough to say
I generally introduce myself as agnostic, though I like the thought of going Sexi's way..."Hi, I'm a heathen; how do you do?"
I believe that there may or may not be a higher power(s), but if there are it(they) are most definately not benevolent. Depending on what kind of day I'm having, I'd say either indifferent or malicious.
I've played with all kinds of gamers; a couple christians, a couple jews, a pagan here and there. I couldn't give any numbers 'cause it's never been an important topic, although I do enjoy the occasional philosophical/religious discussion.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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We tend to try and not talk about religion at the game table. It’s happened, things got heated and the Southern Baptist, the Church of Christ, and the Pagan started arguing. They all 3 ended up pissed. The other three of us decided to get some drinks.
Okay! Funny story time! Hopefully this won't derail the thread...
I'm bringing a new player into my IK game. He's never played with our group and I don't even know him except that his name is Chris. He wants to play a cleric and wants to know about the gods in the setting, so I started explaining them. When I come around to the god 'Menoth,' I say:
"Menoth preaches law and order to the masses. His word is final. His followers believe that only by adhereing to His word will they ever have any chance at happiness. They burn spellcasters at the stake, flush out heretics, publicly torture and murder people whose beliefs are even a LITTLE different than their own. Really, they're a lot like the Catholics back during the Inquisition. Are you familiar with Catholic history at all?"
He paused, looked at me and said: "I am Catholic."
Me, dumbfounded: "...oh."
Really, I have no issue with Catholics as they are now. But back then was a whole different side of the religion. Still, it was amusing.
I was raised Mormon, drifted into being an agnostic during the majority of my teens, and became a Christian just before college. I’m something of a black sheep to my family.
People I play with - practicing Christians of various denominations. Schedule conflicts have prevented us from meeting as a regular group for a while now, which is tough because I loved the Isle of Dread when I first played (Red and Blue book days) and I really want to play the STAP.
non-denominational non-practicing christian here, who dms for athiests, agnostics, and wannabe philosophers (the existance of a god seems to depend on the day of the week with them)
I think they're all true.
you sound like a buddhist but what do I know.
1 Byzantine Catholic (me), 1 Methodist (wife), 2 Southern Baptists, 1 Christian (not sure of denomination), 1 Jew, 1 druid.
My wife and I teach sunday school at her church. We find no conflicts between our faith and playing D&D.
I am not sure if the guy who claims to be a druid really has a religion, but he always asks us to thank him for making it rain.
I am like many indegenous peoples christian w/ pagan practices. I aspire to me more christian in temperment, but I have a strong spirtual connection,that refuses to be denied, to my ancestors and land. So I participate in some non-christian practices.
Most of my gaming group are reared christian but non practicing.
Religion has never been an issue during gaming.
As stated in an earlier post.
I think they are all true.
I typically introduce myself as either a "heathen"
When I was little my grandparents and parents called me a heathen anytime I did something they didn't like...Wait...when I was little I'm 22 and they still do this when I'm home for the holidays...I think I need to have a talk with them.
Fizz