 Spiritual: October 08, 2025 Issue [#13379] |
This week: Free to Make Faiths Edited by: Annette  
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2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
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| "Christianity was pagan from the start." ~ Robert Bruce Kelsey |
Free to Make Faiths
Exploring humans and their many histories from the original exodus from Africa to the great migrations to the most remote regions of the world often comes with a study in that group's spirituality.
In Western societies, reading the Greek myths, investigating the Roman pantheon of gods, and attempting to decipher Norse mythology, along with a revival or attempted recreation of pagan rites are seen as acceptable past times. Sometimes references to the old gods are rebranded as fiction so that they don't clash with any contemporary faiths. The entertainment industry is tapping into the fiction idea and is merrily filming their versions of what old religious figures may have been like. Or what they would be like if they lived in the modern world.
While some writers who follow a mainstream religion take the liberty to invent faiths for their fictional worlds, there isn't as much freedom for them as there should be. The concept of blasphemy is built into several religions as a punishable offence. This means that people who profess to follow one of those religions are not free to publish writing that - even in fiction - undermines the tenets of their faith.
Recently, I read the first two books of a high fantasy trilogy. The writer created a host of deities that govern luck, health, death, wrath, and many more aspects of life. There are temples and rituals to follow in society to honor these gods and curry their favor. At the end of the first book, the writer listed the Christian God as the one who made everything possible. At the end of the second book, the thanks are attributed to the writer's spouse. This jarring shift made me wonder if the writer received backlash from their religious peers for creating a world filled with gods that are part of daily life to the characters in the series.
Do you think a writer who follows a certain religion should be free to invent new faiths in fiction? |
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Replies to my last Spiritual newsletter "The Vatican"
Spooky Kooky Krista  wrote: I would love to visit the Vatican one day. Thank you for featuring my article!
Quick-Quill  wrote: The Headquarters for our organization in here in Portland, Oregon. The land where the tabernacle sits has been in our possession, since 1912. The miracles of healing and lives changed have made this spot a destination worldwide. I have seen visitors who arrive from far away and the moment they step on the grounds they tear up or begin to cry. They may have had the desire to attend church meetings in the Tab and just being on the grounds is a fulfillment of a dream.
This isn't a place like the Vatican or the Mormon Temple, but as the internet has made access to our special meetings and annual camp meeting, more want to visit.
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