The Cult Of The Green-Spotted Shrooms

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Gorgeous Grandma Day
Hot Enough For Ya Day
Leo Begins
Parents' Day
Saint Apollinaris Feast Day
Revolution Day (Egypt)

 

In the middle of the night I had an awesome idea for a Very Different alien religion—one based sort of on time travel—and I sprang up and scribbled, on a Post-It Note I couldn’t see:

 

Religion!

Time = Cycle

Assembly By Future!!

 

Inventing religions can be the most fun part of world building. A religion says a lot about who the people are and how they look at the world—which is why I, an atheist, am so fascinated by comparative theology. And being an atheist, with a background of Raised Without Religion, I find pretty much every religion more or less equally silly if you don’t take it metaphorically. This means I can invent silly religions for aliens and not worry about the fact that they’re totally ridiculous because as far as I’m concerned that’s no different from the religions of Earth.* And I can have a lot of fun making them.

 

I’m getting pretty good, too.  If I had a bit more charisma, I bet I could tweak one of them to sound a bit more human and then gain a cult following. Maybe I can even get martyred for it, and then it will turn into the Next Mainstream Religion!

 

But I probably will just play more with other planets’ ideals. I like doing that better, and it’s got less of a chance of attracting whackoes like Tom Cruise.

 

So I’ll stick with the Post-Its.

 

 

*Even the one I invented based on 1-Up Mushrooms.

Comments

[tiryn.livejournal.com]

XD This amused me in a good way this morning. Being a fellow atheist/Buddhist-when-the-Mormons-come-knocking, I find religion rather interesting, and agree with your taking it metaphorically comment. Anyway.

[ayn.livejournal.com]

A faith based on those crazy shrooms? Do tell!

I approach building my planets' religions the same way...I was raised Catholic and knew by the age of thirteen that it wasn't for me. Nothing is too extreme when creating faiths. I mean...in the wake of Scientology, what could be?

The Cult Of The Green-Spotted Shrooms

[beepbeepitsme.livejournal.com]

"Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion." Steven Weinberg

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Hi! And you are ... ?

[nixve.livejournal.com]

I can't be the only one who is now really, really curious for more details about your Post-It scribblings! :)

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Heh, well, I may put a few more on here as I see fit, because whenever I find them again after a while they are totally bizarre. I did post one on this blog before here. If only the notes I wrote myself were legible ...