[Fantasy][Magic] Divine spellcasting, real-world religions, and fantasy settings

[KarlKost]

One thing noteworthy here is that it could be said "that" started as religion.

Sure, the greeks had phylosophy, but Plato believed that everything was made out of Air, Water, Earth and Fire. They were good at Logic, but didnt developed the Scientific Method, which is a medieval invention (some consider it a Modern invention).

Be it as it may, there's a reason why Science was invented in Europe and not in the Middle East or Asia, and that reason has to do with Chritianity, it is a theological reason, which very few people are aware of.

In Islam for example, there's a FUNDAMENTAL difference to christianism in this regard, in which the things are the way they are because Allah wills it. Gravity for example only pull things because it is the will of Allah, but he can change his mind at any short notice.

In Christianity thou, the theological doctrine dictates that God created an orderly world, a world that is UNDERSTANDABLE (to humans, allegedly, althought I have my doubts ever since quantum mechanics. Oh, Im an atheist by the way).

That means that Science began in Europe as a search to Understand God's "Mind".

So, considering that Science is a pure technical approach of reality, but that began as a theological pursuit, I dont see a problem upon a setting where "magic" is just a sort of "alternative science", even if that begins at its origin as a theological pursuit.

I mean, if magic was real in our world, Newton would probably discover the "philosophal stone" rather than writting his "Principia". Our Scientists would instead become Mages - and after a few centuries, could even scoff at the concept of a God.

But we wouldnt call an incantation to summon a Demon as "magic", we would call it "Science".

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

I don't actually have many strong concerns of my own here, I've just heard some people dislike the way Christianity, Islam, etc. are used in Banestorm, which was a lot of my original motivation for asking.

My experience is with players that prefer Abrahamic monotheisim to not exist in their escapism. Some of this is probably childhood trauma.

As for me, I just don't like the very bland result that is Yrth. The original goal of "rationalized generic FRPG tropes" is the problem for me. I don't have a problem with real world religions, Desolation Road was a setting with dominant Christianity (although from an AH where Neo-Arianism became the mainstream sect) and featured Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and a few different smaller Christian sects. I certainly don't have a problem with rationalized fantasy either! I do have a problem with "and so therefore it ended up like a Renaissance Faire". But, of course, YMMV.

In general, I'd prefer to avoid generic FRPG tropes, unless I am deliberately deconstructing, subverting, or homaging them in a way that results in more original world-building.

This includes "healbot" clerics. Which is probably why I currently prefer religious services and health care to be not synonymous.