Sectarianism in DF

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by malloyd

I don't know that it's true that the answer has to come down that way. But it does suggest an interesting question about variations. Can you build a setting where there is only one true god, who is Evil?

"god" means entity that is worshipped.

"true god" means entity that is worthy of being worshipped in the opinion of the speaker.

It's difficult to evaluate the worthiness of a god when it is the most powerful entity in the universe but is malicious. So let's just say that it's possible to create a setting where the universe is under the control of an entity who only keeps people around so it can be cruel to them.

[b-dog]

One thing I think is interesting is that people on the posts say that good is objectively good. Only evil fight and plot against other. But this is from a game world where the good cleric and holy warrior go into a monsters home, kill it and then take it's stuff. That does not seem objectively good to me. It seems more in line with the cleric says he is good so he is good.

[Mithlas]

Originally Posted by joppeknol

She explicitly said she thought Aslan was mean.

Just saying that Aslan is a good example of how the definition of good can be interpreted differently by people

It might even be fun to make good not align with the beliefs of the player.

Good and evil are generally held as things outside the individual, and it's the efforts to conform to virtue that make an individual good (rather than being Snooty Good just because the character is an Elf). The interesting issue comes up when you have multiple people trying to "serve the greater good of the many" and deciding different means have to be taken, leading them down different and sometimes competing roads. Expanding government to protect the citizenry, for example, versus shrinking government to encourage flexibility and creativity. Both of those avenues are intended for good, but supporting one takes from the other. Unless you Take a Third Path.

Originally Posted by ericthered

I know the lord of the rings wasn't written with one true evil and no true good, but sometimes it really feels that way. Evil has a power and while good may be around its so invisible as to not feel like a force. The elves and the dwarves don't like each other, various grudges are hanging around, and yet evil itself seems to have power.

Or evil is intrusive and Good respects free will.

I think you can easily have "good" forces competing just by having them trying to pursue a "good" goal they don't necessarily know how to measure by any precise means, and having different ones following different paths (aesetics casting off material possessions and focusing on purity, perhaps turning to isolation while hospilators keep material possessions and focus on care across ethnic, class, and gender boundaries).

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by b-dog

One thing I think is interesting is that people on the posts say that good is objectively good. Only evil fight and plot against other. But this is from a game world where the good cleric and holy warrior go into a monsters home, kill it and then take it's stuff. That does not seem objectively good to me.

It isn't, unless the monster has been eating people and you are looking to put a stop to that.

[b-dog]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

It isn't, unless the monster has been eating people and you are looking to put a stop to that.

I just mean why can't a good cleric who breaks into a monsters house the kills it to take its treasure also bethe type of good cleric who kills people from other good faiths because he thinks they are infidels?

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I just mean why can't a good cleric who breaks into a monsters house the kills it to take its treasure also bethe type of good cleric who kills people from other good faiths because he thinks they are infidels?

Will his god still have his back after committing those actions, or will he find his powers stripped from him?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I just mean why can't a good cleric who breaks into a monsters house the kills it to take its treasure also bethe type of good cleric who kills people from other good faiths because he thinks they are infidels?

If a "good" cleric is just breaking into a monster's house to kill and steal then his god really ought to pull his ticket.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I just mean why can't a good cleric who breaks into a monsters house the kills it to take its treasure also bethe type of good cleric who kills people from other good faiths because he thinks they are infidels?

*G&A blinks and keeps some distance*

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Will his god still have his back after committing those actions, or will he find his powers stripped from him?

Does he repent?

Does his powers serve a purpose tangential to the fact that he personally has it?

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by joppeknol

I'm not sure I understand this comment. I would just like to point out that when I read Narnia part 7 to my daughter, she was appalled when Aslan removed the speech from animals who weren't worthy enough when he apocalypsed Narnia. She explicitly said she thought Aslan was mean.

Just saying that Aslan is a good example of how the definition of good can be interpreted differently by people

Of course, you can play 'good' or 'evil' in your setting, and have a set of beliefs/rules define it. It might even be fun to make good not align with the beliefs of the player.

I doubt Lewis would be offended by your daughter. I think he would say that is something one should be uncomfortable with.