'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Drifter

Maybe they use a 'generic' service:



That seems to cover most of it.

Creatures of Light and Darkness, an old favorite.

There are generic services. They would be hard to compose without treading on someones more esoteric theological toes. Moreover people are not as inspired by genericism.

There are probably other ways. I suspect when people have to fight in a mixed religion unit they make do. In Gurkha regiments the Sahibs celebrated Dashera and the Gurkhas celebrated Christmas.

[combatmedic]

Back when I ran my version of the OTU, I assumed that some units were mostly homogenous and followed the traditions of their homeworlds or home nations. Thus, while the overall Imperial hierachy leaned towards the Imperial Church , there were many 'colonial forces', 'provincial guards', etc. made up of followers of other faiths.

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

It does not require anything of the sort in the US armed forces.

Chaplains are not required to perform the specific rites of religions other than their own.

They are required to be available to counsel members of other faiths, however. I've known several chaplains (One USN, 2 Army, one USAF) who complained of that very issue.

And Catholic chaplains have been required to provide a basic Christian prayer service for non-Catholics. Fortunately, such a service is in the Catholic Missal... intended primarily for use by Deacons, rather than priests, but it is in the Altar Missal.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by ak_aramis

They are required to be available to counsel members of other faiths, however. I've known several chaplains (One USN, 2 Army, one USAF) who complained of that very issue.

And Catholic chaplains have been required to provide a basic Christian prayer service for non-Catholics. Fortunately, such a service is in the Catholic Missal... intended primarily for use by Deacons, rather than priests, but it is in the Altar Missal.

Yup.

If a chaplain can't cousnel members of other faiths, he might be in the wrong line of work.

My experience was that chaplains were happy to talk with anybody.


Things do get more complex when the mix isn't simply Protestants and Catholics, or those two and Jews. Chplains now not only come from a greater variety of religious backgrounds, they deal with servicemen from a greater variety of backgrounds.


But the 31 is not (unless you want it to be) the United States of Spaaaace.


Religious diversity may be ignored, suppressed, handled differently in different parts of the vast Imperial forces/the vast Imperium, supported, etc.

It may be that the typical pattern is for a given unit to be mostly homogenous in cultural terrms. There are advantages to that approach.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Yup.



It may be that the typical pattern is for a given unit to be mostly homogenous in cultural terrms. There are advantages to that approach.

It also ensures defection in the event of a rebellion. Unless the Imperium does that old trick of stationing units far away from the province they are raised. But that is a tricky game and needs some units who can be relied on as being the Emperor's own. On the other hand soldiers who are soldiers and nothing else have always been primary recruitment for warlords and pretenders. Probably the Imperium has something of both. Perhaps the Imperial Armies reflect culture more and the Marines and the Guard are mixed to emphasize their theoretical monoloyalty to the Emperor.

The natural tendency of man is loyalty toward a person or ethnicity close to them more then to an abstract empire. And many emperors don't realize that enough to make sure that their subjects interests and sentiments are directed toward them.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

It also ensures defection in the event of a rebellion. Unless the Imperium does that old trick of stationing units far away from the province they are raised. But that is a tricky game and needs some units who can be relied on as being the Emperor's own. On the other hand soldiers who are soldiers and nothing else have always been primary recruitment for warlords and pretenders. Probably the Imperium has something of both. Perhaps the Imperial Armies reflect culture more and the Marines and the Guard are mixed to emphasize their theoretical monoloyalty to the Emperor.

The natural tendency of man is loyalty toward a person or ethnicity close to them more then to an abstract empire. And many emperors don't realize that enough to make sure that their subjects interests and sentiments are directed toward them.

Recruiting a given unit mainly from one world or nation greatly increases unit cohesion and helps to create a strong sense of history and comradeship.



Yes, stationing units away from home is classic.
My 3I did that where appropriate.

Imperial Army units from Capitol and the Core Worlds might be considered more reliable than 'colonials.' Then again, they might be seen as more likely to be caught up in the intrigues of the metropole.


The big thing is to have the NAVY on your side.

The Navy is the way to climb socially. It's different in nature and organization.

YTU may vary, of course!

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Recruiting a given unit mainly from one world or nation greatly increases unit cohesion and helps to create a strong sense of history and comradeship.



Yes, stationing units away from home is classic.
My 3I did that where appropriate.

Imperial Army units from Capitol and the Core Worlds might be considered more reliable than 'colonials.' Then again, they might be seen as more likely to be caught up in the intrigues of the metropole.


The big thing is to have the NAVY on your side.

The Navy is the way to climb socially. It's different in nature and organization.

YTU may vary, of course!

So far, IMTU the army is more pariochial then either the navy or the marines. The planetary forces, of course are the most pariochial of all.

[jason taylor]

Sylean Talmud:

Collected articles and interpretations of Jewish law. Contains the traditional Mishna and Gemara as recorded on pre starflight Terra. As well as the
"Addition"(someone give me a Hebrew sounding word for that) which deals with such issues that come from a starfaring society. The "Addition" itself has two parts the general which deals with cases based on situations that could appear anywhere in the Imperium and beyond, and the "locals" based on situations peculiar to worlds on which Jews have settled. Organized in electronic format to allow user-friendliness.

The Sylean Talmud is widely studied not only by Yeshivas but in Imperial legal academies especially those with courses on the laws of pariochial Imperial cultures.

PS could someone please give me some Hebrew words. Using English for some of the components just sounds stupid.

[Hans Rancke-Madsen]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

"Addition"(someone give me a Hebrew sounding word for that) which deals with such issues that come from a starfaring society. The "Addition" itself has two parts the general which deals with cases based on situations that could appear anywhere in the Imperium and beyond, and the "locals" based on situations peculiar to worlds on which Jews have settled. Organized in electronic format to allow user-friendliness.

Wouldn't these problems have been addressed early in the history of Terran starfaring? That is, even before the Rule of Man and long before Sylea became the certer of Charted Space. I like the idea but am doubtful about the name.

Wouldn't it just be called the Talmud? ("Now with added Wisdom.")


Hans

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Hans Rancke-Madsen

Wouldn't these problems have been addressed early in the history of Terran starfaring? That is, even before the Rule of Man and long before Sylea became the certer of Charted Space. I like the idea but am doubtful about the name.

Wouldn't it just be called the Talmud? ("Now with added Wisdom.")


Hans

Now that you mention it quite possibly. I wanted a geographic location to mimic the Babylon and Jerusalem editions.