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Religious question

Coldboots

Scribe
Are there any religious, Christian people here? I had an idea to start a story about Heaven and Hell that concerns their data-crunching/sharing solutions, specifically for the harvesting and elevation of souls, ala book of life or whatever. In other words, they're either using Dial-Up for their tech solution or that and a combination of books, and this ends up in a huge backlog which results in a huge number of souls being caught in Limbo, outside the gates of heaven. And my story explores all sorts of debacles that crop up from that situation. It sounded fun to me, but as someone who is open minded toward Christianity yet somewhat agnostic, it troubled me on a personal/spiritual level.

Would a story that covers this kind of material be considered blasphemous/sacrilegious? I don't mean to offend anyone with this question. Sincerely I don't. I've been on the fence with Christianity for a while as anything from Catholic, to born again, to Deist/Pan Christian following of the teachings of Jesus as a man.

Got banned from a Christian forum without even having been registered for putting it in my registration, so hopefully this place will be more accommodating with my question. I'm completely serious about this, so please no jokes. Well okay you can joke if you want, just keep it civil please.
 

Ireth

Myth Weaver
I'm a Christian, and that wouldn't offend me at all. It seems like a good opportunity for some harmless amusement.
 

Heliotrope

Staff
Article Team
I think it is sort of funny. I like it.

There are some that might not, obviously, but I think that is the case with any story, really.
 
If we're on the subject of what could be offensive towards Christians, does anyone mind if I share an idea I had since I was a kid that I still one day hope to turn into a story?

I don't believe in god or any religion, so I've always looked at Christianity purely as mythology. One thing, when reading the bible, that always interested me was that the tree that God told Adam and Eve to not eat out of was usually referred to 'The Tree of Knowledge.' As a guy who believes in science and the search for truth, I never understood why god would refuse Adam and Eve knowledge. So then began looking at Satan and realized that, to me, he may have been the good guy all along. He's briefly ever mentioned in the bible, but to me he seems like someone who caused a revolution against a dictator (god) and was punished for eternity because of it. I then looked at paintings from Wayne Barlowe's Inferno, which was an art book with his own depictions of hell. I loved the way he made a lot of the fallen angels look sad and that they were suffering. I liked the sympathetic approach. So I'd love to tell the story of Lucifer and his revolution and how he was punished for all eternity in hell, being the leader of a place of suffering and torture. The story wouldn't be attempting to convince someone that this is the way it really was, because I don't believe in it myself, it's merely a different take on a mythological story.

I understand that it would be offensive, I'm curious if it's so offensive that no Christian would ever be interested in it and that it would never have a chance at publication. Because to me, even though there is a tiny bit of intentional provocativeness in there, it's just about fulfilling an artistic vision that I've had than to offend everyone.
 
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Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
It doesn't sound offensive to me at all. But "offense" is all in the themes and messages and subtext. It shouldn't be offensive unless on some level you mean it to be.
 

Coldboots

Scribe
Thank you all for your insights. I was more troubled by the spiritual implications of writing something that might be considered to be profane, but I suppose if one Christian is willing to see it as a harmless fantasy and not something I'm serious about, God would understand I'm just having fun and not seriously believing every fantasy I'm writing.

I would consider myself lucky if what I write gets publicity. I'd be like the Christian Salman Rushdie.

Thanks again.
 

Nimue

Auror
I don't think this would be much of an issue, unless during the course of the story you go out of your way to make Christian believers seem evil or foolish. There have been a lot of tongue-in-cheek representations of heavenly bureaucracy in pop culture. A lot of movies and tv shows portray the afterlife with sassy secretary angels, modernistic interpretations of limbo, etc. It's definitely road that's been trodden before, so don't worry too much about land mines.
 

Tom

Istar
I find that idea hilarious! Granted, I'm sort of a casual Christian who's ever on the edge of agnostic, so I might not speak for all Christians when I say that.

Anyway, I find this story idea really cool, and there's a lot of potential for humor in there. I like stories like that--the ones that take our preconceptions about God, Heaven, Hell, what-have-you, and flip them on their heads. It provides an entertaining new angle on the concepts--and might even spur some thought on them. For instance, when Supernatural introduced their take on Christianity, I sat there and took it in and afterwards thought, "Huh. I've never seen it that way. How do angels feel about having no free will?"

It really made me think for the first time about angels and their place in the world. Here are these perfect servants, created to obey without question--and yet God values those fallen creatures, humans, above them. So much so, in fact, that he sent his son to reconcile them to him. How would that feel?

Oops, I accidentally got myself on a tangent. Oh well. So anyway, just adding my two cents. I think it's a great idea and you should definitely pursue it. I want to see Lucifer slow down Heaven's wi-fi to annoy them. ;)
 

Russ

Istar
I worry about people who cannot laugh at themselves, or look at their worldview from new and creative angles.

I say "go for it."
 
I find that idea hilarious! Granted, I'm sort of a casual Christian who's ever on the edge of agnostic, so I might not speak for all Christians when I say that.

I agree with Tom here. The idea is amusing to me. I am an agnostic theist, and my perception of the afterlife is a little different that what what most of my fellow Catholics believe. If you wrote this book, I would have a blast reading it.
 

Pythagoras

Troubadour
For instance, when Supernatural introduced their take on Christianity, I sat there and took it in and afterwards thought, "Huh. I've never seen it that way. How do angels feel about having no free will?"

It really made me think for the first time about angels and their place in the world. Here are these perfect servants, created to obey without question--and yet God values those fallen creatures, humans, above them. So much so, in fact, that he sent his son to reconcile them to him. How would that feel?

If you (or anybody else) have never seen the Kevin Smith movie "Dogma", I highly recommend it. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are two fallen angels who express exactly what you're talking about.

As a matter of fact, I think this movie is an example of a great answer for what the original poster is asking about. Granted, the basic premise is different. But otherwise, it is a movie which pokes fun at Christianity, and it does so very well. There is lots of obscene humor, but underlying it all is a willingness to give faith a chance, and a message that anyone who is religious can relate to.

These kinds of movies and books do exist, and they have some success. Sure, there are going to be those who will be offended just on principle, but I believe the majority of people are willing to laugh at themselves and their faith.

As the disclaimer preceding Dogma says, "...even God has a sense of humor. Just look at the platypus."
 
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Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
The only way any story avoids being offensive, to someone somewhere, is to never be written. Either that or the story evokes zero emotion, positive or negative.

Your idea doesn't sound offensive to me, but I'm not religious.

When approaching things like this, for myself, I try to treat everyone fairly and not paint everyone with one brush. If there are philosophical differences between characters, represent both sides honestly and fairly. If you're not sure how, research both sides.
 
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