Larian Studios Forums General Chat Role-Playing and Spirituality

Hello, everyone.

I'm often surprised how openly people work with spirituality - in RPG games. But not in Real Life.

I mean - magic, priests, elven songs - they often are in one way or another spiritual things, and in RPG games they are a natural part of their universers - but in Real LIfe they are not.

Where does this come from ?

Alrik.

Because RPG's make mythology real. Magic, religion its all mythology, make believe. In a game its easy to swallow, its just a game. In real life, not so.

I consider myself a spiritual person in real life, It just my own version of spirituality. I dont want to buy into what anyone else is selling, because the bottom line is, what are they really after? In real life you have to be cautious.

A game is just a game, you arent going to get burned for your descisions. After all you can just reload <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Well if spiritial people could fire fireballs at you I would also spend attention to the spiritial <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

some of them can! a block away, some church, I sware the priest has fireballs!

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

You're sure its not just fire'n'brimstone? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

That just a devil worshiper,you can hardly call that spiritual <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" />

Magic is real. There is more to life than what we can just see. Magic has been around for milenia. We've just forgotten how to use it with the advances of science and the fear of those who could tap it.

And I believe in spirits and the immortal soul. I often feel that there is an unseen force guiding me. It feels like a big rubber band drawing me in certain directions. I don't know what it's motives are, but they seem to serve me well, so I pay attention to them.

Shyness? Fear of being laughed at, or rejected, or made to feel silly? Confusion about what to believe, or about what they really believe?

The bookshops around here have an awful lot of books on spirituality.... someone must be buying them! And there are quite a lot of active groups in the city, exploring different aspects of spirituality each in their own way. It's very much there, but kept private for most people, I think.

The content in games and books and movies is also telling.... it wouldn't be there if people weren't interested, but perhaps they are just not especially comfortable in dealing with the subject in Real Life.

I agree with Rincewind. F'k what others think! I'm not going to hide in a hole because of what others think of my thoughts. I'd rather have a few close accepting friends than be in a flock of sheep.

I rang a friend the other day and they put me onto their friend briefly, Trinity, who is very spiritual. She started talking about how the moon was in Jupiter at the moment which was causing a series of problems. I thought it was a bit strange at first, talking about that sort of stuff to a complete stranger, but it shows that there's no need to be scared of who you are. She's happy with herself!

I also believe there is more than the eye can see, or that science can explain. Thus my description of myself as spiritual rather than "logical". I just dont subscribe to any particular doctrine or dogma (Especially dogma *kicks it*). <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

yeah, makes a little sense. yer own version, not someone else's version.
what you think, not them.

I think many of us have an inner yearning for spirituality without realising it. Sciences and logic have taught us to believe in other things. So part of the fascination some have for these games is rooted within the world of magic thinking (psychological phase during childhood from 3-7/9 yrs). Many have forgotten their phase, it's their source of vivid imagination, inner pictures, openness for everyday "magic" and belief that the good will win. Playing these games may be a way to bring back the memory of this childhood phase and enjoy the comfort one had during this time. Another thing, during this "magic thinking" phase children believe they have control, comfort for the weak in an overwhelming world of adults.

Another thought: You can't save and reload in RL, everything you do/let has consequences - pleasant/unpleasant. In games you can meddle with natural laws (magic), experiment several ways and suffer no consequences, because you can reload (if you saved wisely <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> )- you have more control in a game than in RL.

Last thought: It's just fun to play and meddle with natural laws.
Kiya

I'm sorry, but my spirituality is too intimate for me to discuss this openly. Some of you already know mine <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

I dont blame you kiya. I've been hazy on my own beliefs too <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

And I agree about experimenting in games with things you wouldnt do (Wouldnt WANT to do) in real life.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

I'm not hazy in my beliefs, it's just... let me use a picture: If life/life XP/development in realising one own's spirituality is a rising spiral - every one has her/his own spiral. So the markstones you reach in your life over and over again on spiral are the same, just reaching a higher level every time you reach this markstone. And each spiral is unique for every one.

Or putting it into other words: What may be truth for me, could be a lie or totally unimportant for you, because your spiral is different than mine. And even here the picture might be different between me and you, maybe you see winding path? A circle? Instead of a spiral as I do.

This is different in a game, the spiral is the same for every gamer, structure was predicted by the developers - so this could be an additional fascination in dealing with games = having a structure to play with instead of groping in one's own inner haziness, mist etc. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
Kiya

Ahh! I didnt say hazy IN my beliefs. I said I was hazy on my beliefs. In other words, in none of my posts have I detailed my own system of belief. That said my beliefs are a mish mash from all over. I take what I like and leave out what I dont <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

You are right in the spiral metaphor too. In both the example of a game and real life. In real life the reason I hate dogma is that once you make your belief dogma you are no longer open to growth, your spiral ends. If you stay open, you can keep growing, and keep climbing.

Ahh, sorry for misunderstanding, the difference one litte preposition makes <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Agree with all you say, Mandrake <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />
Kiya

I agree with that way as well. Make your life and beliefs what you want. By all means listen to others, but don't let them tell you that you must believe their way.

Yet Spirituality seems to be something *very* personal ( I cannot stress the word personal enogh).

Currently, I myself have a kind of "spiritual phase", and currently I'm going to get interested in Shamanism.

I'm interested in how the world "works", and what's behind all the things, I have had this interest throughout all of my life.

It's astonishing and impressive what's going on "behind the curtain" - meaning : Outside the materialistic aspect of Life.

I'm getting more and more sensitive towards the world around me ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> and that's another point that fascinated me. On the other hand, I'm also more senstitive towards rude behaviour ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

About Role-playing : I'm not quite sure what I should think about it. I have the feeling as if magic in role-playing is a kind of "glimps into another world" (partly like Kiya described).

I'll watch this thread as it moves further on, because I'm not quite sure how I could express myself here ...

I believe I understand you - as if peeping behind the curtain thins the outer skin, and as if listening to/taking up what's behind this curtain opens the ears and inner senses so wide that the noisiness of the materialistic world is a constant pain. On one side you gain protection due to your development (individual inner certainity), on the other hand you lose protection towards your everyday contacts.

Something of this kind, dear Alrik?
Kiya

jep. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />