Theism is a role-playing game. (Jesus, tradition, follower, choices)

[MidnightBlue]

From Wikipedia:

A role-playing game (RPG; often roleplaying game) is a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters and collaboratively create or follow stories. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, players can improvise freely; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the games.

A role-playing game rarely has winners or losers. That makes role-playing games fundamentally different from board games, card games, sports and most other types of games. Role-playing games are typically more collaborative and social than competitive. A typical role-playing game unifies its participants into a single team, known as a "party", that plays as a group. Like serials or novel sequences, these episodic games are often played in weekly sessions over a period of months or even years, although some gamers prefer playing one session games.

Role-playing games are a form of interactive and collaborative storytelling. Like novels or films, role-playing games appeal because they engage the imagination. Interactivity is the crucial difference between role-playing games and traditional fiction.

Theists also assume the roles of fictional characters ("Servant of God," "Follower of Jesus," "Apostle," "Evangelist," etc.) and collaboratively create or follow stories. They typically unite in teams (also called denominations, churches, sects, etc.), and often meet to play their game in weekly sessions. They engage in interactive and collaborative storytelling, and interactivity is the crucial difference between religion and what we traditionally call fiction.

Many gamers get so involved in their gaming that they lose touch with reality, and begin to see the game as more "real" than real life. The same phenomenon is observed among theists, many of whom get so caught up in their theism that they no longer realize it's fiction. Many theists have pretended to receive messages from a fictional deity for so long that they come be believe they actually do receive such messages.

So, is theism a role-playing game, or not? In what ways, if any, does theism differ from a role-playing game?

[Terrywoodenpic]

Playing a role does not require Faith or even Belief.
Nor does it continue after death.

[Mister Emu]

no text

[Booko]

I'm not playing someone else in my religion. In RPGs I like to play a character unlike myself.

[UnTheist]

Originally Posted by Booko

I'm not playing someone else in my religion. In RPGs I like to play a character unlike myself.

But chickens are the best character you could play.

[doppelgänger]

Living in social reality is a role playing game, regardless of whether one thinks "religion" is a part of the character one is playing.

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts"

- Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

[Booko]

Originally Posted by UnTheist

But chickens are the best character you could play.

You would have to convince Eibhlin to give up her character: Friar Cluck.

[Jeremiah]

Life is a game.