What Religion Produces The Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi?

[Samantha Rinne]

And why?

I've read Book I of His Dark Materials, and while interesting on the surface, there was an awful lot of railing against the church as an organization, and once you got past the whole souls as animals, it was kinda secular. And kinda crappy.

Piers Anthony has some very complicated relationship with religion. I think they said he was agnostic, and it kinda shows especially in Virtual Mode where the suicidal girl Colene basically loses her faith trying to help others. But they also have the Incarnations of Immortality series, where they basically fix problems by replacing the posts of various gods (including the Trinity).

Orson Scott Card, I actually like, even though there are also sort of themes about evil religions (especially Alvin Maker), but also someone legit builds the perfect church. He also has a great deal to say on how writers necessarily should show their religious beliefs. Among other things.

George R. R. Martin is an atheist/lapsed Catholic but oddly has deities. The author's notion is that he doesn't believe these gods are real (and from Jon Snow's revival, doesn't believe in an afterlife), but does believe these gods are real to them. I guess, that means they're somehow using powers and giving credit to gods. Or something. It's pretty sketchy, and his work is kinda dark. I can't say I'll agree with his atheism, but I heartily agree with the amount of sex and violence.

And then there's alot of mainline Christian literature that seems to be principally either good vs evil stories, or incredibly boring retellings of the story of the Antichrist taking over the world (seen a couple Left Behind knockoffs).

I have a custom religion, and my novel is a hopeless mess of conflicting religious ideas (primarily because I haven't fully internalized what I actually believe). Mostly, I'm Taoist (and Protestant) with some Buddhism mixed in.

Also, are there any Buddhist or Hindu people who write fantasy novels? I think I have read some fantasy novels written by pagan types.

What is most interesting religion for fantasy novels, in terms of the strange ideas it creates? And what are best fantasy novels?

 

[leov]

And why?

I've read Book I of His Dark Materials, and while interesting on the surface, there was an awful lot of railing against the church as an organization, and once you got past the whole souls as animals, it was kinda secular. And kinda crappy.

Piers Anthony has some very complicated relationship with religion. I think they said he was agnostic, and it kinda shows especially in Virtual Mode where the suicidal girl Colene basically loses her faith trying to help others. But they also have the Incarnations of Immortality series, where they basically fix problems by replacing the posts of various gods (including the Trinity).

Orson Scott Card, I actually like, even though there are also sort of themes about evil religions (especially Alvin Maker), but also someone legit builds the perfect church. He also has a great deal to say on how writers necessarily should show their religious beliefs. Among other things.

George R. R. Martin is an atheist/lapsed Catholic but oddly has deities. The author's notion is that he doesn't believe these gods are real (and from Jon Snow's revival, doesn't believe in an afterlife), but does believe these gods are real to them. I guess, that means they're somehow using powers and giving credit to gods. Or something. It's pretty sketchy, and his work is kinda dark. I can't say I'll agree with his atheism, but I heartily agree with the amount of sex and violence.

And then there's alot of mainline Christian literature that seems to be principally either good vs evil stories, or incredibly boring retellings of the story of the Antichrist taking over the world (seen a couple Left Behind knockoffs).

I have a custom religion, and my novel is a hopeless mess of conflicting religious ideas (primarily because I haven't fully internalized what I actually believe). Mostly, I'm Taoist (and Protestant) with some Buddhism mixed in.

Also, are there any Buddhist or Hindu people who write fantasy novels? I think I have read some fantasy novels written by pagan types.

What is most interesting religion for fantasy novels, in terms of the strange ideas it creates? And what are best fantasy novels?

shamanism

 

[sun rise]

Also, are there any Buddhist or Hindu people who write fantasy novels?

This is a great OP:

I like the award winning "Neon Lotus" by Marc Laidlaw
Marianne Strauss has her work cut out for her. Not only is she the reincarnation of a brilliant Tibetan scientist, but the State Oracle has prophesied that she will liberate the Land of Snows from the Chinese. An ambitious fantasy novel set in 22nd-century Tibet.

There's also this book which has a non-human spiritual viewpoint: "Ingathering: The Complete People Stories" by Zenna Henderson

 

[ChristineM]

This is something i have never thought of until reading the OP. After some thought i dont think i could name one good author with a religious background

 

[The Hammer]

And why?

I've read Book I of His Dark Materials, and while interesting on the surface, there was an awful lot of railing against the church as an organization, and once you got past the whole souls as animals, it was kinda secular. And kinda crappy.

Piers Anthony has some very complicated relationship with religion. I think they said he was agnostic, and it kinda shows especially in Virtual Mode where the suicidal girl Colene basically loses her faith trying to help others. But they also have the Incarnations of Immortality series, where they basically fix problems by replacing the posts of various gods (including the Trinity).

Orson Scott Card, I actually like, even though there are also sort of themes about evil religions (especially Alvin Maker), but also someone legit builds the perfect church. He also has a great deal to say on how writers necessarily should show their religious beliefs. Among other things.

George R. R. Martin is an atheist/lapsed Catholic but oddly has deities. The author's notion is that he doesn't believe these gods are real (and from Jon Snow's revival, doesn't believe in an afterlife), but does believe these gods are real to them. I guess, that means they're somehow using powers and giving credit to gods. Or something. It's pretty sketchy, and his work is kinda dark. I can't say I'll agree with his atheism, but I heartily agree with the amount of sex and violence.

And then there's alot of mainline Christian literature that seems to be principally either good vs evil stories, or incredibly boring retellings of the story of the Antichrist taking over the world (seen a couple Left Behind knockoffs).

I have a custom religion, and my novel is a hopeless mess of conflicting religious ideas (primarily because I haven't fully internalized what I actually believe). Mostly, I'm Taoist (and Protestant) with some Buddhism mixed in.

Also, are there any Buddhist or Hindu people who write fantasy novels? I think I have read some fantasy novels written by pagan types.

What is most interesting religion for fantasy novels, in terms of the strange ideas it creates? And what are best fantasy novels?

L. Ron Hubbard started Scientology, so maybe start with his sci-fi?

 

[Samantha Rinne]

Leov, you've probably got something there.

The Hammer, uhhh no. Though I have seen the move Battlefield Earth with Tom Cruise. That was likely enough for me.

Mr Doggy on the sunrise, I might check these out.

ChristineM, I think if an author is atheist, there's a sort of "but not TOO atheist" issue (just as an author who takes their Christianity too seriously has issues where nobody drinks or smokes and everyone is wholesome or something, someone too atheist can likewise turn off their readers by hard-selling atheism).
Which is why I contend agnostic authors do a better job dealing with themes of religious doubt because you get the sense of constant tension and conflict (what stories like is tension and conflict), whereas an atheist "knows" already so that's missing from the story.

 

[Iymus]

Entertainment wise reincarnation fantasies in another world with memories of past life.
Concept of Cultivation and Higher States of Conciousness or Spirit also produces interesting fantasy.

But I am thinking more of Asian Light novels, manhua, manga, etc when it comes to Fantasy

 

[ADigitalArtist]

His Dark Materials is a parody of the Narnia series by CS Lewis. Matching the heavy handed Christian allegory but from a reversed view. It's supposed to be very secular.

Dresden Files bu Jim Butcher has religion come up sometimes. But it's a fantasy world where figures from all religions exist in some capacity. So it has everything from Greek to Norse to Christian.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman is one of the most well known modern fantasies specifically about what the various world religion deities are up to now, and how they're coping with the rise of technology and globalism. It's written in epic prose style though, so it's not akin easy genre trash read.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

I didn't realize it was a parody.

I was reading an analysis of Harry Potter, and they mentioned her religion (I don't actually like her honestly because she's become one of those hypocrites that advocates for others to adopt open borders while she lives not only in a gated community but one with high walls and hedges, Paul Joseph Watson donated to have her host migrants herself in one of her many mansions and she suddenly clammed up). Apparently, that Gilderoy Lockhart is based on the sort of writer of His Dark Materials (down to his name, which suggests a king with fake gold and a locked heart). The analysis being that his books were much like Gilderoy, lovely and charming when you first start reading, but they aren't much good beneath all that initial stuff. Probably his similarity to the wonder of Narnia was a big reason for this sort of thing.

I'm a reader of Dresden Files. Still waiting for actual news on his next book, and suspecting he's tapped out.

 

[wellwisher]

The oldest religions, most of which are no longer practiced, had the best science fiction. For example, the Titans came before the God of Olympus. The Titans were far more scary and supersize; The Kraken. The Gods of Olympus were more normal sized and handsome, but with various powers. The Gods of Olympus were less of a nightmare and superseded the Titans in terms of ancient worship. The current religious are not as good for science fiction extremism.

The reason is the very earliest mythology came from the unconscious minds of transitional humans, who were transcending natural instinct, in favor of will power and choice. At that time, this was all new and their choices were not always optimized. This led to lot of repression and negative sublimation, which then shows up as extreme nightmare type characters; visions of the insane.

As time passes, culture learns to repress less and improves, and the operating system of the human brain upgrades. The regression potentials become less and the mythology becomes more realistic and less drastic.

Revelations of the New Testament is very dramatic and drastic and is sort of an exception. However, since it is not written as a linear story. but as a mystery, that jumps around like internet browsing, the potential induction is made less, until the story is made linear.

It appears that story will need to be reversed engineered, from the mind of someone who becomes extremely, almost old school repressed. Nobody has fully reached that state, so the mystery remains.

 

[Aupmanyav]

We have done quite well on that front, the Puranas. Though nothing much in recent times.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

The oldest religions, most of which are no longer practiced, had the best science fiction. For example, the Titans came before the God of Olympus. The Titans were far more scary and supersize; The Kraken. The Gods of Olympus were more normal sized and handsome, but with various powers. The Gods of Olympus were less of a nightmare and superseded the Titans in terms of ancient worship. The current religious are not as good for science fiction extremism.

The reason is the very earliest mythology came from the unconscious minds of transitional humans, who were transcending natural instinct, in favor of will power and choice. At that time, this was all new and their choices were not always optimized. This led to lot of repression and negative sublimation, which then shows up as extreme nightmare type characters; visions of the insane.

As time passes, culture learns to repress less and improves, and the operating system of the human brain upgrades. The regression potentials become less and the mythology becomes more realistic and less drastic.

Revelations of the New Testament is very dramatic and drastic and is sort of an exception. However, since it is not written as a linear story. but as a mystery, that jumps around like internet browsing, the potential induction is made less, until the story is made linear.

There's a retelling of the Bible called The Book of God: The Bible As A Novel. Besides The Holy Bible: Abridged Beyond The Point of Usefulness, it's probably the most interesting read since it's not a translation but a reframing of the story.

I have a theory, about how we like to think of people as uncivilized but these strange stone structures were built at a time when the technology of the time was a sort of mental power. Old Hindu scriptures seem to back this up as they basically describe nukes but the area nearby lacks much of the modern technology you'd except to see in any actual nuclear event. That is, the more "realistic" people got, the less their minds understood what would be best described as etheric technology.

It appears that story will need to be reversed engineered, from the mind of someone who becomes extremely, almost old school repressed. Nobody has fully reached that state, so the mystery remains.

I think people probably have done that. What I'd like to see is a science fiction told from a mindset of Ancient Greek mythology. Sorta togas and space ships.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

And why?

I've read Book I of His Dark Materials, and while interesting on the surface, there was an awful lot of railing against the church as an organization, and once you got past the whole souls as animals, it was kinda secular. And kinda crappy.

Piers Anthony has some very complicated relationship with religion. I think they said he was agnostic, and it kinda shows especially in Virtual Mode where the suicidal girl Colene basically loses her faith trying to help others. But they also have the Incarnations of Immortality series, where they basically fix problems by replacing the posts of various gods (including the Trinity).

Orson Scott Card, I actually like, even though there are also sort of themes about evil religions (especially Alvin Maker), but also someone legit builds the perfect church. He also has a great deal to say on how writers necessarily should show their religious beliefs. Among other things.

George R. R. Martin is an atheist/lapsed Catholic but oddly has deities. The author's notion is that he doesn't believe these gods are real (and from Jon Snow's revival, doesn't believe in an afterlife), but does believe these gods are real to them. I guess, that means they're somehow using powers and giving credit to gods. Or something. It's pretty sketchy, and his work is kinda dark. I can't say I'll agree with his atheism, but I heartily agree with the amount of sex and violence.

And then there's alot of mainline Christian literature that seems to be principally either good vs evil stories, or incredibly boring retellings of the story of the Antichrist taking over the world (seen a couple Left Behind knockoffs).

I have a custom religion, and my novel is a hopeless mess of conflicting religious ideas (primarily because I haven't fully internalized what I actually believe). Mostly, I'm Taoist (and Protestant) with some Buddhism mixed in.

Also, are there any Buddhist or Hindu people who write fantasy novels? I think I have read some fantasy novels written by pagan types.

What is most interesting religion for fantasy novels, in terms of the strange ideas it creates? And what are best fantasy novels?

I find that all religions can write great sci fi and fantasy, although the feel is different. Yes, I liked Orson Scott Card's worlds, and his mormon influence was obvious. The Lord of the Rings is practically a sacred text to me, and he was a devout Roman Catholic. I adore Isaac Asimov, especially I Robot, and he was Jewish. Ursula LeGuin was a secular humanist, and her Earth Sea Trilogy is just treasure.

Long live the genres.

 

[PearlSeeker]

"Herbert was raised Catholic before converting to Zen Buddhism, but there are several religious theologies including Christianity, Judaism, Navajo and Islam he has appropriated in the [Dune] novel or reworked to create new religions that play a significant role in the evolution of this feudal society." (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.syfy.com/syfywire/dune-and-religious-appropriation?amp)

 

[Samantha Rinne]

"Herbert was raised Catholic before converting to Zen Buddhism, but there are several religious theologies including Christianity, Judaism, Navajo and Islam he has appropriated in the [Dune] novel or reworked to create new religions that play a significant role in the evolution of this feudal society." (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.syfy.com/syfywire/dune-and-religious-appropriation?amp)

I think I found out once about the word Mu'ad Dib being Arabic and I think I even found out that it referred to a desert mouse (I was looking up the mouse and trying to write a novel (I eventually picked another word, I think). But I didn't know about Zen Buddhism. Herbert also wrote a book called something like The Man of (from?) Two Worlds about a sort of parasitic lifeform with an allergy to basil. That is, he was Scientologist before it was a thing.

 

[MNoBody]

It seems that most all speculative fiction [sci-fi] is based on thematic plot-lines that incorporate this element of human understanding, it is almost inescapable.
How else does an author create a plausible world for the reader to journey through,
it has to have enough relevant data from "real world" applications
to be tempting enough to entice a reader to enter in and spend time in the pages
...and hopefully get something out of it besides a good time, or a pleasant diversion.
The ones mentioned so far are good examples [IMO],
while some authors are more revealing in their script than others,
each provides an example of their own unique take on the whole,
how they imagine these things play out in their world which they have imagined into being,
conjured between the covers of their book.

I found more interesting dialogue in this lifetime in the library than out in the public square
like those bards sang
the words of the prophets are on the subway walls and tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence'
It seems such things are socially consigned to the literary department, and are scarcely spoke of
How odd these mortals be.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

MNoBody, I think religion is part of the "write what you know" it's a sort of filter.

I mean, if you're a Zelda fan then you're gonna write oddly Trinitarian books with heroic types, princesses, and pig demons.

So just because it's not someone else's version of a "real world" events it doesn't mean it isn't real to you. For example, alot of fundamentalist types can see barcodes on things ppl buy and spin a story about barcodes being the Mark of the Best. A Muslim can see a news article about pig population on the rise, and make some story similar to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds movie, only with pigs.

I feel personally like religion is a means of coloring perception of the world, place focus on certain priorities. And some of them are very strange.

The U.S. Wild Pig Population Is Exploding

Pigs are on the rise! Dun dun dunnnn!

 

[MNoBody]

MNoBody, I think religion is part of the "write what you know" it's a sort of filter.

I mean, if you're a Zelda fan then you're gonna write oddly Trinitarian books with herpic types, princesses, and pig demons.

So just because it's not someone else's version of a "real world" events it doesn't mean it isn't real to you. For example, alot of fundamentalist types can see barcodes on things ppl buy and spin a story about barcodes being the Mark of the Best. A Muslim can see a news article about pig population on the rise, and make some story similar to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds movie, only with pigs.

I feel personally like religion is a means of coloring perception of the world, place focus on certain priorities. And some of them are very strange.

certainly.... and that is part of what makes reading such an adventure, as you are boldly traveling into someone else's perspective..... which broadens one's views of the multiverse/universe and expands one's vocabulary....literacy increasing.....hopefully comprehension and improved quality of interaction is part of the results of the endeavor.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

Yeah. Though I kinda wish I had written my book at a time where there was less politics and less scare about viruses. Most of the concept of the game originally was an adventure/religious journey/family and friend drama. When it got to the book version, it kinda got sidetracked by everything going on. I'm sure it was as real as it could be, but I'm not sure it was as fun to read as it could be.

 

[MNoBody]

Yeah. Though I kinda wish I had written my book at a time where there was less politics and less scare about viruses. Most of the concept of the game originally was an adventure/religious journey/family and friend drama. When it got to the book version, it kinda got sidetracked by everything going on. I'm sure it was as real as it could be, but I'm not sure it was as fun to read as it could be.

some similarities in my experience as well as projects that have been on the go for some time, just seemed to stall..... difficult to make plans when gamechanging events are afoot
keep chipping away despite is what i do, but I am a Chip-away-an from way back....part of the Haluci Nation.