Fearsome Fred Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 The Swaggering Bravo wrote:No, he said he doesn't believe in gods, I cannot believe how I can quote someone saying "I stopped believing in gods" and you will somehow make it sound like he does, but he just doesn't like them.Oh, you cannot believe how I took that position, eh? Well, I did. So do I not exist, now?Be as astounded as you like. In my experience, the words "not believe in" do not necessarily imply an assertion of non-existence. For instance, in my experience, a democrat may say that he does not believe in monarchs or in monarchy, but he does not mean to imply that Henry the Eighth was a myth. Sandor doesn't believe knights exist [...]Seriously? So he denies the existence of Ser Gregor? He thinks his fellow members of the kingsguard are figments of the imagination? Or are you merely saying that he agrees they exist, but denies that they meet the standards of "True Knights"?Well, if Sandor not believing in knights does not mean he denies the existence of Ser Gregor, then perhaps Stannis not believing in gods does not mean he denies the existence of Rh'llor, or the Great Other, or the Drowned God. Perhaps these powerful beings exist, but are not "true gods" in the same sense that Ser Armory Lorch is not a "true knight".Just because he stopped believing in them because he thought that gods wouldn't allow such cruelty does not mean he still believes in them but he thinks they permit that.It does, if his statement makes any sense. "Rh'llor is mad and cruel, therefore Rh'llor does not exist," is as illogical as "Ser Gregor is mad and cruel, therefore Ser Gregor does not exist."I will repeat: His exact words were "I stopped believing in gods". Repeat them all you want. I don't think they necessarily mean what you suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Blood! Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 It all comes to whether you are an atheist in real life, if you are then you would also be one in Westeros.And to answer the question, since I'm deeply religious in real life I would still be religious in Westeros.I'm a pagan so that means I would probably follow the Old Gods or the Valyrian Gods, certanly not the Seven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fearsome Fred Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Well, , this thread now contains, among the self-identified (in RL):18 Atheists/Agnostics/Nonbelievers/"Godless-Heathens".3 Christians.1 Pagan1 Taoist-Animist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qhorin Halfhand and Yoren Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Well, , this thread now contains, among the self-identified (in RL):18 Atheists/Agnostics/Nonbelievers/"Godless-Heathens".3 Christians.1 Pagan1 Taoist-Animist.No believers of R'hllor? How surprising/disappointing. The Great Other is winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giovanna Neve Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I don't like any of the listed gods, but being an atheis is boring. So since I'm religious in real life and I'm zoé+bios+psyché, I choose R'hllor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionAhaiReborn Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 It all comes to whether you are an atheist in real life, if you are then you would also be one in Westeros.You are incorrect about this. I made the opposite point earlier in the thread:Feel like there is some confusion in the original post about what it means to be an atheist. It's not a matter of disagreeing with the structures or dogma of a particular religion but of not believing in any god in any form. IRL I am an atheist not because I've looked at all religions and decided I don't like their beliefs (a lot of religious mythology contains useful/interesting messages), but because I don't think the idea of god makes any sense.Which makes the question of whether I'd be an atheist in Westeros very interesting. Because while I dislike the practices of some of their religions more than some real world religions, it seems like their gods might actually exist! It's unclear if R'Hollor is a font of power that enables Red Priests to work magic or if magic exists as a naturally occurring thing in the world of Westeros and the concept of R'Hollor is applied to explain this natural phenomenon (which is what we do in our world imo). But if it's the former rather than the latter, and we may never know which it is, I would not be an atheist in Westeros because I would have proof of the Red God's existence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Rider Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 It would depend on my family and the area I was born into much as it has in real life I suppose.I was born and baptised a Catholic as my father was and his father before him. My descendents are from Europe (England, France, and Ireland) so that explains why we're Catholic and not Budhist. I have grown up in the Catholic faith and although I do not attend church to keep the sabath holy as I should it is the holy trinity I turn to in my hours of despair.As an American I live in the North of the nation, but much like House Manderly of White Harbor we are transplants with my father's house having originaly come from Tyringham, England, which is in south central England. We have had a family crest for centuries and our motto or words are "You Reap What You Sow" (in Latin of Course) and is a shield with a knight's head at the top and three bales of golden wheat on a diagonal blue stripe across the white shield. The tradition of Knights is a southern one in Westeros as the North has no true knights since there is a religious component to that of the Seven.So, I would have to say my religion would most likely be that of "The Seven." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Notch Balanter Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Well im a good owl Irish Catholic so i suppose the 7 would be the most similar but personally i would prefer the old gods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mor2 Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 the premises of this thread is kind of weird, people who are born in westeros dont choose where to put their faith in, nor do they privy to all the information we are. I am an atheist, but if I lived in that time to me atheists would look like a total retards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurms McKenzie Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm a paganYou're a pagan? How did you get into that sorta thing??? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stannis the Stern Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 It may be less intolerant but thats all.Well it's kinda better than medieval Christendom where if you adhered to any other faith you'd be executed for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurms McKenzie Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 @Stannis the SternI like your name! 'Tis a good strong name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkash Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Already stated but I'm a die hard atheist, even antitheist.I consider all form of religion, dogmas and archaic rules as dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Blood! Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 You're a pagan? How did you get into that sorta thing??? :)Well it's kind of a long story but I'll try to make it short.When I was born I was baptised an Orthodox christian but I allways disagreed with christianity.I was however deeply religious so the idea of atheism seemd absurd to me.As a child I was interested in greek mythology so when I started "searching for the truth" it was only natural that I would study paganism(particularly greek and norse).The more I learnd about it the more I foun it to be in accordance with what I allready belived in.So that's how I "got into that thing". :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurms McKenzie Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Well it's kind of a long story but I'll try to make it short.When I was born I was baptised an Orthodox christian but I allways disagreed with christianity.I was however deeply religious so the idea of atheism seemd absurd to me.As a child I was interested in greek mythology so when I started "searching for the truth" it was only natural that I would study paganism(particularly greek and norse).The more I learnd about it the more I foun it to be in accordance with what I allready belived in.So that's how I "got into that thing". :)Well whatever floats your boat mate!! :P I enjoy cozy nights in myself! :D I don't know much about paganism though I'm afraid........although I must admit Valhalla is a pretty bitching afterlife!!! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Blackfyre Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm a panentheist in real life, so I guess the closest thing in ASOIAF is the Old Gods religion. Or maybe I'd be an atheistic magic practitioner - that would also fit quite well with me. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Meth- Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Old gods ftw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurms McKenzie Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm a panentheist in real lifeWhat is a panentheist? :mellow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Blackfyre Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Panentheism is the belief that "god" is everything that exists in the world but also something that expands beyond it. God in panentheism is not a personal god, but more of a timeless force animating the whole. It's much more of a way of understanding the universe than a religion per se. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurms McKenzie Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Panentheism is the belief that "god" is everything that exists in the world but also something that expands beyond it. God in panentheism is not a personal god, but more of a timeless force animating the whole. It's much more of a way of understanding the universe than a religion per se.Thank you for explaining!! :D I've learnt something new today!! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.