Religion

[Kosst Amojan]

I'm just wondering how you other Narrators have incorporated religion into your games. I think Trek handles religion well in the case of Bajorans. I am interested in how you handle them, and other alien races and their religious beliefs. I am also curious how you handle humanity and religion.

Have you ever noticed for the most part that humans are the least spiritual race in the Star Trek universe? I am a very religious person myself, and I like to find ways to incorporate my Christian beliefs into some aspect of my game. I am wondering if any of you have done this and how? Or how about Islam? Or Buddhism? Or for that matter, atheism? I don't think religion has simply disappeared in the 24th century human society.

Of course, if you look at some of the episodes, humanity seems to have taken a much more scientific outlook. Where the Bajorans see the "Prophets" humankind sees "Wormhole Aliens." When Q took Captain Picard back in time in All Good Things, we witnessed a very Darwinian view of humanity's creation.

I think that religion is still alive in 24th Century humans. How about you? Have you ever incorporated it into your games? Have you ever run an episode revolving around a religious theme of some sort? What race and what religion? How did it work out?

I am working on something myself, and when I finally get it done, I'll post it to this thread. Right now, I am extremely anxious to hear your views concerning this subject in your games.

[Dan Stack]

The Galaxy-class U.S.S. Icarus featured a Jesuit priest, the Reverend Patrick Finnegan (related to Kirk's old nemesis) who ran Ten-Forward (an Irish pub) and was also in charge of comparaitve religious studies aboard Icarus. He was a very popular NPC.

I do try to avoid an overly-religious Federation - despite my own Catholic beliefs, it seems to me the universe of Star Trek is a fairly athiest flavor of humanism, and I try to reflect that in my games, but with the acknowledgement that all faiths and beliefs are tolerated and respected.

[redwood973]

I have just recently added the following skill to our game:

Science, Social (Philosphy) (Religion)

I pilfered it off another web page, not so much to cover human religion as to better express that of the Bajorans. Even though that was my original plan for this skill I have no issue with players taking it to add their belief system into game play.

My only concern is if it will be a handy skill or just a waste of space on the character sheets (have yet to use it in game play so its use is still undecided).

If you like I can find my notes (and find the page again so I can give credit where credit is due) and post the description of these skills.

[qerlin]

Though the UFP is ostensibly 'beyond that sort of thing', I dn't see religion disappearing anytime soon. Despite the problems with religioius organizations, with inconsistent cosmology, with issues of bigotry (you don't have to be religious to be a bigot...look at the anti-religion guys), religion gives people a sense of hope of constancy.

The Catholic Church is still around in our game & doing alright. The major Christian sects are around, Islam & Judaism are around, so are Buddhism and Hinduism. Buddhism is doing well, particularly the more traditional, atheist sects. There's the American Indian shamanic traditions, though those come under heavy criticism in our Federation. "You believe the clouds are your ancestors..? How 'bout water vapor!?!"

Andorian religions from the Among the Clans book are doign well, particularly Umarism and Borveaism. The Tellarites have a faith based on the universe as sentient & everything else is part of the universe's quest to realize itself. The Bajorans have their faith. The Vulcans have the mystical sects; some might say that they are fetishists...with logic as their fetish.

We have chaplains as counselors on starships.

So, yes...I think there's a place for religion. It helps define what the character believes in, what motivates them.

[C5]

I don't think religion is gone in the ST universe - after all, it seems to me most of TOS crew (save Spock) was somehow believing in God (at least it was hinted many times, especially in the episode with the Roman planet).
In my ST universe, religion is allowed like any other cultural distinctiveness (like Klingons rituals), but not very present (one of my players is a Bajoran and regularly prays).
Of course, bigotry of any kind is frowned upon.

[Kosst Amojan]

I agree with you Dan about Star Trek being an atheistic setting. I think this is most typified by human culture. I plan on keeping it that way, but I wanted to plant a few seeds of faith in my series. I think if you had to name a predominate religion in the Trek universe, it would be science.

I again bring up the instance of the Bajoran Prophets. The humans of Starfleet just can't accept a mystical definition for these beings, therefore reflecting the lack of mysticism/spirituality in their own culture. I love the Bajorans though. They are such an advanced culture, and faith in their religion is integral to this culture.

Well, here is my idea for a seed of Christianity in my game. It's still a little rough. It revolves around one man who is yet to be named. We'll call him the Preacher for now. The Preacher grew up rough on the Frontier and fell into smuggling. He had a lucrative career, but then something happened to cause a spiritual awakening in him. Still working on the event, like I said, not all fleshed out yet.

This even led him to a life in ministry of the Christian faith, not an easy thing in the 24th century. He founded a colony based around this faith, and named it Enoch. It was composed of like-minded individuals, mostly human, but some aliens who shared the same beliefs (why not have some other races who have found peace in Christianity).

Now, as fate would have it, Enoch was in an area ceded to the Cardassians after their treaty with the Federation. Of course the Preacher and his fellow colonists refused to move. A group of Cardassian soldiers destroyed the colony, and killed most of the inhabitants. They called them "insurgents" and "terrorists" of which they were neither...yet.

The Preacher took the remainder of his fellow colonists and joined up with the Maquis. He secured a raiding vessel and christened it the Redemption. He had commanded a vessel in his days as a smuggler, and now he found use for those skills again, especially in dodging the Federation and Cardassian authorities.

As far as using this idea, it would be a fun setting for a Maquis campaign. However, I plan on using the Preacher and the Redemption for a Starfleet Intelligence mission that involves infiltrating the Maquis.

I am interested in any input you might have on this, and any name suggestions for the Preacher. Also, ideas for the event that changed him from a smuggler to a preacher. Thanks.

[Lt Cmdr Matt]

Religion is doing well in my universe. I wrote a whole species based off a simple stereotype religion of white things are good and black things are bad. When I talk black I don't meen black people. I mean the color that all light rays are absorbed into.

[Rayaru]

We don't know what started World War III in the Star Trek universe... if it was sparked by religious conflict (like most wars in the history of humanity ), then perhaps after its conclusion, religious expression saw a severe decline in a disgusted people.

[Dan Stack]

Moderator mode engaged.

Discussion as to whether religion started most wars in human history is to be discussed in the General Discussion Area. Feel free to open a thread there. It is not something everyone agrees on and discussed here will cause a debate which will have nothing to do with religion in Trek games.

[qerlin]

A oneof your resident atheists: Rock on, Dan!

[Sarge]

Kosst, have you seen any episodes of Firefly? I think your preacher would have a lot to talk about with Shepherd Book.

[Lt.Khrys Antos]

I've always had the feeling that the UFP is basically atheist. Religions are in the background, but aren't often spoken about. I personnally use Chaplians in the Federation Ground Forces, not in ST in which I think counselors are more appropriate.

One of my PC's plays an ex-ground forces Chaplain, he's got the whole kit, but I introduced the "third" testament. I'm also sure that colonies out in the deep's of space have religious individuals in them. Each of the faiths have their primary planet where many of the faithful come from. Sort of like the Vatican concept but in space, a federation colony which abstains from intergalactic politics.

[qerlin]

Originally posted by Sarge
Kosst, have you seen any episodes of Firefly? I think your preacher would have a lot to talk about with Shepherd Book.

Man, great show. Got the whole run on VCD.

[Sarge]

Qerlin, when you say "whole run", how many episodes are you talking about? I have all of them up to "Objects in Space", plus the pilot episode. I've heard that a couple more were filmed, but I haven't seen them.

Hmm, maybe we should take this to another thread. Didn't intend to hijack your thread, Kosst.

[Dan Stack]

Sarge, thanks for the "self-moderation" there. Careful, they'll make you an officer if you keep that up.

One thing I always wanted to try but never got around to... Most religions demand of their members charity - helping those who need help - feeding the hungry, healing the sick. How would a member of a religion act when exposed to a primitive culture suffering from plague, the aftermaths of a nuclear war, famine, etc. How would their faith conflict with the Prime Directive?