Other Native mythology/religion

[Scattered Ambitions]

Just wondering if it would be offensive to write a Percy Jackson type book about Native American mythology/religions. I wouldn't change much, and I wouldn't use every tribes legends and myths. I just don't want to offend anyone.

 

[CastoffCaptain]

It depends on how you present it, and how respectfully you do it, I suppose. Would be easier if you could speak with the members of whatever tribe you're drawing the info from.  These are people's gods you'll be writing about. They are alive to them. And that would apply to -any- pantheon or culture. 


To me, seeing stuff like Percy Jackson can be iffy. I'm a pagan henotheist who follows Hermes, and seeing the Greek gods presented in a disrespectful and/or half-assed light really bugs me and can be infuriating. But that's just me. Other Hellenists might have a different opinion.  I'm also not a member of an oppressed people-- so see if you can find some blogs where you can discuss it with NA folks. (It also bothers me to see people RPing my gods, too.  How would the majority of Christians take it if I asked for a Jesus RP, especially if I did it without much research?)


So, maybe ask the folks to whom it would be the most important, and make sure you come at it in a religiously respectful light. When done well, things like that can actually be informative and a cultural teaching tool. 

 

[M.J. Saulnier]

I really don't think it's that big of a deal. There will always be a sour soul out to make a point and crusade against something, no matter what you do or how you do it. The majority of people can separate art from reality, inspiration and borrowing of concepts from disrespect and botchery.


I would say do you, for your reasons, on your own damn terms. It's art, not an attempt to rewrite or even accurately represent the culture in an authoritative way, or like some form of assertion on the entire beleif system... It's a story...


Admirable that you've considered this, but I don't think it's that big of a deal to most people, especially on an RP site. We can make the distinction between an attack, and art.


Like I'm a huge fan of Greek myths and stories, but when I see something like Percy Jackson, I can relax and enjoy it for what it is, not get all twisted up because they used a certain aspect of 1 version of these gods, or didn't use this, changed that, etc. They weren't setting out to actively adhere to it perfectly, so it's not disrespectful.


If you were an expert on Native American culture, mythology and beliefs, people would expect a greater degree of accuracy from you, but that's assuming you wanted accuracy, as opposed to drawing inspiration from it. As someone who isn't an expert, but has a desire to do something like this, I think most level headed people would respect your effort, and admire the gesture. That culture is something we need more of in the mainstream, and even RP. People will respect that, even if the particulars aren't lined up flawlessly.


@CastoffCaptain I'm not trying to be rude at all, just discussing the topic at hand:


I don't think it should bother individuals that much. This is an RP community where people should reserve the right to let their creativity roam where ever it leads them, free of fear and judgement being placed upon it in that sort of way.


If a christian, or yourself for that matter, can't handle Jesus or Hermes being put in an RP, in any capacity, I think you owe it to yourselves to avoid those types of situations. It's not fair for the individual to judge others based on your religious beliefs. That's something most religions seem to struggle with.


When going down that road, especially with archaic religions like the Hellenistic faith, you have a lot of battles to fight, and I'm willing to bet you will look, sound, and feel pretty silly before it's all said and done.


Do you realize most religions are based entirely on the words and influence of mere mortals? How do you think faith start, cultivate, spread, pass on from generation to generation? The entire christian umbrella of faiths is based entirely upon on the writings and accounts of over 50 different men spanning hundreds of years.


Way back when everyone seemed to know exactly what the Olympians were up to. Intimate details and accounts of their affairs and adventures. But it's kinda funny how nothing has been heard from any of them since the decline of Greece and the rise of the Roman Catholic Empire.


The vast majority of modern minds view all of this as fictitious, myself included. It's as much your part to respect that as it is mine to respect your beliefs. Logic tells us there cannot be that many gods, a set of all-powerful deities for each culture, all responsible for a creation myth...


I believe there may be a set of deities, and that they have influenced many cultures, resulting in many different myths and depictions of them. That is more likely and logical than all of them existing as we know them. When you look very closely at the Hellenistic mythology, it very suspiciously feels like the work of the human imagination, more-so than any other faith in recorded history.


But hey, that's just my belief.


All I'm saying is, your faith shouldn't be threatened or offended by an online RP, because that's the least of your worries in this day and age. You should have more resolve and tolerance.