Thoughts on Faith.

Obviously, many of us on this site adhere, or do not adhere, to some modicum of faith or meaning. The war itself appears to have supported the idea of Faith for some, and disproved it for others. Therefore, I am intrigued as to what manner of faith, or religion, or dogma that you take inspiration or follow from. Or if you do not follow any faith at all.

Myself, I follow the Mantras of the Pillars as defined by the Faith of Kalnekh, which in the wake of the war has seen something of a resurgence in mainstream batarian society thanks to Khaljah and the clergy's influence over Khar'Shan.

There is much I could say, but I doubt you would like a wall of text explaining every last detail, so I will just link the Galactapedia article on Kalnekh here.

I'm the world's worst Christian, basically. I guess I still believe-it got me through a lot, yeah? And when you'e down in a foxhole sometimes the only thing is to commend your life to some greater power. I'm not the sort that regularly attends church, but a prayer here and there doesn't hurt.

But the Reaper War...it shook my faith. I don't know anymore.

Faith? FAITH?

Where was faith when Auckland was destroyed? Where was faith when my wife's family was killed by Cerberus and it was MY FAULT?
Where was the point of faith when I was shot in the head by a Cerberus gun and forced to run until my feet fucking bled through an Omega under siege by Adjutants? Where was faith when my mother arrived in person to try to kill me? When I was forced to kill my brother? When I lost my OTHER brother and HIS family due to the goddamn reaper invasion?

I don't need faith to move on and continue my life.

yep, i remember it clearly. thessalonians, chapter 14, verse 42. 'and lo will giant sentient starships appear from dark space and begin to ruin your shit. they will brainwash your loved ones and turn others into half-organic abominations that they will then throw at you as expendable shock troops. then, equally as inexplicably, there'll be this big flash of light that reaches the whole galaxy and then they'll all repair the shit they broke and fuck off equally as inexplicably.' my favourite book of the bible.

i hope when i die i hope to lodge a complaint with the fuckwit that made this universe.

I am an atheist but I understand the reasons why religion can be comforting to people. It is nice to believe that there is some magical deity or great balancing force that will inevitably fix things or take care of your loved ones when they die.

When you're in a foxhole, sometimes you have to believe that something out there's looking out for you-that all of it has to mean something. Not everyone is going to find meaning in religion, but I did.

With respectful greetings to the other, K_O:

With due respect and apologies for any offence caused, this one has been unable to find further reference to "the fuckwit" as a figure of religious significance. This one wonders if any link may be provided so that this one and others seeking insight could cross-reference The Fuckwit with other, more prominant deities and Enkindlers. Would this one be correct in translating Its name as a reference to the act of mating with intelligent will and/or clever manipulation of words and their underlying concepts? If so, this suggests a most interesting religious tradition indeed! Hanar faith is itself centred on the gift of language and intellect, and the Enkindlement of the Light, the Word, by higher and more illuminated beings.

This one asks pardon for its excitement, but threads such as this validate entirely this one's decision to seek dialogue with the CDN community! This one is most pleased to see myriad voices speak on spiritual matters. If this one may impose upon the others (within the boundaries of decorum, naturally), could links to any traditions and interpretations of such be posted, to aid this one in its studies?

This one offers most profound thanks to the others, for granting it the opportunity to gain insight so soon!

I'm one of the few of my species who still believes in our old gods. That I owe to several years of ingraining from my mother. Besides, it helped while being in the compact. My gods were my own, even if I serve the Hanar. (No bitterness there, but I can't agree with their beliefs.)

Since I was a bodyguard, I follow the teachings of Arashu, goddess of motherhood and protection. When I began fighting in the war, I paid homage to Amonkira, lord of hunters, to keep my aim true and my reflexes sharp. When I'm hurt, I pray to Valahira, the healer. And to her sister, Kalahira, who rules the seas and the afterlife. There's an entire pantheon I could go into, but I think I'll stop there.

I understand why people find it hard to believe, after everything that we've gone through. But I suppose I'm just a person who finds comfort in faith.

skhash is an shepardisawesometafarian.

While Najhil has no Faith in a higher Power, per se, Najhil holds the Teachings of Jharkul very close to Najhil's Heart, which Najhil guesses One could call a 'Faith'. The closest analogue that Najhil can think of is the Human philosophy of Buddhism, which many People call a Religion.

I looked into siari a bit during the war. I was, well, bitter. About a lot of things. Hell, sometimes I still am. It helped a little, but probably not for the intended reasons. I think it mostly just inspired me towards some introspection that was...more level-headed, I guess, than what I'd been doing.

I'm not sure I can believe in anything 'higher' than other people after the last two years.

it's a catch-all. whichever all-powerful deity or whatever that gets to do the whole judgement time thing when i die, they're a fuckwit and i'm going to kick them in whatever genitalia they may or may not have the moment i get the chance.

This one worships the Enkindlers. Those who uplifted, and taught us the art of speech and civilization many centuries ago. And whose gift saved us from the Reapers.


How unfortunate.

Further reading required on:

Kalnekh
Drell Pantheon of Antiquity
Teachings of Jharkul
Buddhism (similarity to above?)
The Fuckwit (note: possible schism regarding presence or lack of genitalia)

Never seen the point in it. Life's too short to spend most of it following some religion in pursuit of worshiping an idea in the hopes of getting into some place of eternal bliss after we die when you can't be sure if either actually exists.
Even if one did exist, any divine all-mighty being sadistic enough to create a galaxy as truly fucked up as this one isn't worth worshipping.

I'm not exactly a believer here either (one may even go so far as to say an atheist), and I think that's pretty common today.

I'm just not convinced it's a good thing.

It seems like all species like having communities and beliefs to follow and religion in the past supplied a lot of that. Nowadays people often have to make it up as they go, which sometimes is good and sometimes is really bad. One advantage of religion is that people don't get to establish the rules (theoretically, I know some man/woman must have or else I need to drop this atheism bit), they at most only get to interpret them. This means moral rules are separate from human whims. Without religion, all too often morals do just become whims. Some religious rules were stupid, but most made a lot of sense. But now anyone comes along with a moral theory and lots just jump on board because why not. I'm not convinced that's an improvement.

Now I know the clock can't get turned back here. I just take a quiet moment to mourn a loss every now and then.

I have faith that we can achieve whatever we set out to do, so long as we possess sufficient determination.

I have a simple faith; in the inevitable greed, corruption and need for legal assistance of my fellow sapients. Reassuring to know will never have need to question faith. Also, will never have need for alternate source of income.

Amen to that.
Personally I'm agnostic. I'm not sure there is a god, but if there is he's one sick son of a bitch.

Far from what you call the religious type, though I have entertained thought that there is someplace waiting for all of us when we die more than once.