Schisms (alignment)

[Whistler]

With the discussion about alignment meaning disagreement, and the fact that gods are prohibited from changing their alignment once set, the thought occured to me that every major religion on earth has faced scisms once their originator was physically absent from the mortal realm.

Islam branched into sunni and shiite, (and later sufi,) budhism broke into 3 distinct types, and even early christianity branched into multiple forms of worship, including the now defunct marion, arian, and gnostic followings.

Why don't we see this in TFC?

this would allow a diety to change their alignment, and allow high ranking members of the following to take over part of the following and follow their own path.

I think it'd add a bit of spice to play, but that's just my 2 pence.

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[Totec]

Worshipers (read: mortals) might apostatize from a sect in pursuit of new ways to worship the same god, but I think your analogy falls short of building an argument to allow FLI's to switch alignment. What you are really arguing for here is decoupling immortals (who have fixed alignment) from their followings (to allow dynamic alignment), and to allow mortals to band and disband under whatever banner tickles their fancy while claiming allegiance to whomever.

I'm just not sure how you can build an argument that deities should have fluid alignment, when their alignment is intended to reflect their nature as immortals. Even if an FLI wants to be good one day and evil the next, it would seem that an alignment of "neutral" has already been elegantly defined to allow for this freedom.

Furthermore, as a historical correction to your question as to why we don't see schisms on TFC, we in fact have had our own schisms. The immortals of Nash have pursued building sects that ultimately worship Nash above themselves across all alignments and styles of play, long after Sirak's original following disbanded.

[Whistler]

although i've come and gone a couple of times over the last dozen years, i honestly have to say i don't remember sirak or that 'schism'

based on your response, big T, i think that i was not very clear in my suggestion.

What i'm suggesting is an alternative method towards dietyhood, which would not require 'release' from a following.

if a max level mortal feels that their diety is not conforming to the standards of the alignment, this would allow them to 'challenge' the diety to demonstrate that they are.

Once the challenge has been issued, both the challenger and the challenged would write up a statement about what they believe the following is supposed to be all about. based solely on these statements, Toku and or Tynian should decide which alignment the statement best reflects.

After this, when others within the original following log on, they'd get a message that says something like "There is a schism in your faith. which do you believe?" at which point both the challenger and the challenged statements would post. the follower chooses which they believe best illustrates their understanding of the faith, and thier following is reassigned at that time.

this would allow for someone who has met the minimum requirements to become immortal to literally steal away a following from someone else and, of course, in most likelihood, a holy war would ensue...

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[Totec]

[Gertrude]

I think the gods should have much more power over thier followers. they should be able to do with thoes that choses to follow them as they please steal, kill help bless as they wish. I think way to many people take there following far to casual bouncing from following to following.
It should be something to take very seriouly and to pick a god that repersents the way you think or challenge your self to please the wishes of the faith even if you disagree.

I think gods should be more visable and take a more active role in interacting with mortals. Even things like Cordirs triva was fun and helped boost moral.

[Anduin]

I think the gods should have much more power over thier followers. they should be able to do with thoes that choses to follow them as they please steal, kill help bless as they wish.

you miss Seraph huh? they shouldn't be able to steal someone's eq that they spent hours and hours to get :P

oh, and we don't need another Cordir that's for sure

[Thor]

I think the gods should have much more power over thier followers. they should be able to do with thoes that choses to follow them as they please steal, kill help bless as they wish.

We can already do all of that.

[Cordir]

you miss Seraph huh? they shouldn't be able to steal someone's eq that they spent hours and hours to get :P
oh, and we don't need another Cordir that's for sure

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..... so glad to hear I'm missed

[Tenko]

I think way to many people take there following far to casual bouncing from following to following.

This part of following hopping is problematic (imho) unless that person has developed a well thought out RP situation around the following change. I've only been in the realm a short time, but I can honestly say that seeing an evil suddenly joining a good following is just down right unbelievable. Who can take that person seriously? Not the folks in the evil following, not the folks in the good following as no one NO ONE can trust that person without questioning their motives. I just scratch my head in wonderment and think "what is that person trying to do?" Is he/she deviously trying to get to know folks in the following so when the time comes to change followings yet again, that he/she can take advantage of the info he/she gained there? I think those kind of people should be examined way more closely, questioned thoroughly, and their rp reviewed and re-reviewed before they are allowed to bounce in and out of followings ad infinitum.

But back to the larger point about schisms and alignment...this sounds like a great RP scenario where a follower, just approved for IMMhood, could split the following and take some to the new following.

[Anduin]

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..... so glad to hear I'm missed

hahaha, too funny

[Otak]

Normally, you can't join a following you don't fully understand/accept. I read a definition online that stated, that "worship" means to love unquestioningly and uncritically. When you worship a diety, it's a commitment. I understand FLI's in this playerbase will take anyone they can get, but following membership should be strict enough so that someone who joins a following shouldn't be able to leave until their diety retires. I know that's not the case today, but it shouldn't be so extreme as to go this far.