I think there is a big difference between praying to God in a
dire situation (even non-religious people often do this, it reflects
their upbringing i guess), and performing archaic rituals. If said
soldier had started jumping up and down, and throwing holy water
around while he chanted over his machine gun, it would be another thing entirely. If he did that every time he was going to use it,
he'd be a stir crazy fanatic :)
I agree that religion has nothing to do with logic or rationale,
that's why religious people have faith. Thats exactly my problem
with a machine god. Machines are per definition logical, and any
race which recognizes that fact will not combine it with religion.
Its one thing to pray that your car will start when its 30 below,
another thing entirely to believe that it wont start *unless* you
pray. I do agree that there are always factions which will believe
different things. If a UFO landed today, most people would be in
awe at their technology. There are still some who would show up
in robes, and start chanting about the second coming or whatever. These people do not represent the majority, and certainly not the rest of our civilization. In the 40k universe, things are certainly
different, but it still doesnt make it likely in the real world.
On a side note, this whole ritual to make things work thing sounds
like the problems a person with a compulsive disorder would experience. F.ex, he'll check that the door is locked exactly 7 times every time he goes out, he's not sure its locked unless he
does that. 6 times, and he's not sure. He has rituals he has to go through, otherwise his daily life is unbearable. A person like this
would probably have a lengthy ritual just to start his car, and would be 100% sure the car wouldnt start unless he completed it exactly right.
Just my daily ramblings :)
Rune
>
> Fra: <eivind.borgeteien_at_...>
> Dato: 2002/05/23 Thu AM 10:25:45 CEST
> Til: netepic_at_yahoogroups.com
> Emne: Sv: Re: Sv: Sv: Sv: Sv: RE: [NetEpic ML] GW vs Epic questions
>
> Religion has nothing to do with tings logic or rational. I can imagine many soldiers in a tight spot has prayed to his god "please, dont let my machine gun jam now!"
>
> Does it work? Thats probably questionable in our mundane world, but in the 40K universe, these things does actually do, so Im not at all surpised over the religious aproch to tecnology.
>
> Eivind
> >
> > Fra: Daryl Lonnon <dlonnon_at_...>
> > Dato: 2002/05/22 Wed PM 06:07:21 CEST
> > Til: netepic_at_yahoogroups.com
> > Emne: Re: Sv: Sv: Sv: Sv: RE: [NetEpic ML] GW vs Epic questions
> >
> > rune.karlsen6_at_... wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > Using psychers has nothing to do with religion in my book. Its
> > > when you start calling people "priests" or such and believe that
> > > a deity is behind the technology that we are talking religion.
> > > I can understand that the technology has been lost for millennia,
> > > but even then a fairly evolved race will recognize the difference
> > > between religious writings and actual technical descriptions.
> >
> > < cut some stuff >
> >
> > I was always under the impression that much of imperials "big" technology
> > (warp engines, void sheild generators, etc.) was effected (at least
> > somewhat) by the psychic field they were used in. So praying
> > that the warp engines didn't break down ... might very well keep
> > the warp engines from breaking down. Since there were quantifiable
> > results that occured from placing the trappings of religion around
> > the use of some machinery ... it became codified as standard
> > Imperial doctrine. (i.e. "The captain will now lead the crew in
> > prayer for the continued function of the warp guidance computer",
> > removing the gargoyles from the Imperial battlecruiser results in
> > the shields failing 20% more often, etc.).
> >
> > Over time this spread out to machinery that had no warp connection
> > (i.e. praying that your bolter will continue to function).
> >
> > Just a random thought,
> > Daryl
> >
> >
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> >
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> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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>
Received on Thu May 23 2002 - 09:28:06 UTC