[text; wee hours of the morning]

[medalsome]

Do you believe in God? Gods? Do they exist where you're from? What about angels or demons or anything like that?

Where I'm from the existence of gods is hard to deny. People are pretty devote and religious. Church is an intrinsic part of our culture. It takes someone pretty hardheaded or self-centered to deny the existence of higher powers, but here there's not much emphasis on religion. Guess I'm just kinda curious now. Is it more like my home in your worlds, or more like this one?

[Joaquin may be slightly drunk, or perhaps he's just tired.]

Comments

[driftsintobuffetline]

DUDE. GO TO SLEEP. GO THE FUCK TO SLEEP.

I love you, man, but it's ttoo darmn early for theological questions and philosphy and whatever thois shit is
but no
i'm an atheist
but after the kaiju i could almost believe that guy from Ancient Aliens. almost
go the fucl to sleep

[medalsome]

YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

You say that but you're responding. What's wrong with staying awake late now and then?

Huh. So you don't think those monsters you fought could have been maybe demons?

[driftsintobuffetline]

I CAN
you can opt not to listen
but i can still tellu what to do

aren't you like earlie to bed, early to ride
rise?
amd yes I'm responding - im working on smthng

no. they are egenetically engineered creatures manufactured for the sole purpose of annhiliation of a planet's livin species
if anyone is a demon it's the precursors and to consider them dieties would be what they (a) would probably like and (b) gives them too much credit and (v0 is like. removing accountablility or something

text;

[amadaman]

There are some people who believe in them. My world has lot of different religions and lots of people from my country believe in stuff like the afterlife.

I don't know about them actually being gods but I do know that there are some pretty powerful things out there. I fought one once.]

[you know just humanity's collective desire for death]

[medalsome]

Then I'm not listening!

I do usually go to bed early but I couldn't sleep tonight. It happens. Sometimes. And you're always working on something.

I got maybe half of that, but okay, I'll take your word for it.

[driftsintobuffetline]

oo rebel

yes, i am always working on something. don't tell Hermann.
you wana talk about lack of sleep
or why
or whatever just so its not this
or this is good
what's up, man?

what did I say that was confusing this time? seriously. I thought we were talking the same language this time

[medalsome]

I think there might be several religions in my world, too, but my country tends to stick mainly to Catholicism as far as churches are concerned. But I know there are more gods out there beyond the Christian God.

Man, a kid your age fighting something like that, though... Seems like quite a burden to bear.

[medalsome]

I am a product of the revolution, ha!

Alright, a surprise. Got it.

Nothing much just... thinking, I guess. Maybe I'm a little homesick?... In a few days, it'll have been a year.

I think we were but somewhere along the lines you started not spelling things right. Or using weird words.

[amadaman]

Yeah it depends on the country! The shrine I visited a lot is technically Shinto? But we don't think about that stuff much. It's just been there and you pay respect to it.

And it was tough but it's not like i was alone, so it's not as hard. It's been a little weird thinking about it though how there really is something that powerful out there.

[driftsintobuffetline]

dork

oh
that's right. halloweenish time is our Joaquiniversary.

Ok ok. Let it not be said I cannot type. One does not get 6 degrees in the modern era by being unable to type and use spellcheck. :P I said the Kaiju were created and the Precursors suck and I won't do them the service of calling them deities because they don't deserve it. They're creatures capable of evil, but that doesn't make them anything special. I'm a creature capable of evil, too. Aren't we all?

text

[missleadingquestions]

In my world there are a lot of different religions, but mine doesn't really focus on gods or anything

just the spirits of the living and the dead!

[medalsome]

It's a good idea to show respect to any place that could have some sort of spiritual connection. [Joaquin could agree with that.]

Humanity and human life can seem pretty fragile in comparison. There's something disquieting about knowing we could just be pawns in a game, easily wiped out or blessed if they so choose.

[medalsome]

Spirits of the living and the dead, huh? We think about that, too.

It's important back home to remember the people you cared about that have passed on. We even have a specific day to contemplate the dead and we leave offerings around their graves so they can find comfort when they return to visit us.

[amadaman]

Mm yeah. But our world's powers weren't really like that.

One of our powerful things only appeared because she responded to the way we felt as humans. And another was only born from the emotions of humans. In a way, we controlled the world more than anything else?

[darwinatrix]

No. A higher power is a delusion to make people more comfortable with their mortality.

[medalsome]

A manly man, you mean.

[Joaquiniversary makes him laugh but that doesn't translate to text.] Yeah, we met for the first time nearly a year ago.

Alright, that makes a lot more sense.

[There's a pause before he sends the last of his message:]

I know that too well, Newt. In that sense, though, I don't think gods are all that different from people either. They're just as capable of good as they are evil.

[medalsome]

Oh? Back home, they seemed to do what they wanted for the most part.

That's... interesting. But I guess it's not that surprising. I'm sure our thoughts and wishes and prayers have some impact on how gods and spirits and things treat us.

[medalsome]

That's an interesting perspective, but one that wouldn't much fly where I'm from. No offense meant, General.

People where I'm from... it doesn't matter how tough or weak you are, you know that spirits exist. Souls exist. And gods sometimes show their faces in the most dire of times.

[missleadingquestions]

Oh, really? that's pretty cool

Yeah, it's just my job to channel the dead so people can consult with them!! We don't have a day where they come back to us specifically but we do often leave them offerings at shrines

[medalsome]

Yeah, it's all about remembrance of the good times you've had and respect. Manolo could tell you more about it.

Wait... So... You can talk to the dead? Like, directly?

[driftsintobuffetline]

A DORK

...We should do something for it.




Yeah, but then how do you differentiate a god from a non-god?
Immortality? We've met some near immortals here; I wouldn't consider them gods.
The power to create life? Science creates life. Women create life. It's an amazing thing, but it is not godly.
Is it a power over other people? Governments have that power. Abusers exhibit power over others.
Otherworldly powers? What is this-worldly? Because Hermann's math skills can look otherworldly to the right audience. The imPorts' powers are otherworldly...but for some of those among us, they are everyday things!
A following? Cult leaders, rockstars, celebrities all have followings, some nearing religious status, but they're not gods.


Where do you draw the line?

[missleadingquestions]

noooooooot really
it's more like

other people can talk to the dead through me

[medalsome]

A HANDSOME MANLY GUY!

Hey, I'd be up for that.


What makes a god? Well, I always figured it was sorta like... dominion over heaven or whatever afterlife there is out there. They have some influence on our world, at least the ones back home do, and they don't really get too caught up in our affairs but sometimes they will. I'm sure Manolo knows more about it than I do. He's actually met some of them, after all. I've just seen them from afar.

Wait, no, I've met one before. Didn't realize it at the time, but he was probably more like... the devil rather than God.

[medalsome]

Oh. Well, I mean, it must be nice to talk to someone you haven't been able to see in a long time, even if it's not them directly.

[missleadingquestions]

yeah, it is!

i got to talk to my sister once

i think it's a pretty cool job