Space Western - Need Quotes For The Wise Book of Acumen

[GamerDude]

What would a Western be like without some good ol' Bible thumpin' and a preacher spittin' out hellfire and damnation?

Well I did not want to really go into a religion in my Loneseda Western campaign because the full pool of players have like 5 religions among them: A Jew, a JW, a Catholic, a Protestant, and 2 Muslims. A preacher spoutin' Bible verses verses during the game probably would not sit well with 3 of the players, and definitely not with 2 of the players.

How Politically Correct has gaming become? You want an npc to be a caricature of a certain stereotype of a religious leader from our past... lets say that's the ol' "Hell Fire and Brim Stone Itinerant Preacher". If your group is truly roleplaying they should be going with their character's stated belief sets.

Another way, if any of them watched Firefly/Serenity would they be incensed by Shepard Book when he spoke from the bible/spoke as a man of the Christian God etc.? If they wouldn't take offense then they shouldn't take offense to what you do... IF you talk to them first and then don't go overboard.

 

[rust]

It is always a bit risky to use parts of real world religions, for example
quotes from their holy scriptures, for entertainment purposes, and it is
rarely necessary to do so. Unless the players would explicitly state that
they will accept it as an element of the setting, it would be a strict no-go
for me. In my view this is a question of respect, not of political correct-
ness.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

From the book of Jak:

2:13 "The key to survival is to be faster scared than they are mad"

4:22 "Whether you are in deep despair, or the highest high, a spam sandwich still tastes like crap."

12:12 "Don't pick up a sword that's smarter than you"

 

[alex_greene]

Clearly you haven't been reading the other thread, then.

The setting is uniquely Western in its approach, save for one little detail. The Temple is where the congregation go to receive the blessings of the community preacher, who reads out passages of philosophy to them.

Now these philosophies could come from any source - a lot of the lessons of the Book of Acumen could come from Vilani, Solomani and even Zhodani philosophers - but a vast chunk of the Book of Acumen is devoted to philosophies, or at least quotes from the philosophies, of Terran origin - including the Stoicism-based "logic" of "Surak of Vulcan and His Prophet, Spock."

Lines such as "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you'll find that you get what you need," (Seneca, Stoicism, Rome / The Rolling Stones, 1960s) "Beware of strong drink. It makes you shoot at tax collectors - and miss," (Heinlein, "Time Enough for Love") and "The quantity of civilization is measured by the quality of imagination" (Victor Hugo) are life-affirming aphorisms by which means the preacher's sermons would serve to cement the community's identity in an inclusive manner.

Its secularity is what would draw folks of all different faiths together and remind them that they are all a part of a greater whole. And if they keep the people from shooting one another over a card game, so much the better.

 

[RichardP]

Asimov: poor atom-blaster that doesn't point both ways

Modified asimov - violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, as only the incompetent leave it to last.

Foster: If god had meant for man to devote himself to god he should not have made worlds so complicated.

Heinlien: there is no such thing as a free lunch

Laumer: I am a greater believer in peaceful co-operations and there is nothing as peaceful as a dead troublemaker

Cheers
Richard

 

[DFW]

"After three days men grow weary, of a wench, a guest, and weather rainy."

"Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead."

"If you would not be forgotten
As soon as you are dead and rotten,
Either write things worthy reading,
Or do things worth the writing."

- Benjamin Franklin

 

[hdan]

How Politically Correct has gaming become?

If you're running a game where people won't be amused by something, don't put it in the game. The point is to have fun, not create provocative art.

 

[zero]

Sign me up for a copy of the Book of Winfield, I think as I wander the earth, being all Kung-Fu and shiz, it'll be of great help when I'm reduced to eating out of people's trashcans :lol:

 

[Solomani666]

A preacher spoutin' Bible verses verses during the game probably would not sit well with 3 of the players, and definitely not with 2 of the players.

Why? Are they that intolerant of another belief? Or can they not suspend their belief to enjoy the encounter with the preacher? What will happen, will they argue with the NPC in character? Or refuse to acknowledge that religion exists in the future.

It completely and utterly baffles me, it really does .... :?: :?:

I would much rather have my players enjoy the game, and a large part of that is making them feel comfortable.

I managed to get Muslims to play PC's that drink alcohol. I don't think I need to stretch their sensibilities any further.


.

 

[Solomani666]

A preacher spoutin' Bible verses verses during the game probably would not sit well with 3 of the players, and definitely not with 2 of the players.

Why? Are they that intolerant of another belief? Or can they not suspend their belief to enjoy the encounter with the preacher? What will happen, will they argue with the NPC in character? Or refuse to acknowledge that religion exists in the future.

It completely and utterly baffles me, it really does .... :?: :?:

I get it - Since the NPC isn't a real person with a real faith, and any views "espoused" by the NPC are actually coming from the mind of the GM, one could easily interpret what's going on as the GM mocking preachers.

I would find it amusing, but then again, irreverence doesn't rub me the wrong way. I know it does bother some people though. Obviously you know your friends better than any of us do.

Acumenanism is not a 'religion' but a following of wise principles and philosophies.

Having a preacher use over the top scare tactics is not mocking what real preachers believe or say, but poking fun at the stereotype of a certain kind of preacher.

Note that the word 'Hell' was never used in any of my examples. The closest religious language I intend to use is the word 'fate'.


.

 

[Rick]

From the collected teachings of Schlock:

The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

1. Pillage, then burn.
2. A Sergeant in motion outranks a Lieutenant who doesn't know what's going on.
3. An ordnance technician at a dead run outranks everybody.
4. Close air support covereth a multitude of sins.
5. Close air support and friendly fire should be easier to tell apart.
6. If violence wasn’t your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
8. Mockery and derision have their place. Usually, it's on the far side of the airlock.
9. Never turn your back on an enemy.
10. Sometimes the only way out is through. . . through the hull.
11. Everything is air-droppable at least once.
12. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head.
13. Do unto others.
14. "Mad Science" means never stopping to ask "what's the worst thing that could happen?"
15. Only you can prevent friendly fire.
16. Your name is in the mouth of others: be sure it has teeth.
21. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Take his fish away and tell him he's lucky just to be alive, and he'll figure out how to catch another one for you to take tomorrow.
27. Don't be afraid to be the first to resort to violence.
29. The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy. No more. No less.
30. A little trust goes a long way. The less you use, the further you'll go.
31. Only cheaters prosper.
34. If you’re leaving scorch-marks, you need a bigger gun.
35. That which does not kill you has made a tactical error.
36. When the going gets tough, the tough call for close air support.
37. There is no 'overkill.' There is only 'open fire' and 'I need to reload.’
Alternate version: There is no 'overkill.' There is only 'open fire' and 'time to reload.'
38. Just because it's easy for you doesn't mean it can't be hard on your clients.

 

[Solomani666]

What would a Western be like without some good ol' Bible thumpin' and a preacher spittin' out hellfire and damnation?

Well I did not want to really go into a religion in my Loneseda Western campaign because the full pool of players have like 5 religions among them: A Jew, a JW, a Catholic, a Protestant, and 2 Muslims. A preacher spoutin' Bible verses verses during the game probably would not sit well with 3 of the players, and definitely not with 2 of the players.

How Politically Correct has gaming become? You want an npc to be a caricature of a certain stereotype of a religious leader from our past... lets say that's the ol' "Hell Fire and Brim Stone Itinerant Preacher". If your group is truly roleplaying they should be going with their character's stated belief sets.

Another way, if any of them watched Firefly/Serenity would they be incensed by Shepard Book when he spoke from the bible/spoke as a man of the Christian God etc.? If they wouldn't take offense then they shouldn't take offense to what you do... IF you talk to them first and then don't go overboard.

The whole point of having a preacher NPC is that he does go overboard.


.

 

[Solomani666]

From the collected teachings of Schlock:

The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

ROFLMAO!!! :lol:


I'll use it when a mercenary unit passes through town.


.

 

[Solomani666]

Thank you All for your contributions!


If anyone has posted quotes from actual characters, fictional or non-fictional, could you please reedit your posts to include the first name if it is less than totally obvious. I may try to get other quotes from that person to fill out the book.


Example: Book of Wayne (John) 23:12


I guess I was just too dumb to figure some of them out.


.

 

[Rick]

From the collected teachings of Schlock:

The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

ROFLMAO!!! :lol:


I'll use it when a mercenary unit passes through town.


.

Howard Tayler's SchlockMercenary is not only a brilliant read, but a great source of Traveller mercenary-style scenario's, all with a bizarre twist, of course!

 

[GamerDude]

The whole point of having a preacher NPC is that he does go overboard.

That's your call... but if you do there will be a place waiting for you in hell... that special hell reserved for murders, rapists, and people who talk in movie theaters.





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