In going through my list of ideas for Theme Issues, it occurred to me that
Traveller comes across as indifferent to religion. This contrasts with some
other games out there that

    (a) portray as fundamental to the background a religious model that
        generates active hostility from many real-world religious
        communities, or
    (b) embed a religious model (or rather, lack-of-religious model) that
        is actively hostile to religion in general, or
    (c) embed a religious model that is very specific to one particular
        real-world religion, and is thus effectively hostile to any
        competing model.

Traveller's indifference to religion, as contrasted with the models above,
is, in my opinion, a good thing. It leaves the portrayal of (and influence
of) religion in any particular group's games up to mutual agreement within
that group, and thus reduces the chance of active hostility to the game
itself.

However, since some of the games that fit into model (a) above are some of
the earliest-developed and perhaps longest-available, later games (such as
Traveller) are tarred with the same brush, and some religious communities
thus consider _all_ classic RPGs to be unacceptable (even if the game model
fits (c) above, and it's their own religion).

(I use "classic" RPGs to refer to pencil-paper-and-dice RPGs, as opposed to
computer "shoot-'em-ups" that have [mis]appropriated the label.)

I think that a Religion theme issue can potentially show others that
religion, treated respectfully, can be a part of a classic RPG _without_
necessarily falling into any of the three hostility-generating modes. Yes,
there are some religious communities that will ignore - or be hostile to -
any treatment that doesn't conform to their views and tenets, but I think
that by and large, even on such a sensitive subject as religion, most
people will be willing to accept differing views that are presented
respectfully and without active hostility to their own.

To that end, I would like the Traveller community to step up and write the
following:

1a. A reasoned argument _in favor of_ incorporating religion into
    Traveller.
1b. A reasoned argument _against_ incorporating religion into Traveller.

(Articles answering either of these would go into the Prep Room)

2. Referee's Notes on using religion in Traveller, respectfully.

(Articles answering this would also go into the Prep Room)

3. Adventures in which religion plays a significant role. Both long form
   and short form are encouraged.

(Articles answering this would (naturally) go into Active Measures)

4. Characters for whom their faith is central. The character
   description/bio should reflect this. While clergy would be the most
   obvious role for such a character, it is not the only possible role;
   please do not rule out explorations of those other possibilities. Even
   characters in 'standard' roles might have faith-related motivations for
   their current attitudes or prior careers.

(Articles answering this would (naturally) go into Up Close and Personal)

5. "Encyclopedia" articles about religions that appear in your Traveller
   universe. Since the idea here is _respectful_ treatment of religion,
   please avoid anything that would look too much like the 'California Cult
   of the Week'. It is known that certain present-day denominations are
   quite litigious about portrayals of their tenets or practices; please be
   careful about making your fictitious religion look too much like those
   denominations.

(Articles answering this would go into Kurishdam, probably Lecture Hall and
Library:The Club Room)

6. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO DO THE RESEARCH: If you know of someone
   theologically educated in any present-day religion, and is _not_ hostile
   to SF in general or classic RPGs, I would very much be interested in
   seeing articles discussing how present-day denominations might handle a
   transition into a Traveller-like milieu, and what might need to change
   and how to accommodate the milieu. Specific questions might be
   adaptations of doctrine or ritual to handle fundamental cultural or
   biological differences, whether non-humans aliens would be or could be
   acceptable as congregants, religious governance when the fastest that
   doctrinal declarations or other direction could get to some
   congregations is months or years later, etc.

(Articles answering this would _probably_ go into Kurishdam:Lecture Hall
and Library - but I'm not actually certain of this)

7. There are a few games - most in group (c) above - that are, in fact,
   religion-centric. Reviews of those games, covering both presentation and
   playability as a game and their treatment of religion, would be welcome
   for this theme issue. Please be respectful of the treatment, even if the
   treatment is not itself respectful of religions not its own.

(Articles answering this would go into Critics' Corner:Other People's Toys)

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referenced materials is not intended to
infringe or devalue the trademark.

--
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Freelance Traveller
    The Electronic Fan-Supported Traveller® Resource
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