This takes place in the far future after there have been multiple cycles of hedonistic societal collapses.
The main reason why the spiritual entity Tanisha takes on the role of a prophet to create an entirely new religion rather then simply reveal one or more prior religions is because none of them existed in a technologically advanced time and so lack the teachings necessary to instruct people how to live in an advanced society.
Transformatisya is heavily influenced by Christianity and Islam with convergent evolution on the Baha’i Faith, but without the non Abrahamic elements because they are considered redundant and unnecessary. The main story of Jesus follows Christianity, although he is considered separate from God. Tanisha was created in the minds of the pre-historic Americans, so included elements of American history in the mythology.
Idolatry remains the most severe sin, but the second most severe sin is anything that leads to or is a product of social isolation. Tanisha was formed in 2004 with memories of being born in 1984 and watched what happens when a technological society isolates itself and can only interact electronically.
I could see this resulting in a very “tough love” approach to manifestations of social anxiety where sufferers are seen as “a danger to themselves” and their own development into the world. Socially isolating interests and behaviors would be viewed as morally evil* and viewed in a self destructive way as something like drug addiction or the socially alienating behaviors of severe mental disorders.
*I want to be clear that this would not be some “chad” or “jock” dystopia. Traditionally “nerd” interests would still be pursued, but the “nerd” aspects would be strong discouraged.
I want to present an “over correction” that prevents this faction from being “unambiguously good” and gives other characters within the same faction something to struggle for reform against where they advocate for people who have been persecuted by this approach.
Tanisha also presents a lot of stories in the form of myths and allegories that are related to 21st century isolation.
How do the religions and secular philosophies of your world deal with problems such as this that only exist in technologically advanced societies?
I had an idea for a religion that believed heavy in simulation theory and that our world is a test to see if you are fit to live in the real world. Some sects think we get to try again after we die and think little of death, some see others as something like NPCs and not really alive leading to a lot of dehumanization of outside groups.
[off topic?]
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. On a distant colony world, some of the humans have evolved super powers. They have made themselves gods in the images of the Hindu pantheon. In order to break their grip, one man assumes the form of the Buddha.
That sounds like an interesting concept.
Zelazny was the master of treating gods like people. Nine Princes in Amber series is about a family who can create worlds on demand. One brother likes playing drums and flying gliders; he creates a world with powerful air currents with civilizations with rhythm heavy music.
Base it on sikhism, which is the religion i predict could become quite predominant in the far future.
I had the idea that Sikhism would be included in one of the “religions of God” which are widely accepted under religious toleration and believed to be a religion whose people who can go directly to Heaven.
Religions of God also have protected status under the Religious Child Protection Act. The Transformatsiya religion takes precedence over any other religions, but if the parents are atheist or pagan and they have a child who expresses interest in a religion of God, the parents are required to affirm their child’s religious beliefs.
How would that religion deal with something akin to psych-wards or prisons where patients/convicts are being isolated as they could harm them and others? Would those institutions, and those who work in them, be considered evil or be martyred?
The idea I had for prisons and mental hospitals is for the two to be merged on paper with criminality being considered a mental health issue as the result of a poor upbringing. People no longer age and felonies have an indefinite period of commitment.
People with such a religious belief would probably reject punishments such as solitary confinement. In very extreme cases it might be necessary to keep people physically isolated, but they’d probably get social workers and possibly even volunteers to try to communicate with the inmates.
This reminds me of the film Franklyn (2008), specifically the relationship between religion and mental health.
The main element of the fantasy world in the film is that it is illegal to not have a religion, regardless of what it is, which leads to a scene where people are reading from a washing machine manual like it’s the bible.
I’m not sure whether or not I should make religion required in the world, but even if it’s technically required, atheism would still end up being tolerated in the conservative cities and progressives wouldn’t feel like trying to push prosecution there. Unironic blasphemy is illegal, but the progressives also believe in free speech enough that they would only take action in very extreme cases.
Believing in any religion other then overt Satanism is considered preferable to atheism, but there are also “religions of God” that are considered more preferable. This includes most Abrahamic religions as well as others if changed, for example, a monotheistic version of Hinduism.
This makes me wonder about people born with autism who have a significantly harder time socializing. Would it be interpreted as a disease or a bad omen? I don’t think there’s been a comparable example in real history, where there is a type of person who is genetically predisposed to violate a religious tenet. The closest example I can think of is the persecution of people with albinism in African nations, but albinos are believed to be magic or cursed, which I doubt transformatisya believes in.
I want to have one of the “good” characters advocate on behalf of people who would be considered autistic, though they don’t use that label in-world. I also want to include it as a debate even within the fictional communist party where there is the majority of the party who take a seemingly cold attitude and a minority of compassionate people who argue for better treatment of the marginalized. The conservative faction takes a hyper individualistic and in some ways hedonistic approach that people can literally do whatever they want if it doesn’t harm anyone, which the religious communists react against. The communists believe that the community has a moral duty to help people who engage in behavior that is self destructive or that will ultimately make them miserable. Often people who are depressed focus on easy and pleasure filled activities that actually end up making them more depressed because they lack goals and purpose.
It’s also worth noting that calloused and evil people are in the minority, usually urban communist gopniks or rural prison guards. Most religious followers believe in treating marginalized people with love and compassion.
Socially isolating interests and behaviors would be viewed as morally evil
Hey, look at that, you created PLAGUEBRINGERS.
What are plaguebringers?
Imagine a global pandemic of a highly contagious airborne virus that requires social isolation to limit spread and impact.
The followers of this religion would actively fight against such measures, spreading the plague, because they find it morally evil to comply with mitigation.
I had an idea for a pandemic in my world where the religious communists are the ones advocating for masks because they argue that it will make mass quarantines unnecessary. The secular conservatives argue that it would cause PTSD.
