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The latest patch 5.4 newsBreakfast Topic: Are there atheists in Azeroth?
by Chad Abshire 
Aug 30th 2010 at 8:00AM
Atheism is a rejection in the belief of deities. In the real world, that is easy enough to understand. There are many religions practiced on Earth, and most of them (if not all) worship at least one deity. This could be a god or goddess that is associated with a certain characteristic or trait, or it could be a creator, one divine being that shaped everything that is everything from nothing. Whatever your beliefs are, atheism is simply a rejection that any of that happened or exists.
But what happens when we push reality into fiction and bring this thought into the game world that we all log in to? Can atheism really exist in Azeroth? We know that there are gods and goddesses that have roles in WoW. A few of them have even been seen in game, like Hakkar or Yogg-Saron. But there are many that have yet to make an appearance, like Elune or the other Old Gods that we've yet to uncover.
But are they really gods? They might simply be incredibly powerful beings that the mortals of Azeroth have dubbed to be gods and worship as such. It's hard to relate this thought to our reality, because we don't live in a magical world where people can conjure food from thin air or call down a thunderstorm on command every 45 seconds. That's where the suspension of disbelief comes into play.
We might not have visible gods that can be proven in our world, but in Azeroth, there are quite clearly powerful beings that are divine or unholy or whatever. From a roleplaying standpoint, it seems nearly impossible to play a character that doesn't believe in a god. That character doesn't have to worship a god, but to deny that any one exists is ignorance.
There were Titans in Azeroth. They created many things. There is evidence of them. Likewise, there are Old Gods as well. They delight in chaos. We've killed two of them. There are demons, there are angels, and there are many things that you cannot deny exist in Azeroth.
What do you think? Can there be a legitimate form of atheism in WoW?
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 12)
Dochand Aug 30th 2010 8:19AM
An argument could be made in favor of atheism in Azeroth. I believe lore says that many forsaken lost their faith once they regained their will. If an atheist really desired to they could rationalize alot of the more powerful beings in the world as sufficiently powerful enough that they have no idea what they are. We are still not entirely sure where the Light comes from, what the Naruu actually are, or where the Forgotten Shadow comes from. The Old Gods can be explained away as just being impossibly powerful monsters due to being Eldritch Abominations, and the Titans can be viewed as a sufficiently advanced alien race going around and leaving their mark on various worlds such as Azeroth. Jury is still out on the Naruu in my mind though.
Hades Aug 30th 2010 8:22AM
I asked God and He said the question in this article only applies to Role Players, because nobody would even care unless they were a Role Player.
Then He told me that even in heaven, where everyone is unimaginably nice, Role Players are huge nerds that can't even get in because they always make things awkward for everyone else who is just trying to have a good time there.
Since Role Players are going to hell, God said not to really worry about the answer.
I said, "Amen to that, God. Amen to that."
jealouspirate Aug 30th 2010 8:33AM
I know, right? Who let the role players into our Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game? The nerve!
...wait what?
P.S. It's a sad day when someone with gaming as a hobby is calling some with slightly different gaming hobbies a 'nerd' in a derogatory way. I mean, really? Yeah, raiding is so much cooler than RPing. Tell that to someone who doesn't play video games and see what reaction you get.
ROB13 Aug 30th 2010 8:45AM
"If you talk to God, you're religious. If God talks to you, you're psychotic" - Dr. House
Hades Aug 30th 2010 8:53AM
lol, stop it nerd.
your whole rant reinforces everything I believe about role-players... my friends/family all know I'm a "gamer". They think it's nerdy. It IS nerdy. I know it's nerdy too. I don't care. Rather than try and convince them it is this hobby for "really cool people", I'm totally ok with the fact that one part of my life is a total nerd-fest. It makes me who I am... I am part Irish, part Dutch, part Nerd. I like me.
You on the other hand are apparently self-conscious about your nerdiness, even to the point that you get flaming mad when you are called a nerd by someone you consider a nerd.
Chew on that. Nerd.
bynde Aug 30th 2010 9:30AM
"I'm totally ok with the fact that one part of my life is a total nerd-fest. It makes me who I am... I am part Irish, part Dutch, part Nerd. I like me."
What's the part of you called that insults strangers on the internet? I'd offer an opinion but I don't wish to be banned.
Hades Aug 30th 2010 10:24AM
lol the first post was a joke... It was written so tongue-in-cheek I can't imagine taking that seriously.
After that first post, I didn't insult anyone. I called someone a nerd after I clearly labeled myself as one.
I think it's more of a self-perception issue you have. Lighten up.
Oni Stardust Aug 30th 2010 12:55PM
"lol the first post was a joke... It was written so tongue-in-cheek I can't imagine taking that seriously. "
Everyone was quite aware that it was a joke. The problem is the joke wasn't funny. Claiming that all roleplayers go to hell for being nerds, even if it was a "joke", was taking things too far.
And jealouspirate was simply pointing out the huge "pot calling the kettle black" aspect of your post. Which, much unlike your joke, was very funny.
Simply put, you're being picked on for being a douche bag.
Hades Aug 30th 2010 8:12PM
the pot likes being black
the pot doesn't have a problem with the kettle being black
the pot thinks its freaking hilarious that the kettle is so self conscious about being black
the pot pokes at the kettle
the kettle steams
the pot laughs
the kettle gets mad and calls the pot stupid
the pot doesn't care b/c the pot is laughing too hard
"Claiming that all roleplayers go to hell for being nerds, even if it was a "joke", was taking things too far."
^ lol, say it out loud. hahahahahahahahahahahaha
I guess I speak a very different language than you do on Planet Superserious. Please respond to this post with a "witty" comeback. Quotes like that are epic forum sig material.
Zaniac Sep 1st 2010 1:18AM
All you're doing is trying to make youself better than others. No matter which way you cut it. Even your follow-up posts reek of ridiculing those that dare point this out.
Trying to make yourself better than others will always get a negative reaction. Does the kettle really like negative reactions so much?
LordVashtal Aug 30th 2010 8:23AM
Speaking as another atheist IRL, I'm of the camp that the "gods" in the game are just super-powered creatures that happen to refer to themselves as gods. The word gets tossed around so much, especially in comics where the villain is trying to sound lofty with ambition, that I don't have much of a problem there.
All of my toons are "atheists," even my paladin, who simply weilds mana and channels it into various abilities to get the job done. "The Light" is simply what the more devout followers refer to it as, and they're welcome to do so, so long as they don't try to force Eukanaria to believe otherwise :D
Hades Aug 30th 2010 8:33AM
It always makes me giggle when someone identifies themselves so strongly as something they are NOT.
Bob: "So, tell me about yourself."
Dick: "Well, I don't believe in God."
Bob: "Ok, what else?"
Dick: "I don't play sports."
Bob: "Uh, ok... sure, anything else?"
Dick: "I don't like action movies. I don't eat fast food. I don't ride roller-coasters. I don't do windows. I don't..."
Bob: "I don't... like you. You're a Dick."
Zenith Aug 30th 2010 9:00AM
That's my reasoning too, the Cult of the damned was formed with the Lich King as a god(in WC3 manual), which he clearly wasn't.
My Warlock sees all these ""higher beings" as something to be used, drained or enslaved. In fact I would say that the Warlock class as a whole is an extreme version of atheism in a world where several beings are personally walking around with a - let's just call it a very dedicated fanclub.
messiahxi Aug 30th 2010 9:00AM
fail troll.
Hades Aug 30th 2010 9:10AM
Fail "fail troll" comment.
you got comment blocked, lol
er.cetas Aug 30th 2010 2:29PM
Hades... just stop.
Hades Aug 30th 2010 8:16PM
no
you
Sleutel Aug 30th 2010 8:23AM
It seems to me that atheism in WoW is like atheism in Terry Pratchett's Discworld books:
"It was all very well going on about pure logic and how the universe was ruled by logic and the harmony of numbers, but the plain fact of the matter was that the Disc was manifestly traversing space on the back of a giant turtle and the gods had a habit of going round to atheists' houses and smashing their windows."
"We get that in here some nights, when someone's had a few. Cosmic speculation about whether the gods exist. Next thing, there's a bolt of lightning through the door with a note wrapped round it saying, 'Yes, we do' and a pair of sandals with smoke coming out."
Aaron Aug 30th 2010 8:23AM
Murlocs and Kobolds might be. lol
snarkygoldfish Aug 30th 2010 11:03AM
The early draenei quests have you collecting stone idols and ceremonial tools that the murlocs have created -- hinting at some sort of worship system.
Kobolds? You dare deny Candle? Gasp!