IC: Spirituality

(Written in Zack's journal -- he will share this if asked)

Since someone asked about Lent around the Nexus, I thought it would be a good time to set down my own beliefs.

I am a Christian. I was Catholic -- a priest in fact, if you couldn't tell -- and I... well, I might still be. It's hard to say when in my universe, the Vatican is a smoking crater and the Church hierarchy is in ruins.

I know I'm a mystic of some sort -- the magic belies that. And, yes, I know the line about witches -- it's a bit of a problematic translation, since the word 'witch' originally implied bad intent, and now, it, well it doesn't. I do believe that God gives me this power -- I've been told as much. So, using it is not a sin as long as I use it well.

I also know that most others consider me very liberal. For the record, I don't think homosexuality is a sin -- interesting fact: the passage in Leviticus refers to male prostitutes, so really shouldn't be used as a blanket condemnation of homosexuality. I think -- I've been told -- that there are multiple paths to God in this life. I know I'm on one of the right ones, and will happily help others walk it. I'm not going to tell others that they are on the wrong ones. Well, overdosing on drugs or other self-destructive behavior might be an exception to that rule, but that's more because I do think life is sacred.

Which is another thing. I do believe in an afterlife. I do think that if I follow my path, I will go to Heaven. I haven't really thought about where others go when they die. I only know that it would eventually be Hell for me, though for others it may be Paradise. What can I say -- I made my choice and am content with it.

((Researching a character with real-world beliefs is HARD. I'm glad the others I have either believe in religions I made up or are agnostic. Also glad I have friends who are Christians IRL, since I've always been terrified of offending someone while playing him, especially since stuff in the game world altered his beliefs pretty strongly.

I might edit this later -- I know I'm forgetting something))