Thread: Religion~ do you go there?

Are there any modern books where religion is important in it? Do you 'go there?' I read historical novels for school all the time where it's important, but the books I read for fun never mention religion, unless we're talking sci fi, where usually no one has a religion (I forget the word for it).

I know I never 'go there' in my writing.

Your starter for ten; The Da Vinci code.

Why avoid religion in your writing? Religion is and no doubt will continue to be an important element in human society.

Originally Posted by Bilston Blue

Your starter for ten; The Da Vinci code.

He probably wants an example of a good book on religion, jk.

The novel I'm working on revolves around it quiet a bit, as well as the supernatural. You can try to not offend people, but I figure that regardless of what you write on the subject, some highly opinionated person is going to be insulted one way or another.

He probably wants an example of a good book on religion

I'm no Dan Brown fan, nor am I particularly against him, either; but that thing was a good story. Whether a good story makes a good book is another issue altogether.

The novel I'm working on revolves around it quiet a bit, as well as the supernatural. You can try to not offend people, but I figure that regardless of what you write on the subject, some highly opinionated person is going to be insulted one way or another.

I tend to agree with your point here, about people being offended. It seems, in today's society, there is always someone, somewhere, quite willing to be offended in order to forward their cause. For those who write with the intention of avoiding causing any offence to anyone whatsoever, and going out of their way to achieve such a goal, I hear the BBC are scouting for new talent.

That's not to say I set out to offend, because I don't. But if the story needed to follow a certain path, then so it would; regardless of the consequences.

Bestselling trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pulman deals with religion (in an unsavoury light) and generated a fair share of controversy.

Have we all forgotten the scare tactics used the in the Left Behind series?

I started my writing career, such as it is, doing Lovecraft pastiche. The first things you tackle when you do that are religion and prejudice, if you want your work to have any power.
There have also been worthies such as James Blish and Michael Moorcock that have done especially good meditations about religious matters. Not to mention Ward Moore. Feel free to google.
Someone has entirely the wrong idea of what science fiction is about. It activates my pedant lobe.

Originally Posted by Dramatism

Are there any modern books where religion is important in it? Do you 'go there?' I read historical novels for school all the time where it's important, but the books I read for fun never mention religion, unless we're talking sci fi, where usually no one has a religion (I forget the word for it).

I know I never 'go there' in my writing.

You definitely ought to branch out and 'go there' lol, I do all the time, and not just about religion but anything controversial or debatable. You should express your opinions, doubts and reactions on all societal behavior and practices in your writing. It is your art!! Don't worry about what the reader will feel, that is for them to decide. It is simply your job to exploit your perceptions of everything you experience. Or at least that's how I see it.

Your story will tell you if you need to deal with religion as well as how to deal with it.

IMHO, religion and politics isn't a problem as long as you take the time to understand each side. The worst thing I could do is write about a religion, like Hinduism for example, and know nothing about it other than my preconceptions. It'll speak volumes of respect to show an accurate position, even if you don't agree with it. I think that's the difference between being controversial and being offensive.

If you point your camera at it, you have to talk about it. Keep talking about it until the camera moves on.

...I usually find that fiction, as a part of the setting, is essential, but is also not worth exploring in detail. Then again, I don't explore much of anything in detail. I suppose you can say that it's like any other part of the setting, then. A book about religion, or about some kind of religious conspiracy, is another matter entirely, of course. But that's what religion is, for most people, in their daily lives: part of the setting. No reason to stress over it.

Fiction is about the lives of people (or aliens, or rabbits, or whatever), if religion is a part of the lives of your characters then write about it for heaven sake.

Originally Posted by Tiamat10

Have we all forgotten the scare tactics used the in the Left Behind series?

Yes, it was aggressive, to say the least.

Curiously, I've not only never written about religion, but I haven't noticed that fact. Now that I think of it, I'm not sure why.

Originally Posted by saintenitouche

You should express your opinions, doubts and reactions on all societal behavior and practices in your writing.

I'm not sure I'd agree totally with that. There's a temptation to proselytize which I find distasteful regardless of which side it's coming from. As to religion or other controversial subjects, for me it's like anything else - if the story requires it, use it. If not, why put it in there?