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Fictional Religion
A fictional religion, hypothetical religion, imaginary religion or invented religion refers to a fictional belief system created for the purposes of literature, film, or game. Fictional religions can be complex and inspired by or build on existing religions. Two of the better known and influential examples are the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft and the Cosmology of Tolkien's legendarium, religion of Middle Earth created by J. R. R. Tolkien. Some fictional religions have gained real followers in the real world and some works of fiction have inspired new religious movements (for example, Jediism or Matrixism); others have been intended from the beginning as Parody religion, parody religions (for example, Discordianism and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster). In speculative fiction Religious themes have long been a significant theme of fiction. One of those themes is that of a fictional religion: a fictional belief system created for the purposes of literature, film ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Utopian And Dystopian Fiction
Utopian and dystopian fiction are subgenres of speculative fiction that explore extreme forms of social and political structures. Utopian fiction portrays a setting that agrees with the author's ethos, having various attributes of another reality intended to appeal to readers. Dystopian fiction offers the opposite: the portrayal of a setting that completely disagrees with the author's ethos. Some novels combine both genres, often as a metaphor for the different directions humanity can take depending on its choices, ending up with one of two possible futures. Both utopias and dystopias are commonly found in science fiction and other types of speculative fiction. More than 400 utopian works in the English language were published prior to the year 1900, with more than a thousand others appearing during the 20th century. This increase is partially associated with the rise in popularity of science fiction and young adult fiction more generally, but also larger scale social change tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Silverberg
Robert Silverberg (born January 15, 1935) is a prolific American science fiction author and editor. He is a multiple winner of both Hugo Award, Hugo and Nebula Awards, a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and a SFWA Grand Master, Grand Master of SF since 2004. Especially noted Silverberg works include the novella ''Nightwings (novella), Nightwings'' (1969) and the novels ''Downward to the Earth'' (1970), ''The World Inside'' (1971), ''Dying Inside'' (1972), and ''Lord Valentine's Castle'' (1980; the first of the Majipoor series). Silverberg has attended every Hugo Award ceremony since the inaugural event in 1953. Biography Early life Silverberg was born on January 15, 1935, to Jew, Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York. A voracious reader since childhood, he began submitting stories to science fiction magazines during his early teenage years. He received a BA in English Literature from Columbia University, in 1956. While at Columbia he wrote the juvenile ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ultrasonic God
"The Galton Whistle" is a science fiction short story by American writer L. Sprague de Camp, a story in his ''Viagens Interplanetarias'' series. It is the first (chronologically) set on the planet Vishnu. It was first published, as "Ultrasonic God," in the magazine '' Future Combined with Science Fiction Stories'' in the issue for July, 1951. It first appeared in book form under the present title (that preferred by the author) in the collection ''The Continent Makers and Other Tales of the Viagens'', published in hardcover by Twayne Publishers in 1953, and in paperback by Signet Books in 1971.Laughlin, Charlotte, and Levack, Daniel J. H. ''De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography''. San Francisco, Underwood/Miller, 1983, pages 255, 44-45 It also appeared in the anthologies '' Novelets of Science Fiction'' ( Belmont Books, 1963, under the original title),Laughlin, Charlotte, and Levack, Daniel J. H. ''De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography''. San Francisco, Underwood/Miller ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Criticism Of Religion
Criticism of religion involves criticism of the validity, concept, or ideas of religion. Historical records of criticism of religion go back to at least 5th century BCE in ancient Greece, in Classical Athens, Athens specifically, with Diagoras of Melos, Diagoras "the Atheist" of Melos. In ancient Rome, an early known example is Lucretius' ''De rerum natura'' from the 1st century BCE. Every Religious exclusivism, exclusive religion on Earth (as well as every exclusive world view) that promotes exclusive truth-claims necessarily denigrates the truth-claims of other religions. Thus, some criticisms of religion become criticisms of one or more aspects of a specific religious tradition. Critics of religion in general may view religion as one or more of: outdated, harmful to the individual, harmful to society, an impediment to the progress of science or humanity, a source of immorality, immoral acts or customs, and a political tool for social control. Definition of religion Religi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satanism
Satanism refers to a group of religious, ideological, or philosophical beliefs based on Satan—particularly his worship or veneration. Because of the ties to the historical Abrahamic religious figure, Satanism—as well as other religious, ideological, or philosophical beliefs that align with Satanism—is considered a countercultural Abrahamic religion. Satan is associated with the Devil in Christianity, a fallen angel regarded as chief of the demons who tempt humans into sin. Satan is also associated with the Devil in Islam, a jinn who has rebelled against God, the leader of the devils (''shayāṭīn''), made of fire who was cast out of Heaven because he refused to bow before the newly created Adam and incites humans to sin. The phenomenon of Satanism shares "historical connections and family resemblances" with the Left Hand Path milieu of other occult figures such as Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Mephistopheles, Samael, Lilith, Lucifer, Hecate, and Set. Self-identifi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fritz Leiber
Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Along with Robert E. Howard and Michael Moorcock, Leiber is one of the fathers of sword and sorcery. Life Fritz Leiber was born December 24, 1910, in Chicago, Illinois, to the actors Fritz Leiber (actor), Fritz Leiber and Virginia Bronson Leiber. For a time, he seemed inclined to follow in his parents' footsteps; the theater and actors feature in his fiction. He spent 1928 touring with his parents' Shakespeare company (Fritz Leiber & Co.) before entering the University of Chicago, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received an undergraduate Ph.B. degree in psychology and physiology or biology with honors in 1932. From 1932 to 1933, he worked as a lay reader and studied as a candidate for the ministry, without taking a degree, at the General Theological Seminary in Chelsea, Manhattan, an affiliate of the Episcopal Church (United States ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
"If This Goes On—"
''"If This Goes On—"'' is a science fiction novella by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, first serialized in 1940 in ''Astounding Science-Fiction'' and revised and expanded to novel length for inclusion in the 1953 collection '' Revolt in 2100''. The story shows what might happen to Christianity in the United States with mass communications, applied psychology, and a hysterical populace. The story is part of Heinlein's ''Future History'' series. At the 2016 WorldCon the story won the 1941 Retro-Hugo Award for Best Novella of 1940. Plot The story is set in a future theocratic American society, ruled by the latest in a series of fundamentalist Christian "Prophets." The First Prophet was Nehemiah Scudder, a backwoods preacher turned President (elected in 2012), then dictator (no elections were held in 2016 or later). John Lyle, a junior army officer under the Prophet, is stationed at the Prophet's capital of New Jerusalem. He had been devout, but he finds himself question ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert A
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, renown, godlike" and ''berht'' "bright, light, shining"). It is the second most frequently used given name of ancient Germanic origin.Reaney & Wilson, 1997. ''Dictionary of English Surnames''. Oxford University Press. It is also in use Robert (surname), as a surname. Another commonly used form of the name is Rupert (name), Rupert. After becoming widely used in Continental Europe, the name entered England in its Old French form ''Robert'', where an Old English cognate form (''Hrēodbēorht'', ''Hrodberht'', ''Hrēodbēorð'', ''Hrœdbœrð'', ''Hrœdberð'', ''Hrōðberχtŕ'') had existed before the Norman Conquest. The feminine version is Roberta (given name), Roberta. The Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish form is Roberto (given name), ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iain M
Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, which is derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponds to the English name John (given name), John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. This name is a popular name in Scotland, where it originated, as well as in other English-speaking world, English-speaking countries. The name has fallen out of the top 100 male baby names in the United Kingdom, having peaked in popularity as one of the top 10 names throughout the 1960s. In 1900, Ian ranked as the 180th most popular male baby name in England and Wales. , the name has been in the top 100 in the United States every year since 1982, peaking at 65 in 2003. Other Gaelic forms of the name "John" include "Seonaidh" ("Johnny" from Scots language, Lowland Scots), "Seon" (from English), "Seathan", and "Seán" and "Eoin" (from Irish language, Irish). The Welsh language, Welsh equivalent is Ioan (other), Ioan, the Cornish la ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Culture Series
The ''Culture'' series is a science fiction book series, series written by Scottish people, Scottish author Iain Banks, Iain M. Banks and released from 1987 until 2012. The stories centre on The Culture, a utopian, Post-scarcity economy, post-scarcity space society of humanoid extraterrestrial life, aliens and advanced Superintelligence, superintelligent artificial intelligences living in Space habitat, artificial habitats spread across the Milky Way galaxy. The main themes of the series are the dilemmas that an idealistic, more-advanced civilization faces in dealing with smaller, less-advanced civilizations that do not share its ideals, and whose behaviour it sometimes finds barbaric. In some of the stories, action takes place mainly in non-Culture environments, and the leading characters are often on the fringes of (or non-members of) the Culture, sometimes acting as agents of Culture (knowing and unknowing) in its plans to civilize the galaxy. Each novel is a self-contained sto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
