Heaven's BBS | text

[slantedcross]

Posted: May 2
From: Hedone


I have a sneaking suspicion I could find the answer to this by going through the archives, but let's give me the benefit of the doubt and say I want to be as accurate as possible and allow for new people's responses, or else opinions evolving over time... any shinki out there who wish they were gods? Or the reverse, gods who wish they were shinki? Why do you think you got the better and/or worse deal?

Devil's advocates welcome; I may indulge in it a bit myself.

Comments

[slantedcross]

It's never really been part of any pantheon's M.O. to let the mortals in on it, but that's a point.

You would have said yes, then, if they did ask?

[connivingbird]

Belief in a divine order has always been a human thing so it would have been pointless for anyone to ask if I wished to become one
Let alone ever contemplate if I would become one

[slantedcross]

I'd certainly resent some other species' interloping gods demanding my time. I suppose the superpowers compensate for a bit.

[connivingbird]

Belief is a human thing. Gods are a human thing as well. Hawks do not sit on a ledge praying for a good hunt. They either catch their food or they starve. There is no belief, only skill to them.

It would have all depended on how they asked.

[slantedcross]

By laying out the perks? If we assume a hawk can make the decision, we assume the cognizance to assess risk and benefit.

I can see the lack of benefit in praying, believe me.

[connivingbird]

It's not the same as what you humans would do though they can figure things out and avoid traps and lures. If you want a smart bird, then look at the crow and see how they play in a human world.

That is your choice. I see no point myself even if I've been told that it is part of being human.

[slantedcross]

Plenty of humans get by without it, don't worry.


Ornithology was never my passion. I mostly remember they find things.

[connivingbird]

Plenty of humans are also pretty good at deluding themselves.

I don't expect people to know much about any bird. I am only using it as an example.

[slantedcross]

I know there's a few that taste delicious with the right seasoning.

Not arguing the point about deluding themselves, though.

[connivingbird]

If you feel that they do, but I dislike talking about cooking birds of any kind.

[Ankh really takes his whole 'I am a bird' monster seriously even if he is mainly from the essence of hawks and condors and peacocks.]

[slantedcross]

Well, we'll change the subject.

Does being a god bring you any enjoyment?

[connivingbird]

Does it really matter? God or shinki we are all nothing more then replacements here

[slantedcross]

"No" would be faster to type.

[connivingbird]

"No" is also a word that can mean a number of things considering the context. Closer words would be 'disgust' and 'annoyance'/ Disgust at a system that is set up to force a group of people into tools to be used and broken while others are given little choice in what roles they are to take up. Annoyance at whatever decided that this was the only way they could find to fight off monsters spawned by blight.

[slantedcross]

Mm, there I agree. I rather hate being given the attendant responsibility.

I do wonder how much of this system was decided on by the relevant gods and how much was just... how the fabric of the universe formed. It might be that Amaterasu, et al don't have that much control over it, either.

[connivingbird]

If it is how this universe was formed, then it is a strange one. I don't think that it's my universe the more time wears on. There are too many minor annoyances that aren't in sync with what I know and remember for it to be mine, including the lack of certain key figures in the living world.

Which means that this universe is pulling from multiple realities.

[slantedcross]

Reality as I know it is screwed up enough, there is absolutely no need for there to be variations on that particular theme.

But give me a detail. What's missing and not in sync? Might as well compare notes.

[connivingbird]

Variations occur all the time.

Kougami Foundation. It doesn't exist in the human world from what I can tell.

[slantedcross]

Apparently. But unnecessarily, that should be the takeaway.

"The" human world, he says. You mean the one from the reality you specifically hail from, or the one we go and influence in all our divine glory?

But I've never heard of it, no.

[connivingbird]

Maybe

The one I'm from has it. The man who ran it is an acquaintance of mine.

[And when he says acquaintance, he really means 'that annoying human that kept on hoarding all my Medals and won't answer anything with a straight face'.]

It's one of the more prominent businesses in my world. It also is not in the one we go to.

[slantedcross]

Maybe someone prayed for it to go bankrupt?

All right, permit me to throw one right back-- the Takatori family and their company. There was a brief period [like, one evening] where one brother was the Prime Minister and the other was Chief of Police.

I would pray them away, if I thought a god might listen, though.

[connivingbird]

I doubt it.

Never heard of them. Any of them.

[slantedcross]

Would you think less of me if I hoped that was their PR earning their bonuses?

But this being some measure of "extra" reality would also explain why some gods I know are a couple years younger than he was before I met him here.

[connivingbird]

No.

[He thinks less of most humans so Youji wasn't gaining or losing any special opinions from this monstrous bird creature any time soon.]

There can be a number of reasons though I pretty sure that the main reason is that this place likes being irritating.

[slantedcross]

I find myself unreasonably hating that reason.