I am Seriously at a Lost about a New Religion!

[CynthiaCypher]

I like to think of myself as being very tolerant of other people's religious beliefs. Well I admit I have expressed some bigotry towards beliefs system I consider odd. I always believed that even the oddest of these religions deserved their day in the sun and that I should be more tolerant and try to educate myself.

But today I learned that there is a limit. There comes a time in a person's life where she can no longer find the strength or will to understand something that is so utterly alien and foreign. There comes a time when you must shake your head in confusion and say "WTF". Where understanding is almost impossible.

There is one religion that I will refuse to understand and tolerate, even upon the pain of death.

I was surfing Encyclopedia Dramatica, when I happen upon this article about a geek subcultures and and of course there was mention of the furries, the furries are mildly amusing in a human train wreck sort of way. So for a giggle I decided look further into the subculture. And what I found out shocked me.

The furries have a religious equivalent! The Otherkin! I was reading this articles about something called Otherkin Awakening, which some sort of process in which you become well...something other than human. And then I went further into this and discover that some of these other believe that they aren't truly humans and that there is going to be some sort of apocalyptic Otherkin vs Human war in the future.

It's not like I am making fun of these people or even want to, but I am truly and sincerely perplexed at all this. It just seems too weird, even for me. So if anyone is familiar with this belief or if you are of this belief, can you please explain it to me?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I don't know about the war thing but people identifying with or as non-human animals isn't anything new.

 

[Quagmire]

Pfffft. Typical human reaction.


I mean, um. . . "furries" you say?

 

[Sunstone]

To me, as an outsider, all religions have attributes that seem nonsensical or, at least, dull. But I'm under the impression that most adherents to the various religions think what I see as nonsense makes quite a bit of sense.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

I don't know about the war thing but people identifying with or as non-human animals isn't anything new.

Yes, many animistic religions have that aspect (Spirit Animals. Totems and such) but the Otherkin are something different entirely, one person I read about identifies himself as a Dragon-Elf, one says he is part machine and part vampire. Some even identify themselves as various creatures that only exist anime like rapey tentacle demons.

 

[Sunstone]

Yes, many animistic religions have that aspect (Spirit Animals. Totems and such) but the Otherkin are something different entirely, one person I read about identifies himself as a Dragon-Elf, one says he is part machine and part vampire. Some even identify themselves as various creatures that only exist anime like rapey tentacle demons.

Any idea how old these folks are? Sounds like something my seven year old nephew would be interested in.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

Any idea how old these folks are? Sounds like something my seven year old nephew would be interested in.

As far as I can discern...they are mostly adults. And I have seen pictures of some of them, from the pictures I have viewed these people look anywhere between 16 to 60.

 

[Sunstone]

...these people look anywhere between 16 to 60.

Jeebers!

 

[1137]

You've really never encounter this type of mindset?

 

[LuisDantas]

I find that only slightly more odd than, say, sport teams rivalries. Or nationalism.

Not sure if my opinion counts, though...

 

[CynthiaCypher]

You've really never encounter this type of mindset?

Noooo. This is completely new to me. I never met a person who believes he is really a space dragon in mortal form. I don't want to seem ableist, but the whole thing just seems to be crazy.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

Here is a quote from an Otherkin website:

"2. There is some kind of "war" between humans and otherkin coming and this person is one of a council of however many (which curiously usually seems to have half its membership all found in one city) that has been called to do something to prevent or hasten it or whatever. Likewise, that there is going to be a day when "the Veil will drop" and we will all assume "true form"."

Whatever that means I don't know. It's confusing.

 

[Sunstone]

You've really never encounter this type of mindset?

I've never heard of this group before, but their beliefs do not surprise me. We live in an age in which truth is anything that makes you feel good, that entertains you, or that simply "feels true" to you. And there is no idea, however stupid or bizarre, that doesn't make at least a few people feel good, or that they find entertaining, or that feels true to them.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yes, many animistic religions have that aspect (Spirit Animals. Totems and such) but the Otherkin are something different entirely, one person I read about identifies himself as a Dragon-Elf, one says he is part machine and part vampire. Some even identify themselves as various creatures that only exist anime like rapey tentacle demons.

Yeah. My spirit animal is a brown bear, for example. The closest I can think of that comes to this is Cat Man. He feels more like a cat than a human and so has modified his body to look like a cat. But that seems to have more to do with animistic or primitivist beliefs than this Otherkin thing.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

The closest I can think of that comes to this is Cat Man. He feels more like a cat than a human and so has modified his body to look like a cat. .

Body dysmorphic disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Body dysmorphic disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia?

I highly doubt he fits into that. BDD is more like believing you're morbidly obese when you're about 120 ibs.

 

[Quintessence]

I could probably explain it to you.

But I probably shouldn't, because I have no business being any sort of advocate or defender for these people. I'm not one of them, and I have mixed feelings about their ontological perspective. I will say, however, that in my experiences with such individuals and such ideas, they run the spectrum from being pretty well-reasoned to... well... genuine nut jobs.

 

[Quintessence]

I should add that if you want to know more about this community, I have a book recommendation. I keep meaning to get this myself, but just haven't gotten around to it. Unfortunately, it seems to have gone out of print and is extremely rare. It is the only work I know of that actually covers this community, and I have great respect for its author. An interlibrary loan is a possibility, but will probably be difficult.

 

[1137]

Noooo. This is completely new to me. I never met a person who believes he is really a space dragon in mortal form. I don't want to seem ableist, but the whole thing just seems to be crazy.

Haha whoa, I'm looking it up.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I encountered the otherkin, but I couldn't pass the initiation.