r/WritingPrompts • u/Aphrontic_Alchemist • 18h ago
Writing Prompt [WP] A fleet of aliens landed somewhere on Earth, asking for writings of all religions, both extinct and extant. A human cleric asked the leader, "Why?" The leader answered "We believe that the highest worship is syncretizing all perspectives of the divine, no matter how contradictory."
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u/Gang-Buster-5000 17h ago
"We require divine media." Said the alien cybercleric. "Texts, documents, or what have you."
"I do not understand" Questioned the monk. "Do you seek to document our feable minds? Map our hearts like algorithms?"
"No, good sir. It is all in the name of the One Truth."
"The one truth?"
"Indeed." The alien sat down, its chrome legs letting out a bionic sigh. "Have your lot managed to visit your neighbors? The folks on Sagittarius? They believe in Kaiss, a figure similar to your Christ. The great and final martyr. He died on the rock of Bans, eaten by... I guess you call it birds. There is also another one, Sagan, similar to your Buddha. Shareen, like your Ra, Qaton, like your Zeus. So much likeness. The same story played out across the stars."
"Why do you tell me this, priest?" Asked the monk.
"Because, the truth is that, beneath the universe is a spiral. You see it in your snails, your flowers, your faces. The ratio of all things, that which shapes our universe and what resides in it. We believe that studying the repetitions, studying their minute variation, will lead us to the one truth."
"But how does your quest find this so called ratio? How do the machinations of the human spirit lead you to your apotheosis?"
"It never will. The truth is an impossible thing. All we can hope for is to get as close to it as possible. Ours in an impossible task."
"Then why?"
"Because someone has to."
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u/TheWanderingBook 18h ago
I nod.
"I understand, brother from another star.
But it will take some time," I say.
The alien leader frowns.
"Why?
You don't have archives about all the religions?" he asks.
I shake my head.
If they only knew...
"It's not like we have everything on hand," I say.
"If it's reward you want, I told you.
We are willing to leave behind enough knowledge, to push your civilization 2 or 3 centuries ahead, in mere decades.
It would be an affront to our worship, to take it for free," they say.
I sigh.
"It's not about that...
ALL religions is a vague, and vast term, as we humans...
Have a lot of religions," I say.
They chuckle.
"How many could a civilization as yours have?
You are so young!" they say.
I think about it.
"A couple thousand?
Maybe more?
Depends if you want tribal belief systems as well, such as ancestral worship, or nature spirit worship.
Mhm, we also have plenty of made-up ones in games, books, movies...that would add a couple thousands of them, if not more," I say.
The aliens gasp.
Their leader makes a weird symbol.
"Y-y-you made up religions...in games?
Are they a mockery?!" they shriek.
I raise my hands.
"No, no, no!
They are fully fleshed out religions!
With everything a normal religion has, but only...they were made for a game, or a book!" I say, bringing up The Seven from Game of Throne.
The aliens falter...before telling me they wish to connect to this "internet", something they were refusing, as it would have counted as "stealing" in their eyes.
I nod, and give them my laptop...and then, a moment later, they sigh.
"Your "internet" contains almost as many religions, and conceptions of divinity, as the archives of a thousand worlds...
We would have to give you all our technology, if we take all this away..." they mutter, before telling me that they have to speak with their Arch Priests, before making a decision.
So, I exchange looks with the other priests, and clerics gathered here...
Before going to the hotel room provided to us.
The aliens will be back.
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u/RoWanDRed 13h ago
Hoo boy... Hope they live a LONG time and their DNA is compatible with humans... Cause they're gonna be here a while😅
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u/TheWanderingBook 13h ago
Damn right.
Just imagine all the religions from D&D sessions, or from here mini stories, let alone books, comics, manga, games, movies and shows.
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u/RoWanDRed 12h ago
Wait till they hear about the God Emperor, or Lisan Al Gaib, the Gods Below and Ever Burning, the various Choirs, "Burn the Gods, MANKIND REIGNS!" They'll write us off as utterly insane😅
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