flinch
I had a moment of severe self doubt.
The novel I am writing -- the science fiction novel -- is based on a common theme that, in reality, causes much argument, discord, and often verbal violence: Human beings taking on non-human spiritual forms.
A human with the "soul" of a non-human creature. Sometimes they are called Otherkin. And they are constantly riduculed. They called called insane, retarded, stupid, schizophrenic. It is horribly depressing for me to watch them get verbally attacked on forums and communities -- the attackers usually have nothing intelligent to say, except, "You are a moron and you need help. Dragons [for example] don't exist. You're crazy!"
Stepping in: I am not otherkin. I believe I have "spirit guardians" whose forms are not human; ie, dragons. I believe I can connect with those guardians, let them merge with me psychically. But I don't think I have a dragon soul; I think I have a human soul. However, I do think part of that "soul" is Fae. Therefore, I may be deemed crazy, stupid, retarded, in need of psychiatric help. Which is fine. Maybe that's true. I'll never debate that. Don't they say that one out of four people may be "insane"?
Now, I could just as easily have a spirit guardian that is a small mouse, a fruit fly, etc. That is the argument that some people give ("If you could be a dragon, why not a ladybug?"). Some people feel that those who believe in spiritual forms use it as a form of escaping reality, of wish fulfillment, because a dragon is such a regal, powerful form, and a bug is not.
To my original point: I believe that human beings can be connected to nonhuman entities or forces, and sometimes in the astral plane they can actually become these entities (dragon, unicorn, etc). Which is the premise behind my novel.
But I've come to realize that when my book becomes published, some readers may question whether or not I, the author, honestly believe in what I write about. And if I say yes, I may experience some severe ridicule and argument.
This is why I try and keep quiet about my personal beliefs in this department, and express them through fictional writing. It's simpler. And yet, I am not going to stand up and say, "Oh, no, I don't believe any of that, ha ha! It's all nothing." Because it's not my truth.
I'd like to ask other writers of fantasy and science fiction about how far their personal beliefs extend when they write.
The novel I am writing -- the science fiction novel -- is based on a common theme that, in reality, causes much argument, discord, and often verbal violence: Human beings taking on non-human spiritual forms.
A human with the "soul" of a non-human creature. Sometimes they are called Otherkin. And they are constantly riduculed. They called called insane, retarded, stupid, schizophrenic. It is horribly depressing for me to watch them get verbally attacked on forums and communities -- the attackers usually have nothing intelligent to say, except, "You are a moron and you need help. Dragons [for example] don't exist. You're crazy!"
Stepping in: I am not otherkin. I believe I have "spirit guardians" whose forms are not human; ie, dragons. I believe I can connect with those guardians, let them merge with me psychically. But I don't think I have a dragon soul; I think I have a human soul. However, I do think part of that "soul" is Fae. Therefore, I may be deemed crazy, stupid, retarded, in need of psychiatric help. Which is fine. Maybe that's true. I'll never debate that. Don't they say that one out of four people may be "insane"?
Now, I could just as easily have a spirit guardian that is a small mouse, a fruit fly, etc. That is the argument that some people give ("If you could be a dragon, why not a ladybug?"). Some people feel that those who believe in spiritual forms use it as a form of escaping reality, of wish fulfillment, because a dragon is such a regal, powerful form, and a bug is not.
To my original point: I believe that human beings can be connected to nonhuman entities or forces, and sometimes in the astral plane they can actually become these entities (dragon, unicorn, etc). Which is the premise behind my novel.
But I've come to realize that when my book becomes published, some readers may question whether or not I, the author, honestly believe in what I write about. And if I say yes, I may experience some severe ridicule and argument.
This is why I try and keep quiet about my personal beliefs in this department, and express them through fictional writing. It's simpler. And yet, I am not going to stand up and say, "Oh, no, I don't believe any of that, ha ha! It's all nothing." Because it's not my truth.
I'd like to ask other writers of fantasy and science fiction about how far their personal beliefs extend when they write.