wingstosee | ic inbox (duplicity)

Hello?

I'm sorry to contract you seemingly out of the blue like this. I am Nova Aspen, Aspen to most.

I understand if this is an awkward subject, or a topic you may not wish to breach altogether. That 'Father' had his own views on the 'devil', but in my world, we have no such person. You seemed to speak from a place of experience, opposite him. May I ask for your experience?

As this is quite personal to ask of a stranger, I understand if you'd rather not speak of it. My apologies for any overstepping I've done.

oh! hey there
i think i've seen you around on the network? i don't know if we've ever really talked though
it's nice to meet you either way!

and it's perfectly okay to ask!
it's kind of nice for me to get to talk about it, honestly?
a lot of people back home would have hated that.

anyway
my experience is that the devil is real, and that i am her!
and that she is me.
it's kind of complicated?
especially if you don't know what a devil is.

have you uh
at least heard of the devil before that post?

Ah, I'm sorry, it's possible. Before I 'went home' and gained new memories and experiences, I was... almost illiterate, so it's possible we did speak, but without a face to put words to, it's hard for me. Otherwise I think I used mainly video, so I would not be surprised if you saw me.

[ But with that out of the way... ]

I suppose religion and faith is contentious no matter the world.

I have not heard of a devil before that post. Er, rather... not 'the' devil. 'A' devil, a demon, those exist in my world, but there's never been one singular entity to blame these... sins and the such on. The religions of my world are fundamentally different from what I can tell.

Not that I really know much of them - I'm not religious myself, which I... do hope isn't offensive? I'm all thumbs when it comes to this, but I'd like to understand.

oh. probably not then?
i think i've literally turned on the camera once on here

but yeah, if you know that much you're ahead of some people. haha
think of it like...
if demons and devils are where temptation and sins come from
then THE devil is where demons and devils come from?
not like, literally. sort of literally? it's kind of complicated

nah it's fine
i never really got atheism? it's like... how do you say god isn't real when you can just talk to him
or hear him talk at you i guess. he's kind of an asshole like that

Ah, I see. Sort of like... how some plants make others in their likeness?

I understand that sin is 'bad'... but I'm still not quite certain on what exactly makes a sin. Or who denotes it. Does the devil denote it? Er, should I refer to you as 'the devil' or your name? Miss Devil?

I suppose when it comes to your specific case it must be difficult to not believe in faith, as a part of it yourself. Perhaps I'm too 'jaded' to believe in faith? At least the ones from my world. But if he's an asshole as you say, I don't think I'm missing all that much. Seems like I thought it'd be.

Is there really only one 'God'?

ssssort of?
it's more like... if plants are where breathable air come from
and nature is where plants come from
then the devil is nature, and plants are demons and devils and all of that, and oxygen is.
bad stuff?? i guess
the stuff that's against god

that's kind of complicated?
i mean there are ten commandments you're SUPPOSED to follow, and breaking any of those is a sin
but they have a lot of wiggle room, and pretty much anything can be a sin that way
so i guess i'd say...
if it's something god wouldn't like, it's a sin?
probably?
there's a lot of stuff. like i said you're really not missing much.

yup. only one god
i mean some people believe in more?
and maybe those gods talk to them too
but there's only one god that i've ever heard on the radio and that's. you know. the big guy

also venus is fine!!
i mean. i won't COMPLAIN if you call me the devil, or miss devil, or anything like that
a guy on the network came up with "beelzebuddy" and that was pretty great. haha
but you can just call me venus :)

Venus, then. If the Devil is nature, and the plants are the demons and devils... I understand. It doesn't seem as insidious as he described, then.

Though... if it's something God wouldn't like that is a sin, that seems far too arbitrary. Or perhaps it just seems that way to me? What's to stop God from changing his mind on a whim? Does everyone know when he does?

I apologize for asking so many questions - we have mediums and High Priests to communicate with the gods in my world. They tend to be quite in touch with the sun goddess and the moon god, but... they're mortals, not... divine? And we're usually told through prophecies and the like.

haha. see? you're starting to get it.
questions like that are how people find the devil in the first place.
and people like him are how they try to stop you.
it's just like you said. it's arbitrary, he can change it on a whim, it depends on what people say it is
it's awful. it's the worst. i hate even thinking about it.

anyway
don't apologize!! or at least don't if you don't want to
it's fine. i kind of like being asked questions like this
it's way easier than trying to figure out how to say things on my own

I'm sorry that it hurts you.

[ Because, really, that's not something he wants to do. The world is cruel and horrible enough already without him offending or making the Devil feel bad. Just because he's faithless doesn't mean he's heartless. ]

I'm not sure I could follow that kind of thinking.

Why do people do so?

i mean, it sucks? but what other choice do we have
i'd rather it hurt me than not feel anything about it.
i don't think i could live with myself if it didn't hurt

and as for why...
i think there's a lot of answers to that?
a lot of people don't know they have other options
sometimes people are just afraid of things
and sometimes they really, truly believe everything they're saying
those are the worst kind

where you're from, is it really nothing like this?
nothing god tells you to do?
you don't have to do things that hurt people because it's the right thing to do?

The gods my friends worship do not have the same relationship with their followers as you describe, and there are many gods to believe in. The moon god and the sun goddess are two of the most prominent from my understanding, but... religion is not usually the reason people are hurt. Certainly others disagree - there are two religions my friends are a part of and they tend to get heated when they speak of either one. There's always something that's 'wrong' or something that's 'right'... I can't quite understand why.

My world isn't devoid of the influence you're speaking of. My people have been said to be beasts that need to be brought to heel or killed, but it is in the name of 'civil society' or 'for the sake of humanity'... not often gods or religion. Sometimes 'in the name of progress'.

people die over wrong and right
and even the living ones get hurt by it. you know?
civil society, humanity's sake
it's all the same thing. they're doing god's will whether they intend to or not

not really progress tho
god's not usually as into that one?
usually that comes with like, science and evolution and stuff

I suppose I didn't think of it that way.

It's usually said to be a human versus beasts battle - not one against religion or for it, but... I can see your stance on it. Certainly it's not just a select few who are hurt: it affects all in society.

Though I am confused. Would God not want his disciples to progress and learn?

"humans versus beasts." right there. see?
maybe it's not the same as my religion
the religion that once was mine, i guess
but it's still wrapped up in it

of course god wants his disciples to progress and learn.
just not in the wrong ways.
and there's a lot of wrong ways.
too many to ever remember, honestly.

[ That seems... a little strange? How would a human versus beasts battle be based in religion? After all, they weren't human, they did have aspects of animals. He just didn't think that meant that humans should treat them as lesser. She seems to be pretty adamant on that, though. ]

I suppose I just don't understand this 'God'.
There seem to be too many arbitrary rules, and changing ideals to follow him.
Is all religion like this?

[ maybe it's not the same after all. but when you're the devil with a hammer, every problem looks like christ's nails. was that too sacrilegious? am i going to hell? signs point to yes. ]

probably?
i mean. i don't know. maybe not.
some religions don't even have devils, i don't think
and if there's no evil then i don't know how you could get all holier than thou about being good.

i sort of wish i knew more about this kind of thing.
or anything. haha

I know the feeling. I feel as if I'm floundering in this new world with all its strange information.
... thank you, for all you've said. It's enlightening, if... worrying.

If there's anything I could do to help you in return, please let me know.

no problem. really.
i'm not any good with words like this but i want to try anyway?
i want to help people if i can
so if you got something out of this that's all i can really ask for, i think. :)

i don't really need anything i don't think?
also it seems kind of weird to like. ask for a favor just for explaining myself
i don't know. is that not a dick move?

I think of it as more of a cultural exchange.
In which case, I did not actually exchange anything with you - thus, my offer.

ic inbox (duplicity)

handle; trellis (text)

aphrodite

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rolls back from con funk, hi, it's been a stressful two weeks

<3 hi again!

<333

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