On characters struggling with religion

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Alright so I'm writing a character who happens to be Jewish. He's not practicing as the belief that God has good intentions got kicked to the curb when his mother was moved into a hospital full time due to MS.

Is that allowed to be explored or is Literotica gonna make me dial it back?

 

[Candy_Kane54]

My characters in several of my stories are Catholic and it doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

My characters in several of my stories are Catholic and it doesn't seem to be an issue.

I'd imagine there might be a difference in the moderators eyes between a story that features a catholic character and a story that has the occasional internal monologe tackling his relationship with religion and feelings about God.

Is there like a list of things that are okay/off limits?

 

[Djmac1031]

I think the only time it would be a problem is if there's an agenda attached to promote a particular religion or religious viewpoint.

For instance, you can certainly write about characters that wish to remain virgins until their wedding night because it's their religious belief.

But I think a story that proselytizes that view as the only correct one might get flagged.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Alright so I'm writing a character who happens to be Jewish. He's not practicing as the belief that God has good intentions got kicked to the curb when his mother was moved into a hospital full time due to MS.

Is that allowed to be explored or is Literotica gonna make me dial it back?

I would include a note with the submission, explaining that you are presenting a characters personal spiritual struggle, not promoting or denigrating any particular religious beliefs.

 

[Voboy]

I’ve incorporated religion into several of my stories, including Judaism. Many of those characters struggle. None have had any issues here and I‘ve never bothered with a note to Laurel.

The key is not to insult or denigrate any religion in a hurtful way. My characters question their beliefs, but not in a way that reads like ME questioning a reader’s beliefs.

 

[MrPixel]

I have a story in a Nude Day series with a subplot about a young woman pushing against her upbringing in a quasi-cult where her parents "shunned" her due to her marriage to a man outside of their faith. She had reached out to her parents in a particularly grave time of need and they told her they would consider sheltering her on the condition she abandon her husband.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

In my six part story 'Bad Kitty' her religion almost breaks them up. I don't mention a particular religion or really get into her beliefs. I only mention that she feels torn, having been raised to be an obedient daughter all her life and then she has to decide if she wants to walk away from everything she's been taught for the man she loves.

Luckily, I had no problem getting it published.

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't know this for certain but I think this is fine. I think it's fine to incorporate religion into your story in many ways because, after all, religion is part of life, AND religion has a big role in shaping people's religious fews. I think the site wants to avoid stories that are overly preachy or likely to be overly divisive.

I wrote a light-hearted story, Mama Told Me Not To Come, about a young man who is seduced by his very religious mother, who quotes scripture as a way of justifying what she's doing. The story has no religious agenda. It simply uses religion in a not-very-serious way to propel the story and give it some dramatic tension and spice.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Don't preach and you'll be fine. My stories are full of lapsed Catholics who no longer do guilt, and atheists who'd pray if it did any good.

 

[ronde]

I have one story published about a Civil War chaplain who lost his faith during the war and then found it through a woman who had also lost her faith. I think time period has a lot to do with acceptance or rejection of a story as well as a character or characters appearing to attempt to convert the reader. In the time of my story, most of the people in the US at least periodically practiced some form of religion, so putting it into a story seemed to be a natural thing and a way to cause conflict in the story. It would probably be different if your characters had an argument over the relative merits of Christianity, the Jewish faith, and Islam.

 

[Seadog777]

I'm not Jewish, but I struggle with my faith all the time.
It's hard to see death and war all over the world and not struggle with it.

I wouldn't think that Laurel would reject a story for that reason.

 

[NoTalentHack]

I published an NC/R story last month that was explicitly about how the FMC tried to cope with the abuse suffered at the hands of her youth pastor and the indifference of the faithful in her parents' church. As long as it's relevant and not thinly-disguised (or overt) hate, it will be fine.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Alright. I think I get the idea. Thanks everyone!

 

[KeithD]

Religion sometimes is important to the story I write, but I avoid preaching in my erotica.

 

[ronde]

Religion sometimes is important to the story I write, but I avoid preaching in my erotica.

I think the problem with writing about religion happens when what the writer considers to be just good character development, some readers consider preaching. I've had comments that demonstrate that when the only mentions of religion was an explanation of the character's past and discussions with other characters as they attempted to resolve a deeply personal problem.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Im talking stuff like this.

"Yeah, right, faith." He stopped practicing his faith in highschool. Right around the time his mother was getting out of hand. Jewish folk have a very different relationship with faith than Christians. Questioning the meaning of texts and the morality of prophets is encouraged. God is not inherently good, his divine existence is unquestionable but his intentions aren't free from scrutiny. He often questions why, if the lord is so good, does he craft a universe in which his mother suffers?

I don't think anyone is gonna think it's preachy unless they're in dire need of some grass to touch.

 

[jaykaythree]

Yeah, I think that's how Laurel rolls ... point out without proselytizing.

I have some stories in which my leads' belief in God is simply a part of their lives, as much as food, drink, and sleep ... they look to lead by example and, in times of need, to be comforted thereby. But that's the tack they take: ”this is our life, and we* leave to you the choice of whether or not to come with us."

* and by extension, I, since it's to no set agenda.

 

[oneagainst]

Everything We've Been Told Are Lies is based on religious comment, first time story. Went through fine, even though the opinion is not wrapped in cotton wool or abstracted away. I think you can write something meaningful about religion without it transgressing any red lines.

 

[NoTalentHack]

Everything We've Been Told Are Lies is based on religious comment, first time story. Went through fine, even though the opinion is not wrapped in cotton wool or abstracted away. I think you can write something meaningful about religion without it transgressing any red lines.

And it’s a great fucking story, too.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Someone posted a few months ago about their story being reported for religious content (non-Christian) and taken down, but I never got to read the story and the poster decided not to try to get it reinstated. I suspect if it was simply someone reported religious content they didn't like, it would have been reinstated on request.

I posted After the Funeral shortly after, and wondered if the protagonist's cynical take on Catholicism mixed with gay sex might be too much for someone, but no problem. (don't all report it at once!)

 

[oneagainst]

And it’s a great fucking story, too.

You're too kind. Especially with the two spelling mistakes in there. I know, I have brought shame upon my house, but it was a rush job for the Ogg event.

 

[AchtungNight]

I wrote a series where the lead is part of a secret conspiracy to reform a popular celebrity religion that is often criticized online. Having her confront a zealot in a Ben Hur parody got me banned on another website (“Passion Ch. 1”). Lit never had a problem with the series here even when I brought in a crazed fanatic villain weaponizing gossip and trying to force unfair disconnection on a family (“Counseling”) and two other antagonists promoting fundamentalist Christianity and Satanic themes. I was parodying popular Christian mythology throughout and also referencing online criticism of the religion I wanted to depict as in need of reform. The head of the religion appeared a couple times supporting the reforms. Never a problem.

Another story I wrote featured Muslim terrorist villains and a lead who was trying to reconcile his PTSD while rescuing a popular Sufi entertainer (“Debrief”). Another had a LotR parody with purity rings (“Two Cats in Heat”). Again, no problems with either. Norse, Greek, and Christian mythology are parodied in my “God of War” story, again no problem.

Maybe it’s good I never featured Jesus or any other religious prophet figure on screen. Also probably helped to make it obvious the stories were satire and that I was trying to take a middle of the road approach instead of preaching or promoting intolerance. At least I’m going to assume that helped.

 

[SoCalAshley]

I wrote a series where the lead is part of a secret conspiracy to reform a popular celebrity religion that is often criticized online. Having her confront a zealot in a Ben Hur parody got me banned on another website (“Passion Ch. 1”). Lit never had a problem with the series here even when I brought in a crazed fanatic villain weaponizing gossip and trying to force unfair disconnection on a family (“Counseling”) and two other antagonists promoting fundamentalist Christianity and Satanic themes. I was parodying popular Christian mythology throughout and also referencing online criticism of the religion I wanted to depict as in need of reform. The head of the religion appeared a couple times supporting the reforms. Never a problem.

Another story I wrote featured Muslim terrorist villains and a lead who was trying to reconcile his PTSD while rescuing a popular Sufi entertainer (“Debrief”). Another had a LotR parody with purity rings (“Two Cats in Heat”). Again, no problems with either. Norse, Greek, and Christian mythology are parodied in my “God of War” story, again no problem.

Maybe it’s good I never featured Jesus or any other religious prophet figure on screen. Also probably helped to make it obvious the stories were satire and that I was trying to take a middle of the road approach instead of preaching or promoting intolerance. At least I’m going to assume that helped.

My main character, who happens to be me, is full of religious guilt, and I’ve never had a story flagged. As you said, if you do not preach or promote intolerance, your story will be posted.

I am about to post a story in the Humor and Satire category that traces where the beginnings of my guilt happened. After seeing the subject matter of your stories, I feel a lot better about mine not being flagged.

 

[AchtungNight]

My main character, who happens to be me, is full of religious guilt, and I’ve never had a story flagged. As you said, if you do not preach or promote intolerance, your story will be posted.

I am about to post a story in the Humor and Satire category that traces where the beginnings of my guilt happened. After seeing the subject matter of your stories, I feel a lot better about mine not being flagged.

Alright, good luck. Hope that things work out for you. Satire is protected speech, so that may be important also. [knock on wood]