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This topic has moved here: Subject: Halo as a Christian Allegory
  • Subject: Halo as a Christian Allegory
Subject: Halo as a Christian Allegory

Posted by: MLG Cheehwawa
In terms of when the Religions showed up and also the way that the factions act within Halo... I always paralleled

God = Precursors
Jews; Jesus, Noah, etc. = Forerunners
Christians = The Covenant
Muslims = Humanity

The Covenant-Human war parallels the Crusades, with the Covenant (Christians) trying to re-take Forerunner relics from the humans.


No no no
Covenant = Pharisees

The pharisees to everything to a literal level and followed the Jewish prophecies to the letter...
the covenant followed forerunner prophecies to the letter...

but the pharisees treated worship as a chore as something that must be done and since they did it they considered themselves higher than everyone else when really they weren't since they didn't care for anyone who needed help

  • 04.11.2010 9:29 AM PDT

The news of today will fade into 'morrow. They are the strong, they'll survive!

To me the Covenant strongly resembled institutionalized religion, with a clear indication on how it's not the greatest thing in the world.

The Master Chief wasn't so much a "savior," as he never did anything alone. Yeah, he was lucky, but he didn't take the Covenant on all by himself. A "heretic" and his band of like-minded free-thinkers helped.

The Flood could be seen as any evil that threatens mankind. Hell, the Sumerians and Mesopotamians had the same Flood myth that Christians and Hebrews have, granted there are some differences.

The Forerunners aren't gods, we know this from completing the games. They're more an ancient civilization, worshiped by fools living a lie (the Covenant.)

If anything, the Precursors were the "gods," but the notion of multiple gods certainly isn't a Christian one.

  • 04.11.2010 12:38 PM PDT

I am a practicing traditional Catholic.

Posted by: Nemesis87
To me the Covenant strongly resembled institutionalized religion, with a clear indication on how it's not the greatest thing in the world.

The Master Chief wasn't so much a "savior," as he never did anything alone. Yeah, he was lucky, but he didn't take the Covenant on all by himself. A "heretic" and his band of like-minded free-thinkers helped.

The Flood could be seen as any evil that threatens mankind. Hell, the Sumerians and Mesopotamians had the same Flood myth that Christians and Hebrews have, granted there are some differences.

The Forerunners aren't gods, we know this from completing the games. They're more an ancient civilization, worshiped by fools living a lie (the Covenant.)

If anything, the Precursors were the "gods," but the notion of multiple gods certainly isn't a Christian one.


I think your wrong. Sorry but I do not believe that Bungie were trying to say that Master Chief and a bunch of "free-thinkers" *smashed* religion. I go with the previously stated theory that the Covenant represent the Jews and Master Chief did not destroy the faith and salvation of the Halo's but rather (like Our Lord with the old testament) perfected it.

JOIN THE SANGHEILI REVOLUTION AND PREPARE THIS WORLD FOR THEIR CONTROL!

  • 04.11.2010 10:09 PM PDT

Good to see that this thread is going strong some 8 months after posting! With every post I read, I'm encouraged by the attention that this kind of a subject is receiving. You guys are definitely teaching me a thing or two by throwing some important things out there that I hadn't considered before. Please be free to make your own connections and arguments, isn't that what this thread is all about? Good to see the minor connections to ODST (hadn't noticed those before)and even some insight into the Covenant as misled religious fanatics. The more I consider this, the more I definitely see the Covenant as the "negative" side of religion (as a lot of you have already noticed), where as the Chief is the perfect execution of salvation. Yes, he does get help here and there, but I think he is mostly portrayed as a lone hero and the only one that can accomplish the epic task at hand. Gotta "BELIEVE" right?

  • 04.11.2010 10:11 PM PDT

The news of today will fade into 'morrow. They are the strong, they'll survive!

Posted by: Magna117
I think your wrong. Sorry but I do not believe that Bungie were trying to say that Master Chief and a bunch of "free-thinkers" *smashed* religion. I go with the previously stated theory that the Covenant represent the Jews and Master Chief did not destroy the faith and salvation of the Halo's but rather (like Our Lord with the old testament) perfected it.


You're misinterpreting what I meant. I didn't say or mean that the Chief and his band of Heretics "smashed" religion. I don't think there was an Atheistic message there either. What I'm saying is that I don't feel there was any religious message or undertones at all.

You can find aspects of your religion everywhere if you look hard enough. You say 117 is a direct reference to some Bible passage; it's a number. It could mean a number of things. This reminds me how Christians have all the pop culture and media icons converted to include God or Jesus.

For me, Halo had no religious message. There were aspects of Christianity found in some of the characters, yes, but nothing of the storyline itself. Hell, if I dig hard enough, I may be able to find aspects of my faith (though it's unlikely.)

However take the Emblems. I'm able to create something very close to my symbol of faith, yet the most you're able to get is a squared off cross. It doesn't mean anything one way or another, it's just coincidence.

Like I said earlier, it's great that you can see your god in whatever you want to. I just don't feel that Halo was created with the intent of a Christian undertone.

  • 04.11.2010 11:37 PM PDT

I am a practicing traditional Catholic.

Posted by: Nemesis87
Posted by: Magna117
I think your wrong. Sorry but I do not believe that Bungie were trying to say that Master Chief and a bunch of "free-thinkers" *smashed* religion. I go with the previously stated theory that the Covenant represent the Jews and Master Chief did not destroy the faith and salvation of the Halo's but rather (like Our Lord with the old testament) perfected it.


You're misinterpreting what I meant. I didn't say or mean that the Chief and his band of Heretics "smashed" religion. I don't think there was an Atheistic message there either. What I'm saying is that I don't feel there was any religious message or undertones at all.

You can find aspects of your religion everywhere if you look hard enough. You say 117 is a direct reference to some Bible passage; it's a number. It could mean a number of things. This reminds me how Christians have all the pop culture and media icons converted to include God or Jesus.

For me, Halo had no religious message. There were aspects of Christianity found in some of the characters, yes, but nothing of the storyline itself. Hell, if I dig hard enough, I may be able to find aspects of my faith (though it's unlikely.)

However take the Emblems. I'm able to create something very close to my symbol of faith, yet the most you're able to get is a squared off cross. It doesn't mean anything one way or another, it's just coincidence.

Like I said earlier, it's great that you can see your god in whatever you want to. I just don't feel that Halo was created with the intent of a Christian undertone.


I apologize about misunderstanding what you meant. I still don't agree with you but I guess the nature of forums is to hold discussions. No hard feelings.


JOIN THE SANGHEILI REVOLUTION AND PREPARE THIS WORLD FOR THEIR CONTROL!

  • 04.12.2010 8:39 AM PDT

Dude, you need to chill out or get laid.

  • 04.13.2010 3:37 PM PDT

The news of today will fade into 'morrow. They are the strong, they'll survive!

That was... constructive? Who were you even talking to?

  • 04.13.2010 5:27 PM PDT

I am a practicing traditional Catholic.

Posted by: XGC NERVKIL
Dude, you need to chill out or get laid.


What?

JOIN THE SANGHEILI REVOLUTION AND PREPARE THIS WORLD FOR THEIR CONTROL!

  • 04.14.2010 5:19 AM PDT

The best thread I've ever seen here on Bungie.net. I'm a christian and I agree with you completely.

Good job.

  • 04.16.2010 6:29 AM PDT

Been awhile since I've been on this chunk of the woods. As I was reading through and catching myself up on what has been said I had a thought. That John was the true savior not Jesus. I can not remember all the evidence behind this other than a famous picture of Jesus as a baby being lower than John and that the original was more abrupt in this message than the one that is seen today. What amazes me is how well Bungie seemed to implement so many allegories to a single game. As stated by another that stories are usually based off others/inspired by other stories and so forth as the Bible is as well. That the people who where there for the actual events are Forerunners (can be tied many different ways to different people) and you have the Covenant who fanatically follow it whilst being blind and try to convert others to their faith. (many historical ties here) Those who don't want to be involved. Just so many ways Halo could be taken allegorically.

  • 04.20.2010 9:47 AM PDT

The search bar is like a DMR.

Anyone can use it effectively if they try.
Smart people do use it effectively.
Idiots don't, then complain about how it doesn't work.
The only problem is that, the DMR is used in Reach, but the search bar isn't used in the Reach forum.

Great job, I recognized a few of those aspects while playing the games but nearly all that you said, was something I never even thought of.
Thread saved!

[Edited on 04.22.2010 11:35 AM PDT]

  • 04.21.2010 8:46 AM PDT
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Posted by: FleetAdmiralBob
Nah.

Biblical alegories are pretty much inevitable. Even atheists have to try pretty hard to avoid them.


QFT!

  • 04.22.2010 3:41 AM PDT
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What you have written is quite true. I myself have been thinking about this since Halo:CE. Bungie truly has created a wonderful masterpiece where people of all kinds come to enjoy the game. Perhaps there is a theme in Halo that relates to Christ. My opinion is that there is some Christian beliefs in Halo, and this is just one of the reasons why I love Halo.

  • 04.30.2010 5:32 PM PDT

Posted by: Baph117
This is an incredible step forward to being able to cure Downss sybndonre mn humans bineg.s

Wait, so Cortana is moses?

  • 04.30.2010 5:38 PM PDT
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~beast from the east~

beautifully written, and as a fellow believer i wanted to commend you on going to these lengths to tie together 2 big parts of a lot of our lives. thanks

  • 05.02.2010 11:34 AM PDT

Thanks BEAST! I appreciate the positive feedback, and I agree wholeheartedly about the "two parts of our lives" statement.

  • 05.08.2010 12:40 PM PDT

You look unto me now through the profile screen found at http://www.bungie.net/Account/Profile.aspx. Here we are, mutually faceless, both ones in the Seventh.

But what about the Arbiter?

  • 05.08.2010 8:33 PM PDT

I'm James "Joker" Montag, a proud member of the EON corporation. You can check it out at my homepage.

"Ago in tendo, Pugna pro posterus"
-EON Motto

Fantastic Thread!
Both the connections and the commentary backing it up are amazing, keep up the good work.

  • 05.19.2010 6:54 PM PDT

Vad!

Posted by: Cr4sh Dummy
Well written, good job man. I may not have agreed with everything you said but you backed it up flawlessly and unmarred with discrepancies.


what he said!

Nice work for thinking that up aswell. i lwase respect people who take that extra time and effort

  • 05.20.2010 6:13 AM PDT
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Cool good to know there are people that care about christ. I hope that all that bungie did was intended and good job to you on writing or typing all that dude.

[Edited on 05.20.2010 2:29 PM PDT]

  • 05.20.2010 2:26 PM PDT

Have no LIVE, but got skills. Go 7th column, figh7 for 7he 7ru7h!

nice, Adam 360. I never looked at halo that way. As a lover of christ and the holy covenant (not the alien enemies) I hope more people make threads like this one

[Edited on 05.24.2010 2:30 PM PDT]

  • 05.24.2010 2:27 PM PDT

so if the forerunners are God, what is the race that came before? so much for the unmoved mover... p.s. jeez you have too much time n your hands

also would you happen to be one of the odd people that has a picture of a cross on their file share? you guys are so annoying

[Edited on 05.25.2010 1:09 PM PDT]

  • 05.25.2010 1:08 PM PDT
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What?

This is a very interesting thread. Good job.

  • 06.01.2010 5:45 PM PDT