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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

You're either first or you're last.

You'll never amount to anything, go back under your bridge.

I've always appreciated this. It occurred to me back in Halo 2 when I realized the covenant were like religious extremists fighting a holy war with an aim of genocide for the non-believers. The Great Journey was akin to transcendence. Nice analysis, OP.

  • 08.22.2011 11:33 PM PDT

"This reminds me of a time when i tried to kill myself over a puzzle i couldn't complete"

Very interesting. I strongly believe that the Halo story is merely inspired by aspects of the Bible (or other religious documents, which are actually mainly deprived from the same roots. Every major religion has a flood story etc.). Abraham's descendants, Isaac, and Ishmael, Isaac who inherited God's covenant directly (Fruit of nations and the birth of the son), both of their offspring laid the path for future religions. Jews came from Isaac and Muslims originated from Ishmael. These varying religions often ad hominem over the history after Abraham.

[Edited on 08.23.2011 12:02 AM PDT]

  • 08.22.2011 11:55 PM PDT

Nice thread, saved it and forwarded it to a few friends!

  • 08.23.2011 12:31 AM PDT


Posted by: X El BaZzA X
How is this NOT a religious discussion thread?

Because games take inspiration from religion, lore, and history in the formation of their stories. This is not a thread about the means or end of religious practice, but a debate about what religious allegories inspired the creation of the Halo Universe and the characters within.

One does not need to believe in the stories of the different religious books and practices, that fueled the fires of the Halo forgery, to appreciate the inspiration. I would be labled Christian, but I find the stories of books like the Quran, Bible, Bhagavad Gita, Confucian Classics, and various Buddhist philosophies to be fascinating.

  • 08.23.2011 8:37 AM PDT

"When I joined the corps we didn't have any fancy shmancy tanks! We had sticks! Two sticks and a rock for the whole platoon! And we had to SHARE the rock!"

You really did your research!! :O

Bravo man, this thread was as you said "eye opening" and well done to everyone for their views :D

[Edited on 08.25.2011 11:07 AM PDT]

  • 08.25.2011 10:53 AM PDT

General of The Irish Punks


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.


That makes no sense. The Covenant weren't trying to kill humans because they either stole or possessed Forerunner relics.

They killed them because they had a relation to the Forerunner's and proved that the "Great Journey" wasn't what it was all kicked up to be.

  • 08.25.2011 12:13 PM PDT

TL;DR

The ark and the covenant

Icwhattheydidthar

  • 08.25.2011 2:43 PM PDT

"Where ere thou hast been, here or in yon world manifest? Canst thou tell what is, or what was, or what is to come? No thing shall last. Yet there are some things that will never change. History is written in blood, yet are battles really lost on the battlefield? Canst thou tell me where thou comest, and where thou goest, and what is, or what was, or what will be? For everything remains, AS IT NEVER WAS."

I would also like to add (with the multi-cultural references) that "Covenant" isn't exclusive to Christianity. It also is mentioned in Islam, Judaism, (not sure if Ancient Hebrew is considered different for you all,) and even Pagan beliefs. We have (well, Wiccans do,) the Covenant of the Goddess, and several pacts between the Gods of our beliefs and mankind are referred to from time to time as "Covenants."

  • 08.25.2011 2:48 PM PDT

Love. Honor. Tru7h.

FINALLY!! Someone who sees all of the Christian symbolism in Halo! I give to you all of my internetz, thumbs up, and cookies!

P.S. Don't know if you noticed this, but the entire Human-Covenant War can be seen as a direct reference to the Crusades, with the Covenant "Crusaders" attempting to save their Holy Rings from the Human "infidels".

  • 08.25.2011 4:41 PM PDT

The idea of the UNSC equaling Islam is rather funny since how many women would have such high ranking positions in any Islamic military? Easy answer, none. UNSC is obviously patterned after US Marines.

The Covenant are very Anti-Christ like since all the terms they use for themselves seem to be the complete opposite of what they are. High Charity is not the home of charitable ideals, The Prophet of Truth is a liar, and while all the Covies call Master Chief the Demon, he is actually the Redeemer/Reclaimer who even saves the Covies from completely destroying themselves inadvertantly by activating the Halo rings.

[Edited on 08.28.2011 9:46 AM PDT]

  • 08.26.2011 9:18 PM PDT

Causing mischief from the shadows

The forerunners went into the ark while the flood overtook the universe. Halo borrows a lot of religions and also mythology. I like fiction that does this, it gives is a tasteful levelmof depth

  • 08.26.2011 9:25 PM PDT

Posted by: johnsocal
The Covenant are very Anti-Christ like since all the terms they use for themselves seem to be the complete opposite of what they are. High Charity is not the home of charitable ideals, The Prophet of Truth is a liar, and while all the Covies call Master Chief the Demon, he is actually the Redeemer who even saves the Covies from completely destroying themselves inadvertantly by activating the Halo rings.
That's because it's a criticism on religion. Of course they're going to show the religious people as hypocrites.

  • 08.26.2011 9:39 PM PDT

As a born-again Christian myself (Baptist), I find this a very interesting and unique way to tie in God's Word to modern technology. Thanks for sharing, this truly was an eye-opener!

  • 08.26.2011 9:48 PM PDT

Outside the religious like language of the Covenant, there was nothing spiritual about them. The Covies were a technology worshipping religion in which material/physical (forerunner) artifacts would turn them into gods.

[Edited on 08.27.2011 9:48 AM PDT]

  • 08.27.2011 9:46 AM PDT

"Let the big man do his work"
"Look, Reach has been good to me, time has come to return the favor. Don't deny me this. Tell 'em to make it count." - Jorge 052
Terminus Est- Forward unto the end


Posted by: johnsocal
The idea of the UNSC equaling Islam is rather funny since how many women would have such high ranking positions in any Islamic military? Easy answer, none.


You seem to be confusing common Islamic practice with Sharia law ( forgive me if i misspelled it). Most modern Muslims actually treat women as equal and valued members of society. Islamic fundamentalists in the Middle East (Iranian Government and the Taliban, specifically) practice a very strict and literal interpretation of the Koran, similar in concept to the strict interpretation of the Bible by Southern Babtists. THIS practice (Sharia Law) is the one where women are subjugated and treated as property.

  • 08.27.2011 5:54 PM PDT

ARBITER,

What Islamic (majority) country best represents the equal treatment of women in your opinion. Are women allowed to fight in their military if they so choose to do so?

Im not interested in knocking any one religion in this thread, my point is that the UNSC is obviously not an allegorical symbol of Islam.

[Edited on 08.28.2011 9:48 AM PDT]

  • 08.28.2011 9:44 AM PDT
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Noah's Ark is the only real religion reference that I can see. Noah built the Ark to save the Earth's species from extinction from the flood. The Forerunners created the Ark to save the species of the Milky Way from the Flood.

The Human-Covenant war doesn't really have any religious significance. The prophets want the humans dead because they are a threat to the beliefs of their technological religion.

  • 08.28.2011 9:54 AM PDT

"Let the big man do his work"
"Look, Reach has been good to me, time has come to return the favor. Don't deny me this. Tell 'em to make it count." - Jorge 052
Terminus Est- Forward unto the end


Posted by: johnsocal
ARBITER,

What Islamic (majority) country best represents the equal treatment of women in your opinion. Are women allowed to fight in their military if they so choose to do so?

Im not interested in knocking any one religion in this thread, my point is that the UNSC is obviously not an allegorical symbol of Islam.


I apologize for the misunderstanding.

  • 08.28.2011 10:06 AM PDT


Posted by: superiorarsenal
Noah's Ark is the only real religion reference that I can see. Noah built the Ark to save the Earth's species from extinction from the flood. The Forerunners created the Ark to save the species of the Milky Way from the Flood.

The Human-Covenant war doesn't really have any religious significance. The prophets want the humans dead because they are a threat to the beliefs of their technological religion.


Did you even read it all? i don't think so.
This is enough proof.

  • 08.28.2011 10:07 AM PDT

"Let the big man do his work"
"Look, Reach has been good to me, time has come to return the favor. Don't deny me this. Tell 'em to make it count." - Jorge 052
Terminus Est- Forward unto the end

Reading back over the thread. I am now of the opinion that while various religious allusions are made in the game, the overall commentary is one on the dangers of blind faith, and how this blind faith is easily manipulated. I do not, however, see it as a criticism of religion as a whole.

  • 08.28.2011 10:11 AM PDT
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Yes I did read through the posts. Nothing but conjecture really, and people reading too far into things. If anything Arbiter is right. You can draw any similarities you want, but that doesn't mean they are true.

  • 08.28.2011 11:02 AM PDT

"Where ere thou hast been, here or in yon world manifest? Canst thou tell what is, or what was, or what is to come? No thing shall last. Yet there are some things that will never change. History is written in blood, yet are battles really lost on the battlefield? Canst thou tell me where thou comest, and where thou goest, and what is, or what was, or what will be? For everything remains, AS IT NEVER WAS."

I am actually tempted now to make a "Halo as a Pagan Allegory" thread.. Might take a while, though :/

  • 08.28.2011 12:33 PM PDT

i wrote a topic the same as this 3 or 4 or 5 years ago with less words and lots of misspelling lol its rather obvious that the game is based around religion

  • 09.01.2011 5:39 PM PDT

"Where ere thou hast been, here or in yon world manifest? Canst thou tell what is, or what was, or what is to come? No thing shall last. Yet there are some things that will never change. History is written in blood, yet are battles really lost on the battlefield? Canst thou tell me where thou comest, and where thou goest, and what is, or what was, or what will be? For everything remains, AS IT NEVER WAS."

Posted by: superiorarsenal
Noah's Ark is the only real religion reference that I can see.

You should say "Biblical reference." All the Nordic references (and I guess the Greek, though it's not my tradition,) are technically religious references.

  • 09.02.2011 6:34 PM PDT

1.) "Crack In Time" - Louder Production Music
2.) "Agressive Sucks" - Moss Landing
3.) Custom Version of "Meet Oscar" - Louder Productions Music
4.) "Behind You Rise" - Distortion Music
5.) "Aurora" - Mark Petrie
6.) "Surge Down - Audio Machine

So I was watching "The Prince of Egypt" the other day, then I came to a huge realization.

Noble 6 was basically Moses. He lead the "Exodus" (Hint at the levels name) out of Egypt. Then they were lead across the parted sea to the other side, which is basically how some people survived Reach and made it to Earth.

  • 09.03.2011 6:21 PM PDT