Religion
In the world of Cyberpunk, religion has expanded and evolved in many ways. With new religions being formed, and the old religions being as big as ever, the world has certainly seen its fair share of changes.
Overview
The popularity of American religion has fluxed greatly owing to major scandals in various religious organizations, and led the abandonment of organized churches wholesale in the '90s. The years of martial law and ecological collapse saw a "grassroots" resurgence of religion in American life.
Some of the most popular religions in America include Christianity and Islam (both Shia and Sunni). An Islamic mosque can be found in almost every major city, and is very popular among the urban poor.
A sect of Jainism has emerged in America from Indian immigrants, along with a resurgence of Buddhist practice. Judaism has fared less well, and the breakdown of U.S.-Israeli relations had left the few Jews left in America feeling isolated.
Fringe religions include but are not limited to: Scientology, the Beatified Circle of the Celts, The Immortal Pyramid, Worshipers of the Night, and the Coalition Against the Satanic Fellowship of the Gods. There even exists a church devoted to the worship of Elvis Presley.
NUSA Religion List
The Beatified Circle of the Celts
The Beatified Circle of the Celts are a small sect living in isolated communities far from any city, made up of people who feared what modern living had turned into. The circle tries to guide its followers to get back in touch with nature and are led by a group of elders known as the Druids, a peace-loving group that wants to be left alone.[1]
The Immortal Pyramid
The Immortal Pyramid is a group who believes that humans are nothing more than intelligent animals, and therefore don't have souls and do not survive death. Based heavily on the Ancient Egyptian Pantheon, members of the Immortal Pyramid are obsessed with avoiding death and are always carrying and wearing protective equipment and fleeing from any situations with even the smallest chance of risk. The goal of the IP is to find enough money to create a data-center shaped like a pyramid, with the goal of downloading their minds into memory banks to wait in safety until someone develops a way to make them truly immortal.[1]
The Worshipers of the Night
The Worshipers of the Night are a group who wear all white armored clothing, and roam the streets at night to "protect the nights holiness against evil" The worshipers of the Night believe that everyone should feel peace and the ability to rest without paranoia at night, and thus they sleep all day, and patrol all night keeping the streets safe.[1]
Digital Divinity Incorporated
Digital Divinity Incorporated was founded on the idea that the Net is the first thing made by man which is infinite, and thus it is proof of mankind's own godhood. The DDI preached that interfacing with the Net is communion with the true self, that the Net is man's destiny to extend their existence, and that the thought in electronic form is a heavenly or nirvana-like experience. Deus is the DDIs diving entity in the Net.[1]
The Coalition Against the Satanic Fellowship
The Coalition Against the Satanic fellowship is one of the most paranoid religions around, who believe that that evil gods control the fate of the entire human race. While they do believe in good gods, their purpose is to get rid of certain people whom they believe are being used as puppets. The Coalition is engaged in war with every known Satanist sect, believing Satanism to be any kind of evil.
Realism
Realism is a relatively small religion based in many of the more technically advanced cities. Realists believe that the real universe is something unbeknownst by us as we are all living in a perfect VR simulation without the ability to "breach" it. Different sects occur within this doctrine, but many believe that all the religion's members are gods who are bored with their never-ending existence and have created this simulation just to pass the time.
Malism
Malism is the believe that world and everything in it at its core is evil. Humans were born in sin and will live and die in sin. People who believe in Malism mainly pray for the end of times or Armageddon to wipe out everything and end the suffering.
Satanism
Rather than a true religion, Satanism is considered to be the rejection or opposition of Christianity. Most worshipers, mainly Boostergangs and Rockerboys meet together in small groups, each with their own variation of Satanism. By 2020, no notable central church had been formed for the religion.[1] Despite the lack of authority in Satanism, Satanist sects declared war against the Coalition Against the Satanic Fellowship of the Gods, defending their lifestyles.
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Its adherents, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the messiah, whose coming was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible, called the Old Testament, and chronicled in the New Testament. Christianity is divided into three major sects: a more liberal and relaxed Roman Catholic Church, Protestants in the West, and fundamentalist Christianity in the form of Evangelicalism in Dixie. Churches can be found in every city in the United States.
Judaism
Post-Collapse Judaism has not fared well. With Mideast turmoil and U.S.-Israeli relations under pressure in the wake of the Meltdown, Jews in America feel isolated. Although Israel does offer a homeland for American Jews looking to make the trip, the means of getting there is not readily available to all. However, nomad tribes, such as the Blaine Family, continue to practice Judaism. Smaller cultures like nomad packs are the only reason Judaism has survived in the US.
Islam
There has been a renaissance in the Islamic Faith in the 2020s. People of all colors and backgrounds flock to this religion. During the collapse, dietary laws and restrictions saved many Muslims from the septic conditions, and both the Sunni and Shia sects are thriving. Islam is popular among the poor, which make up the majority of Americans.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a combination of religion, philosophy, and psychology; seeking fulfillment of life by removing one's concept of self and following the eight practices. In the 21st century, Buddhism has grown significantly in America, both in membership and popularity due to influxes of Indian Jainism and Zen philosophy in the nation, despite it being unappealing to cyberpunks due to its preaching of non-violence. Buddhists have a fascination with the Net, which lays out an ideal setting for exploration of thought, utilizing directionless exploration of the Net as their medium to deny themselves the concept of self.
Shinto
During ancient times, the various leaders in Japan would fear that the spirits of the dead could come back to haunt them in life. In the Japanese culture, the people are very loyal, meaning if you were to kill the enemy leader, his armies would then fight for you for as long as they lived. In order to prevent this, they would try to capture the opposing sides leader during a battle, keeping him hostage so his followers wouldn't be able to rebel. This would also in turn see that the leaders spirit wouldn't haunt the victors. This however, is seen as such a disgrace that they would commit suicide so they could save their honor and avenge themselves from the grave. This ritual suicide is known as seppuku or hara-kiri.
After WW2, General MacArthur grew to understand this ritual well. Because of his knowledge of the Japanese culture, he chose not to execute Showa Tenno as a war criminal, which he believe would lead to Japan rising up again. Instead, he changed the role of Tenno from God-Emperor to just be a symbol of Japan.
That being said, if you were to kill the opposing leader and all of his followers, you would have to placate his spirit. This is why you see all the Zaibatsus of Japan with Shinto shrines to calm the spirits of the land and trees that were cleared for the building. These consist of but are not limited to Arasaka, Kiroshi, and Tokyo AeroSpace Port to name a few. The official religion of Japan is Shinto (way of the gods), and sees many dead heroes that make up a large number of its deities. For instance, Saburo Arasaka would pray to eight million gods and spirits every day. This included all those killed by the Arasaka Corporation.
Shinto is primarily found in Japan, where there are around 80,000 public shrines; the country's shrine organization claims 113 million adherents. Shinto is also practiced elsewhere in smaller numbers. Most of the population take part in Shinto matsuri and Buddhist activities, especially festivals and seasonal events. This reflects a common view in Japanese culture that the beliefs and practices of different religions need not be exclusive. Shinto is heavily practiced in Night City. A Shinto Shrine can be visited in Westbrook as well as many tori gates found around the city. A traditional Japanese park can also be visited in the City Center.
Hinduism
Hinduism is a combination of philosophy and religion, similar to that of Buddhism, which originated in the Indian subcontinent and was heavily influenced by the shared concepts of karma and dharma; consequences and duties respectively. It exists as a relatively minor religion, sidelined by the more prevalent and oriental-centric Buddhism, mentioned in Misty's shop with the utilization of the shared 'Om' symbol, and her usage of incense sticks. It is generally just as unappealing as Buddhism when presented to Cyberpunks.
References
WRIGHT, B. Wildside. 1st ed. Berkeley CA; R.Talsorian Games, 1993.