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Blade-of-the-Moon wrote: I'll agree on that, but brings up another point : religion. Calling spirits would be in the same tradition as most native peoples then.

Religion or belief?

Figarou wrote:

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote: I'll agree on that, but brings up another point : religion. Calling spirits would be in the same tradition as most native peoples then.

Religion or belief?

Well, technically religion is a term only applied to humans so it wouldn't be right in that context. However since belief is also a word meant only to reflect human ideals it wouldn't work either. We could say their belief system or their religion then .

Well, historically, Werewolves are associated with Shamanism and Christianity (or both together, as with the Belandante). Both thread of Werewolf lore survive today.

What would a werewolf's belief system or " religion " be ? I think they would shy away from most organized religions because of past prosecution, though there was a catholic saint that befriended a wolf. But I would say they would lean more toward shamanism since they are much wolf as human in makeup and would probably have a lot of respect for nature.

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:What would a werewolf's belief system or " religion " be ?

Awww...come on. Why does a werewolf need one? To be a werewolf is to be free from everything.

I'll be lying in the sun all day. Rolling in the grass. Running through the woods and splashing up water as I run through that as well.


Religion? Beliefs? No thanks.

Figarou wrote:

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:What would a werewolf's belief system or " religion " be ?

Awww...come on. Why does a werewolf need one? To be a werewolf is to be free from everything.

I'll be lying in the sun all day. Rolling in the grass. Running through the woods and splashing up water as I run through that as well.


Religion? Beliefs? No thanks.

In a story I wrote (but later abandoned due to writers block) my werewolves did not have a 'religion' per-se outside of the one they commonly portrayed as their human selves...

But they did have a deep-seated respect for nature and the various plants and animals within it. They didn't have any real religious rituals, but they did have a ceremony of sorts, done as a form of expressing this love and respect for creation - this ritual was what started the whole "werewolves-and-full-moon" link, as this rite was typically done around the time of the full moon for reasons of long-forgotten tradition.

ChaosWolf wrote: In a story I wrote (but later abandoned due to writers block) my werewolves did not have a 'religion' per-se outside of the one they commonly portrayed as their human selves...

But they did have a deep-seated respect for nature and the various plants and animals within it. They didn't have any real religious rituals, but they did have a ceremony of sorts, done as a form of expressing this love and respect for creation - this ritual was what started the whole "werewolves-and-full-moon" link, as this rite was typically done around the time of the full moon for reasons of long-forgotten tradition.

I don't mind having ceremonies.

Usually any sentient group of beings began to have some sort of belief system. Those answers are fine ones and they would work well if we don't have to get into the subject very much. We really need something in the way of a script so we can help hammer out details. I know we can't cover every detail about werewolf life that would take an hours long film, but until we know what is going to be in it we can at least discuss it.

I agree that, if they're sentient, they're going to have some thoughts on their relationship to the universe. I also think that, given almost all histoorica and fictional aterial on the subject, there would just about have to be some shamanic thread. But there should also be some variability if the Werewolf Community is any size and geographical spread at all.

WolfVanZandt wrote:I agree that, if they're sentient, they're going to have some thoughts on their relationship to the universe. I also think that, given almost all histoorica and fictional aterial on the subject, there would just about have to be some shamanic thread. But there should also be some variability if the Werewolf Community is any size and geographical spread at all.

Werewolves should at least occur everywhere there are wolves since part of the ability to shapeshift would be disguise and survival. So they would occur at least in europe, north america, mexico, and parts of asia. I'm not sure if werewolves would occur in areas where the wild wolves have been wiped out like in Japan.

WolfVanZandt wrote:I agree that, if they're sentient, they're going to have some thoughts on their relationship to the universe. I also think that, given almost all histoorica and fictional aterial on the subject, there would just about have to be some shamanic thread. But there should also be some variability if the Werewolf Community is any size and geographical spread at all.

Thoughts leads to questions.

Why am I here? What is my purpose in life? Why can I shape shift into a wolf? Why is there so few of us? Why are we being hunted down? How did this all began? ETC ETC ETC.

Figarou wrote:

WolfVanZandt wrote:I agree that, if they're sentient, they're going to have some thoughts on their relationship to the universe. I also think that, given almost all histoorica and fictional aterial on the subject, there would just about have to be some shamanic thread. But there should also be some variability if the Werewolf Community is any size and geographical spread at all.

Thoughts leads to questions.

Why am I here? What is my purpose in life? Why can I shape shift into a wolf? Why is there so few of us? Why are we being hunted down? How did this all began? ETC ETC ETC.

Exactly.....but how to answer all those questions.....

I think you can't generally tell what religion or belief would Werewolves prefer. It would depend on Werewolf's whole life. For example, in Stephen King's "Cycle of the Werewolf" the shapeshifter was a christian cleric, who at some point started to believe that the curse has been given to him by God to punish the sinners. As it was said, some Werewolves could still remember about persecutions of the Church. Others, because of the simple fact of their existence, would consider christianity to be false and be neo-pagans or such (Native-american believes would fit very well). Moreover, I think very few Werewolves would be atheists. Lycanthropy is to "Spiritual" to allow them that. Still, many of them could be agnostics from the reason Figarou gave.

Please, don't point any writing errors in my text. I'm not english. But fell free to criticize my point of viev. I'd like to see what you think about it.

Lycanthrope wrote:I think you can't generally tell what religion or belief would Werewolves prefer. It would depend on Werewolf's whole life. For example, in Stephen King's "Cycle of the Werewolf" the shapeshifter was a christian cleric, who at some point started to believe that the curse has been given to him by God to punish the sinners. As it was said, some Werewolves could still remember about persecutions of the Church. Others, because of the simple fact of their existence, would consider christianity to be false and be neo-pagans or such (Native-american believes would fit very well). Moreover, I think very few Werewolves would be atheists. Lycanthropy is to "Spiritual" to allow them that. Still, many of them could be agnostics from the reason Figarou gave.

Please, don't point any writing errors in my text. I'm not english. But fell free to criticize my point of viev. I'd like to see what you think about it.

One can only believe by what is taught to that individual.

It is quite difficult, I've tried starting at their origins. Where did the werewolves originate ? That would help because they would probably be similar to the humans from that region. If we say europe was the origin and they spread out from there, say they crossed landbridges with humans then some groups of werewolves would appear and think differently. This would also mean that there would possibly be a different religion for each one. Another idea while I'm on it, if they evolved alongside humans about the time as the ice age, would they have had a body form of Canis Lupus or of Canis Dirus ? and would they have lost this shape as they Dire Wolf became extinct in favor of the Gray Wolf or would their wolf forms be a blending of the two ?

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:It is quite difficult, I've tried starting at their origins. Where did the werewolves originate ? That would help because they would probably be similar to the humans from that region. If we say europe was the origin and they spread out from there, say they crossed landbridges with humans then some groups of werewolves would appear and think differently. This would also mean that there would possibly be a different religion for each one. Another idea while I'm on it, if they evolved alongside humans about the time as the ice age, would they have had a body form of Canis Lupus or of Canis Dirus ? and would they have lost this shape as they Dire Wolf became extinct in favor of the Gray Wolf or would their wolf forms be a blending of the two ?

Where did the werewolves originate?

Hmmm....good question.

Like I said "One can only believe by what is taught to that individual."

As time goes by, the legend can change or even disappear. One may never know the true origin.

Next episode of "In search of.....werewolves" Starring Leonard Nimoy

Oh. One more thing. Legends and beliefs can be passed down to others several ways. By teaching it to them yourself, or leaving something behind for them to follow. Like an ancient book or scroll.

If the only werewolf with the knowledge about their origin dies, so does the legend. If the book or scroll of their origin is lost, so is the legend.

They may never know all of the facts anyway but since they had to evolve in an area populated by both men and wolves hence the shapeshifting, that might as well be europe or asia. Stories and tales would keep some of their history alive since wolves are very vocal and humans like to communicate as well. The Inquisition and witch hunts would have caused much history to have been lost to those in europe especially. Certain differences would be clear in their apperance as well, an asian werewolf and a scottish werewolf are going to see hints to each others culture the forst time they meet.

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:They may never know all of the facts anyway but since they had to evolve in an area populated by both men and wolves hence the shapeshifting, that might as well be europe or asia. Stories and tales would keep some of their history alive since wolves are very vocal and humans like to communicate as well. The Inquisition and witch hunts would have caused much history to have been lost to those in europe especially. Certain differences would be clear in their apperance as well, an asian werewolf and a scottish werewolf are going to see hints to each others culture the forst time they meet.

Evolve...hmmmm. This will get your gears grinding.

Which of the species evolved? Did the human evolve to become the shapeshifter or was it the wolf?

Or was the shapeshifter something that wasn't wolf or human to begin with? Is the virus the shapeshifter? Where did it come from? How did it evolve? Which species did it pick, the human or wolf?

Owww!! My brain hurts!! To much thinking on this question!!

Edit

corrected spelling

Evolution, if it was in the past I would say the human evolved to be more like the wolf because it was a superior survivalist at the time. If it the evouloution process takes place later, then perhaps wolves evolved to be more like humans in order to save themselves from the eventual extintion they would be facing. As far as virus I don't know.....I don't like the virus theory much, but perhaps it could be the catalyst that activates a gene latent in all humans. Some can activate it by other means as well.

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:Evolution, if it was in the past I would say the human evolved to be more like the wolf because it was a superior survivalist at the time.

Humans can survive just as well as the wolf. Maybe even better. Wolves don't use tools. Humans can. With tools, humans can hunt larger animals and defend themselves.

Wolves can't build shelter from the surroundings. Humans can.

Humans can do fine without becoming a werewolf. Why to you think there is so many humans today?

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:If it the evouloution process takes place later, then perhaps wolves evolved to be more like humans in order to save themselves from the eventual extintion they would be facing.

Hmmmmm....could be.

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:As far as virus I don't know.....I don't like the virus theory much, but perhaps it could be the catalyst that activates a gene latent in all humans. Some can activate it by other means as well.

I don't like the virus theory myself.

Figarou wrote:

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:Evolution, if it was in the past I would say the human evolved to be more like the wolf because it was a superior survivalist at the time.

Humans can survive just as well as the wolf. Maybe even better. Wolves don't use tools. Humans can. With tools, humans can hunt larger animals and defend themselves.

Wolves can't build shelter from the surroundings. Humans can.

Humans can do fine without becoming a werewolf. Why to you think there is so many humans today?

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:If it the evouloution process takes place later, then perhaps wolves evolved to be more like humans in order to save themselves from the eventual extintion they would be facing.

Hmmmmm....could be.

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:As far as virus I don't know.....I don't like the virus theory much, but perhaps it could be the catalyst that activates a gene latent in all humans. Some can activate it by other means as well.

I don't like the virus theory myself.

Heh, that's what I'm getting at. Primitive man hardly had anything so of course he would have envied the wolf....heck I envy him now.

If you drop a man in a natural surrounding like a forest and drop a wolf into the same scenerio. The wolf will come out on top because a man needs tools to survive without those he quickly wastes away.

A wolf can survive in nature without altering his enviroment for the worse, a human must alter his enviroment a little to survive and he must alter it more to be comfortable and once again when he desires more.

So I don't think even the best military officer under those conditions could beat the wolf at survivng.

Blade-of-the-Moon wrote:If you drop a man in a natural surrounding like a forest and drop a wolf into the same scenerio. The wolf will come out on top because a man needs tools to survive without those he quickly wastes away.

A wolf can survive in nature without altering his enviroment for the worse, a human must alter his enviroment a little to survive and he must alter it more to be comfortable and once again when he desires more.

So I don't think even the best military officer under those conditions could beat the wolf at survivng.

Don't forget. Man can make tools. All you need is a straight stick, sharpen a rock, use a vine to tie the rock on the stick, and you have yourself a spear. Man can make a club from a small log. Use rocks to throw.

Man can use the surroundings to his benefit.

Don't under estimate man.


If you dropped the wolf and man in the middle of Antarctica, chances of man surviving will be slim.

I strongly doubt that either a man nor a wolf would be able to survive being marooned in Antartica, even if it were an Eskimo, er, pardon, Inuit, or an arctic wolf.

Apokryltaros wrote:I strongly doubt that either a man nor a wolf would be able to survive being marooned in Antartica, even if it were an Eskimo, er, pardon, Inuit, or an arctic wolf.

Correct. Hardly anything to survive on down there.