touhou as a religion

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Anon10/24/26, 00:32No.51350425

I like touhou, I like the Philosophy Zun employs, I do not want it to be a religion. Religions always get corrupted and end up being used as an excuse to kill and conquer. It is better if it is used as a philosophy like good art can suggest to others than an institution of faith which is bound to eventually fall to thw wrong hands

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Anon10/24/26, 00:44No.51350466

You know how Crowley talks about magick? I do that to my waifu

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Anon10/24/26, 01:01No.51350536

I've heard Touhou described as "the sanest cult on the Internet," but I imagine that was moreso a hyperbole to show the zeal of the fans than an actual claim about fans' spiritual beliefs. I'm basically kicking a puppy with such a lame answer, but Touhou is not a religion, nor can it be one without significant alterations to its source material. The closest we have is our collective pipe dream that, somehow, someday, we might get to go to this fictional paradise that we so adore. Most understand this is nothing more than fantasy, but there are some (who will no doubt be drawn to this thread) who think it can actually be done. I'm in the former camp, but I don't discount the idea of reincarnation into universes that function differently to our own, so who knows.

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Anon10/24/26, 01:51No.51350632

Do other religions also have the issue of people claiming they are fans(or followers in this case) but never actually consuming the primary materials? I guess Christians are known for not reading the Bible, but what about other religions?

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Anon10/24/26, 02:44No.51350701

I am going to found a religion based on Paizuri. Not a cult!

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Anon10/24/26, 15:20No.51351659

I've been thinking about this topic for a while, because ever since I first encountered it, I felt that there is something "different" about Touhou, and there seems to be a significant amount of people who feel the same. Touhou is the key that opens a door within my heart that no other piece of media in the world can open. For the most part I don't care about biographical details, but I still remember the day and week and month when I first got into Touhou, even though it was over 10 years ago. One researcher about the MLP-fandom described a "joy effect", in that people reported a lasting feeling of happiness and optimism as a result of interacting with the show. I have a strong feeling that there is something similar going on with Touhou, only much more powerful!Whether Touhou could be called a religion or not is a question of definitions. My criteria for defining a serious religion would be: 1. Does it provide a narrative about the origin of the universe and about the future/end of history? 2. Does it provide an answer for what happens after death? 3. Did someone die as a result of their sincere belief in it (or alternatively, did believers kill someone over not believing in it).Touhou does not fulfill criteria 1&2, and I'm unaware of anyone who died for Touhou either (although there is anecdotal evidence for a Touhou-community in North Korea, where it would presumably carry the death penalty).Despite that, I think it would be right to classify Touhou as a "para-religious" phenomenon, as in, the psychological processes that draw people towards Touhou probably have a lot in common with the processes that draw people towards "traditional religions".I can also understand the desire to "proselytize". After all, if something makes you happy, it is natural to want to share it with others. It's a result of our natural empathy and our desire to help others. One could also see the phenomenon of Touhou-hijacks (which are still ongoing to this day) as a kind of secular proselytism. But it seems to me that only a minority of people is really capable to "appreciate" Touhou. I tend to think of it as a secular version of Calvinist predestination. Some people are naturally drawn to it, while others aren't. For myself, getting into Touhou came as a huge surprise, since I've never really been into anime or Japan stuff before (or since).Right now I'm working on a series of stories where I try to explore and define the "religious" elements within Touhou, although it is currently at an early stage and mostly within my mind.As an aside, I personally don't believe or hope for a reincarnation in Gensokyo. It doesn't seem like a pleasant place to live in, compared to my current life. But I still sincerely hope that those who genuinely wish to go there will find a way.

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Anon10/24/26, 18:11No.51352000

We have wheat/fertility goddess!

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