Dragonlance based on Mormonism?!?

[Arani Korden]

The Disks of Miskal remind me a little of the Golden Tablets, but are also hitting the "sacred scripture" mythological element common in many religions. So other than skills gained from his Mission the links seem to be pretty weak from what I remember of the series.

(I'm also LDS, but what I know about Dragonlance comes from reading the first two trilogies back in High School, so grains of salt for everyone!)

I agree that it's not a direct allegory, though you can see where the series has been informed by Hickman's faith. In addition to the Disks of Mishakal/Golden Plates thing (which leads to the restoration of an empowered priesthood), the fall of Istar reminds me of the Nephite cycle of pride and repentance.

 

[Desdichado]

I agree that it's not a direct allegory, though you can see where the series has been informed by Hickman's faith. In addition to the Disks of Mishakal/Golden Plates thing (which leads to the restoration of an empowered priesthood), the fall of Istar reminds me of the Nephite cycle of pride and repentance.

Huh. Those never occured to me. Good call.

Y'know, I glanced over at your location, and at first I read that as Nauvoo.

 

[Faraer]

Glen Larsen is certainly a Mormon, though opinions differ of how far Battlestar Galactica is based on that.

 

[ShadowX]

I think all the Weis and Hickman novels are influenced somewhat by Christianity and more specifically the LDS faith. I recall that the Rose of the Prophet trilogy had a strong Mormon correlation, and that Dragonlance was much weaker in this area, but my memory could be failing me.

 

[Mythtify]

I'm not LDS, though a lot of my friends are. I have also studied LDS theology, on of my favorite sources being "Mormon Doctrine" by McConkie.

Looking from the outside in, I would say that D&D in general has a mormon take on the afterlife. Specificly, eternal progression. The old D&D immortal set made me think of this.

 

[Krieg]

Adam's Ark was sort of about the origins of mankind in the universe, taking some of the biblical stories and moving them off into space as if by the time we get them to Earth, they're really not about things that happened here, but things that might have happened someplace else in space. It was influenced by Von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods and some of those things... Adam's Ark helped bring a focus into what my concept had been. Ultimately, Battlestar Galactica is my original idea refined down to where I now have fixed on what my point of view is on how all humans throughout the galaxy probably evolved from some mother colony.

---Glen Larson 1978

I think it is safe to say that while BG isn't a direct retelling of the book of Mormon, it was strongly influenced by Larson's faith.

 

[Desdichado]

Actually, it's not at all a retelling of the Book of Mormon if it's a hodge podge of the Adam story from Genesis and Von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods type stuff.

 

[Krieg]

...and it was also influenced by Larson's religious beliefs as he himself has stated.

 

[Desdichado]

...and it was also influenced by Larson's religious beliefs as he himself has stated.

Yeah, but saying it is based on his religious beliefs and then drawing parallels to Adam and the lost tribes of Israel isn't saying much. I believe, after all, that the Bible is still the best-selling book in the world. And the Koran has those features as well.

 

[Tetsubo]

There's a difference between being compatible with and being central to. I've seen LotR called a Christian allegory (I don't completely agree, but there are people capable of making the argument). Obviously, Narnia is. Dragonlance, though? Just not seeing it.

I read an article in a Pagan magazine once that described how Narnia helped to convert someone away from Christianity and into becoming a Wiccan.