Okay, to start off, I want to bring up the Religious items used not only in Final Fantasy VII, but the past Final Fantasies as well, that have irrefutable heavy religious influence and inspirational drawings. To make things more simple and to the point I will start off with Aerith's Church, the most bold and out there hint that religion is there in this game and other Final Fantasies.
So first off, Aerith Gainsborough, she basically lives in a Church, well, she spends most of her free time there, tending to the flowers that have no problem blooming in the "Sacred" place -- Aeriths words not mine -- back to the point though Aerith lives in the Gothic Roman Catholic themed/designed "Church" which is what its entitled, not "Synagogue", not "Mosque", and not "Temple".
Aerith spends her free time in the "Sacred" place, designed identically to a Catholic or Christian Church and/or Cathedral/Chapel and its even called a church....
I wanna go to another installment to the series, and its a...pretty well known Final Fantasy, the fourth Final Fantasy; you probably already know why I am bringing this up, but I'll go on anyway, you must be familiar with this games interpretation of the Tower of Babel right? Well the Tower of Babil, this games take on the religious Tower, is no doubt drawn and inspired from the Biblical Tower. It looks the same, has a pretty similar purpose, and damn well sounds the same in name.
But, alas...yes I know they aren't the exact same thing, for this is a video game interpretation, with its own twists and story line, but still doubtlessly the same meaning is meant here, and even more so the same story to be told. They wanted the players to see the resemblance to the actual tower, or else they could have made numerous names to substitute, they've done it before...they could do it then as well. They couldn't outright make it the same Tower, for various reasons; that's bad on story line's part and another I'll get to later.
(What is the meaning of the Tower of Babil in Final Fantasy IV again? Oh, yes, that's right to stretch from the underworld to this worlds Overworld, hm? Sounds familiar...that's right! The Tower of Babel, was meant to stretch up into the Heavens...to God. Because its all about religion. So then what could a replica of this tower in a story be? Religiously tied?)
The past Final Fantasies have always had religious intent, inspiration or drawings it is very clear. Through all of them we find Churches, crosses, worship, prayer, temples of any kind, and faith of many kinds have been seen, some times specific, sometimes drawn from Abrahamic Religions, or the Buddhist faith the point to be made is that religion is there, the real ones and a few made up ones. For instance here are a few of the old Final Fantasy Churches, the crosses that the old churches features were removed by Nintendo of America for policy reasons, that stated Judeo-Christian imagery as well as death weren't allowed to be depicted (in 1990). If they weren't references to these religions, they wouldn't have had to be removed. Why remove something that isn't Religious?
A Church, Sanctuary, and so on, what they were originally known as. These locations all looks the same, no matter which game you played, or which game we talked about, or which game contains them.
The Churches of Legacy Installment; Final Fantasy's
Now, onto what I said earlier, about various religious items, themes, symbols and characters. Remember when I said "Buddhist"? Yeah that is going to come into play now, many people think the Da Chao is a representation of Buddha, I don't get where that comes from since, Buddha is actually seen in the game. Da Chao are the Shinobi ancestors of Wutai, not Buddha. Da Chao doesn't look like Buddha and isn't worshiped like Buddha, Wutai is a Chinese Village; Praying to ancestors was common to China's people, its called ancestor veneration, its a social/ non religious function.
Buddha still exists, Da Chao does not replace him, they aren't Gods, and the aren't the games interpretation and personal spin on the religious figure. The first is Da Chao...the second... is a little Buddha statue.
Now, I want to move on from 'Items' and 'Locations' of Final Fantasy that show Religion is there and does exist in some way or another, because it does. Whether or not the Final Fantasy team altered it or played with it in their imaginations is beyond the point, because my point is it is there, and there are faithful images/characters here, that go beyond simply looking the same, if a pig acts like a pig...dresses like a pig...smells like a pig...sounds like a pig...then it is indeed a pig.
How about themes? Actions? Names and Biblical/religious creatures? And I am not just hinting at Ifrit, Bahamut, Shiva and the like because they share name only, though Ifrit does come close to the Islamic creature, both in looks and theme, it arguable if it is indeed the exact creature of the religion. What about angels? If angels were in the Video game, could that convince some or most that religion is there? Ancients aren't like angels, they are not angels in and of themselves and they so not preform tasks like angels, their jobs are not like that of angels...they themselves are not angels. Ancients are the Video games original idea.
Now, however, we do see actual angels in the game, and I am not talking about those little guys that healed you when you used Arise or Life, I am talking about the angels that come when someone prays. Like when Aerith Prays in Final Fantasy VII, while using her Limit Break...Great Gospel.
The woman gets up, clasps her hands together and prays, light descends from the clouds and angels come to her and her companions in aid after she finishes praying. They have wings, they wear toga's and they come packin'...spirit, that is.
Okay, okay, I know, a limit break called Great Gospel and a praying while angels aid you aren't quite enough for some people, so I am going to have to try a little harder to convince some people...Although honestly, this is really what would convince anyone, it convinced me but I guess we all see differently.
What about Aerith praying isn't religious though? I mean, the woman lives in a Church, she called it a sacred place, she has a limit called the Great Gospel, past Final Fantasies have had numerous Religious items, themes, and building in them, Crosses even god removed as "Judeo-Christian" imagery because at the time Nintendo of America said religious imagery wasn't allowed!
But yeah, lets argue the number three some more, so we can head on.
As well as Angels, Churches, Praying, Gospel and faith being present in not only Final Fantasy VII but the previous Final Fantasies as well there is also a Cross in the Final Fantasy VII series, a crucifix if you will. On Vincent Valentines Coffin. A lot of you could say and might say that means nothing...but it does.
Coffins are instruments of departure AFTER death, they are used in Burials when we say goodbye to loved ones when they die, a cross on a coffin has one meaning and that is afterlife, afterlife is the meaning of religion...life after death through faith and God. Does it just so happen to be a Cross? No! that would be ridiculous. Why put it there at all, if not for religious puposes? Especially when it wasn't originally on his coffin in the first place. If it was just a symbol there, why choose to use a Cross? And why on a Coffin? The answer is simple...for religious purposes...
The Day of the Sabbath is recognized as a Day of Rest in Judaism and Christianity, its recognized as a day of rest, and the Seventh day of Creation. Its the Day God rested after completing the Creation in 6 Days.
So first off, Aerith Gainsborough, she basically lives in a Church, well, she spends most of her free time there, tending to the flowers that have no problem blooming in the "Sacred" place -- Aeriths words not mine -- back to the point though Aerith lives in the Gothic Roman Catholic themed/designed "Church" which is what its entitled, not "Synagogue", not "Mosque", and not "Temple".
Aerith spends her free time in the "Sacred" place, designed identically to a Catholic or Christian Church and/or Cathedral/Chapel and its even called a church....
Here is a comparison to Aeriths Church and a real life Church, practically no difference,
I wanna go to another installment to the series, and its a...pretty well known Final Fantasy, the fourth Final Fantasy; you probably already know why I am bringing this up, but I'll go on anyway, you must be familiar with this games interpretation of the Tower of Babel right? Well the Tower of Babil, this games take on the religious Tower, is no doubt drawn and inspired from the Biblical Tower. It looks the same, has a pretty similar purpose, and damn well sounds the same in name.
But, alas...yes I know they aren't the exact same thing, for this is a video game interpretation, with its own twists and story line, but still doubtlessly the same meaning is meant here, and even more so the same story to be told. They wanted the players to see the resemblance to the actual tower, or else they could have made numerous names to substitute, they've done it before...they could do it then as well. They couldn't outright make it the same Tower, for various reasons; that's bad on story line's part and another I'll get to later.
The past Final Fantasies have always had religious intent, inspiration or drawings it is very clear. Through all of them we find Churches, crosses, worship, prayer, temples of any kind, and faith of many kinds have been seen, some times specific, sometimes drawn from Abrahamic Religions, or the Buddhist faith the point to be made is that religion is there, the real ones and a few made up ones. For instance here are a few of the old Final Fantasy Churches, the crosses that the old churches features were removed by Nintendo of America for policy reasons, that stated Judeo-Christian imagery as well as death weren't allowed to be depicted (in 1990). If they weren't references to these religions, they wouldn't have had to be removed. Why remove something that isn't Religious?
A Church, Sanctuary, and so on, what they were originally known as. These locations all looks the same, no matter which game you played, or which game we talked about, or which game contains them.
The Churches of Legacy Installment; Final Fantasy's
Buddha still exists, Da Chao does not replace him, they aren't Gods, and the aren't the games interpretation and personal spin on the religious figure. The first is Da Chao...the second... is a little Buddha statue.
Now, I want to move on from 'Items' and 'Locations' of Final Fantasy that show Religion is there and does exist in some way or another, because it does. Whether or not the Final Fantasy team altered it or played with it in their imaginations is beyond the point, because my point is it is there, and there are faithful images/characters here, that go beyond simply looking the same, if a pig acts like a pig...dresses like a pig...smells like a pig...sounds like a pig...then it is indeed a pig.
How about themes? Actions? Names and Biblical/religious creatures? And I am not just hinting at Ifrit, Bahamut, Shiva and the like because they share name only, though Ifrit does come close to the Islamic creature, both in looks and theme, it arguable if it is indeed the exact creature of the religion. What about angels? If angels were in the Video game, could that convince some or most that religion is there? Ancients aren't like angels, they are not angels in and of themselves and they so not preform tasks like angels, their jobs are not like that of angels...they themselves are not angels. Ancients are the Video games original idea.
The woman gets up, clasps her hands together and prays, light descends from the clouds and angels come to her and her companions in aid after she finishes praying. They have wings, they wear toga's and they come packin'...spirit, that is.
Okay, okay, I know, a limit break called Great Gospel and a praying while angels aid you aren't quite enough for some people, so I am going to have to try a little harder to convince some people...Although honestly, this is really what would convince anyone, it convinced me but I guess we all see differently.
But yeah, lets argue the number three some more, so we can head on.
As well as Angels, Churches, Praying, Gospel and faith being present in not only Final Fantasy VII but the previous Final Fantasies as well there is also a Cross in the Final Fantasy VII series, a crucifix if you will. On Vincent Valentines Coffin. A lot of you could say and might say that means nothing...but it does.
There is Heaven in context as well.(above)
(Screencap from FFIX)
What about the Day of The Sabbath? I know, some might say; that doesn't exist in the Final Fantasy world's its not in text, on the contrary, it does AND IT IS. In Final Fantasy IX when you play as Steiner in the Village Dali if you read the Pamphlet for shipping time that hangs on the wall you will read that shipping does not go on "On the Day Of The Sabbath". [Sabbath or a sabbath is generally a weekly day of rest and/or time of worship observed in Abrahamic religions and other practices] Its also used in Pagan religions but usually called the Sabbat not the "Day of the Sabbath". Not to be confused with the Buddhist day of rest "Uposatha" or the pagan "Sabbat", but there is also the Jewish Shabbat, which is the same thing.
The Day of the Sabbath is recognized as a Day of Rest in Judaism and Christianity, its recognized as a day of rest, and the Seventh day of Creation. Its the Day God rested after completing the Creation in 6 Days.
I'd hate for the thread to be closed on a count of spam or something, so I just thought I'd point that out. Thanks for pointing out my mistake though, but I've corrected this mistake before, its just a reoccurring accident. My bad.
Cause it'd stand out etc etc.
Leaving now.
