Hello SE readers, Gwen with you today and together we’re going to wrestle with topics that most of us try to ignore – religion and politics.

Many of us grew up with the comic strip Peanuts. The characters were part of our lives. We looked forward to the weekly stories that cartoonist Charles M. Schulz crafted. He understood us, and we loved him in return.
I had forgotten about Peanuts until I saw the above quote. Who doesn’t remember little Linus desperately longing to see the Great Pumpkin? But why did Schulz include it as a never-to-discuss topic along with religion and politics? Let’s explore this a bit.
Linus wanted to see the Great Pumpkin much like children who wait for Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. The Great Pumpkin held magic, wonder, and dreams. But what does this have to do with religion or politics?
While Schulz avoided outright political and religious references, he used his comic strips to address both themes. They were as elusive as the Great Pumpkin. Through his unique approach, he got readers to laugh and even think about their beliefs more consciously.
Because of my musings, I searched Wikipedia for a quick look at the world’s religions. To my surprise, I found that 85% of the overall population claims a spiritual identity – 6.7 billion people. After I hurdled my astonishment, I thought about my writing. Did I include this spiritual aspect in my characters? The short answer is not as well as I’d like.
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve done some soul searching. The journey has taken me through my hesitancy and into some clarity about both religion and politics. Today I will share a few suggestions about religion, and next month, my post will risk the same for politics.

Here are five suggestions for introducing religious sentiments in your characters. I hope you’ll find them useful.
- At the core of all religions is love. Practices and beliefs differ, but love is universal. A person can hold a yoga position and pray, while another might kneel to do the same. Love motivates both. It’s just the form that is different. If writers can focus on the underlying love that drives their characters’ spiritual lives, a reader could easily relate.
- Faith transcends the boundaries of religious fervor because it is a quality of the heart. One’s faith may be in the Universe, a loving God, or in Love itself. But in all cases, faith is heart-driven and rests in trust. Again, if our characters manifest trust in the unknown, a reader will connect.
- We all wonder about different religious expressions. We’re curious and our characters are curious. Questions about another’s beliefs are acceptable if they are innocent of judgment.
- Research is essential if we decide to introduce religious perspectives in our stories. As writers, we need to set aside our assumptions and approach the topic with respect and openness. Research will help us do both and avoid bias.
- Finally, if we can accept that we are one family, our characters will communicate that reality.
That’s it for me today, dear friends. I’d love to hear if or how you write about your characters’ spiritual life. My list of suggestions is brief, and your suggestions will deepen the conversation.
Till next month, please stay well and enjoy the delights of Spring. 💗
Pingback: Gwen and John Talk about Different Than You Gender Characters – Part I | Story Empire
Pingback: Character Development and Diversity | Story Empire
Excellent food for thought here. Yet, removing judgement when depicting a character can be challenging. Some described behaviours can carry implicit judgement, perhaps even ridicule, simply by drawing attention to certain acts. For example; Juan awoke just before his alarm sounded. He rose from his bed and shuffled towards the wardrobe to put on his magic underwear. Or; Once again, the Rabbi clenched his teeth to remove a portion of another baby’s foreskin. In both examples, there is no overt judgement, only descriptions, the first of a silly tradition and the second of a despicable tradition, but in both cases, the reader is left to judge for themself. Perhaps descriptions that shock the reader generate a reaction that results in some level of judgement. An idiot does not need to be called an idiot, descriptive text illustrating idiotic behaviour will take care of that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent points, and great examples, Thomas. Thank you! Your thoughtful and insightful comments are most helpful to this discussion.
LikeLike
When introducing spirituality into characters, I found the Golden Rule, treat others the way you want to be treated, to be rather universal in religions. Thanks for your thoughts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so right, Cheryl. The Golden Rule is universal and it’s an important guide for us all. Thank you. 😊
LikeLike
Pingback: Fictional Characters and Their Political Interests | Story Empire
Thank you for sharing this post. 😊
LikeLike
Pingback: Religion and Politics – Part 1 – I Am Awake
Thank you for sharing this post. 😊
LikeLike
This is a really great read. I am new on here. Angrysmericantakes.wordpress.com is where I am at. You are a talented writer. I only wish to be lol. Good stuff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for stopping by and joining in the conversation. All the best!
LikeLike
Darn right. We cant cant disagree respectfully.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We need to find a way to meet across the divides. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful post Gwen. You said, especially in this day and age, it’s touchy to talk about religion, but for characters in our books, it’s sometimes essential to their resume to talk about religion. As long as it’s part of the character and not the author making opinion, nothing wrong. ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
I very much agree with you, Debby. And I believe adding religious sentiments can instill depth in our characters. Thank you so much for adding to the conversation. 💗
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Religion and Politics – Part 1 – zia’blog
Thank you for the pingback.
LikeLike
HI Gwen, I was also brought up never to discuss religion or politics as well as money. It was considered very bad manners and low class to ever mention money matters or how much things cost. My books, Through the Nethergate and A Ghost and His Gold are both heavily threaded with religious ideologies and concepts. I am not religious but I was brought up a strict Catholic so these beliefs are ingrained in my psyche.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Robbie, for this insight. My background is similar to yours, and like you, money was never to be discussed. I’d rather talk about religion and politics than money. 😊 As for my writing, religious traces also appear in my books.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thats very interesting and well thought out, Gwen! During reading i never had thoughts about this, but its true. Religion and politics as best never discussed directly, but included in one of the shown ways. Best wishes, have a great week! xx Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Michael. I hope you have a wonderful week as well. 😊
LikeLike
Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for the reblog. 🙂
LikeLike
Excellent navigation through a divisive subject, Gwen. I’ve worked spiritual lessons and messages into some of my stories without delving into religion. Jesus took the religious of His day to task, as they added their own rules and biased ideology to what is meant to be a path to God, love, light and self-understanding. I love your line that says: “faith is heart-driven and rests in trust.” This is such a beautiful definition. It took me a long time to begin to understand faith, and what it means to trust in something other than myself and my fellow humans. We humans are responsible for all of our failings. I’ve tried to work that into some of my stories and my characters. We are all flawed and broken–as are many of my characters. We have all gone astray at some point. But when we write these stories, we can bring our characters back to a stronger place. Hopefully that bleeds into reality. I am really looking forward to your approach on politics. In today’s world, politics fuels hatred, anger, and division. Us versus them. My team is better than your team. It separates us from one another–including within families. I haven’t delved into politics in any of my stories, so maybe your next post will inspire me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much, Beem, for your thoughtful response. I love how you bring the human journey into your stories. Your characters are real and because of that, they are relatable. We are all flawed, and yet, we are all redeemable. How beautiful! Thank you again. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sound advice! Thanks for sharing, Gwen.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Bette. I’m so glad you liked the post. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a tough subject, Gwen. Kudos for approaching it. Well done.
My characters grew up with a strong religious influence as children. In the books in the series once they are adults, they reflect back on that upbringing, sometimes humorously.
LikeLiked by 2 people
What a great approach, Dan! I’d love to read the series. Thank you for sharing and offering another example of how to include religious themes in our writing. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the Great Pumpkin so you can discuss it with me anytime!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for the smiles and the support, Chris. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m still essentially a newbie at writing fiction. My current work in progress is getting into some tricky areas because it involves a friendship between an English American boy and a Muslim American youth. There is no way to avoid (nor do I want to avoid) the differences in terms of culture and religion. It’s forced me to dig deeper and research areas that I’m uneducated about because I don’t want to create stereotypical characters.
Your point is well taken about universal beliefs shared by many religions.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Your WIP sounds fascinating, Pete. I look forward to eventually reading it. All the best as you move forward. Thank you for stopping by and sharing as you have. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Religion and Politics – Part 1 – Nelsapy
Thank you, Nelsapy for the pingback. 😊
LikeLike
Beautifully said, Gwen. You have given not only wonderful examples of how to make our characters more spiritual but pointed out what we all have in common. I will continue to look for that great pumpkin. Great post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love how you look for the mystical, Denise. It always brings a smile. Thank you for your observations and wisdom. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Gwen. I find if you look you usually find it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gwen, you’ve tackled a difficult subject bravely and sensitively. This is a wonderfully thought-provoking post. Personally, unless I purposely choose a book on spirituality/religion, I don’t want it shoving in my face in a book of fiction. Whenever that happens, it usually comes with an attitude and leaves a bad taste.
I love the points you make. Bravo! Thanks for sharing and raising this discussion 💕🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Harmony. In my extended family, I’ve relatives who embrace just about every religious perspective and also ones dear to me who find their hope in nature or simply the unknown. I’m humbled by the differences and the manifested love of each. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
A super post, Gwen. You approach the subject with grace and kindness. My following book deals with some substantive religious matters. One of the main characters is Lucifer, who is convinced he can set up situations that will cause the antagonists to alter the past, thus disturbing the time continuum. He is even so bold as to send them to the presence of Jesus Christ in hopes that they will somehow make a mistake that could alter the Christian tradition. Evil one that Lucifer. Excellent post. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
My goodness, I look forward to reading your new book. Given the current craziness, it sounds timely. Thank you, John, for offering insight and a peek into your latest. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not so timely but hope it is interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I avoid religion and politics in my writing. Hopefully, my protagonists’ actions and attitudes show their spiritual values without specifically mentioning them.
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’s a beautiful hope, Judi. Our life, and that of our characters, is a living testimony to our values and dreams. Thank you. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, Gwen. You addressed this topic with your usual sensitivity and kindness. I love your five suggestions for introducing religious sentiments. I’m one of the 85%ers and faith is an integral part of who I am. In line with my story plot, I’ve made it an organic characteristic in my characters. In some stories, religion can be positive, as you’ve beautifully pointed out. However, it can also be used as a strong antagonist against which characters emerge as heroes. I’m a firm believer that in life, love wins.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you so much! I agree with you — love wins. When we step back and realize we are one human family, it shifts how we view our precious life. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Talking about religion is much more acceptable. I’m intrigued by other views as long as they respect mine. Politics–not so much. It usually devolves to bullying and name-calling. I’ve stopped reading several authors I had so loved (Daniel Silva comes to mind) because they had no respect for other political opinions.
Sigh. I look forward to next week’s post.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I have several authors I’ll never read again, too, Jacqui, for the same reason. They spouted off so much vitriol online, and expressed truly hateful scorn for any who disagreed with them, I unfollowed them and quit buying their books. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but some folks need to learn to respect the fact that others may not agree.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I’m much like you on this, Jacqui. If bullying is involved, I go elsewhere and don’t support the writer or whomever. I doubt bullying ever accomplished anything good, and yet there is plenty these days. We have to find common ground and if love guides us, we just might. 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
Again, beautifully said, Gwen, and I couldn’t agree more. 😊
LikeLiked by 3 people
I tend to avoid mentioning religion or politics in my books, though I read a good deal of faith-based fiction and non-fiction. I also think there is a line between structured religion and spiritual faith. This is an interesting topic. Just yesterday I was reading an article by J.R.R. Tolkien and how he woven a great deal of Catholic and Christian symbolism into the Lord of the Rings, but most readers never realized it. Sometimes, I guess those messages are there, but you have to look for them to find them.
LikeLiked by 6 people
Very good point, Mae. I share your insight that often stories include spiritual messages, even though they may not be explicit. Thank you for sharing this. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Normally, I’d scroll past a blog post with this title, but with your name attached, I knew it would be addressed delicately and with grace. I believe religion and politics are personal choices. I stay clear of people and blogs who try and force their opinions on either topic. As you know, my books have a faith thread, but I never want to come across as “preachy.” When readers reach the end of my books, I’d like to think they have a better understand of the power of remaining hopeful. Beautiful post, Gwen! xo
LikeLiked by 4 people
You write beautifully and sensitively, Jill. I love how your characters come alive. And you’re right — at the end of your books, I always feel more hopeful. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did the same, Jill. Usually, I ignore them, but Gwen’s name on it–that made me curious.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Beautifully said, Gwen, and I applaud your thoughts on this often touchy topic. While I don’t write about specific religious beliefs, per se, I do like to have some characters who are strong in the overall belief that Man is not the Highest Power in the universe. Even in my Emissary novellas, which feature an angel and his human helpers, I keep the dogma out, and try to focus on love and how it can change the world. I do steer clear of both religion and politics on my blog. That’s not the purpose of a writing blog, and I want to avoid any and all conflict there. But I have no trouble with a character like Rabbit sharing his belief that his Gran watches over him from Heaven. And I pray (literally) that this current censorship nonsense goes away. The sooner, the better. I want to be free to choose for myself what I write about, whether it’s religion, politics, paranormal, all of the above, or none of the above.
Thanks for such a thoughtful post, Gwen. 😊
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thank you so much, Marcia. Censorship is scary and can only bring more fear and division. As you’ve illuminated so beautifully, love is the great unifier — across all barriers. 😊
LikeLiked by 3 people
My thoughts, exactly! Sending some from me to you right this minute! And hugs, too. 💖🤗💖
LikeLiked by 2 people
Received and exchanged! Thank you. 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
As someone who loves your Emissary series, I know how well you handle faith and its expression through love. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Trish. I’m glad you liked the series and the issue of faith expressed through love. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are brave to tackle these two topics, Gwen. There are so many varied opinions everywhere. I tend to steer clear of the word ‘religion’ because to me, it carries a negative connotation. Many wars have been fought and lives lost under the guise of religion. I prefer ‘spirituality’ as it brings it down to a more personal level. I have included some aspect of my own spiritual beliefs in most all of my stories leaning heavily toward the paranormal. One thing that comes to mind is D.L. Finn’s Angel Series. I loved how she showed that realm in her stories. Thank you for tackling this difficult subject and I totally agree that the basis of it all is love.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thank you so much, Jan. My extended family is very diverse in terms of religion, yet love has kept us close. If only the world embraced the same! 😊
LikeLiked by 4 people
Reblogged this on Pattys World and commented:
A wonderfully thought provoking post to begin my day.
Even though most of my writing is memoir I am just now getting to the point of really being comfortable with expressing my opinions on these topics through my writing.
Check out the post and add your own thoughts.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Patty, for reblogging and for commenting. I’ll visit your site for sure. 😊
LikeLike
What an interesting post and reflection, Gwen. Of course, you address the topic with a load of kindness… as always. I would add, that when we include religion in our books as a motivator for bad behavior, it’s the character’s interpretation that is warped, not the religion. I think if we are clear about the distinction, then we should be in good shape. One way to make that distinction is to have two characters of the same faith share their differing interpretations. Since I write fantasy, I get to explore this situation with fake religions. I have a nice little cushion there, but all your thoughts still apply.
LikeLiked by 6 people
Excellent distinction, Diana. Your SE series on character development helped me see characters differently and in doing so, prompted thoughts on religion. Thank you for the added clarity and wisdom to today’s conversation. 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
Great post, Gwen. I’m looking forward to the next one. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve explored religion, faith, and spirituality in a few short stories and poems.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I appreciate those sentiments in your writing, Liz. Thank you for mentioning this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, Gwen!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good topic. I will glance off religion, but never really get too deep. Even with my newest and it’s zealot killer, I never name the religion specifically.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Craig. There’s a lot of freedom in writing fantasy because you create new worlds. How incredible. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have written religion into my stories. I was trying to capture authentic Italian American culture, and (in my personal experience) religion is a big part of that. I didn’t preach that view or evangelize, though. I just showed how these characters live, and their faith is part of their life. My feeling was that if I wasn’t trying to convert someone, which I wasn’t, it shouldn’t be a problem. It was no different than the role food played in the work. To me, accuracy and truth were most important. If I lost some readers because of it, they weren’t my audience, anyway. But nothing I said should have been offensive. And in my work where religion doesn’t play a part in the characters’ culture, I don’t include it. I doubt any people of faith would be offended by that.
My social media is a different story. I tend to be much more careful to be neutral about everything there. But don’t we all have to be these days?
Great post, Gwen. Looking forward to part two.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I love how you bring readers into the Italian culture, Staci. I’ve learned a lot about the culture and especially wine.😊 I can’t imagine anyone being offended by what you’ve written. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for saying that, Gwen. 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m like Joan and avoid religion but do write of love as a redeeming power. All religions come under fire from those who have different beliefs and I think that that often hardens viewpoints so that a barrier is created to accepting even a mention of anything else. One of my father’s favourite poems was Abou Ben Adhem – it’s not a long one but it puts forward the notion that God loves those who love and respect their fellow human beings regardless of their specific faith. Having said that, a person’s faith is often a vital part of their life and as such it perhaps ought to have much more significance in a novel. As an aside, it’s lovely to see Schultz here. I have a stack of the Peanuts books and learned early on the perils of beginning with “It was a dark and stormy night”. Interesting topic, Gwen.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Beautiful, Trish, thank you for sharing. I’m hoping to address the hardened viewpoints next month, a sad reality for sure. BTW, I love that you are a Peanuts fan. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just looked that poem up, Trish, as it sounded familiar to me. It’s lovely! Thanks for mentioning it in your thoughtful comment. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Marcia. It’s one of my favourites, too, now. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good topic, Gwen. I tend to steer away from religion (and most definitely politics) in my books other than brief references. As you pointed out, the core is love – something we can all use a bit more of.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Joan. I suspect most of us tiptoe around religious sentiments when we write, and sometimes less is more. Love is the uniter for sure. 😊
LikeLike
Beautifully said, Gwen! My Diasodz series is a fantasy series that focuses on a strong faith in a Goddess. As you said, at the core it is all about love, trust, and oneness. I’ve read books where the character has a strong base in faith. For me, it has never enhanced or deterred me from the story. It is simply one more layer of characterization that helps the reader better understand the character. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you very much, Yvette. I love your last line — “One more layer of characterization…” So, so true. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you very much, Chris, for the reblog!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome, Gwen 🤗❤️🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person