[DRAFT] Missionary Madness

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

Preachers of Brancaland origin spreading the gospel of a strange nameless religion have become more and more prevalent on the streets of @@NAME@@. After several preachers got involved in a well-publicized brawl with some native @@DENONYM@@s over theology, you have called together the leaders of @@NAME@@'s native religions to discuss how to deal with these missionaries.

validity: nation has a state religion.

[option] "Clearly this nameless faith is absolutely insane," comments @@RANDOMNAME@@, a university professor chosen to represent the nation's atheists."Have you even spoken to any of these Brancalander fruitcakes? They all have been financed by some rich zealots living over there. I say we deport these people and cut off their funding, which means sanctions, until these nut cases finally disappear off our streets once and for all."
[effect] the nation has become fond of 'Holy Sanctions'.

[option] "Not extreme enough," flatly says @@RANDOMNAME@@, the Archwizard of the Order of Violet."We should show these people that trying to proselytize strange religions in these sacred lands is only going to cause their doom. Burn them. Burn them all." With that, the Archwizard folds arms and looks at everyone else with a disturbingly blank expression.
[effect] cultists from across the planet come to @@NAME@@ for an easy martyrdom.

[option] "Don't we have freedom of religion in this country?" wonders a monk representing a minority sect within @@FAITH@@."Our sect has been allowed to operate freely ever since its inception despite the existence of the Church of @@FAITH@@. We preach freely, so why shouldn't these people? In fact, I'm sure they have some interesting things to say about spirituality in government."
[effect] competing priests fight over pulpit space.

[option] "The solution is education," speaks @@RANDOMNAME@@, a theologian representing the interests of @@FAITH@@."Both here and abroad. I say the government should pour money into spirituality, education and foreign aid to increase the theological knowledge of our populace about all of our many, many native religions. That way they won't be able to be convinced by the abracadabra of these missionaries from Brancaland. Meanwhile in Brancaland, we can convert the populace to our native religions, and therefore our way of life and our interests. Sounds great doesn't it?"
[effect]endless comparative religion classes befuddle divinities students.

[Sanctaria]

I read the title and thought it was about the sex position.

Now I'm a mixture of disappointed and relieved. It's an odd feeling.

[Lenyo]

I read the title and thought it was about the sex position.

Now I'm a mixture of disappointed and relieved. It's an odd feeling.

[Hansdeltania]

First typos:

When ending a quote, you end it with a comma (if a question mark, exclamation point, or interrobang is not appropriate) if you have the speaker and action.
EXAMPLE
"This is the correct way to write a quote," the English teacher explained.

[Chan Island]

I read the title and thought it was about the sex position.

Now I'm a mixture of disappointed and relieved. It's an odd feeling.

Oh you....

First typos:

When ending a quote, you end it with a comma (if a question mark, exclamation point, or interrobang is not appropriate) if you have the speaker and action.
EXAMPLE
"This is the correct way to write a quote," the English teacher explained.

"Understood," noted Chan before editing the post."Anything else?"

[Uioum]

I like it

[Nation of Quebec]

I read the title and thought it was about the sex position.

Now I'm a mixture of disappointed and relieved. It's an odd feeling.

I was thinking the same thing.

If this issue ever gets submitted into the game, I say we should keep this title. It's definitely an eye-catcher.

[Lenyo]

I read the title and thought it was about the sex position.
Now I'm a mixture of disappointed and relieved. It's an odd feeling.

I was thinking the same thing.

When I first saw the title, I thought of missionaries. But now I see how your minds work.

[Chan Island]

I was thinking the same thing.

When I first saw the title, I thought of missionaries. But now I see how your minds work.

Finally somebody who doesn't have a dirty mind.

Apart from the title (I, for the record, will definitely keep this attention-grabbing title), is there anything in this draft that is worthy of commentary?

[Albitrul]

When I first saw the title, I thought of missionaries. But now I see how your minds work.

Finally somebody who doesn't have a dirty mind.

Apart from the title (I, for the record, will definitely keep this attention-grabbing title), is there anything in this draft that is worthy of commentary?

Honestly, I'd soften the blow on the third and fourth results. It comes across as "damned if you do, damned if you don't" (haha), which might be the case in real life but isn't that great for NationStates. The first and second make sense for the most part.

The third result partly makes sense; the missionaries got into a bar brawl, so they'll get violent if they feel the need. But having the whole thing explode into a full-blown civil war is far-fetched. It's also pretty unfair to religiously tolerant nations; trying to play nice causes the country erupt into chaos? I'd suggest something along the lines of "churches change denomination every Sunday due to divided congregations", or "competing priests fight over pulpit space".

The fourth just doesn't follow. How would positively encouraging spirituality (as opposed to burning the heretics like in the second option) actually decrease spirituality? It would be like if funding general education decreased intelligence. Could you at least explain your reasoning?

[Chan Island]

Finally somebody who doesn't have a dirty mind.

Apart from the title (I, for the record, will definitely keep this attention-grabbing title), is there anything in this draft that is worthy of commentary?

Honestly, I'd soften the blow on the third and fourth results. It comes across as "damned if you do, damned if you don't" (haha), which might be the case in real life but isn't that great for NationStates. The first and second make sense for the most part.

The third result partly makes sense; the missionaries got into a bar brawl, so they'll get violent if they feel the need. But having the whole thing explode into a full-blown civil war is far-fetched. It's also pretty unfair to religiously tolerant nations; trying to play nice causes the country erupt into chaos? I'd suggest something along the lines of "churches change denomination every Sunday due to divided congregations", or "competing priests fight over pulpit space".

The fourth just doesn't follow. How would positively encouraging spirituality (as opposed to burning the heretics like in the second option) actually decrease spirituality? It would be like if funding general education decreased intelligence. Could you at least explain your reasoning?

I often deliberately make my issues ''damned if you do, damned if you don't.'', in the spirit of NS issues giving people hard choices with unforeseen consequences.

I really like that second suggestion you have there for the third option. I find that is a very elegant line, and that you are correct that the blow there was rather harsh, even by my standards. Implemented gladly.

Agnosticism is the affiliation chosen by people who just do not know what to think about the the supernatural. The option advocates (although, on re-reading, I see that I don't do a satisfactory job of conveying it) that everyone gets taught about every religion native to @@NAME@@, the joke being that they become confused and don't know what to think.
I'll reword the issue, and keep the current effect line for now.

Anything else?

[Sanctaria]

It comes across as "damned if you do, damned if you don't" (haha), which might be the case in real life but isn't that great for NationStates.

That's exactly what we want in issues on NationStates. It's basically what all issues on NS should be doing.

[Albitrul]

It comes across as "damned if you do, damned if you don't" (haha), which might be the case in real life but isn't that great for NationStates.

That's exactly what we want in issues on NationStates. It's basically what all issues on NS should be doing.

Only to a degree. Take issue #12, "Death Penalty On Agenda" for example.

The pro-point says "This is a democracy, remember?" rhetorically questions Professor @@RANDOMNAME@@ of the University of Greater @@NAME@@. "That means that if the people want something, the people get it. I hate to say it, but in the name of political freedom, we need to accept that our country will have the death penalty."
I don't know the actual result, but the expected result would be "the death penalty is enforced in @@NAME@@" or something similar, rather than "people are executed for stealing bread".

The anti-point says "I'm sorry," says Civil Rights Unionist @@RANDOMNAME@@, "but this travesty cannot be allowed to pass. If the government needs to crack down on lunatic fringe groups in order to keep our great nation free of the death penalty, then so be it. We must ban the politics of hatred and fear!"
One would expect a result along the lines of "the death penalty has been abolished in @@NAME@@", or the more imaginative "criminals on death row are shoved into supermax cells", not "death-row inmates are released onto the streets" or "death-row inmates are tortured up even as they wish for death".

Of course, taking even "sane" choices should have unintended consequences; that's half the fun. But there is a middle ground between "everything worked better than expected" and "total implosion"; if everything inevitably fails and worsens the situation in a different way, what point is there in running a virtual country?

[Sanctaria]

But there is a middle ground between "everything worked better than expected" and "total implosion"; if everything inevitably fails and worsens the situation in a different way, what point is there in running a virtual country?

From the FAQs:

Why is my nation so weird?

Everything is exaggerated a little. Well, okay, a lot. Your decisions affect your nation very strongly, so your country might seem like a more extreme version of what you were aiming for. Unless you have radical politics. In which case you probably think nothing's wrong.

My decision had unintended consequences!

Yeah, that'll happen. For one thing, see "Why is my nation so weird?" above. For another, pretty much every decision you make will involve a trade-off of some kind. It's kind of an exercise in choosing the best of a bunch of bad options. You might find this frustrating, especially if you're the kind of person who thinks the solutions to all the world's problems are obvious.

[Albitrul]

Honestly, I'd soften the blow on the third and fourth results. It comes across as "damned if you do, damned if you don't" (haha), which might be the case in real life but isn't that great for NationStates. The first and second make sense for the most part.

The third result partly makes sense; the missionaries got into a bar brawl, so they'll get violent if they feel the need. But having the whole thing explode into a full-blown civil war is far-fetched. It's also pretty unfair to religiously tolerant nations; trying to play nice causes the country erupt into chaos? I'd suggest something along the lines of "churches change denomination every Sunday due to divided congregations", or "competing priests fight over pulpit space".

The fourth just doesn't follow. How would positively encouraging spirituality (as opposed to burning the heretics like in the second option) actually decrease spirituality? It would be like if funding general education decreased intelligence. Could you at least explain your reasoning?

I often deliberately make my issues ''damned if you do, damned if you don't.'', in the spirit of NS issues giving people hard choices with unforeseen consequences.

I really like that second suggestion you have there for the third option. I find that is a very elegant line, and that you are correct that the blow there was rather harsh, even by my standards. Implemented gladly.

Agnosticism is the affiliation chosen by people who just do not know what to think about the the supernatural. The option advocates (although, on re-reading, I see that I don't do a satisfactory job of conveying it) that everyone gets taught about every religion native to @@NAME@@, the joke being that they become confused and don't know what to think.
I'll reword the issue, and keep the current effect line for now.

Anything else?

Now that you've explained your reasoning, it makes more sense. Maybe something along the lines of "endless comparative religion classes befuddle divinities students", or something like that. Aside from the unclear wording, it's pretty good.

[Albitrul]

But there is a middle ground between "everything worked better than expected" and "total implosion"; if everything inevitably fails and worsens the situation in a different way, what point is there in running a virtual country?

From the FAQs:

Why is my nation so weird?

Everything is exaggerated a little. Well, okay, a lot. Your decisions affect your nation very strongly, so your country might seem like a more extreme version of what you were aiming for. Unless you have radical politics. In which case you probably think nothing's wrong.

My decision had unintended consequences!

Yeah, that'll happen. For one thing, see "Why is my nation so weird?" above. For another, pretty much every decision you make will involve a trade-off of some kind. It's kind of an exercise in choosing the best of a bunch of bad options. You might find this frustrating, especially if you're the kind of person who thinks the solutions to all the world's problems are obvious.

Right, but there should be some degree of positive result. My reasoning is that extreme options should have extreme results, and moderate/mixed results should have moderate/mixed results. I think I've said all I need to say, so I'll leave it at that.

[Leppikania]

I would personally suggest using the time-honored Bigtopia instead of Broncaland.

[Albitrul]

I would personally suggest using the time-honored Bigtopia instead of Broncaland.

O sure, blame the Bigtopians for everything.

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

I often deliberately make my issues ''damned if you do, damned if you don't.'', in the spirit of NS issues giving people hard choices with unforeseen consequences.

I really like that second suggestion you have there for the third option. I find that is a very elegant line, and that you are correct that the blow there was rather harsh, even by my standards. Implemented gladly.

Agnosticism is the affiliation chosen by people who just do not know what to think about the the supernatural. The option advocates (although, on re-reading, I see that I don't do a satisfactory job of conveying it) that everyone gets taught about every religion native to @@NAME@@, the joke being that they become confused and don't know what to think.
I'll reword the issue, and keep the current effect line for now.

Anything else?

Now that you've explained your reasoning, it makes more sense. Maybe something along the lines of "endless comparative religion classes befuddle divinities students", or something like that. Aside from the unclear wording, it's pretty good.

Another neat effect line offered. Implemented.

I would personally suggest using the time-honored Bigtopia instead of Broncaland.

Brancaland is a nation mentioned in only one current issue. Bigtopia on the other hand is in everything. They are a perfect utopia one moment, then they're a war-torn hellhole the next. I personally believe that variety is the spice of life, and that includes in what are the other nations in the issues.

I would also like to echo what Albitrul said. Are the Bigtopians are to blame for everything? Why can't Brancaland be to blame for something for once?
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Anything else?