Not sure what you mean, @RedDeerGuy1. What is a nonfictional deity?

I wouldn’t in any case equate choosing one’s battles with not caring. Wisdom and indifference are surely not the same thing. Would you like to clarify?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities

@Jeruba A non-fictional deity Is any one who Is worshiped in real life. A fictional deity is made up and not worshiped. Also not taking anything personal is possible if one doesn’t care. It helps choosing ones battles.

“How to choose your Battles?”

Determine if its worth the hassle, if not ..let it go..if its life and death then that is a different case then.

But….there are those who would say that any “deity” who is worshipped in real life is still fictional.

@Dutchess_lll That is why I listed both fictional and non fictional deities. Just focusing on learning from real or not real characters. Any god or (G)od is good enough for now if learning from them is possible.

Zeus?

@Dutchess_lll Yes. Zeus can be both fictional and non-fictional. So yes.

Aren’t they all fictional really ?

My guess is that something unfortunate happened to you, and you are trying to ease the pain by thinking that this is not something you should care about, and it was not a battle of your own choosing. Have I got it right?

You can look up Shiva – the Hindu goddess of destruction and re-creation.

I am going to say this:
Considering the utter lack of interference from any of the deities, all “nonfiction” deities (but really, all gods are fictional) are uncaring.

There were a number of gods and demons that weren’t particularly engaged with mankind, if that is what you are thinking of. Pan would be one example. He was all about the forest and nature but didn’t really care about men. Lovecraft had a variety of them. Yog-Sothoth or C’thulhu were examples. The Great Old Ones were a group that these two came from. Loki from the Norse mythologies was the god of mischief. He lived to play tricks on the others and to stir up hate and discontent. Then you can also get into things like sylphs (air elementals) or dryads (wood nymphs) who focused only on their own areas and cared not for men at all.

@LostInParadise Yes. You are right. I wasn’t experienced enough at working night shift alone in the convenience store and was slowly going insane. I also couldn’t afford my medication in university and I lost all of my friends and failed out. It has taken 20 years and I am still hurting.

How can Zeus be non fictional @RedDeerGuy1? Be specific please.

People , ancient Greeks I believe, used to belive in Zeus as an actual God. Zeus is more real than Lloth which is a work of fiction by Forgotten Realms.

I know they belived in Zeus. And Romulus and Remus  and a whole host of other invisible Gods. But that doesn’t make them non fictional

@Dutchess_lll People can believe what they want. Back then gods where real to them. Like gods are beilved today by followers. We have a distinction between Zeus and Lloth. One has followers and one is totaly made up.

If you want some different terms other than fiction and non-fiction then suggest it.

On a side note some people actually believe in Jedism and it is quite possible for people to start worshiping other gods. Like money, Lloth and idols for giggles.

People belive in lots of things. Some little kids believe in Santa. They believe he’s real. That doesn’t make him real.

Saint Nicolas is real. He gave children toys in Europe. Hundreds of years ago.

Some people need the illusion. The image of Santa gives joy to so many children. The image is made real by believing in it.
Illusions have the power to change the world.

If I draw a unicorn then it exists as a drawing. gods are the same we create them and they become real.

We are gods to ants. We can choose to destroy the colony or leave it in peace. We don’t hear the ants prayers, and don’t typically interfere with their day to day life.

Any civilization that has progressed beyond man is like us as the ant, and them as gods. I have faith that a greater being exists and is ignoring us most of the time.