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Reading the Horus Heresy books has made me realize how much Marines used to mock Religion. So how exactly did they end up getting their own idea that the emperor is God? Was the death and betrayal of the Primarchs and Emperor simply to much to bear or did the Ecclesiarchy do something... else?

Space Marines do not believe The Emperor is God.

Nearly all chapters do not believe that the Emperor is a god, while they all have different beliefs most see the Emperor as a human, but the greatest human ever to live.

The Ecclesiarchy didn't exist for a while after the heresy and have a very strained relationship with space marines. This is seen in the rosarius which is a gift from the Ecclesiarchy

OK, I probably worded that poorly. I mean, how did they get to be all "Praise and give faith to the holy Emperor" and all that?

Many chapters do not belive that the Emperor is a god.

Newer chapters are more likely to belive he is a god.



Most Space Marines have come to terms with the fact that the Emperor is, in all practical terms, a god for mankind.

they also, knowing that they are for all purposes his children, are exempt from worshipping him in the same way that humans do.


Marines are Demi-gods, the Children of a god.


Greek Mythology is a good diagram of the relationship.


Zeus, in all his promiscuity, had many kids. some became gods/demi-gods themselves.

being a Demi-god probably changes your relationship to gods. you are still beneath them, but also have some of their essence. as a result you arn't required to show the same level of respect as a meare mortal.

So Marines have just been weaned over time while newer chapters are directly put into the new faith Imperium? I GUESS it makes sense.

Kasrkai wrote:OK, I probably worded that poorly. I mean, how did they get to be all "Praise and give faith to the holy Emperor" and all that?

Space marines have always venerated the Emperor, he did create them after all. after the Horus heresy and watching the Emperor sacrife himself for mankind, lead to the increased use of faith to protect from future falls to chaos. The role of chaplain changed to make sure marines stayed pure and true.

For example some chapter doctrines make the astrates remember that they are sons of the emperor and should not worship him as a god. There was an entire civil war over if the emperor was truly a god for a long time. During this time it was people who followed the imperial truth vs the Ecclesiarchy

The Marines of course stayed out of this.

The newer ideas among the new space marine chapters is that the Emperor is truly a god.
The older space marine chapters for example the Space Wolves, Blood Angels, and the White Scars regard him as their true father.

I believe the ultramarines are screwed up with their beliefs right now.

The Dark Angels revere the Emperor as a Great Scientist, and the rightful leader of humanity.

Contry to most here, in the Space Wolf series Ragnar (WolfBlade) spends a whole night on top of a mountain in nothing but rags praying to the Emperor. That kind of gives the imppression he thimks Emperor is God. Maybe its just SW+Russ?

Urien_Rakarth wrote:Contry to most here, in the Space Wolf series Ragnar (WolfBlade) spends a whole night on top of a mountain in nothing but rags praying to the Emperor. That kind of gives the imppression he thimks Emperor is God. Maybe its just SW+Russ?

He spent the time reflecting on how much he wanted to reclaim the Spear of Russ and kill Madox...
The SW tend to view the emperor as both their father and a god.
Most SM chapters have the same view... Some don't.

The older the chapters see him as the most powerful human ever born and treat him as a god. However they existed while he was still active and they remeber that he ordered them not to worship him.

This knowledge tricked down as new chapters were formed. The weaker the relationship between a new chapter and one of the original legions the less they know about him so the more they rely on imperial teaching so believe he is a god.

The SW are an odd one. They have incorperated imperial figures (the E, Leman russ) into fenrisian mythology. So while they pray to them and call them gods they know they were also living mortals.

Urien_Rakarth wrote:Contry to most here, in the Space Wolf series Ragnar (WolfBlade) spends a whole night on top of a mountain in nothing but rags praying to the Emperor. That kind of gives the imppression he thimks Emperor is God. Maybe its just SW+Russ?

praying to someone who can actually give you guidance doesn't mean you think they are a god, the Emperor still gives aid in a few forms via the warp. Praying to space marines is more in line with meditation (but buddism doesn't really give a good base for an army of super soldiers). Meditation can cause visions and the ways space marines choose to meditate makes visions very likely and very intense. Having a focal point, like the Emperor, would allow safer and more useful visions.

Kasrkai wrote:Reading the Horus Heresy books has made me realize how much Marines used to mock Religion.

It wasn't just the Astartes. Secularism had finally won over humanity.

and then they found out they were wrong

4M2A wrote:The older the chapters see him as the most powerful human ever born and treat him as a god. However they existed while he was still active and they remeber that he ordered them not to worship him.

This knowledge tricked down as new chapters were formed. The weaker the relationship between a new chapter and one of the original legions the less they know about him so the more they rely on imperial teaching so believe he is a god.

The SW are an odd one. They have incorperated imperial figures (the E, Leman russ) into fenrisian mythology. So while they pray to them and call them gods they know they were also living mortals.

I know all the original legions except the SW don't worship the emperor.

I've ensured that I don't call the emperor a god, but a man with god like abilities, a man that understood the universe, studied all the religions, believed in humanity and a grand scientist,

And I've ensured my chapters has no mentions of calling the emperor a god. Helk one of my chapters openly mocks the Imperial creed.

I miss the prehersey astrates more funnier and more honorable than grim warriors that wear robes and beat themselves with their own chainbeat sticks.

I really liked the horus hersey astrates now more than ever.

I suggest you read

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Horus-Heresy/Flight-of-the-Eisenstein-The.html

Explains a bit how the Emperor started being seen as a god.

Asherian Command wrote:
And I've ensured my chapters has no mentions of calling the emperor a god. Helk one of my chapters openly mocks the Imperial creed.
I miss the prehersey astrates more funnier and more honorable than grim warriors that wear robes and beat themselves with their own chainbeat sticks.

As most people have stated, current Astartes and obviously Pre-Heresy Astartes, do not consider the Emperor a god. He is a distant father figure who shaped who they are. The ultimate warrior/ruler and all that.

BUT - since the Imperium is founded on the belief that The Emperor is a god, I'm sure most Astartes have some sense of politics and don't go around bashing people's beliefs. However much they might disagree.

I don't get what you mean by Pre-H Astartes being more noble and less sombre. Astartes really haven't changed all that much since they began.

Then they REALLY love their dad, 'cause I don't pray to my dad.

Asherian Command wrote:

4M2A wrote:The older the chapters see him as the most powerful human ever born and treat him as a god. However they existed while he was still active and they remeber that he ordered them not to worship him.

This knowledge tricked down as new chapters were formed. The weaker the relationship between a new chapter and one of the original legions the less they know about him so the more they rely on imperial teaching so believe he is a god.

The SW are an odd one. They have incorperated imperial figures (the E, Leman russ) into fenrisian mythology. So while they pray to them and call them gods they know they were also living mortals.

I know all the original legions except the SW don't worship the emperor.

I've ensured that I don't call the emperor a god, but a man with god like abilities, a man that understood the universe, studied all the religions, believed in humanity and a grand scientist,

And I've ensured my chapters has no mentions of calling the emperor a god. Helk one of my chapters openly mocks the Imperial creed.

I miss the prehersey astrates more funnier and more honorable than grim warriors that wear robes and beat themselves with their own chainbeat sticks.

I really liked the horus hersey astrates now more than ever.

The SW don't worship the Emperor either...

Yeah, it's not so much a god/worshiper relationship (thought it might appear to be on the surface) so much as a father/son relationship.

The SM see the Emperor as the leader and savior of mankind, but they also see him as their ancestor, as they are descended from him (through the gene seed of the Primarchs, who were created using the Emperor's gene seed.)

If that's a bit abstract (and it is for me), consider it plainly: he is their Emperor, their King, and they are his Knights, who will fight for him to the death.

Kasrkai wrote:Then they REALLY love their dad, 'cause I don't pray to my dad.

Probably because unlike your father, the Emperor united mankind across the stars and is a near immortal psychic being of human perfection (as presented in fluff)