Rachel Evans
The Assassin's Creed franchise has been accused of being anti-Catholic and anti-Christian. The games centre on the conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templars, with the Templars being depicted as power-hungry and integrating themselves into powerful institutions, including the Catholic Church. Some critics argue that this portrayal demonises the Catholic Church and promotes secularism. The games have also been criticised for their depiction of violence and their philosophical message. However, other reviews note that references to religion in the franchise are minimal, and that the anti-Christian sentiment found in earlier games is absent from the later title Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Portrayal of Assassins | Secular order that exists to stop the Templars |
| Historical Accuracy | The Assassins were destroyed in 1256, not by the Templars |
| Portrayal of English Monarch | A cynical comment about humanity's violent nature, which a pious Catholic would not have made |
| Piece of Eden | A silver sphere that creates illusions, denying the divinity of Jesus Christ and the existence of God |
| Philosophical Message | Convoluted and incoherent |
| Templars | Shown to be Christians, but only for power |
| Templars in Clergy | Integrate themselves into powerful institutions, including the Catholic Church |
| Templars' Demise | Deemed heretics and blasphemers, accused of being Muslims and worshipping pagan idols |
| Templars' Actions | Not very Christian |
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla | References to religion, whether Christian or pagan, are minimal |
| Religion in Assassin's Creed Valhalla | Monks are kept immune from harm or death |
| Historical Accuracy in Assassin's Creed Valhalla | Vikings were not all pagans, Christianity had already spread among them |
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What You'll Learn
- The Assassins are divorced from their historical religious origins
- The Piece of Eden denies the divinity of Jesus Christ and the existence of God
- The game portrays Templars as Christians, motivated by power
- The game portrays the English monarch as cynical, which is insulting to pious Catholics
- The game's depiction of the Templars is historically inaccurate
The Assassins are divorced from their historical religious origins
The Assassins in Assassin's Creed are divorced from their historical religious origins. The video game series features an order of stealthy, hyper-athletic killers with impressive parkour skills who scale walls and jump between rooftops to hunt down their enemies. While the Assassins in the game are depicted as a secular order that exists only to stop the Templars, the historical Assassins were a Nizari Isma'ili order that existed between 1090 and 1275 AD, founded by Hasan al-Sabbah. They lived in mountain castles in Persia, Syria, and Iran and posed a substantial strategic threat to various authorities, including the Fatimid, Abbasid, and Seljuk powers.
The historical Assassins were a breakaway group from the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam, and their actions were driven by religious piety and the desire to protect their community. They were trained from childhood to use stealth and deceit and were highly devoted to their leader, known as the Old Man of the Mountain. The Assassins in the game, however, do not appear to have any religious beliefs beyond their creed: "Nothing is true; everything is permitted". This divergence from the historical religious origins of the Assassins contributes to the game's depiction of them as a secular order.
The video game Assassins are also portrayed as experts in combat and stealth, reflecting the Islamic warrior code of furusiyya that the historical Assassins were said to have followed. However, the game's depiction of their infiltration methods differs from historical accounts, which suggest that Assassins relied more on their internal religious fervor to gain access to their targets' inner circles rather than solely on disguises. The game's Assassins are more like Hollywood ninjas, emphasizing their combat and parkour expertise rather than the meticulous, multi-year process of infiltration and assassination employed by their historical counterparts.
While the Assassins in the game may not be explicitly anti-Catholic, their portrayal as a secular order divorced from their religious origins could be seen as a departure from the historical reality of the Nizari Isma'ili Assassins. The game's depiction of the Assassins and their methods may contribute to a perception of them as a purely secular group, which is not accurate when considering the religious motivations and fervor that drove the historical Assassins.
It is worth noting that the more recent Assassin's Creed Valhalla title has been praised for minimizing references to religion, whether Christian or pagan, and for refraining from anti-Christian sentiments found in earlier games in the series. This shift in focus away from religion may be a recognition of the complex interplay between religious and secular motivations in historical contexts, allowing for a more nuanced exploration of the Assassins' origins and actions.
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The Piece of Eden denies the divinity of Jesus Christ and the existence of God
The video game Assassin's Creed has been criticised for its depiction of religion, particularly in relation to Catholicism. One of the central plot points of the game involves an artefact known as the Piece of Eden, a silver sphere with the power to create illusions. The game suggests that this object was responsible for the miracles performed by Moses and Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
This interpretation has been seen by some as denying the divinity of Jesus Christ and the existence of God, and therefore as blasphemous and sacrilegious towards Catholicism. The game has also been accused of applying a double standard by implying that Islam is illegitimate, but not as directly or explicitly as Christianity.
The game's depiction of the Assassins and Templars has also been criticised. In the game, the Assassins are portrayed as a secular order existing only to stop the Templars, divorced from their historical religious origins. While the Templars are shown to be Christians in some of the games, this is portrayed as a means to gain power rather than a genuine adherence to Christian philosophy. The Templars are shown integrating themselves into various powerful institutions throughout history, including the Catholic Church, the Egyptian Pharaohs, French aristocracy, and British nobility.
In response to these criticisms, some have argued that the Templars themselves could be seen as anti-Christian, and that the actions of the characters are more indicative of their beliefs and morals than any labels they may apply to themselves. Additionally, while some earlier titles in the Assassin's Creed franchise have been criticised for their anti-Christian sentiment, it has been noted that later titles, such as Assassin's Creed Valhalla, have minimised references to religion, and the Catholic News Service has rated these games as suitable for a mature audience.
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The game portrays Templars as Christians, motivated by power
The Assassin's Creed franchise has been criticised for its portrayal of religion, particularly in its representation of Christianity and the Catholic Church. One of the main criticisms is that the games depict the Templars, one of the main antagonist factions, as Christians motivated primarily by power.
While the Templars in the games are shown to be aligned with Christianity, their motivations are not rooted in Christian philosophy but in their desire for control and power. The Templars are depicted as seeking to eradicate free will and exert dominance over humanity, which directly opposes Christian teachings on the inherent dignity and freedom of human beings, created in the image and likeness of God.
In the games, the Templars are shown to integrate themselves into positions of power, including the Catholic clergy, but also within other powerful institutions such as the Egyptian pharaohs, French aristocracy, and British nobility. This depiction reflects the historical context of the Templars, who were accused of heresy and blasphemy, and their order was disbanded by the Catholic Church.
The games portray the Templars as utilising whatever means necessary to achieve and maintain power, including aligning themselves with different religious and political groups throughout history. This portrayal can be seen as a critique of the misuse of religion for personal gain and the corruption that can arise within powerful institutions.
However, some players argue that the Templars' actions and motivations are more indicative of an anti-Christian sentiment within the games. They believe that the Templars' pursuit of power and their willingness to manipulate religion for their own ends reflect negatively on Christianity and the Catholic Church, even if this was not the intended interpretation.
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The game portrays the English monarch as cynical, which is insulting to pious Catholics
Some critics have argued that the Assassin's Creed franchise is anti-Catholic. One criticism is levelled at the portrayal of the English monarch in the franchise, who is depicted as cynical, which critics argue is insulting to pious Catholics. This depiction appears to refer to Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which is set in Anglo-Saxon England in the ninth century.
In the game, the English monarch, Richard, makes a cynical comment about humanity being violent by nature. This has been interpreted as insulting to pious Catholics because it implies that Richard holds a negative view of human nature, which contradicts the Catholic belief in the inherent goodness of humanity as created in the image of God. While critics acknowledge that the game's depiction of Richard initially seemed accurate, they argue that this cynical comment is historically inaccurate and offensive to Catholics.
The criticism highlights a perceived disconnect between the game's portrayal of historical figures and their actual beliefs, especially in an era where religion was a predominant aspect of daily life. It is argued that the cynical portrayal of the English monarch, a pious Catholic, fails to accurately represent the religious context of the time and the beliefs held by individuals in positions of power.
While some critics have taken issue with this specific aspect of the game's narrative, others have defended the franchise by arguing that the Templars, who are often portrayed as antagonists, are the ones who exhibit anti-Christian behaviour. They argue that the Templars' pursuit of power and influence, regardless of its source, is more indicative of anti-Christian sentiments than the actions of the Assassins.
It is worth noting that the portrayal of religion in the Assassin's Creed franchise has been a subject of debate among players and critics alike, with some arguing for a more nuanced interpretation of the game's narrative and the complex interplay between religious and philosophical elements.
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The game's depiction of the Templars is historically inaccurate
The video game franchise Assassin's Creed has been criticised for its depiction of the Templars, with some arguing that it is historically inaccurate and anti-Catholic. The Templars in the game are shown to be a part of the most powerful institutions of their time, including the Catholic Church, the Egyptian Pharaohs, French aristocracy, and British nobility. They are portrayed as seeking power and control over mankind, which some critics argue is not aligned with Christian philosophy.
In reality, the Templars, or the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, were a Christian military order founded in the 12th century. They were known for their role in the Crusades and their banking business, which led to their disbandment by King Philip IV of France in the early 14th century. The idea of a centuries-long conflict between the Templars and the Assassins is a fictional concept, inspired by conspiracy theories surrounding the Knights Templar.
In Assassin's Creed, the Templars are often portrayed as villains, with little regard for human life or morality. For example, in the game, Edward Braddock, a Templar, is depicted as slaughtering countless innocent people. Additionally, the British Rite within the Templar Order is shown to promote child labour and endanger children's lives. This depiction of the Templars as cruel and power-hungry contrasts with their historical image as warrior monks.
Furthermore, the game's portrayal of historical events, such as the French Revolution and the assassination of Julius Caesar, has been criticised for its inaccuracies. For instance, the game suggests that the Reign of Terror was the entirety of the French Revolution, when in reality, it was just one part of a larger, complex political upheaval. Similarly, the game's depiction of Caesar's assassination ignores many facts, including the design of the Roman Forum and the order of events, in favour of painting Caesar as a proto-Templar who must be stopped.
The Piece of Eden, a macguffin in the game, is a silver sphere that creates illusions and is said to be the source of Moses and Jesus Christ's miracles. This plot point has been criticised as denying the divinity of Jesus Christ and the existence of God, which some players consider blasphemous and offensive to Catholicism.
While some argue that the game's depiction of the Templars is anti-Catholic, others defend it as a work of fiction that reflects the complexities of human history and the potential consequences of power struggles.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Assassin's Creed is anti-Catholic. The game includes a scene in which the English monarch makes a cynical comment about humanity being violent by nature, which is insulting to Catholics.
The Assassins in Assassin's Creed are not specifically anti-Catholic. They are a secular order that exists to stop the Templars and do not have any religious beliefs.
The Templars in Assassin's Creed are shown to be power-hungry and integrate themselves into powerful institutions, including the Catholic Church. However, they are not specifically anti-Catholic and are also shown to be part of other powerful groups throughout history.
Yes, the Assassin's Creed film has been criticised for containing false values, anti-Catholicism, and harsh language.
No, Assassin's Creed Valhalla does not contain the anti-Christian animus found in earlier titles. References to religion, including Christianity, are minimal.
