Have you ever taken the time to read a video game instruction manual and marvel at some of the fiction that we accept as truth without a second thought? Kingdoms populated by mushroom people, fighter squadrons of forest animals, a family of monster slayers armed with holy weapons... this stuff is legendary, but also quite insane. Still, we take it as stone cold fact. Mental Floss has an intriguing quiz that challenges you to tell the difference between statements from game manuals and claims from pamphlets published by religious cults. The similarities are surprisingly striking. For instance, is the following statement from a game or a cult?
"Be careful! If you fulfill your wishes by force without accumulating merit, your stock of merit will run out."
That could be a description of how a merit energy meter works in an old Sega Genesis gave you've never encountered or it could be religious cult literature designed to draw you further into drinking the metaphorical Kool-Aid. Which is it? Take the quiz and find out. Then we'll talk about organizing a new cult based around the teachings of Master Chief, Lara Croft, and Princess Zelda because apparently they're on to some very influential teachings.
