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How Might D&D Religions Differ From Real Life Religions?
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<blockquote data-quote="Azzemmell" data-source="post: 4513004" data-attributes="member: 3207"><p>Ah yes, the afterlife. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> This seems like a whole 'nuther aspect that that will determine the role of religion/gods in a setting. I mean that primarily in this regard: do the gods control what the afterlife will be?</p><p></p><p>In our real world each religion is in control of what it's afterlife is. But imagine an existence where the gods DON'T control what it will be. If they don't, it would seem to hint at an organizing force or power above themselves, something to which even THEY must give way to. But this doesn't have to be a SUPREME GOD OF GODS [trumpets blaring], it could be a force or law of nature like gravity or such (or a supreme god, but a deist type who set the clock ticking and sort of wandered off).</p><p></p><p>In such a case a great deal of control is removed from the gods (depending on what the afterlife is - everyone going to hell no matter what is kinda a break-even deal, but in a sucky way), though only if the gods admit the truth to their followers. </p><p></p><p>Which brings me to the question of: can mortals learn the truth of the afterlife before they die? If afterlife is beyond the control of the gods, and everyone can find proof of this, then doesn't that lower religions in the game world to, as you said, just another social or political organization (albeit very powerful ones)? Hmmm...</p><p></p><p>On another note, the control a religion may have over a society or culture doesn't HAVE to be based on whether they can give the regular folks a pass to paradise. It could be voluntary control given by the masses based on their perception that the god and church really do have the best intentions (and the power to carry such things out) for the masses. Imagine the public works projects a vast church with thousands of magic using clerics could undertake. I daresay that in a world such as that, those folks quality of life would easily rival or surpass anything that has been seen in the real world. Clean water, very little disease, very few life threatening injuries, abundant and clean food, ... and the use of spells like Zone of Truth in the hands of a clerical judge would ... well, you get the idea.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Azzemmell, post: 4513004, member: 3207"] Ah yes, the afterlife. :) This seems like a whole 'nuther aspect that that will determine the role of religion/gods in a setting. I mean that primarily in this regard: do the gods control what the afterlife will be? In our real world each religion is in control of what it's afterlife is. But imagine an existence where the gods DON'T control what it will be. If they don't, it would seem to hint at an organizing force or power above themselves, something to which even THEY must give way to. But this doesn't have to be a SUPREME GOD OF GODS [trumpets blaring], it could be a force or law of nature like gravity or such (or a supreme god, but a deist type who set the clock ticking and sort of wandered off). In such a case a great deal of control is removed from the gods (depending on what the afterlife is - everyone going to hell no matter what is kinda a break-even deal, but in a sucky way), though only if the gods admit the truth to their followers. Which brings me to the question of: can mortals learn the truth of the afterlife before they die? If afterlife is beyond the control of the gods, and everyone can find proof of this, then doesn't that lower religions in the game world to, as you said, just another social or political organization (albeit very powerful ones)? Hmmm... On another note, the control a religion may have over a society or culture doesn't HAVE to be based on whether they can give the regular folks a pass to paradise. It could be voluntary control given by the masses based on their perception that the god and church really do have the best intentions (and the power to carry such things out) for the masses. Imagine the public works projects a vast church with thousands of magic using clerics could undertake. I daresay that in a world such as that, those folks quality of life would easily rival or surpass anything that has been seen in the real world. Clean water, very little disease, very few life threatening injuries, abundant and clean food, ... and the use of spells like Zone of Truth in the hands of a clerical judge would ... well, you get the idea. [/QUOTE]
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