Reynard
aka Ian Eller
I think that is just philosophizing about religion by way of gaming without actually interrogating what makes people religious and what religiosity even means.But the people of a fantasy world demand proof, not empty words. If you were a preacher claiming that your deity was the ruler and creator of the universe, and that you were its son, you would have to prove it with miracles—if you only spoke empty words or used some rare power that others could use (like resurrecting the dead), no one would believe you.
I think in a typical fantasy world (like Toril), people's concept of "faith" is more similar to how humans on Earth would choose an insurance company————"Which insurance company has which product that best meets my needs and my tastes? are they reliable? this one is nice but I hate it."
People of fantasy world worship gods because they need their services and pay them with their own services and donations in return. and a primary purpose of faith is the hope of a better life in the afterlife, rather than becoming foods for demon or devil's BBQ party.
of course, personal preferences (or alignments) also play a significant role in determining which gods they worship and which they dislike, but ultimately, the purpose of faith is clear: to exchange service for service and to invest in their afterlife in an attempt to improve it.
In fantasy worlds, people won't worship gods who can't give anything in return,even AO worshipers of Toril are motivated by curiosity and reverence for the most powerful being in Toril, and they are extremely minority and considered weirdo since AO don't give naughty word to them. people's faith is far more rational, utilitarian business or career and by no means unconditional or unrequited.
So gods are real and you have to appease them and if you don't bad stuff happens. Okay. This is human reality for thousands of years, up to and including right now. Don't get too hung up on cure wounds spells or whatever because religious people even today literally witness miracles (from their perspective).
Again, I think modern westerners, particularly smarty pants needs, thing religion is for yokes when it is pretty well established, scientifically, to be a fundamental aspect of humanity. The same abstract thinking and pattern recognition software in our brains that let's us do science demands we have "gods".
So for fantasy worlds, we should not worry so much about the "proof" aspect, but the community aspect. That's whatvreligion is: a kind of community magic.
NOTE: just in case anyone thinks I am speaking from a religious perspective, I am not. I am a atheist, even a militant one at times. But our (species) religiosity is well studied and very real.