Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="RareBreed" data-source="post: 8729975" data-attributes="member: 6945590">I find it a bit interesting that there is usually little talk or discussion about creating non-pantheistic religions, or even religions without gods per-se.ughh, I hit the backbutton and apparently it auto-posted this and I can't figure out how to delete it.  So let's try this again.  I think at least three important questions were missed<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Does there even have to be Gods?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What limits are there to a God's power?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">How do followers interface with their God(s)?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Is there a set of canonical scriptures to define the religion?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Are there violently opposed sects of the same religion?</li> </ul>Does a religion need Gods?Many religions started out as philosophical systems, or even just mundane practices.  For example, the Tao Te Ching really has no mention of anything supernatural, including the Celestial Court, Yama Kings or the various dragons.  The earliest records of Taoism was not just a way of living in harmony with the Tao, but a kind of metaphysical explanation of the duality of the world (Yin and Yang).  Buddhism also started out with almost no supernatural beings in the original Theravedic sutras.  It was later accumulations that introduced for both Taoism and Buddhism the notions of gods and immortal beings.What if a religion was just a way of life and of seeing the world?  Of course, some will argue "where's the fun in that in a fantasy roleplaying game?".   Even a world without Gods per se could be interesting.  Manipulating forces of nature (eg Taoist Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Wood) or the mystical forces of Chi could be quite interesting even without Gods.What limits are there to a God's power?This question is related to the Manifestations consideration, but goes into a little more detail.  Many classical religions of old or in fantasy literature have Gods with total or near total dominion with some aspect of reality.  Life, death, fertility, healing, war, justice, disease, knowledge, all-father, all-mother, agriculture, etc etc.  But if a God has near total control of some aspect of reality, why don't they use it more?  What is holding them back?Is there some complex bureaucracy that holds them back?  Some truce between the gods of light and dark?  Is there some veil such that the Gods can no longer exert their influence?  All of these questions have to be answered or it will create plot holes and ruin the versimilitude of the setting.How do followers interface with their God(s)?Even if the Gods can exert their power in the world, will they if someone calls upon a God's aid?  Again, is there some kind of celestial rules that must be followed for the Gods to bestow a request?  If it is simply at a God's whim or discretion, why wouldn't they?  Do they not want to make their followers too reliant on them?  Would it be like a Denial of Service attack if the God tried to fulfill all his/her prayers at once...and if so, how powerful really is the God?Do the Gods listen only to "official" priests, or can anyone with devout and sincere belief call upon aid?  If powers can only be bestowed through some kind of official investiture (ie, ordained priests or priestesses), why?  Do the Gods only care about those who devote themselves totally?  Who gets to "talk" to the Gods?  Can Joe Farmer commune with his diety directly, or does he have to have a middle man do it for him?  And how direct is this communion?  Does the person literally hear his God talking to him, or is it more like signs, portents and omens?Is there a set of canonical scriptures to define the religion?Is there a set of "official" and canonical texts that establish the religion?  Or has it grown organically over time and through oral traditions?  Is the canon still being written, or has it been set in stone and only a new prophet can change direction?  Or is the religion at a stage where the ecclesiastical powers re trying to define what is orthodox and what is heretical?  What would happen if someone found a "lost" book that conflicted with current orthodoxy?If there is no cannon, then who gets to decide what is "correct" worship?  Will people be more willing to follow new authors with new visions or communications from their God?  Will this be a threat to the establishment religion?  Do the priests and holy texts even matter if Jane Candlemaker can directly commune with her God?Are there violently opposed sects of the same religion?If the gods don't directly commune with their worshippers, then miscommunication is bound to happen.  What about religions with two or more sects violently opposed to each other (in the real world, Protestants vs Catholics, or Shiite vs Sunni easily come to mind).  For that matter, if you have diametrically opposed dieties, why aren't they at war with each other until one side or the other wins?   </blockquote>

Verification