Rant: Building Religion
January 18th 2009 22:40
Building a structured religion and building the Gods which they follow are two different processes, though they are connected for obvious reasons. Here are some things you should look at when building religions using Gods you've already built.
What do these Gods stand for? Before you can describe how they are worshiped, you need to know what they stand for. If you don't keep what they stand for in mind at all times while building the religion, it's probably not going to make much sense.
For example, a God or Goddess of the harvest, you might leave offerings of fruit and vegetables once, twice a year, sacrificing just a few for a bigger crop next year. For a God or Goddess of war, perhaps a ritual duel between two people. For a God or Goddess of the hunt, a ritual hunt at a certain time each year might be in order.
Keep this in mind; make sure that each traditional celebration and the hierarchy of your temples make sense put in context of the Gods they're supposed to be dedicated too.
Why are the people in power the people in power? Who are the equivalent of priests in your world? Why are they selected? Who is ineligible for priesthood, and why? Do they simply claim divine right? Why do the people believe them, if this is the case? Or do they spend years training to become priests, and use this claim? Will the priests only teach certain people?
If you have a Goddess, it's unlikely that she would have a priesthood of all men; however, if it is said she likes to consort with humans, the likelihood increases. Perhaps most are men, but there are a few very powerful women in place. You need to make sure that the priesthood reflects the people's image of the God or Goddess, or they are going to deny the priesthood and claim that the structure is false.
Though you may have a false, corrupted structure, it shouldn't be obviously so. The priests should at least be trying to seem a lot nicer than they are. They should be telling the public all sorts of wonderful things, and they should be doing things to make themselves seem good so that they can worm their way in among the people.
What are their scriptures? Every religion has its own myths. What are some of the ones for yours? Write up a creation myth and another myth or two and it'll help you understand your world better. Know how the Gods are portrayed in myth, and what the people believe about, say, thunderstorms, and you have some potential story ideas-and something with which to make your religion seem firm, strong, and real.
You don't need to write up a number of complicated myths, but one or two simplistic ones are in order to make it all seem more real.
Do they offer education? Do the temples offer public education? Do they otherwise help the poor? This can be an interesting dimension to add to your religion. If they are corrupt, helping the poor can be a good way to keep the people happy. So long as they don't help them so much that the poor become rich, that is.
Of course a corrupt government might 'help' the poor by having the Priesthood teach them a history of lies. This can provide a very interesting plot.
And if your priesthood isn't corrupt, it might really be helping the poor.
Do they run off of taxes or donations? This can add depth to your world. If they run off of taxes, they're more likely to help the poor so that they keep bringing in the money. If they run off of donations, they might only really cater to the rich, and have more false services for the poor.
If your temple is corrupt, there are many angles you can work with; you can have them spending tax dollars in evil places, or perhaps the reason they are corrupt is because of the nobles who pay them-and what the nobles want.
While building your religion, keep all these things in mind; there are more so there may be a part two, but for now I have to go.
What do these Gods stand for? Before you can describe how they are worshiped, you need to know what they stand for. If you don't keep what they stand for in mind at all times while building the religion, it's probably not going to make much sense.
For example, a God or Goddess of the harvest, you might leave offerings of fruit and vegetables once, twice a year, sacrificing just a few for a bigger crop next year. For a God or Goddess of war, perhaps a ritual duel between two people. For a God or Goddess of the hunt, a ritual hunt at a certain time each year might be in order.
Keep this in mind; make sure that each traditional celebration and the hierarchy of your temples make sense put in context of the Gods they're supposed to be dedicated too.
Why are the people in power the people in power? Who are the equivalent of priests in your world? Why are they selected? Who is ineligible for priesthood, and why? Do they simply claim divine right? Why do the people believe them, if this is the case? Or do they spend years training to become priests, and use this claim? Will the priests only teach certain people?
If you have a Goddess, it's unlikely that she would have a priesthood of all men; however, if it is said she likes to consort with humans, the likelihood increases. Perhaps most are men, but there are a few very powerful women in place. You need to make sure that the priesthood reflects the people's image of the God or Goddess, or they are going to deny the priesthood and claim that the structure is false.
Though you may have a false, corrupted structure, it shouldn't be obviously so. The priests should at least be trying to seem a lot nicer than they are. They should be telling the public all sorts of wonderful things, and they should be doing things to make themselves seem good so that they can worm their way in among the people.
What are their scriptures? Every religion has its own myths. What are some of the ones for yours? Write up a creation myth and another myth or two and it'll help you understand your world better. Know how the Gods are portrayed in myth, and what the people believe about, say, thunderstorms, and you have some potential story ideas-and something with which to make your religion seem firm, strong, and real.
You don't need to write up a number of complicated myths, but one or two simplistic ones are in order to make it all seem more real.
Do they offer education? Do the temples offer public education? Do they otherwise help the poor? This can be an interesting dimension to add to your religion. If they are corrupt, helping the poor can be a good way to keep the people happy. So long as they don't help them so much that the poor become rich, that is.
Of course a corrupt government might 'help' the poor by having the Priesthood teach them a history of lies. This can provide a very interesting plot.
And if your priesthood isn't corrupt, it might really be helping the poor.
Do they run off of taxes or donations? This can add depth to your world. If they run off of taxes, they're more likely to help the poor so that they keep bringing in the money. If they run off of donations, they might only really cater to the rich, and have more false services for the poor.
If your temple is corrupt, there are many angles you can work with; you can have them spending tax dollars in evil places, or perhaps the reason they are corrupt is because of the nobles who pay them-and what the nobles want.
While building your religion, keep all these things in mind; there are more so there may be a part two, but for now I have to go.
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Comment by Andrew Kerstetter
A New Poetics
Inkwing
Cinemuscle
Those are good questions, though. If you haven't read Bakker's The Prince of Nothing trilogy, I suggest them if only for their well-thought-out religious systems.
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
The perspective may be slightly warped because at this moment I'm working on worldbuilding for a series in which the Gods play a very active part.
I think more fantasy with properly absent Gods would be nice; most seem to have 'absent' Gods except for their main characters, who are of course Chosen Ones.
~Dianna