[Discuss] anti-state-religion

[Matt Runyon]

Timothy Collett wrote:
> On May 27, 2007, at 9:15 PM, Matt Runyon wrote:
>> Then arrange for the religion to be founded.
>
> Not practical...particularly not for *everyone* who started out RPing 
> that their characters believe in something particular before religion 
> existed as a game feature.  And anyway, you're missing my point.  My 
> characters *are* members of a religion--it's just not one that any of 
> the other PCs around them share.  They have their own private shrines 
> or chapels they pray at, they keep up with their holidays (largely 
> when I have vacation ;-) )...
>
> Just because someone isn't a member of a particular in-game 
> established religion doesn't mean they don't *have* a particular faith.
>
> Timothy Collett
> Anaris Family
And I'm not missing your point, you are missing mine.  If you want to 
continue that religion, that's fine.  Just join something else, and 
practice your own rites secretly.  Of course, if discovered, you may be 
tried for heresy, but such is life.  Large organized religions did not 
tolerate other beliefs well.  The idea here is that religion needs to 
have a greater emphasis, and greater power.  And founding a religion (or 
co-opting part of another, all those polytheistic ones are nice for 
that) isn't too difficult, especially if you care that much about it.  I 
know in Abington we have two "major" religions, the Panthiests and the 
Aristoi.  One of our Dukes believes in the Norse pantheon, and invited a 
priest from a religion in the Viking north of Atamara to come and build 
a temple.  Others in our realm are followers of Luna, and arrangements 
have been made to bring a priest of Luna from another continent to help 
found a Luna religion there.  It can be done.  And if you're not willing 
to put in that kind of effort, practice secret rites.  And if you're not 
willing to do that, obviously you don't believe in it all that much, do you?