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Buzzcutter
Acolyte

16 Posts

Posted - 03 Jan 2007 :  23:30:21  Show Profile  Visit Buzzcutter's Homepage Send Buzzcutter a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Just lettin my mind wander....noticing how in our world demographics often draws lines through religions - nations, towns, communities - and how alot of those communities are very comfortable with that seporation, and im wondering how (if at all) this would be affected in a world where multiple deities dwelt.

Is there any wide-spread divide among the populations in regard to worship? Are there any towns, communities, nations that are wholey devoted to a particular deity, or further still, outlaw the worship of other deities? If not, why? Has any thought been given to this as far as an "official policy" by the powers that be with these settings?

Obviously to read these books, a suspension of reality is needed to some degree. However, with a dozen or two novels now under my belt, it seems pretty obvious that freedom of worship and religious tolerance is pretty common place in most of the major settings, so is there some established standard for this, is it an 'unwritten rule' of the authors', am i imagining things, or is it just not really a major issue...

Kuje
Great Reader

USA
7915 Posts

Posted - 03 Jan 2007 :  23:42:40  Show Profile Send Kuje a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well,

Faiths & Avatars from 2e has the map on geographic borders amongst the different faiths. Also, yes some nations, cities, etc, make it illegal to worship certain deities, mostly evil deities in neutral and good cities and good deities in evil cities. Of course, that doesn't mean those faiths aren't worshipped in those cities, it just happens in secret.

And you are right, FR is more open about religion, but I don't think you need to suspend reality unless you look at this from a modern Earth point of view. However, if you know much of Earth's history, ya'll realize that, like FR, Earth, at one time, had thousands of deities being worshipped at once throughout many different nations, cities, countries, etc.

Also, much like ancient Earth, the people of FR worship as many of the deities as they can or the deities that relate to what they do. A farmer would worship Chauntea because she is the planet, Talos because they don't want his storms, Auril, and the other season deities, because of the seasons, Talona, so that no one gets diseased, Kelemvor, or whomever is the current deity of the dead/death, so they could have comfort knowing those that have passed on are taken care of, or enjoying their afterlife in the lower planes, etc.

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

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Edited by - Kuje on 03 Jan 2007 23:56:45
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader

USA
7106 Posts

Posted - 03 Jan 2007 :  23:47:51  Show Profile  Visit Rinonalyrna Fathomlin's Homepage Send Rinonalyrna Fathomlin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yeah, while there are some cities that seem to be "all about" a certain deity, that doesn't seem to be the case in most places. Devotion to one deity while excluding the rest is henotheism, whereas most of the Realms is polytheistic, with most people worshipping many gods and not elevating one above all the rest.

"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time)
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31701 Posts

Posted - 03 Jan 2007 :  23:58:14  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ed has covered a lot of this type of discussion in his replies here at Candlekeep over the years.

Buzzcutter, I'd recommend you download the compiled files and take a look. You'll find some rather intriguing thoughts from Ed regarding the religious framework of the Realms...

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Edited by - The Sage on 03 Jan 2007 23:59:46
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ShadezofDis
Senior Scribe

402 Posts

Posted - 04 Jan 2007 :  17:33:48  Show Profile  Visit ShadezofDis's Homepage Send ShadezofDis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Another key aspect of it in my mind (haven't read ed's thoughts on realmsian religion yet) is that you really don't want to anger ANY of the faiths. These people have magic from their gods, not the sort of people you take lightly :)
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Sian
Senior Scribe

Denmark
596 Posts

Posted - 04 Jan 2007 :  20:53:20  Show Profile  Visit Sian's Homepage Send Sian a Private Message  Reply with Quote
In Halruaa you are first warned then more or less auto-teleported out of the land if your trying to convert anyone from Mystran, Azuthian or Servasian faiths to another ... only reason Shar have a small hidden group of worshippers is that they have come to her to gain exstra powers

what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month
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Buzzcutter
Acolyte

16 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  04:28:45  Show Profile  Visit Buzzcutter's Homepage Send Buzzcutter a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:

Also, much like ancient Earth, the people of FR worship as many of the deities as they can or the deities that relate to what they do. A farmer would worship Chauntea because she is the planet, Talos because they don't want his storms, Auril, and the other season deities, because of the seasons, Talona, so that no one gets diseased, Kelemvor, or whomever is the current deity of the dead/death, so they could have comfort knowing those that have passed on are taken care of, or enjoying their afterlife in the lower planes, etc
quote:



wow - so does taht mean that some individuals may worship multilpe gods...hmm, never really gave it much thought...wonder if similar examples where found in ancient greekegyptian civilizations....
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Kuje
Great Reader

USA
7915 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  04:37:15  Show Profile Send Kuje a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Buzzcutter

wow - so does taht mean that some individuals may worship multilpe gods...hmm, never really gave it much thought...wonder if similar examples where found in ancient greekegyptian civilizations....



Not some, most. Almost everyone in the Realms worships multiple deities because FR, like ancient Earth, is polytheistic and not monotheistic.

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31701 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  04:46:51  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Buzzcutter

quote:

Also, much like ancient Earth, the people of FR worship as many of the deities as they can or the deities that relate to what they do. A farmer would worship Chauntea because she is the planet, Talos because they don't want his storms, Auril, and the other season deities, because of the seasons, Talona, so that no one gets diseased, Kelemvor, or whomever is the current deity of the dead/death, so they could have comfort knowing those that have passed on are taken care of, or enjoying their afterlife in the lower planes, etc
quote:



wow - so does taht mean that some individuals may worship multilpe gods...hmm, never really gave it much thought...wonder if similar examples where found in ancient greekegyptian civilizations....

FR isn't monotheistic, it's polytheistic. And, as Ed has said, on any given day lay worshippers and/or divine casters have the option of being able to send prayers to a varied number of deities, entirely dependent upon the situation.

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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

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Edited by - The Sage on 05 Jan 2007 04:47:55
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Kentinal
Great Reader

4684 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  04:50:11  Show Profile Send Kentinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
As far as it goes Ed has indicated that even the few dedicated to a single deity do not deny the existance of other deities, excepting a very few people (that the vast majority consider deluded at best) that believe in only one deity.

I have been requested not to discuss RW religions so will not comment on that aspect.

"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon
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RodOdom
Senior Scribe

USA
509 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  05:03:05  Show Profile  Visit RodOdom's Homepage Send RodOdom a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Sian

In Halruaa you are first warned then more or less auto-teleported out of the land if your trying to convert anyone from Mystran, Azuthian or Servasian faiths to another ... only reason Shar have a small hidden group of worshippers is that they have come to her to gain exstra powers



That's really interesting. Where can I find the original source for this info?
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Sian
Senior Scribe

Denmark
596 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  05:36:53  Show Profile  Visit Sian's Homepage Send Sian a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Magehound series and Shining south

what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader

USA
7106 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  22:33:13  Show Profile  Visit Rinonalyrna Fathomlin's Homepage Send Rinonalyrna Fathomlin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal


I have been requested not to discuss RW religions so will not comment on that aspect.



I find that subject interesting myself--too bad this isn't the proper venue for such a discussion. :)

It's also important to remember that no one deity in the Faerunian pantheon can offer everything.

"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time)
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  23:36:24  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin


It's also important to remember that no one deity in the Faerunian pantheon can offer everything.



That depends on what you want.

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