Religion and Religious Classes

[trentonian7]

I've been working on a religion for a culture in my world and I wanted to see what you guys thought and what your religions were like.

It doesn't have a name as of now, though likely the name would vary depending on who's talking and where they're from. They worship a God and a Godess, opposites, yet complementary to one another. He is god of death, of the earth, of ore, of war. She is the goddess of life, of the trees, of crops, of the sea. The religion emphasizes balance, nature, and cycles. Life and death, sea and earth, agriculture and war. An eye for an eye.Neither god is worshipped above the other; a prayer is not made to just one but to both, though separately. They believe in reincarnation, though only within species. Demons, the first children of the God and Godess, rebelled against them and were banished from the earth when they tainted the gods' next creation, man, with anger, hatred, jealousy, etc.

There are a monk like class of priests who live and tend for the gods' shrines, though it is the druids who exert perhaps the most influence on society. The druids act as a hybrid warrior/ religious class who act as the backbone of their armies and the pillars of the lower classes. It is only the druids who may bear swords freely while not at war. In peace time, they manage their lands and ensure their serfs are happy and productive.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

My thought would be that I've always seen druids as sort of wizards of nature. Their magic running along natural lines. Eg summoning critters, controlling beasts, healing, maybe casting illness. So a druid warrior seems odd to me. A wizard warrior makes more sense. Swinging a sword and casting a fireball go together somehow.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[KC Trae Becker]

I've always seen druids as sort of wizards of nature... So a druid warrior seems odd to me.
Cheers, Greg.

I know what you mean, but there are instances of warrior druids in the Irish legends. They were a diverse group with some being much more political than nature-spirity.

 

[trentonian7]

Hi,

My thought would be that I've always seen druids as sort of wizards of nature. Their magic running along natural lines. Eg summoning critters, controlling beasts, healing, maybe casting illness. So a druid warrior seems odd to me. A wizard warrior makes more sense. Swinging a sword and casting a fireball go together somehow.

Cheers, Greg.

This is a modern day misrepresentation of the Celtic Druid. The druids of Gaul were the educated and upperclass of Celtic society, druids were doctors, lawyers, though also sometimes religious leaders.

 

[KC Trae Becker]

I find this religion well thought out. It is logical, yet simple, combining many of the more folkloric religions into one compatible system.

Kudos. Do the monks and the druids both focus on both deities or are they specialized with balance between them?

Are the demons' activities in the world still occurring or were they just in the past?

Given Christianity's interpretation of New Testament forgiveness superseding Old Testament eye-for-an-eye philosophy some of your readers will wonder how forgiveness fits into this religious world view. Perhaps either allowing forgiveness to be a personal decision, or working forgiveness in as accruing debt that must be repaid or some such philosophy.

 

[trentonian7]

I find this religion well thought out. It is logical, yet simple, combining many of the more folkloric religions into one compatible system.

Kudos. Do the monks and the druids both focus on both deities or are they specialized with balance between them?

Are the demons' activities in the world still occurring or were they just in the past?

Given Christianity's interpretation of New Testament forgiveness superseding Old Testament eye-for-an-eye philosophy some of your readers will wonder how forgiveness fits into this religious world view. Perhaps either allowing forgiveness to be a personal decision, or working forgiveness in as accruing debt that must be repaid or some such philosophy.

Thanks! While it is interesting to consider the druid focusing on God and the monks on Goddess, as of now, that is not the case. The druid is not even a religious authority, he is a disciple. Demons are present in my world, but they are very very rare.

In this religion, there is no "sin" and there is no hell and thus there is no forgiveness. If I wrong my neighbor, to balance my wrong I must suffer a punishment or make right my wrong through other means. The more balanced your life, the more likely you will be reborn into a better life. This concept allows the nobility and the druids a good deal of dominion over the common people, as they are believed to have lived very worthy lives in their past life.

 

[Gurkhal]

I think that it looks totally ok. What I could potential suggest a change of is the terms "monks" and "druids". Many people will have strong associations with eiither of these two and if it might be easier for them to understand what its about with another term. I personally wouldn't use the specific term "druids" but cleric, priest or something else.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

I like the emphasis on balance and opposites. But i wonder what are the justifications of why different elements or things belong to that specific deity. For example, why is that god associated with ore and not crops? Will there be a reasoning behind everything?
Also are these literal gods or more like ideals where worship is more of tradition and respect for nature?

 

[psychotick]

Hi KC,

Yes I mistyped - naughty fingers!!! I meant druid soldier. When I picture soldiers I think men in armour, regiments, formations all that sort of thing. I don't see druids forming the backbone of an army. As individual warriors they're fine - though again I would be thinking leather armour and natural weapons. I might also be thinking berserkers.

And yes as Trent says the wizard of nature image I have may be a misrepresentation of ancient Celtic druids - but I think it's a common one.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[trentonian7]

I think that it looks totally ok. What I could potential suggest a change of is the terms "monks" and "druids". Many people will have strong associations with eiither of these two and if it might be easier for them to understand what its about with another term. I personally wouldn't use the specific term "druids" but cleric, priest or something else.

The druid in this instance is essentially a samurai in attitude though he more closely resembles a knight. That being said, people have very strong images associated with knight and I would like to avoid the knight in shining armor thought, as there are no suits of heavy plate in this world and my druids do not practice chivalry for instance. What other names might you guys suggest? And I do think cleric would work well for the priests.

 

[Gurkhal]

The druid in this instance is essentially a samurai in attitude though he more closely resembles a knight. That being said, people have very strong images associated with knight and I would like to avoid the knight in shining armor thought, as there are no suits of heavy plate in this world and my druids do not practice chivalry for instance. What other names might you guys suggest? And I do think cleric would work well for the priests.

If you want a warlike term instead of "knight" how about "champion" or "sword-bearer" given that thhey are the only ones to carry swords in times of peace?

 

[ascanius]

I've been working on a religion for a culture in my world and I wanted to see what you guys thought and what your religions were like.

It doesn't have a name as of now, though likely the name would vary depending on who's talking and where they're from. They worship a God and a Godess, opposites, yet complementary to one another. He is god of death, of the earth, of ore, of war. She is the goddess of life, of the trees, of crops, of the sea. The religion emphasizes balance, nature, and cycles. Life and death, sea and earth, agriculture and war. An eye for an eye.Neither god is worshipped above the other; a prayer is not made to just one but to both, though separately. They believe in reincarnation, though only within species. Demons, the first children of the God and Godess, rebelled against them and were banished from the earth when they tainted the gods' next creation, man, with anger, hatred, jealousy, etc.

There are a monk like class of priests who live and tend for the gods' shrines, though it is the druids who exert perhaps the most influence on society. The druids act as a hybrid warrior/ religious class who act as the backbone of their armies and the pillars of the lower classes. It is only the druids who may bear swords freely while not at war. In peace time, they manage their lands and ensure their serfs are happy and productive.

Overall it looks like a good start but my question is how does the religion define morality, what is good and what is bad?

I think that it looks totally ok. What I could potential suggest a change of is the terms "monks" and "druids". Many people will have strong associations with eiither of these two and if it might be easier for them to understand what its about with another term. I personally wouldn't use the specific term "druids" but cleric, priest or something else.

One thing I really like about the Greek gods are how they are the god of something you wouldn't assume. Hades for instance is the god of death but also of the earth, rebirth, and life. Or Athena is the god of wisdom, logic, and strategy, which is interesting given the views about women at the time. Mars the god of war is mostly blood lust. Something to think about.

 

[ChasingSuns]

Some ideas for the druid title: instead of knight, perhaps paladin (it has religious connotations due to paladins in RPGs, but this could work to your advantage), or perhaps sentinal, guardian, or warden.

 

[trentonian7]

Some ideas for the druid title: instead of knight, perhaps paladin (it has religious connotations due to paladins in RPGs, but this could work to your advantage), or perhaps sentinal, guardian, or warden.

I decided to make druids the religiously affiliated mages in this religion.