religion

[rob]

How do you as a PD handle religion in your campaign? I handle it in an abstract way so that the local population are more animist than dealing with religion in a contemporary way. I do believe that after the apocalypse, when all hell (no pun intended here) breaks loose, that organized religion would fall apart. There will be pockets of organized religion, wandering evangelists, some who will/attempt forced conversions, etcetera, but I think those who survive in the 'wilderness' may even create their own religion. Thoughts?

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by rob

How do you as a PD handle religion in your campaign? I handle it in an abstract way so that the local population are more animist than dealing with religion in a contemporary way. I do believe that after the apocalypse, when all hell (no pun intended here) breaks loose, that organized religion would fall apart. There will be pockets of organized religion, wandering evangelists, some who will/attempt forced conversions, etcetera, but I think those who survive in the 'wilderness' may even create their own religion. Thoughts?

Read "Lucifer's Hammer" by Niven and Pournelle (Science Fiction)

[RandyT0001]

In general, religion in the MP future will be like it is today. There are several "Holy Scriptures" like the Bible, the Koran, the Book of Mormon, etc. that people will consult to find solace and purpose. And like today there will be four different type of ministers, preachers, priests, pastors, elders, omans, etc. that lead a church, congregation, flock, etc.

Types
1. Leader that leads his group to follow the tenants of religion faithfully for the good of the flock. A very small percentage, maybe 0.1% of the churches in the old USA.
2. Leader that leads his group to follow his interpretation of the tenants of religion for the good of the flock. A small percentage, mabe 0.9% of the churches in the old USA.
3. Leader that leads his group to follow his interpretation of the tenants of religion for the his good then the flock's good. The largest percentage, about 89% of the churches in the old USA.
4. Leader that leads his group to follow corrupted religous tenants for his purposes. A significant percentage, about 10%, of the churches in the old USA.

According to recent polls about 70% of the US identifies as Christian (Evangelic Protestant 47%, Mainline Protestant 25%, Catholic 21%, Mormon 2%, Jehovah Witness 1%), 23% are classified as Unaffiliated (None in particular 16%, Agnostic 4%, Atheist 3%), and the remaining 'world religions' are Jewish 2%, Muslim 1%, Buddhist 1%, and Hindu 1%.

Sufice it to say that most religions in post war MP setting are going to be based on Christianity to some degree. However, with the widespread of books of the various translations (and revisions of translations) of the Bible (KJV, ASV, NIV, TLB, NAB, NWT, JST, etc.) and the reliance of many flocks to accept the pastor's, minister's, etc. interpretation of the verses means that one town's 'Christianity' might be very, very different than the next town or village.

Now theses differances might lead to conflicts and fighting between neighboring towns. This raises the question of how likely the structures that serve some of the less popular religions (Jewish, Muslim, etc.) and their adherents might have suffered destruction and death at the hands of the majority.

In the MP setting how much of the First Amendment right of freedom of religious worship survive? And without the 1st Amendment how much does religion intertwine with government to the detrement of others?

Before there were questions of race.
Now there are questions of religion.

Now certain sects of Christianity dominate certain areas of the US. In the southeast US evangelical Christians dominate while in the Northeast and Upper Mid West mainline Christians dominate. Within a few years after the bombs drop and the people have suffered hardship there will be a person that comes forward, points a finger and places the blame for the war and hardship on those distinctly, physically different people that worship a 'heathen' religion. Said individual will gather followers and without a strong government (or populace) to stop them they will kill them to remove their bad influence and brainwashing on the children. If you're one of the followers of one of those world religions and you are outnumbered 10 to one you don't stand a chance to survive. Religious tolerance shrinks during hard times.

My question is how much of the Old Testament of the Bible gets incorporated into teachings, rituals, etc. of a new 'Christianity' 150 years later among certain congregations?

Do communities begin to rely on the Bible's 10 Commandments as the basis of law and determining criminal activity?