Religion Thread

[jsciv69]

Rethink Religion
These days the word Religion can open up a can of worms along with many diverse opinions. To a growing number, Religion is a kin to a few of our favorite four-letter words. But love it or hate it, it's part of Human history. Throughout History, most of the major powers, empires, and Civilizations have been home to many different beliefs and cultural worship practices. Migration, Trade, and sharing of ideas are major contributing factors in this regard. Let's think of a way to implement this in Civ VII
Cultural Bonuses: Religion and Culture go hand in hand. So I think it would be logical to give both Religious and Culture benefits to Civilizations that house multiple beliefs and practices. The Civilization that attracts diverse migrants will see an increase in diverse religious practices and rituals. Thus should see a significant increase toward a Cultural victory. There can still be a dominant religion. But maybe one reflective upon the population on each city and in the overall. Trade can play a part. As Civs and City-States exchange ideas and beliefs as well as goods and resources.

This is just a rough idea on how to restructure how to address Religion. And everything that comes with it.

 

[Henri Christophe]

About religion I'm missing more about traditional african religions reference.
In civ6 we do have the signs ofthe 12 signs of zodiac and don't have the Adinkra symbol: Gye Nyame:

Also, the lack of a gamefication of the slavery made invisible how african religions spread on Americas. Where we do have very well know the Voodoo religion who is a syncretic religion between Dahomey traditional faith with catholicism and there is no reference of it in the game.

 

[jsciv69]

About religion I'm missing more about traditional african religions reference.
In civ6 we do have the signs ofthe 12 signs of zodiac and don't have the Adinkra symbol: Gye Nyame:
View attachment 675858
Also, the lack of a gamefication of the slavery made invisible how african religions spread on Americas. Where we do have very well know the Voodoo religion who is a syncretic religion between Dahomey traditional faith with catholicism and there is no reference of it in the game.

Those signs fell in the option of "name your own religion". And I certainly would not object to having Voodoo in the game. Especially given it's roll in the Haitian Slave revolts.

 

[BuchiTaton]

I find quite ironic that religion have its own victory in CIV6 when religion in that delivery has such awfull mechanics, while in previous CIV versions both religion gameplay and Cultural Victory were better.
So I would prefer religion to be again a mechanic that potentialized mostly Cultural and Diplomatic gemaplays. This based in a system of Ideologies that combines the cultural, religious and political ways of thinking of our civ. Here Ideologies are similar to goverment/civics/policies but comes from a different and more unique system that not works just as a second Tech Tree, instead as a "trigger action>event>decision>ideological change" Mission System related to Denizens, being the Ideologies specializing, exclusive, with pros&cons and narrative value.
Those are linked to Denizens as the core element of the whole game mechanics, these essential population units have three identitarian parameters; Class(social caste), Belief(religion) and Heritage(ethno-cultural) that should be taken in consideration to trigger decision events that allows you to change your ideologies.
So the change and personalization of your ideologies is driven by your population management (also diplomatic actions/decisions) tunring it into a narrative process. Also designed to be more about pros and cons of your ideologies that are many times mutually exclusive to have less but more significative ones (some even unlock unique game mechanics), instead of be a progressive blind accumulation of lots of contextless and even contradictory civics/policies.

So religion is not an objetive but a way to interact with both your own population, foreign population and leaders. Linked to offensive and deffensive strategies and bonus to expand cultural and diplomatic influence (of course some economical, science and military aspects would be linked here and there also).

With this context we can have things like:
- RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS, considering Beliefs (religions) ideologies like Proselytism and Fundamentalism would anger denizens of others beliefs while others ideologies as Secularism, Pluralism and Syncretism could help to reduce tension between different beliefs in your empire (note that Secularism would still annoy your previous state religion and Syncrestism would distance diplomatically others civs with theirs state religions being syncretized in your empire). Talking about diplomacy, of course oppress religious minorities could cause wars like also declare war on a civ with certain religon as official would enrage your denizens of such religion.
- RELIGION SCIENCE INTERACTIONS, Other example is the use of Dogmatism that could benefits your own culture (key for cultural victory) but at the cost of reduced science yield. While Laicism helps you against foreign religious influence (for enemy cultural and diplomatic victories) but this time at the cost of your use of religious gain (for own cultural and diplomatic victories). On the positive relation of religion and technological advance are others ideologies like Monasticism and Esotericism. While Skepticism add for science and Pluralism help with diplomacy, and Syncretism provide culture(defensive) and inner politics benefits.

 

[Klaus Hergersheimer]

It's mostly fine, I just don't like moving the religious units themselves around the map

just aim your religion at the city you want to convert and fire, I say.

 

[dagriggstar]

I want to take the civ 5 city-state quest/opinion system and apply it to religion. If a religion takes "oral tradition" and you have many plantations, that religions opinion of you will increase. This then means that religion spreads faster within your civilization AND you gain extra yields from citizens following that religion.