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this came up else where, and i figured it might be a fun and potentially insightful thought experiment...
what new religions might rise?
what new religions might rise?
I think that there will be two main religions, three if you (for whatever nonsensical reason) want to count atheism. One religion will have a Greco-vibe, in that it's deity or deities will be very beautiful, humanistic, and materialistic (there's been a big push to attract young converts by making traditionally impersonal deities sound more like friends or fathers). The other religion will worship the planet(s) and life itself (there's always been a nature-based religion). They will fight endlessly and cause no end of hardship on everyone, as large groups of deeply religious people are wont to do. Think fundamentalist/evangelical Christians versus maniacally devout PETA members.
Your post inspired me to ask a couple of questions:
1) What relevance would worshipping a Greco-themed pantheon have to its believers? They would need to classify and perceive beauty, humanism, materialism (perhaps even feminism) as objective moral values and then symbolise them as figures or concepts which are the ultimate expressions of these values.
2) Why would they necessarily be at war? A religion that worships nature could see problems in the worship of traits it believes deviates from the importance of life (e.g. perceived vanity) but a pantheon would see life as important too as the element which allows humanism and beauty to exist.
It doesn't really matter however.
1) I meant more that the sacred deity or deities would be more human, less awesome and omniscient, and would have established physical characteristics. This blends existing trends in Hinduism and, more recently, Christianity.
2) I've never know two different religions to occupy the same land(s) and tolerate each other in perfect harmony, have you? Look at history. We never learn. The humanistic worshippers would probably offend the tree-huggers by putting man over nature, or cutting down some sacred tree of theirs to build a statue, or something. Religious conflicts never make much sense, but they happen anyway, and I doubt that'll change.