History Main / SinglePreceptReligion

* The Chantry in ''Franchise/DragonAge'' is an unusual example. It has immense detail in it's history, hierarchy, style and so on, but it's actual teachings are pretty much limited to "Magic exists to serve man, not to rule over him." This seems rather odd in a role playing game which often asks the player to express either devotion or disdain for the chantry, despite knowing virtually nothing about it beyond it being the religion of the land.

* Arguably, self-styled-mainline Protestantism is one of these, at least according to those who insist "If you're not [Roman] Catholic, you're Protestant" -- which makes Eastern Orthodox churches, Mormons and Unitarians "Protestants".

* "The Church" is Literature/TheDarwathTrilogy and Literature/TheWindroseChronicles by Barbara Hambly has no visible theology other than "wizards are evil", and no discernible purpose other than to make Our Heroes miserable.

* The religion [[TheBigGuy Mr. Tulip]] professes to follow in ''Discworld/TheTruth'' appears to consist solely of carrying around a potato as a sort of spiritual anchor ("as long as you've got your potato, you'll be alright"), and in professing regret for any of your misdeeds. It's suggested, though, that Tulip is gravely misinformed about the religion, which he hasn't encountered since his childhood ([[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve not that it matters, as long as he believes in it]]).

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' features the Silence, which is basically a vast secret society dressed up as an oddball Christian sect (or, more accurately, mystery cult), complete with monks. It features one single solitary belief: that "[[spoiler:Silence will fall when the question, "Doctor Who?", is asked]]". That's it. Why do they call it a religion? No idea.

In RealLife Religions tend to be built up of a vast number of different things and can take such a variety of forms that it can be very hard to pin down exactly what the word 'religion' ''means''. As such, when someone needs one for a story, it can be very easy for them to to throw together any old thing and call it a religion. The reasoning is that as long as it ''looks'' the part people will fill in the details for themselves. This generally leads to a lot of works featuring religions that look an awful lot like [[FantasticCatholicism Christianity]], [[StarWars Buddhism]], or similar, with what those people believe [[CrystalDragonJesus roughly copied]], though, in some cases, the writer will chose to create their own from scratch to suit their needs. Either route can result in vast and detailed histories and belief systems that are complex enough (or at least seem to be), to draw us in and immerse us in the writer's vision.

* "The Church" is TheDarwathTrilogy and TheWindroseChronicles by Barbara Hambly has no visible theology other than "wizards are evil", and no discernible purpose other than to make Our Heroes miserable.

In RealLife Religions tend to be built up of a vast number of different things and can take such a variety of forms that it can be very hard to pin down exactly what the word 'religion' ''means''. As such, when someone needs one for a story, it can be very easy for them to to throw together any old thing and call it a religion. They reason that as long as it ''looks'' the part people will fill in the details for themselves. This generally leads to a lot of works featuring religions that look an awful lot like [[FantasticCatholicism Christianity]], [[StarWars Buddhism]], or similar, with what those people believe [[CrystalDragonJesus roughly copied]], though, in some cases, the writer will chose to create their own from scratch to suit their needs. Either route can result in vast and detailed histories and belief systems that are complex enough (or at least seem to be), to draw us in and immerse us in the writer's vision.

* When Bender is being worshiped by tiny aliens in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Godfellas", he issues only one Commandment: God Needs Booze.

* The Chantry in ''DragonAge'' is an unusual example. It has immense detail in it's history, hierarchy, style and so on, but it's actual teachings are pretty much limited to "Magic exists to serve man, not to rule over him." This seems rather odd in a role playing game which often asks the player to express either devotion or disdain for the chantry, despite knowing virtually nothing about it beyond it being the religion of the land.

* The Church of the Holy Light in ''WorldOfWarcraft''. People follow it like a deity and it's set up rather like Catholicism, but the actual beliefs of the religion are never really elaborated upon in the game.

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]]

[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
* ''{{Warhammer}}'': The religion of the thunder god Tor has but one commandment: Don't stand under a tree in a thunderstorm.

[[AC:Western Animation]]

* When Bender is being worshiped by tiny aliens in the ''{{Futurama}}'' episode "Godfellas", he issues only one Commandment: God Needs Booze.

* This is played with in ''MasterOfSpaceAndTime'' by RudyRucker. One of the main characters basically wishes up a door to a parallel world where he can have an adventure. The world is controlled by a cult run by ''ThePuppetMasters''-like slugs. The cult has three teachings, God's Laws, which are "1. Follow Gary. 2. Be Clean. 3. Teach God's Laws". One character describes it as "A thought virus. A parasitic system that propagates itself."

* The Bajoran religion on ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' went into great detail about the customs and traditions of the Faith of the Prophets, but there was never much in the way of actual beliefs and tenets other than "Prophets Good, Pah-Wraiths Bad, Sisko Awesome."

[[AC:Television]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' features the Silence, which is basically a vast secret society dressed up as an oddball Christian sect (or, more accurately, mystery cult), complete with monks. It features one single solitary belief: that "[[spoiler:Silence will fall when the question, "Doctor Who?", is asked]]". That's it. Why do they call it a religion? No idea.
* On ''{{Dinosaurs}}'' the Elders start looking for a belief system simple enough to be understood by the dumbest individual. The winning entry is one based on the world being created by a potato.

In RealLife Religions tend to be built up of a vast number of different things and can take such a variety of forms that it can be very hard to pin down exactly what the word 'religion' ''means''. As such, when someone needs one for a story, it can be very easy for them to to throw together any old thing and call it a religion. They reason that as long as it ''looks'' the part people will fill in the details for themselves. This generally leads to a lot of works featuring religions that look an awful lot like [[FantasticCatholicism Christianity]], [[StarWars Buddhism]], or similar, with what those people believe [[CrystalDragonJesus roughly copied]], though, in some cases, the writer will chose to create their own from scratch to suit their needs.

Either route can result in vast and detailed histories and belief systems that are complex enough (or at least seem to be), to draw us in and immerse us in the writer's vision.

A SinglePreceptReligion is one where the writer created the look of a religion, but none of the substance. They may be grand and [[BuffySpeak religiony-looking]], but if you actually stopped one of the adherents and asked them what they actually ''believe''....they can't really tell you. Or, if they can, the entire totality of their beliefs can be written on the back of a matchbook. Of course, they ''could'' be members of a MysteryCult, in which case initiates actually ''won't'' know what they have gotten themselves into and the inner circle won't be keen on telling you (but that is another trope entirely).

[[AC:Film]]
* ''BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure'' The (future) Church of Bill and Ted has but one single commandment [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVXGC896Jdw "Be excellent to each other and party on, dudes"]].

In RealLife Religions tend to be built up of a vast number of different things and can take such a variety of forms that it can be very hard to pin down exactly what the word 'religion' ''means''. As such, when someone needs one for a story, it can be very easy for them to to throw together any old thing and call it a religion. They reason that long as it ''looks'' the part people will fill in the details for themselves. This generally leads to a lot of works featuring religions that look an awful lot like [[FantasticCatholicism Christianity]], [[StarWars Buddhism]], or similar, with what those people believe [[CrystalDragonJesus roughly copied]], though, in some cases, the writer will chose to create their own from scratch to suit their needs.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' features the Silence, which is basically a vast secret society dressed up as an oddball Christian sect (or, more accurately, mystery cult), complete with monks. It features one single solitary belief: that "[[spoiler:Silence will fall when the question, "Doctor Who", is asked]]". That's it. Why do they call it a religion? No idea.

* ''DoctorWho'' features the Silence, which is basically a vast secret society dressed up as an oddball Christian sect (or, more accurately, mystery cult), complete with monks. It features one single solitary belief: that "[[spoiler:Silence will fall when the question is asked]]". That's it. Why do they call it a religion? No idea.
** It's revealed that [[spoiler: the question they speak of is for the Doctor to eventually answer, and it will be asked under circumstances where it will be impossible for him to lie or refuse. Therefore, they're trying to kill the Doctor to ensure that "silence will fall when the question is asked," [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt because if the question is ever answered...]]]]

* When Bender is being worshiped by tiny aliens in the ''{{Futurama}}'' episode "Godfellas", he issues only one Commandment: God Wants Beer.

* In ''TheSimpsons'' the church they belong to, The Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutherism, split from the Catholic Church over the right to attend services with wet hair...which they've since abolished.