[Salone]

Originally Posted by MyPerfectPigeon

Thank you kindly, dear, and thank you a load for taking the time to answer my questions! I hope to enjoy my time here :)
What's the Esoteric Order of Dagon? I've never heard of it! I definitely consider Scientology the stranger ones only because I don't really get how people get into it in the first place.

I'm glad you've become a better person in the long run and yes, all hail the great potato!

I definitely have conflicting views on some of the more spiritual religions, but I do like religions that are very open and accepting. also religions that do support science.

I've never heard of Omianism. What is that? :o

As mentioned by Lawtan, the Esoteric Order of Dagon is the entirely fictional cult from Lovecraft's works, although they have a little piece on how it overthrew Christianity in a town in the story "Shadow Over Innsmouth" that is a nice little read.

I would be okay with a religious backing of science. So long as I don't have to give up my hedonistic lifestyle and dubious morality on various matters.

And sadly, Omnianism is also a fictional religion set in the Discworld universe, first being detailed in the book Small Gods. A quick run through on the religion can be found below, and I cannot recommend the book enough.

Omnianism centers around the worship and praise of the great and terrible god Om, who decrees that he created the world and everything in it and that he is the only god, contrary to the proof of multiple gods existing in the Discworld and that it was created long before him. Omnianism has regularly scheduled prophets that make pilgrimages into the desert to consult with Om. The religion itself is the state religion of Omnia, and the country is fiercely dedicated and spreads its religion by sword point to its neighbors. Om himself was selfish and indifferent to his believers' wishes and desires, and was quick to anger and to smite people. It is later discovered that most of the prophets never actually spoke to Om, but wrote the commandments of what they thought he would want (you know, what they desired). This lead to commandments against singing (except for praising Om), alcohol, and pretty much anything else that could be a sin, including fruits on holy days and such, and gave vindication for killing those who did not follow the will of Om. Omnianism also has the Quisition, holy agents who torture others 'for the good of Omnianism' and to root out those who would spread lies and falsehoods about Om (the truth actually).

More information below, but spoilers on the actual book are mentioned.

In Small Gods, the followers of Omnianism believe more in the structure of their religion than their actual religion, and the lack of actual belief in Om reduces him in power, to the point that entering the mortal realm leaves him only enough power to take the form of a small tortoise instead of the mighty raging bull he had desired to be. He is discovered by his last true believer, a boy who has fanatical worship of Om. Om is at first hateful and commands plagues and pestilences against those who do not immediately run to his aid ("Your sexual organs to sprout wings and fly away" is a pretty good one). However, the only person who can hear him is the boy, since he is the only believer. To make things worse, the boy is fairly thick and refuses to believe that this tortoise is Om, as Om is all powerful and would never take the form of a tortoise and suspects him of being a demon. In this series gods live off of belief, without it they die, so Om must slowly persuade the boy that he is Om, without letting on to how he became a tortoise or that there are other gods out there. Together they go on a quest to restore Om to his full godhood, and Om slowly begins to learn that people matter, their lives are not a game, and that to have one hundred sheep, you have to be willing to search for one. There's also a neat little scene where he literally beats up the other gods and twists their arms in to telling their followers the same to stop a war that would wipe out all of Omnia, which is nothing more than a board game to them.

Om also appears to his followers, and makes his original last believer his final prophet. He makes commandments and then desires to go off to smite those who would attack his followers, but his prophet refuses and argues him in to establishing a constitutional religion, where Om may not make any commandments that he himself will not follow. Om agrees to this, and in finding peace Omnia ushers in an age of education and tolerance by allowing other religions in to Omnia (Thou shall not subject thy god to market forces!), as well as building a great library. As the series goes on. Omnianism is still highly popular, as they continue to have rabid frothing belief in Om, but go about spreading their belief in somewhat less violent ways, as Om has decreed that his followers develop their own ethics and theology based on his existence. Omnianism has become a much more moderate religion, and instead of Om now being the only god, they now say he is the only god worth worshiping. He also refuses to manifest again, and relies on the uncertainty of his work through people to give them faith in him, as they cannot be sure if he is listening.