Fictional Religion

A fictional religion, hypothetical religion, imaginary religion or invented religion refers to a fictional belief system created for the purposes of literature, film, or game. Fictional religions can be complex and inspired by or build on existing religions. Two of the better known and influential examples are the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft and the religion of Middle Earth created by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Some fictional religions have gained real followers in the real world and some works of fiction have inspired new religious movements (for example, Jediism or Matrixism); others have been intended from the beginning as parody religions (for example, Discordianism and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster).

In speculative fiction

Religious themes have long been a significant theme of fiction. One of those themes is that of a fictional religion: a fictional belief system created for the purposes of literature, film or games. Many fictional religions are found in the speculative fiction, in particular, in science fiction and fantasy genres. Sometimes, they are intended for satirical purposes, and at other times, they are "thoughtful extrapolations in the sociology of religion" or "earnest visions of better eligions. Brian Stableford, referring to "hypothetical" or "imaginary" religions in science fiction, notes that their accounts "inevitably raise questions similar to those addressed by sociologists and psychologists of religion, sharpened by the dissatisfaction writers usually feel with regard to the imperfections of their own religious culture". Stableford suggests that the tradition of speculative fiction (or specifically, utopian fiction) designing "better religious cultures and organizations" can be traced at least to Thomas More's ''Utopia'' (1516). Stableford also suggests that "the most striking and memorable images of fictional religion" are those that are horrific or comic, noting for example that portrayal of theocracies in speculative fiction is usually negative and used to contrast such societies with liberal ones; the latter are usually more positively framed, citing the example of The Culture series by Iain M. Banks.

Religious themes have been often found in works of science fiction. In American science fiction, fictional religions were a trope that Stableford argues was introduced with some delay, as some writers, particularly in the early 20th century, did not want to offend the readers with themes that were considered morally suspect. By 1940s and 1950s this started to change, for example with Robert A. Heinlein's ''"If This Goes On—"'' (1940) and ''Sixth Column'' (1941), and Fritz Leiber's '' Gather, Darkness!'' (1943). Heinlein stories juxtapose "evil fake religion" against a "well-intentioned fake religion", while Leiber's story portrays a "virtuous fake Satanism as a remedy for an evil fake godliness"''.'' In some stories from that period, criticism of religion can be seen in stories in which humans use invented religion to influence (educate or control) more primitive alien societies (ex. L. Sprague de Camp's "Ultrasonic God", 1951 and Robert Silverberg and Randall Garrett