On the show, it seems like none of the religions in Game Of Thrones actually includes any sort of ethical system or theology; they're just different lists of "cosmic beings." Which is weak writing. Maybe that's better in the books.
Although I will say that it's a common weakness in scifi/fantasy, and at least GOT does a much better job of than some others, like DS9. I defy anybody to tell me what the "golden rules"/moral precepts of the Bajoran religion were. Since the writers never attempted to come up with any.
The Cardassians, ironically, had a much more fleshed-out belief system, with its Rome-like devotion to preserving the integrity of the political state. The Klingons had their personal-honor virtue culture, which was something, albeit completely one-dimensional.
#TMI
Although I will say that it's a common weakness in scifi/fantasy, and at least GOT does a much better job of than some others, like DS9. I defy anybody to tell me what the "golden rules"/moral precepts of the Bajoran religion were. Since the writers never attempted to come up with any.
The Cardassians, ironically, had a much more fleshed-out belief system, with its Rome-like devotion to preserving the integrity of the political state. The Klingons had their personal-honor virtue culture, which was something, albeit completely one-dimensional.
#TMI
In the books there's a lot of interesting ethics involved. Mostly homespun and simple; none of the first-person characters are religious professionals.
"The Seven" -- This is about knowing your place in the world. There are seven kinds of people in the world, and you're one or maybe more than one, and the appropriate god/avatar can help you out with your job in that area. It's a very pat, homey religion. There are some specific for knights, but it's mostly about asking the Mother if you need help with mothering, or asking the Warrior if you need help with War.
"The Old Gods" -- An amoral Nature is always watching you. It's kind of like Grizzly Man meets Jean-Paul Sartre. For some reason people feel loyalty to these gods.
"The Drowned God" -- Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!
"R'hllor" -- The ethics are very Zoroastrian. Good, evil, light, dark. It's very dualistic and absolutist.
There are a couple of other religions -- some river-worship, some crab-gods and so on, but mostly that's about it.
"The Seven" -- This is about knowing your place in the world. There are seven kinds of people in the world, and you're one or maybe more than one, and the appropriate god/avatar can help you out with your job in that area. It's a very pat, homey religion. There are some specific for knights, but it's mostly about asking the Mother if you need help with mothering, or asking the Warrior if you need help with War.
"The Old Gods" -- An amoral Nature is always watching you. It's kind of like Grizzly Man meets Jean-Paul Sartre. For some reason people feel loyalty to these gods.
"The Drowned God" -- Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!
"R'hllor" -- The ethics are very Zoroastrian. Good, evil, light, dark. It's very dualistic and absolutist.
There are a couple of other religions -- some river-worship, some crab-gods and so on, but mostly that's about it.
Evan Prodromou at 2014-03-21T19:09:07Z
Nathan Willis, jrobb likes this.
True, most of these characters don't seem like the sort of people who worry too much about the abstract concepts of right & wrong. Stannis & Melisandre are basically just concerned (or so it seems) with getting what they want.
Though there was a bit of talk about justice & some related virtue stuff when Beric was fighting The Hound. Accepting the divine decision, etc. Although I'm still not clear what a R'hllor follower's answer to the question "what does it mean to be a good person" is.
I got the impression that The Old Gods was basically just an "everything is alive, so you should do your best not to piss off the things bigger than you" worldview. I can see how you would have some general concepts of act-with-others-wellbeing-in-mind from that, even if it doesn't relate much to personal improvement.
Though there was a bit of talk about justice & some related virtue stuff when Beric was fighting The Hound. Accepting the divine decision, etc. Although I'm still not clear what a R'hllor follower's answer to the question "what does it mean to be a good person" is.
I got the impression that The Old Gods was basically just an "everything is alive, so you should do your best not to piss off the things bigger than you" worldview. I can see how you would have some general concepts of act-with-others-wellbeing-in-mind from that, even if it doesn't relate much to personal improvement.