Religion in the Marvel Universe

[lordozone]

In a universe where gods walk with men, where a devil (Mephisto) is an enemy of the Avengers and once conquered Las Vegas, where there are alien churches like the universal church of truth or the church of Thor, where every secret services and countries know that souls exist, how do you think humans in the Marvel universe react to religions and the idea of God?

[Omega Alpha]

In a universe where gods walk with men, where a devil (Mephisto) is an enemy of the Avengers and once conquered Las Vegas, where there are alien churches like the universal church of truth or the church of Thor, where every secret services and countries know that souls exist, how do you think humans in the Marvel universe react to religions and the idea of God?

Just like in real life- they pretend the things that obviously make their entire religion false either don't exist or were already predicted in the sacred texts, you were the one that didn't know how to read them.

[Lee Stone]

In a universe where gods walk with men, where a devil (Mephisto) is an enemy of the Avengers and once conquered Las Vegas, where there are alien churches like the universal church of truth or the church of Thor, where every secret services and countries know that souls exist, how do you think humans in the Marvel universe react to religions and the idea of God?

I would guess the same as they approach everything else they see...
Anything is possible.

[JudicatorPrime]

In a universe where gods walk with men, where a devil (Mephisto) is an enemy of the Avengers and once conquered Las Vegas, where there are alien churches like the universal church of truth or the church of Thor, where every secret services and countries know that souls exist, how do you think humans in the Marvel universe react to religions and the idea of God?

The Marvel Universe pretty much incorporates every real-world religion in some form or another, plus a few other religions/belief systems/cults that are unique to some of its characters. I imagine humans on Marvel Earth operate exactly as they do on our Earth with respect to belief, agnosticism and atheism.

[Digifiend]

Just like in real life- they pretend the things that obviously make their entire religion false either don't exist or were already predicted in the sacred texts, you were the one that didn't know how to read them.

True. Science has disproven a lot of the Old Testament. God didn't make the world in a week. So Thor and Ares, and the rest of the Norse and Greek gods turning out to be real won't have a major effect. It's usually all about the morals nowadays anyway. That's certainly how Kamala Khan regards her Muslim faith. It's the lessons that matter, not the truth of the stories in the Koran. I imagine it'd be the same for Jewish Ben Grimm and the Catholic Matt Murdock.

[mugiwara]

If anything, there should be even more religious violence than in our world, because would polytheism would inevitably rise again, especially the cult of Thor. And monotheistic religions don't like that. At all. They can (barely) tolerate each other, but plurals gods? That's as bad as atheism.
IIRC there has been stories where Thor had to rescue his believers from religious fanatics.

There was also a story by Jurgens in which some christians priest tried to suicide bomb Thor, like christian zealots always do (sarcasm).

There are fascinating stories to be told, but that may be too risky for Marvel.

[Ultimate Captain America]

Despite what he may call himself, modern society wouldn't consider Thor and his kind as "Gods" (not the way we understand the term), but just as aliens. And the Norse religion, well, just ancient astronauts theories that turned out to be right.

[Omega Alpha]

Despite what he may call himself, modern society wouldn't consider Thor and his kind as "Gods" (not the way we understand the term), but just as aliens. And the Norse religion, well, just ancient astronauts theories that turned out to be right.

Except many would. Even today, you see an increase in Norse cults, specially in places like Iceland. Imagine if Thor was real and doing awesome stuff.

[JudicatorPrime]

Except many would. Even today, you see an increase in Norse cults, specially in places like Iceland. Imagine if Thor was real and doing awesome stuff.

Given the powers that many of the elite and abstract characters have, there would be new religions and cults popping up left and right, if any of them existed in the real world. Galactus would have a cult. The Beyonder would have a cult. Molecule Man would have a cult. Heck, even the Sentry would probably have devotees. And we've already seen mutant acolytes and quasi-religious followings.

I'm actually shocked that there aren't more "faiths" on Marvel Earth. Humanity seems extraordinarily predisposed to worshipping anything greater than itself...or any power or phenomenon that it doesn't understand.

[Omega Alpha]

Given the powers that many of the elite and abstract characters have, there would be new religions and cults popping up left and right, if any of them existed in the real world. Galactus would have a cult. The Beyonder would have a cult. Molecule Man would have a cult. Heck, even the Sentry would probably have devotees. And we've already seen mutant acolytes and quasi-religious followings.

I'm actually shocked that there aren't more "faiths" on Marvel Earth. Humanity seems extraordinarily predisposed to worshipping anything greater than itself...or any power or phenomenon that it doesn't understand.

Most writers don't want to explore more faiths because they are afraid to offend religious readers, are religious themselves, or both. But yeah, there's no way the religious make up of the MU would be exactly like ours, as Marvel seems to push out most of the time.

[Doom'nGloom]

I think being a "God" is nothing special in MU considering Franklin Richards, the current creator of marvel multiverse and a literal child for most of his publication history, is more powerful than +95% percent of all marvel characters including some of those gods like most incarnations of Thor. Then there are guys like Reed, Doom, Tony, Pym etc. building machines that can tangle with or steal the power of high level cosmic beings like Galactus, Phoenix Force, Beyonder etc. Then there are objects like Infinity gems, Heart of the Universe (non-canon but still), Cosmic Cube and Ultimate Nullifier that can make most gods shit their pants. With all of that I think being a God is like an honorary title at most. Oh and not to mention Classic Strange with all his magical bs (he was powered by the Vishanti tbf) and anyone can learn magic and become sorcerer supreme if I'm not mistaken so.... yeah.

[JudicatorPrime]

Interestingly enough, TOAA exists in the Marvel Universe, but to my knowledge there doesn't exist a common religion or system of worship of TOAA by the innumerable living species across the universe. It seems monotheistic worship of TOAA is limited to Earth and is represented solely by the Abrahamic faiths in the fictional universe.

[lordozone]

Interestingly enough, TOAA exists in the Marvel Universe, but to my knowledge there doesn't exist a common religion or system of worship of TOAA by the innumerable living species across the universe. It seems monotheistic worship of TOAA is limited to Earth and is represented solely by the Abrahamic faiths in the fictional universe.

Yeah, but even Yahveh in the Marvel Universe seem to be just a Skyfather (Howard the Duck vol.3 #6) And the Angels seem to be not more powerful than a ghost rider. The only people of the Marvel Universe who seem to know the real gods and cosmic hierarchy (TOBA-Living tribunal-eternity etc.) are the superheroes, the sorcerers and maybe Shield. It would be interesting if the mortals of the Mu discover the real hierarchy of the universe (and that hell exist). When you know that you have a soul, they are lot of heavens and hells, and they are absolute rules about good and evil, why do you continue to struggle, and you don't pray everyday, just waiting your eternal reward ?

[JudicatorPrime]

Yeah, but even Yahveh in the Marvel Universe seem to be just a Skyfather (Howard the Duck vol.3 #6) And the Angels seem to be not more powerful than a ghost rider. The only people of the Marvel Universe who seem to know the real gods and cosmic hierarchy (TOBA-Living tribunal-eternity etc.) are the superheroes, the sorcerers and maybe Shield. It would be interesting if the mortals of the Mu discover the real hierarchy of the universe (and that hell exist). When you know that you have a soul, they are lot of heavens and hells, and they are absolute rules about good and evil, why do you continue to struggle, and you don't pray everyday, just waiting your eternal reward ?

I'm still trying to figure out how Sentry dies and his soul turns up in Asgard. Bob isn't a practicing devotee of any Nordic faith as far as I know. Not much in the MU makes sense, I guess, when it comes to religion. And maybe that's the point.

The only group completely screwed by any of this are the atheists. Maybe that will be the thrust of next summer's epic crossover event... an atheist gets the IG and Ultimate Nullifier and does away with gods, demons and everything faith-based. Stranger plots have been hatched.

[Omega Alpha]

The only group completely screwed by any of this are the atheists. Maybe that will be the thrust of next summer's epic crossover event... an atheist gets the IG and Ultimate Nullifier and does away with gods, demons and everything faith-based. Stranger plots have been hatched.

You haven't seen Love and Thunder, have you?