Posted: Nov 24, 2016 10:42 pm
Direct and specific answer to the question AS ASKED (not as imagined):
yes. SOME people will behave themselves better, if they believe that they are being watched by a powerful authority at all times, than they will if they think they can easily get away with behaving in a manner which the rest of their society finds unpleasant.
And, no, in that the word "need" in the opening question, suggests that the authority which these people will behave for, has to be a god. The same people who will only behave as others would like them to, if there is a magic being watching, will also behave the same way, if the monitoring authority is a non-magic, but nevertheless inescapable presence.
It is my OPINION, that one of the specific and purposeful reasons why many religions were invented, was because it was hoped that if people could be persuaded to believe in magic monitoring, that the people who wanted to force them to behave differently, might get more sleep, and would save money on guards.
yes. SOME people will behave themselves better, if they believe that they are being watched by a powerful authority at all times, than they will if they think they can easily get away with behaving in a manner which the rest of their society finds unpleasant.
And, no, in that the word "need" in the opening question, suggests that the authority which these people will behave for, has to be a god. The same people who will only behave as others would like them to, if there is a magic being watching, will also behave the same way, if the monitoring authority is a non-magic, but nevertheless inescapable presence.
It is my OPINION, that one of the specific and purposeful reasons why many religions were invented, was because it was hoped that if people could be persuaded to believe in magic monitoring, that the people who wanted to force them to behave differently, might get more sleep, and would save money on guards.