(T>B) Pony religion

From this thread: https://www.fimfiction.net/group/50/the-writers-group/thread/458737/pony-religion

I think religion covers several bases which might be seperated in pony society.

• Understanding the world, cosmology and history. No doubt there were all kinds of myths and legends about this at some point, some of which persist to this day. Of course, given that Equestria is world that resembles our own myths given life, one might guess that their tales are more commonly accurate - but that isn't nescessarily the case. (Of course, if even their modern "fiction" isn't...) In any case, as with in our world, much of this purpose was overtaken by the more scientific study paradigm that Twilight is a product of.
• Providing moral and ethical guidance, as well as social norms. Philosophers have served as a (sometimes) secular alternative to this throughout history, and I expect in Equestria philosophies serve as the major counterparts to religions, but more informally. In a bit of a "Starswirlism", I consider the most prevalent one to be a Harmony-based one promulgated by the Princesses as the basis for their new nation, with Twilight's more recent "Friendship Gospel" being somewhere between a branch and a child. Another might regulate the ponies complicated relationship with the natural world.
• Serving as a source for customs and holidays. Well, the ponies seem to do well enough at this one on their own... some local, other's more widespread.
• Addressing matters of death and the afterlife. This one is obviously touched on the least in the show, although the aforementioned Hearts and Hooves day scene likely comes closest. Certainly, pony beleifs on the afterlife would have a strong effect on the immortality debates which circulate on this site from time to time... Unlike some stories on this site, I do think (or perhaps just prefer) thst ponies have no more absolute knowledge on the matter than we do - or arguably even less, since their world contains many more strange things than ours.

(And regarding a common form in fanon...)

Alicorn worship I have as an old fashion that predates the Princesses (and gave them a lot of their initial "cred") but took a major hit in Equestria after the whole Nightmare Moon business, which warring Church factions had not insignificant roles in. Since then...well, it's a bit hard to outright worship somepony who's been quite vocal about not wanting it, but despite that Celestianism lives on as an undercurrent that both fuels and is fuelled by the Princess's vast general popularity. (Luna worship was always rarer and more scattered, and quite a few of the remnants sadly declined to Nightmare cults, but there were still surprisingly a few remaining to witness their goddess's return.)

And it's something of a different matter abroad, where worship is tolerated by Celestia (who knows the fear that the heavens are moved by a power beyond one's reach and understanding well) but often persecuted to a greater of lesser extent by local leaders displeased at the lionising of another country's monarch over them. (An incident related to this actually sparked Equestria's last foreign war...)