Everyone playing the game according to their own rules

What about analyzing religious discourse as "fabulation," that is, the telling of stories (myths, parables, fables) for a purpose. Does religious discourse, taken this way, meet the standards of good storytelling?


What are the possible general criteria for a story, understanding that some of which are appropriate and some, not --

• A story need not be true, but it does need to ring true
• It does not even need to be believed, but it does need to be believable
• It need not be foolproof, but it does need to be effective
• It need not be profound, but it does need to have a point
• It need not be transparent, but it does need to be accessible

One looks for the following in an effective story --

• Not every story has a theme, but it’s best if it does
• Most often, the character learns or grows as they try to solve their problem
• Don’t tell anything that the character wouldn’t know
• A main character should have at least one flaw or weakness
• Set your story in a place and time that will be interesting or familiar
• Use language that feels right for your story
• assertions of personal preferences or belief,
• appeals more to trust, faith, or personal values than scientific evidence or logical proof,
• subjective analysis of otherwise objective data,
• conclusions asserted with varying degrees of certainty.
• the thrill of imagining impossible or unavailable experiences
• intrigue with playing out "what if" or" if only" scenarios
• feelings and perceptions of another historical period, or simply observations on the human condition

Certain points are common to religious stories --

• Encouraging group identity, cohesion traditions and roots
• Cultivating an attitude toward such things as life, persons, nature and so on
• Funding, defining and fleshing out a moral framework for personal and social life
• Promoting and/or enhancing moral understanding
• Enhancing and/or motivating behaviour that is of the right sort, whether done for the right reason or not
• Providing fortitude in the face of adversity
• Providing reassurance and comfort in times of perplexity or fear