IMPORTANT NOTE: This may be a touchy subject. I don't mean to offend anybody.
Here is something I've wondered about for a while--what are the major religions of the pokémon world? religion exists in some form, since there are Shinto and Buddhist temples and shrines, Team plasma uses the Chi Ro, and the Seven Sages quote Taoist texts. But in the alternate history of the pokémon world, how were these religions born?
In fact, are there
pokémon equivalents to deities? If Arceus is like the Judeo-Christian God, what about gods from other mythologies?
For instance, if Team Plasma adapted the Chi Ro symbol, does that mean people worship Arceus? Or some other god? If Arceus isn't worshiped, what does the symbol mean? Since the Chi Ro symbol (in the real world) originally indicated Mithras, does that mean Arceus is Mithras as well as being a Judeo-Christion God analog?
Here's where my theory comes in. I believe that the religions of the pokémon world, whatever they may be, are more closely related to being one with nature (as in Taoism and Buddhism) than being about worship. Consider Celebi, Ho-Oh, and Lugia; they are heralded as guardians of nature, and as protectors, but there doesn't seem to be an enitre religion or cult based around them.
Due to information about Arceus, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina from the games, I think (at least the ancient) people in the pokémon world were aware in their roles as creators and sustainers, but I don't see evidence of a large group of people worshiping them all the time.
Oh, and to clear up people's confusion about how one can, say, capture Giratina and use it in battles--a bodied incarnation of a deity is not the whole deity. It is more like a projection. For example, Krishna is not all of Vishu. Krishna has to eat and sleep and use the bathroom live everybody else. Vishnu does not.
Anyway, what do you guys think of religions in pokémon?
Well i believe Arceus created religions similar to Christianity and Islam.
The other legends Kyoga(Loki),Groundon(Odin) and rayquaza(Thor) could make Nordic gods
combining the legendarys makes similar religions to Hindu,Egyptian,Greek and roman gods
Gartina would be worshiped by satanists.