Tradition/Superstition

'Tradition' to the Locals and 'Superstition' to the Citizens is the name for the only surviving Religion in the apocalypse.

Charms, trinkets, small prayers, symbols, sayings, practices, things you do because other people do them, things that are supposed to keep you safe, things you do just because you feel that you have to.

The idea of Religion in Louisiana is something strong- and weak. Scattered. Every religion is the same, every religion is accepted, no religion is it's own. People do things because they want to be safe, want to stay safe. I survived the Monsoon by praying and holding my cross, says a survivor. I suppose I should do that too then, says the one that heard his tale.

Different beliefs and cultures bleed together for the same purpose. We do these things to stay safe, we do these things to stay sane, we do these things because we have to, we do these things to do them. Some people have their reasons, others don't. And the exact level of belief can differ from Local to Local- some recite a prayer in times of stress, some are covered in crosses, runes, some inscribe the prayers onto their very skin. Some clutch pearls and cry to the sky when it rains. They mimic the practices of others without question, for any chance of safety is a chance worth taking.

The traditions of Traditionalism itself borrows from nearly every Religion that existed in Louisiana before the apocalypse- elements of Christianity, Voodoo, Judiasm, Islam. Praying and kneeling to three different holy texts at once. There can be one God just as there can be many Gods- there are no strong beliefs, only traditions. A cross is not necessary a symbol of Jesus Christ himself anymore as much as it is another traditional symbol of safety, for instance. The stories in the Bible don't matter as much as it does to simply have and pray to one. 'God' as a name when used in a prayer refers to any existing god the speaker would believe could possibly be out there- a shotgun approach to religion and praying that essentially begs for safety to anyone bigger than the speaker willing to listen.

To the Citizens, most of what the Locals do is dubbed 'Superstition' instead of Tradition. Actual religion- as in, adhering to one specific codec of beliefs, still exists in meager capacities, and exists stronger in the Citizen's community, while most Locals simply practice Traditionalism.

The difference is felt in their cultures and their manners of speaking. A Christian man might wear a cross around his neck for the purposes of showing his Christian faith, while a Traditionalist might scrawl crosses across their armor for no other purpose other than to show and have them.

There exists a level of tension and animosity between Traditionalists and non-Traditionalists. A Traditionalist may believe someone not joining them in prayer is involving themselves in the Traditionalist's dire circumstances. Some settlements and groups only allow others that follow Traditionalism inside. Most Locals believe in it to some degree- even those that don't pray might recognize symbols of safety, but Locals who don't believe in any of it at all do exist, just as there are Citizens that don't follow any major religion.