Ferengi faith

• Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance serves as religious leader in addition to their role as head of the government
  • Rules of Acquisition serve as a pseudo-religious set of moral guidelines
• Central belief of chief Ferengi religion is oriented around the Great River, or Great Material Continuum (TNG Novel: The Buried Age; DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River", "The Dogs of War"; DS9 Novel: Mission Gamma: This Gray Spirit)
  • Core concept is that space is filled with numerous worlds, each with an imbalance in Have vs. Want (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")
  • The Continuum flows throughout them all, from Have to Want to Have, powered by the forces of trade and business (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")
  • Success requires sailing upon the River, balancing Have and Want while avoiding the obstacles in the River's path that would lead one crashing into poverty and losing all one Has (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")
• Upon death, ones success in navigating the river is judged by the Blessed Exchequer, who audits the living records of the Ferengi in order to determine whether the individual ended in profit or loss (DS9: "Little Green Men")
  • Blessed Exchequer the chief figure of divinity in Ferengi faith, often the recipient of prayers (DS9: "The Emperor's New Cloak"; "The Dogs of War"; DS9 Novel: Mission Gamma: This Gray Spirit)
  • Believed to dwell at the base of a great pit (TNG Novel: Vendetta)
  • Successful Ferengi may purchase a position in the Divine Treasury, in order to bid on a next life from the Celestial Auctioneers (DS9: "Little Green Men", "Dogs of War"; VOY: "False Profits")
    • Mortal representatives of the Divine Treasury known as Prophets of the Divine Treasury, akin to priests in other religions (SCE Short Story: "Caveat Emptor")
    • Prophets recite an Annual Tally of all donors, the presence of which is thought to bring a favorable impression by the Blessed Exchequer and the Celestial Auctioneers (SCE Short Story: "Caveat Emptor")
  • Unsuccessful Ferengi are cast into the Vault of Eternal Destitution (DS9: "Little Green Men")
• Ferengi death rituals require maintaining body integrity after death until the body can be vacuum-desiccated (TNG: "Suspicions"; DS9: "The Nagus", "Body Parts")
  • Among the especially devout, death known as the Great Audit (SCE Short Story: "Caveat Emptor")
  • Upon desiccation, the body is divided into preserved mementos and sold as a final opportunity for the individual to raise capital for the Divine Treasury (DS9: "The Nagus", "Body Parts")
• Faith in Ferengi religion began to falter upon cultural reforms instituted by Grand Nagus Zek in 2375, as part of the slow shift away from unregulated capitalism, gender oppression (DS9: "The Dogs of War")
• Myths in Ferengi culture include tales of the "demon contracts" (DS9 Novel: Rising Son)