Book excerpt: When a wolf descends upon your flocks, all you gain by killing her is a short respite, for other wolves will come. If instead you feed the wolf and tame her and turn his pups into your guard dogs, they will protect the flocks when the pack comes ravening. Some scholars have suggested that the 10%%%% regard all faiths as equally false, believing themselves to be more powerful than any god or goddess. They look upon priests and temples as relics of a more primitive time, though useful for placating slaves, savages, and the poor with promises of a better life to come. Moreover, a multiplicity of conscious groups helps to keep their subjects divided and lessened the chances of their uniting under one banner.