कल्पान्तरे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

Role of ritual

AchAra, including ritual, played a major role in inducing compliance to dharma.

Confucian parallels

“The former sage kings realized that words alone were insufficient to edify people, and therefore created ritual and music.”

Sorai, Japanese Confucianist

If li were used to “carry” the people, there would be no need to rely on strident and ultimately ineffective sermonizing. The people would instinctively “keep within the current” of what was correct.

Role of Gods

dharma can be/ has been defined without reference to Gods.

Eg.

“धारणाद्धर्म इत्याहुः धर्मो धारयते प्रजा” - महाभारतम्

“धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः”

वेदोऽखिलो धर्ममूलं स्मृतिशीले च तद्विदाम्

चोदनालक्षणोऽर्थो धर्मः।

yato’bhyudaya-niḥśreyasa-siddhis sa dharmaḥ

kaNAdaH

Atheism/ agnosticism is hyped beyond measure -
theism is a simple and effective heuristic to promote dharma, good attitude - even victory -
just like the place-value system or the square root of -1 in case of sci/ eng.