Originally Posted by
jqavins
Here IRL, no matter what god(s) one believes in or not, it is hard to deny that there is a lack of deities walking among us or taking direct actions in our affairs. In IRL, the gods do not throw rocks through the windows of atheists.
In a fantasy world with (an) absolutely real and present, active god(s) splintering such as you've described is nearly impossible. (And Lacuna is right that rapid, reliable long range transport makes it even less likely.) Consider what happens when a particular cleric decides that, I don't know, coconuts are not abominations after all. IRL that could cause a religious schism. But in a fantasy world where the god(s) are present and active, (a) god comes down, booms out "OH YES THEY ARE!" and throws a big coconut through the heretic's window, perhaps inflicting a fatal head wound (depending on just how nasty this god is feeling).
So, splintering is not a problem.