Weird and Religious
The Aztecs believed certain eclipses were signs that cosmic balance was failing. Pregnant women wore obsidian blades or amulets to protect themselves from supposed harmful forces released during the event.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
7 October 2023, southern Israel near Gaza. Hamas militants carried out mass killings, kidnappings, and assaults on civilians in homes, roads, and at a music festival. The attack was justified by Hamas using Islamist language about jihad, liberation of Muslim land, defence of Al Aqsa, and religious duty tied to the belief the land is an Islamic trust.
Fact
In Judaism, community life is emphasised, and Judaism gathers people for worship, study, and shared observance in synagogues.
The purpose of existence
The appeal of religious stories explaining life lies not in their accuracy but in the comfort they provide. Purpose feels reassuring when it arrives fully formed, especially when it removes the discomfort of uncertainty and replaces independent thought with obedience. Aligning life with ancient doctrine feels meaningful because it removes the burden of asking questions that may never yield satisfying answers. The problem is that these doctrines were created by people who knew nothing of evolution, cosmology, or the vast age of the universe. To entrust the purpose of existence to ancestors who lacked the means to understand reality as we now do is not humility but intellectual surrender, a retreat from inquiry disguised as faith.
Quote of the day
“Faith is the great cop out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence.” Richard Dawkins.
Ask the right question
Why do so many religious rituals look like cultural habits rather than universal truths?
Religious Crooks
Valdemiro Santiago is a Brazilian evangelical church leader who built a large religious network and has faced legal actions and accusations regarding financial practices, with critics describing high pressure fundraising tied to promises of miracles.
For more information, google the name.
Every country in the world has its fair share of spiritual crooks.
Religion is supposed to bring morality but it also seem to bring a lot of crooks who take advantage of people.