Weird and Religious
Some West African traditions include the idea that twins are spiritually powerful. In certain cultures, if a twin dies, a small carved figure is made to represent the lost child. The figure is washed, fed, and carried by the mother as though it were alive.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
1947, Punjab and Bengal during the Partition of India. Mass killings, abductions, and forced migration accompanied the creation of India and Pakistan. Mobs and militias justified attacks as defending Sikh, Hindu, or Muslim communities, avenging wrongs, and securing territory for their religious group.
Fact
In Judaism, circumcision of male infants is a key sign of the covenant, and Judaism performs this ritual as an entry into the religious community.
Looking for Agents
One of the brain’s most powerful features is agency detection. Early humans who assumed that movement or noise was caused by something alive had a better chance of survival than those who waited for proof. Mistaking the wind for a predator was safer than mistaking a predator for the wind, so the brain learned to err on the side of intention. This instinct never switched off. Humans still look for agents behind events, even when none exist. Storms become angry, illness becomes punishment, and fortune becomes reward. Once agency is assumed, the leap to invisible agents is small, and gods slip neatly into the gap.
Quote of the day
“Men would never be superstitious if they could govern all their circumstances by set rules, or if they were always favoured by fortune.” Baruch Spinoza.
Ask the right question
If a religion claims scientific miracles in its scripture, why do these claims usually depend on modern reinterpretations rather than clear original meaning?
Religious Crooks
Sun Myung Moon founded the Unification Church and built a global religious and business empire, facing tax evasion conviction in the United States and long running allegations that followers were subjected to heavy financial pressure.
For more information, google the name.
If a real God existed, would he allow crooks to act on his behalf?