Weird and Religious
In parts of Southern Africa, traditional healers called sangomas are believed to be chosen by ancestors through illness or disturbing dreams. Training involves learning to communicate with spirits, interpret bones thrown on the ground, and diagnose spiritual causes of problems.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
1993, Mumbai in India. Muslim perpetrators from criminal networks influenced by Islamist narratives carried out coordinated bombings killing hundreds. The attacks were justified by organisers as revenge for anti Muslim riots and as defence of Muslim honour, blending crime, politics, and religious grievance.
Fact
In Taoism, the Tao Te Ching is a key text, and Taoism uses its short poetic passages to express ideas about leadership, humility, and harmony.
A human mirror
The emotional life of gods mirrors human insecurity in every detail. Jealousy is a recurring feature, and many gods insist on exclusivity, reacting violently to rivals just as human leaders do when their dominance is threatened. This mirrors human fear of losing status or control. A truly supreme being would have no competitors and no need for recognition, yet gods constantly demand worship and punish those who offer it elsewhere. This behaviour tells us nothing about the universe and everything about the psychology of the people who invented divine authority as a way of enforcing loyalty through fear and devotion.
Quote of the day
“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things.” Steven Weinberg.
Ask the right question
If sacred sites are special to god, why do they correspond so closely to places important in local history and politics?
Religious Crooks
Ravi Zacharias was a prominent Christian apologist whose ministry commissioned an independent investigation after his death, which concluded that he had engaged in sexual misconduct and exploited women while using his religious reputation as cover.
For more information, google the name.
Almost all of the crooks appearing in this section have their own wikipedia page.
Throughout history and still to this day, there has never been a shortage of religious leaders who were not always following their own spiritual advice.