Weird and Religious
Some Islamic traditions hold that a specific black stone set into the Kaaba in Mecca came down from paradise and was originally white but turned black because it absorbed the sins of humanity. Pilgrims try to kiss or touch it during pilgrimage, not because the stone itself is worshipped, but because it is linked to a sacred story about the beginning of human history.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
2017, Marawi in the Philippines. Islamist Muslim militants seized parts of the city, leading to months of fighting. The group justified the uprising as establishing an Islamic caliphate in Southeast Asia, enforcing Islamic rule, and resisting a government seen as illegitimate.
Fact
In Hinduism, multiple spiritual paths are accepted, including the path of knowledge, the path of devotion, the path of disciplined action, and the path of meditation, reflecting the idea that different people are suited to different approaches.
Religion and Storytelling
Storytelling is central to religion. Humans do not think in statistics but in narratives. A story with characters, motives, and consequences is easier to remember and transmit than a complex explanation or an honest admission of ignorance. Gods became characters in humanity’s longest-running story. They explained the seasons, justified suffering, and promised resolution. Each retelling polished the narrative. Gaps were filled, contradictions ignored, and authority added. Over generations, stories turned into myths, myths into doctrines, and doctrines into sacred truth. The original fear that inspired them was forgotten, but the structures remained.
Quote of the day
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire.
Ask the right question
Why does divine revelation depend so heavily on the time, place and culture of the people receiving it?
Religious Crooks
Valentina de Andrade led a Brazilian UFO religion called Lineamentum, mixing esoteric belief with hierarchical control, later convicted in a case involving deaths of children, with the group described as secretive and manipulative.
For more information, google the name.
If a real God existed, would he allow crooks to act on his behalf?