Weird and Religious
Among the ancient Israelites, a ritual described a “scapegoat” onto which the sins of the community were symbolically placed before it was driven into the wilderness. The idea that guilt could be transferred onto an animal became a lasting metaphor in many cultures.
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 Shinto, shrines are places of worship, and Shinto gathers people at these sites to honour kami and seek blessings.
Risking Exclusion
Social dependence is part of the religious trap. Humans are intensely social animals, and belonging is not optional. Isolation hurts in the same way physical pain does. From early childhood, the brain learns which beliefs are rewarded and which lead to rejection. Religion ties belief to identity, morality, and family. To doubt the belief is not just to question an idea; it is to risk exclusion. The brain treats this as a threat, survival instincts engage, and rational analysis retreats. The belief remains intact, protected not by logic but by fear of loss.
Quote of the day
“Belief is not the beginning but the end of all knowledge.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Ask the right question
How does the existence of severe natural disasters and childhood disease fit with the idea of an all powerful and benevolent deity?
Religious Crooks
Sathya Sai Baba was an Indian spiritual leader with millions of followers, associated with major charitable projects but also long standing allegations from critics of staged miracles, financial secrecy, and abuse, all strongly denied by his organisation.
For more information, google the name.
Almost all of the crooks appearing in this section have their own wikipedia page.Every country in the world has its fair share of spiritual crooks.
History tells us that wherever fools gathered, there was always a religious crook to take advantage of them. The best way to stop the crooks is not to be a fool.