Weird and Religious
In some African kingdoms in the past, human sacrifice was connected to royal funerals. Servants or captives could be killed to accompany a ruler, similar to practices elsewhere, reflecting the idea that social hierarchy continued after death.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
2018, Sri Lanka tensions. Sinhalese Buddhist extremist monks and mobs incited violence against Muslim communities, including riots and property destruction. Agitators justified actions as protecting Buddhism and the nation from perceived Islamic religious and cultural threat.
Fact
In Buddhism, non self is a key teaching, meaning that Buddhism holds that there is no unchanging, permanent soul behind a person, but rather a collection of changing processes.
Appeasing Gods
Uncertainty compounds fear. Thousands of years ago, the natural world was brutal and unpredictable. Weather destroyed food supplies, illness arrived without warning, and injury could mean death. Early humans had little control and no understanding of underlying causes, and this helplessness was intolerable. Gods restored a sense of control, even if it was illusory. If events were caused by beings with intentions, then those beings could be appeased. Sacrifice, prayer, ritual, and obedience created the feeling of agency. Doing something, even if useless, feels better than doing nothing, and religion thrives on that instinct.
Quote of the day
“Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy.” Voltaire.
Ask the right question
If sacred texts are clear guidance, why do they require historical context to avoid harmful interpretations?
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.
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.