Weird and Religious
In parts of medieval Europe, people believed in “ordeals” as a way to let God decide guilt. An accused person might carry a red hot iron or plunge a hand into boiling water. If the wound healed cleanly, that was taken as proof of innocence.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
1683, Vienna. A second Ottoman siege ended in major battle involving Catholic and Muslim armies. Both sides used religious rhetoric, with Christians describing defence of the faith and Muslims invoking jihad and imperial religious duty to justify warfare.
Fact
In Confucianism, self control is important, and Confucianism links restraint and moderation with moral development.
Prophets or politicians?
What is striking is how ordinary prophets look once the divine coating is removed. They argue, negotiate, threaten, desire, and react like anyone else placed in a position of absolute authority. They are not moral outliers. They are power holders. The difference is that their power is framed as sacred rather than political, which makes it harder to resist and easier to abuse. Religion asks that these figures be admired, imitated, and obeyed. It discourages the most basic question of all. Why this person. Why this voice. Why these rules. Once those questions are allowed, the pattern becomes obvious. Gods do not choose messengers. Humans choose leaders, and some leaders learn that claiming a god is the most effective way to secure obedience.
Quote of the day
“Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.” Thomas Paine.
Ask the right question
If humans once lived for hundreds of years as some traditions claim, where is the biological evidence that such lifespans were ever possible?
Religious Crooks
Lesego Daniel leads Rabboni Centre Ministries in South Africa and became known for unusual miracle demonstrations, with critics accusing him of using spectacle driven religious claims to attract followers and donations.
For more information, google the name.
Almost all of the crooks appearing in this section have their own wikipedia page.
Today we took a look at yet another religious crook but there are hundreds of thousands of them. You could spend a lifetime researching the topic.