Weird and Religious
In medieval Europe, people believed that church bells could drive away storms and demons. Bells were blessed with holy water and given names, and ringing them during bad weather was meant to protect crops and villages.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
2015, Garissa in Kenya. Al Shabaab gunmen attacked a university, killing many students. The attackers separated Muslims from Christians and justified the massacre as jihad, presenting Christians as enemies of Islam and targets in a religious war.
Fact
In Zoroastrianism, religious identity has historical ties to Persian culture, and Zoroastrianism has influenced later religious traditions in the region.
Preserving authority
When belief requires suspension of reason, the issue is not human limitation but institutional design. Noah’s Ark and a prophet ascending on a winged horse are not deep mysteries awaiting humility. They are relics of a time when amazement replaced understanding and obedience replaced inquiry. Religion once demanded belief in the ridiculous because it could, and today it demands reinterpretation because it must. In both cases, the goal is the same: preserve authority by ensuring the stories change shape while the demand remains the same, to believe first and question never.
Quote of the day
“The invisible and the non existent look very much alike.” Delos B. McKown.
Ask the right question
If a perfect being inspired scripture, why is interpretation so disputed that thousands of denominations and sects exist?
Religious Crooks
Keith Raniere led NXIVM, a group with spiritual and self development framing, and was convicted of sex trafficking and related crimes after evidence showed women were coerced into sexual relationships under his authority.
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.