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
1478 onward, Spain. The Spanish Inquisition targeted Jews and Muslims who had converted to Christianity but were suspected of false belief. Arrests, torture, and executions were justified as defending Catholic orthodoxy, purifying society, and saving souls from heresy and divine punishment.
Fact
In Islam, prayer is performed five times a day, and Islam teaches regular structured worship facing the direction of Mecca.
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 in a cruel God makes a cruel man.” Thomas Paine.
Ask the right question
Why would a loving deity create a world where survival often depends on killing other living beings?
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.
That was just a tiny case in a vast ocean of religious crooks.