Weird and Religious
In ancient China, oracle bones were used to ask questions of ancestors or gods. Priests carved questions onto animal bones or turtle shells, then heated them until cracks formed. The pattern of cracks was read as an answer from the spirit world, making burnt bone a decision making device.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
2014, Peshawar in Pakistan. Islamist Muslim Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan gunmen attacked a school, killing many children and staff. The group justified the massacre as revenge against the army and part of jihad, claiming even children of soldiers were legitimate targets.
Fact
In Sikhism, courage and willingness to defend justice are valued, and Sikhism includes a history of resisting oppression.
Religion, the great illusion
One of religion’s most consistent benefits is the sense of purpose it provides. Belief in a higher power offers a narrative in which individual lives matter, suffering has meaning, and events are part of a grand design. This sense of purpose can guide decisions and create psychological stability, especially in times of hardship. The fact that the foundation of this purpose is false does not diminish its function. Humans did not evolve to prioritise truth. They evolved to maintain workable mental models that support survival. A coherent illusion can be as stabilising as an accurate one, sometimes even more so.
Quote of the day
“A superstition is a premature explanation that overstays its time.” George Iles.
Ask the right question
Why do religious revivals and movements follow social and psychological patterns that can be studied scientifically?
Religious Crooks
David Koresh led the Branch Davidians in the United States, claiming unique prophetic status while controlling members’ lives, relationships, and resources, with critics and former members describing a system where religious authority justified personal power and material control.
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Every country in the world has its fair share of spiritual crooks.
If a real God existed, would he allow crooks to act on his behalf?