Weird and Religious
Islamic texts describe a bridge called As Sirat that all people must cross after judgement. It is said to be thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword, suspended over hell. Some cross quickly, others crawl, and some fall. The afterlife includes what sounds like a cosmic obstacle course.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
2012, Timbuktu region of Mali. Islamist Muslim armed groups destroyed Sufi shrines and imposed harsh rule. They justified actions as removing un-Islamic practices, enforcing strict Islamic law, and purifying society according to their interpretation of Islam.
Fact
In Buddhism, respect for teachers is emphasised, as Buddhism values learning from experienced practitioners who can guide students through complex teachings and practices.
Gatekeeper
Religion has long acted as a gatekeeper of acceptable thought, deciding which questions may be asked and which must remain forbidden. The claim that belief deserves protection from scrutiny arose not from compassion but from control, because where belief governs law, education, gender roles, and punishment, criticism threatens the structure itself, and when argument fails, offence becomes a convenient shield.
Quote of the day
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Carl Sagan.
Ask the right question
Why do religious taboos often focus on private behaviour while ignoring large scale social harm?
Religious Crooks
T. B. Joshua was a Nigerian televangelist and faith healer who built a large international ministry, widely accused by critics and former members of staged healings and financial exploitation, while maintaining a devoted following.
For more information, google the name.
Almost all of the crooks appearing in this section have their own wikipedia page.Every country in the world has its fair share of spiritual crooks.
That was just a tiny case in a vast ocean of religious crooks.