Weird and Religious
During the European witch trials, animals called “familiars” were believed to be demons in disguise helping witches. A pet cat, toad, or even a fly could be presented in court as evidence of a pact with the Devil.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
1947 to 1948, Palestine. Fighting between Jewish and Arab Muslim forces included attacks on civilian areas and expulsions. Religious narratives about promised land, holy sites, and sacred duty were used by both sides to justify control and removal of populations.
Fact
In Sikhism, superstition and empty ritual are discouraged, and Sikhism emphasises sincere devotion and ethical living over external display.
Imagination and ritual
Understanding the early gods of war, sex, and crops strips religion of its later mystique. These beings were never about cosmic meaning or universal ethics. They were attempts to control an uncontrollable environment using imagination and ritual. They were invented because humans needed leverage where none existed. That they later became moral judges and eternal creators does not erase their origins. It only hides them.
Quote of the day
“Religion is the masterpiece of the art of animal training, for it trains people as to how they shall think.” Arthur Schopenhauer.
Ask the right question
Why do religions emphasise obedience so strongly if moral maturity involves independent judgement?
Religious Crooks
Jean Vanier founded the L’Arche communities for people with disabilities and was widely admired as a Catholic spiritual figure, but an internal investigation after his death found he had engaged in manipulative sexual relationships with adult women under the guise of spiritual guidance.
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.
Throughout history and still to this day, there has never been a shortage of religious leaders who were not always following their own spiritual advice.