Weird and Religious
In parts of West Africa, the Yoruba tradition includes a god of iron, war, and technology called Ogun, who is believed to govern not only weapons but also modern tools such as cars and machinery. Road accidents are sometimes linked to displeasing Ogun, blending ancient belief with modern life.
Religious image of the day.
In the name of religion
2020, Cabo Delgado in Mozambique. Islamist Muslim insurgents attacked villages, beheaded civilians, and displaced thousands. The group justified violence as jihad to establish Islamic rule, punish those cooperating with the state, and cleanse society of un-Islamic influence.
Fact
In Sikhism, music and hymn singing are central, and Sikhism uses devotional songs to express spiritual teachings and emotion.
Comforting Fiction
The human brain is deeply uncomfortable with mortality. It searches for escape routes, stories, and reassurances because it does not cope well with finality. Death feels wrong at an emotional level, even if it is biologically normal. This discomfort is not philosophical but visceral. The brain rebels against the idea of permanent disappearance, and out of that rebellion came the first comforting fictions. Death became a passage rather than an end. The dead went somewhere; they watched, waited, and returned. Gods were not yet required, but the groundwork was laid. Once death was softened, the imagination took over.
Quote of the day
“The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women’s emancipation.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Ask the right question
Why do gods described as beyond time and space so often display very human emotions like anger, jealousy and regret?
Religious Crooks
Valdemiro Santiago is a Brazilian evangelical church leader who built a large religious network and has faced legal actions and accusations regarding financial practices, with critics describing high pressure fundraising tied to promises of miracles.
For more information, google the name.
Today we took a look at yet another religious crook but there are hundreds of thousands of them. You could spend a lifetime researching the topic.