4 months ago

Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR2JtSvQ2qw

This video explores a range of peculiar and often irrational religious and spiritual beliefs held by millions of people across the globe. The video highlights how these beliefs, despite lacking scientific evidence or logical coherence, are deeply ingrained, defended with emotion, and sometimes even violence.

Here's a summary of some of the absurd beliefs discussed:

Animal Worship and Sacredness:

In parts of India, cows are literally worshipped as divine, treated like gods on Earth, even as people starve beside them.
Some Hindu sects believe in human reincarnation into animals, leading to contradictions like compassion for some animals while being indifferent to human suffering.
Unusual Interpretations of Death and Afterlife:

A South Korean group believes their deceased pastor ascended to heaven while alive, considering his physical death an illusion and a test of faith.
Scientology teaches that humanity's problems stem from ancient alien spirits (thetans) stuck in our bodies, which can be removed through expensive courses.
The Mormon church believes men can become gods ruling their own planets after death, while women's value lies in eternal childbirth.
Ancient Zoroastrians leave the dead on "towers of silence" for vultures to eat, believing earth and fire are sacred and corpses contaminate them.
Certain Buddhist sects practice mummification while alive, where monks consume toxic herbs and meditate until death, becoming saints if their bodies don't decay.
A cult in Florida believed their leader was immortal, leaving her body to decompose while praying for resurrection after her death.
The Heaven's Gate Cult believed suicide would allow their souls to ascend to a spaceship hiding behind a comet.
In Orthodox Christianity, some believe bread and wine literally transform into the body and blood of Jesus during mass, despite scientific evidence.
Extreme Rituals and Practices:

A Christian sect drinks poison and handles venomous snakes during worship, believing strong faith prevents harm, often resulting in death or disability.
In Japan, the Aum Shinrikyo cult believed their leader could transfer spiritual energy through photos, leading members to pay to sit near him and drink his bathwater. This cult later carried out the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack.
In the Philippines, some believers literally nail themselves to crosses during Easter for forgiveness or spiritual rewards.
Some African pastors spray insecticide, make congregations eat grass, or drink bleach, claiming these acts heal or drive out demons.
In Indonesia, the "Ma'nene" tradition involves digging up dead relatives, cleaning, redressing, and taking photos with them every few years.
Some South Indian beliefs involve walking barefoot across fire or sharp blades to please gods, sometimes forcing children into these dangerous rituals.
Unconventional Health and Lifestyle Beliefs:

A group in Africa believes sleeping with a virgin cures HIV, leading to widespread abuse of young girls.
A church in Brazil uses Coca-Cola and fast food as holy sacraments, believing modern food is a gift from God.
Some Orthodox sects in Russia and Eastern Europe view modern technology, electricity, and vaccines as demonic, refusing medical treatment for themselves and their children.
In some Islamic traditions, touching a dog makes one impure, leading to abuse and fear of these animals.
In Nepal, menstruating women are considered impure and forced to live in isolated sheds, often leading to deaths from snake bites, cold, or smoke inhalation.
Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions, even in life-threatening situations, based on their interpretation of God's law.
Some African churches claim to cure infertility by having sex with female followers, calling it "holy cleansing".
Certain sects reject vaccines, believing disease is God's punishment, leading to the spread of preventable illnesses in their communities.
Political and Social Absurdities:

Some Native American tribes believed a Ghost Dance could bring back the dead and push away colonizers, leading to the Wounded Knee massacre.
In Papua New Guinea, "cargo cults" believe white men are gods who will return with gifts from ancestors, leading them to build fake runways and control towers.
An American church believes Donald Trump was chosen by God, viewing him as a modern-day prophet and questioning him as blasphemy.
In Thailand, a cult worships an overweight, smoking, and drinking man who claims to be the reincarnation of Buddha.
In some Islamic traditions, women must cover their entire bodies, including their faces, because their bodies are seen as a source of sin.
Beliefs about Divine Intervention and Prophecy:

In Italy, some Catholics believe statues of the Virgin Mary cry real tears, despite scientific debunking.
Some fundamentalist churches in the US practice speaking in tongues, believing it's divine communication.
In Brazil, some religious groups believe statues bleed real blood, which independent lab tests always debunk as hoaxes.
Some Christian preachers blame natural disasters and diseases on social progress, attributing them to divine punishment for perceived sins.
The concept of original sin in Christianity teaches that all humans are born guilty and require a human sacrifice (Jesus) for forgiveness.
Some people believe they can speak directly with God through actual conversations, channeling advice and instructions.
Many religions welcome the end of the world, believing destruction will bring salvation and chaos signifies fulfilled prophecy.
Some believe statues can physically move, blink, cry, or bleed during moments of high devotion, often relying on shaky footage and simple illusions.
Some religious leaders sell access to heaven through donations or blessings, claiming financial gifts influence spiritual fate.
There's a growing belief that certain animals are divine messengers, influencing life decisions based on their appearance.
The video concludes by emphasizing that these absurd beliefs persist not due to evidence, but because they are taught early, repeated often, and wrapped in fear, community, and ritual. The real danger lies in their immunity to criticism, resistance to evidence, and demand for blind loyalty, shaping lives, laws, and causing suffering.