Why do people believe what they believe? What will people do for religion? How does religion affect the culture of a country/area? These are fascinating questions, the element of religion (including the religion of atheism/non-religion) is a great factor in people's actions and choices they make in life. So we can come to the conclusion that religion is a pretty interesting topic. Just a note, this myTake is NOT a place to debate the existence/lack of a God, which religion is true, and I ask that you please do not post hate toward any religion underneath. This MyTake is only intended for an interesting read. Danke.
1. A Human Goddess in the Mountains- Buddhism/Hinduism in Nepal
That little girl you see in the picture is Sajani Shakya, Kumari of Bhaktapur, Nepal visiting America.
She has been picked out of several little girls to be worshiped as a vessel for the Goddess Teleju until her first menstruation which is believed to be a sign that the goddess has vacated her body.
The stringent process they use to pick a Kumari is fascinating, they have 32 rules concerning her physical appearance, she must never have had a disease, never shed blood, never lost any teeth, there has to be twenty of those teeth, the best candidate is taken to a courtyard at night, locked in, and she is surrounded by freshly severed heads of 108 animals, torches, and men who dance around in frightening costumes. If she shows any sign of fear, she is kicked out and another must be chosen. The final part(after a few other tests) is being taken to a cleansing process which is secret.
After she has become the Kumari, all her playmates are picked from a certain caste for her, she is not ordered about, when she plays with her friends, they must do whatever she pleases, play whatever game she wants, let her win if she wants, etc. Her feet must NEVER touch the ground. Her feet are considered sacred and she must be carried everywhere. Her family may only have very limited contact with her, people flock around her and wait outside trying to peek into her palace because just the sight of her is considered to bring them luck. Her emotions are carefully observed as lucky people come and bring her gifts because if she cries or laughs loudly, that means the person is going to die. If she claps her hands, that means that the person needs to beware the King. If she remains bored and neutral, the person leaves elated because it means good fortune.
I would love to actually go to Nepal to see her, this is fascinating! Also, if you are interested, there is a film that an ex-Kumari stars in about her own life called A Living Goddess. Ladies, how would you have felt in her position when you were a little girl?
2. A Modern Day Bible Prophet and Marriage that Never Ends- Mormonism.
The happy couple you see in the picture have just had a marriage ceremony in their temple that means that they and their children will be a family forever, even after they die. Their marriage ceremony does not include the words "Til death do you part", they just say "For eternity". I think that is so romantic, a couple that loves each other so much that they want to be together for infinity. Only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) may have a ceremony like this, the man must have been given sacred power to help and bless people on behalf of Jesus, and they both must lead morally clean lives. If they make a serious mistake such as breaking the law of chastity, (a law concerning sexual conduct) they must repent before they can enter the temple or be sealed forever. Mormons see their temples as like an embassy for heaven. They do not practice polygamy, there was a period of time where some men were asked to take more than one wife to help the church grow faster, but it did not last long and now, anyone found in this practice is excommunicated unless they show willing to give it up.
Mormons believe in the Bible, along with another book entitled The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It is like another bible that is set in the Americas around the same time as the bible. It is an interesting read even if you are not a member. The highlight of the book is when Jesus actually appears to the people and redelivers the Sermon on the Mount, then heals the sick and prays with them. The end of the book promises you that if you pray to know if its words are true, really wanting to, that God will make sure you know. Concerning how the book came to pass, there was a man named Joseph Smith that prayed to God to know which Christian denomination he should join, God came to him with Jesus standing next to him (Mormons do not believe in the Trinity) and told him to join none of them as they were all wrong. Later, it is said he was directed by an angel to the location of some ancient records carved upon brass. With heavenly help, Joseph translated these plates into English. The main issue critics of this book face is the fact that Joseph was not very educated and there is no way that someone with his education could write a book like that. Another issue is that the critics who are in earnest are following what it says at the end and becoming converted.
Joseph Smith was ordained a prophet and directed the church he started. After his death, prophets have continued to be ordained to the present day. Here is a video of the latest one giving direction that Mormons believe comes from God:
Mormons are not limited to America, they are scattered all over in Africa, Brazil, Italy, Japan, and Fiji.
3. Dancing in Robes with Maracas @ Church- Apostolic Churches in Africa.
I think it looks like a lot of fun! Everyone sounds so happy, the music is great, everyone is together enjoying their Sabbath with a dance. There are many different churches like this in Africa, it would be hard to talk about just one. Many people start their own churches and have their own methods for converting people.
I saw a film that was set in a country close to South Africa that showed an Apostolic ceremony with people in brightly coloured costumes, dancing, singing, playing the drums, and the main preacher guy had his hand on a young woman's head whilst singing a prayer and wiggling around like your mum might do when cooking and listening to the radio, the girl's head wobbling all over the place.
I have a friend from South Africa whose uncle started a church similar. The uncle will cast out bad spirits by placing his hand upon the person's face and screaming RRRRRRRRABUTATATATA! FIRE! My friend tells me that when they get together for a meal and the uncle gives the blessing, the food will be very cold when he is done.
It seems from what I have read that when Christianity was brought to Africa, many accepted it but out of love and respect for their own culture and customs, they incorporated many of their own traditional practices. Some lean closer to Traditional African beliefs than others.
There is a sect based in Zimbabwe called Guta raJehovah that was started by an ex-Methodist called Mai Chaza. She became sick to the point where everyone thought she was going to die, dropped into a coma, and eventually recovered. She was hailed as coming back from the dead. She declared that she had been healed by God, and that she was instructed to do the same to others. Her followers created a village 100 miles south-east of Harare that they called a "City of God". A visitor to the village observed a ceremony and saw all these infertile women surrounded by men chanting walking in a line up to Mai Chaza who was touching and squeezing their stomachs to make them fertile. A man told the visitor that 63 women who had been marked as barren were now expecting.
4. "The Force is Strong in This One"- Jediism.
You can imagine what thoughts went through my head when I found out about this one. I pictured people flocking into a Jedi Temple and watching Star Wars for their religious instruction. I am going to stay true to my policy of disrespecting none of the religions I mention here, just laying out facts whether it is something I have observed, something I have heard from someone else who knows, facts from Wikipedia, and the opinions of others.
The way of life does not seem to revolve around the film, or becoming like the characters, though many do join from enthusiasm for the whole galactic world portrayed in the production, it seems to be based mainly around inner peace and avoiding negative emotions that will lead to the Dark Side. It seems to me that people thought deeply about the ideas proposed in the movie and decided to follow them. If you think about it, these morals do not differ too greatly from other religions.
In the 2001 UK census, people marked themselves down as being "Jedi" which surprised the government and in 2007, two men in Wales, Daniel and Barney Jones started up a Church of the Jedi. A story is told that Daniel was kicked out of a Tesco (like the UK version of Target) in Bangor, Gwynedd Wales for refusing to remove his hood. The manager explained:
He hasn't been banned. Jedis are very welcome to shop in our stores although we would ask them to remove their hoods. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all appeared hoodless without ever going over to the Dark Side and we are only aware of the Emperor as one who never removed his hood."
Jediism is undergoing great difficulty in being respected and accepted by the general public. When the UK Racial and Religious Hate Act was being drafted, it was suggested that Jediism was added to a list that already consisted of Satanism and religions practicing animal sacrifice as being the only religions the act did not protect. This was denied.
Interesting and Eye Opening Facts About 4 Different Religions
3 of them are cults, the dancing in robes i don't know about. just from that sounds cultic too, but don't know
but i'll tell you all this. the truth is the Lord Jesus Christ (the manifest Word, and then there is the written word which is the king james bible for the English speaking people)
except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven (mormonism is just like Jehovah's false witness in that they are both cults) but catholicsm is worse then any of them all because it is the mother of harlots from Revelation 17 and 18, also the one responsible for all these modern bible perversions
1. That must be some Nepali branch of Hinduism. Actual Hindus don't believe in things like that. 2. Maybe that's where should I take my dear one. 4. Strange
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