Religion serves a very specific purpose in the hearts, minds, and souls of the human race. While many people cling to spiritual beliefs in order to receive comfort or wisdom about the bigger mysteries of life, there are plenty of instances where religious ideologies become a bit bizarre. When stories about deities, spirits, and mythological creatures get told through generations, there are bound to be some tales that get warped along the way. Take a look at these oddball facts about religions and learn how fascinating people can be when it comes to faith.
A Privilege To Pee
Many children make jokes about gods and goddesses when they’re children. These comments are usually meant as playful observations, rather than blasphemous remarks. One commonplace saying kids say when it is raining outside is that it is god peeing or crying. Interestingly, there is a goddess in the Melanesia region of Oceania where this is not said in jest. The sky goddess Abeguwo is worshiped in this region and it is said that whenever she has the urge to urinate, the world fills with rain.
Though not the most popular topic in modern religions, bodily functions are referred to in a number of spiritual beliefs. In fact, there is an etiquette prayer in Judaism known as “asher yatzar,” which is meant to be said after a person successfully defecates or urinates and washes his or her hands.
An Idea Ripe for Parody
While plenty of people are familiar with the “Flying Spaghetti Monster,” a figure used starting in 2005 as an example of how easy it is to create a religion and manipulate people, this is far from the only deity created to highlight religious fallacies. The Church of the SubGenius is another parody religion that was created in the 1970s. Basically, the followers of this religion worship a traveling salesman who was active around the United States in the 1950s. He is also said to have been a yeti who concealed is identity.
Though a parody, the Church of the SubGenius remains active to this day. Historians state that the movement was revitalized in the 1990s when the internet became a widespread household resource. People from all over the world found the topic fascinating and joined active members in online chatrooms where the religious beliefs spread. Other popular parody religions include Eventualism, Last Thursdayism, The All-Joking, All-Drunken Synod of Fools and Jesters, The Cult of Kek, and Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption.
A Fluffy Bunny Spectacle
When someone who usually doesn’t watch sports suddenly roots for a specific team when it makes the playoffs, hardcore fans will usually comment that these individuals aren’t real fans. Interestingly, there are similar concepts found in religious circles. For example, those who follow Wiccan beliefs often use the word “fluffy bunny” to describe such people. When someone is more into the fashion and spectacle of Wicca and have no connection to the religion in a spiritual sense, they are deemed a fluffy bunny.
These days, the term is used most often in online circles. In the age of fake news, actual practitioners of Wicca will use the name to refer to users on sites like Tumblr or TikTok who they believe are spreading ignorant or incorrect information about the religion online. Some Wiccans refuse to use the term, however, stating that it is not right to deride those who are showing an interest in the religion.
A World of Beliefs
While religion serves many real purposes in the daily lives of human beings, there are plenty of bizarre practices and beliefs that have emerged over the years. By taking a look at these oddball factoids, you can gain more insight into why people fall into religious mindsets in the first place.
