Whether or not you follow a specific spiritual system, you likely have a general idea of what beliefs the followers of major world religions hold. For example, people of all religious backgrounds tend to know that Muslims do not eat pork. No matter how much you know about a religion, however, there are bound to be some strange details of which even the most pious of individuals are unaware. Review these points to learn some fascinating facts.

The New Testament Has Many Cut Books

Most followers of Christianity view the New Testament of the Bible as a comprehensive look at the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. However, the version that has circulated for the last few centuries was majorly edited. There were a number of fantastic stories about the childhood of Jesus, including a story where he made living birds from clay and a tale of him fighting a dragon. Early leaders of the Christian church viewed many of these books to either be contradictory to other stories or outright difficult to believe, so they were cut from the New Testament.

The removed stories are often referred to as the Gnostic Gospels. The books have been published many times over the years, offering a glimpse into the earliest stories the followers of Jesus swapped with one another.

Buddha May Have Consumed Meat

A majority of people who identify as Buddhist in modern times are also vegetarian. This is predominantly due to the Buddhist teaching that says followers should abstain from taking life in any capacity. Some tales about the Buddha say that he would often eat meat purchased from local vendors. However, he refused to eat the flesh of any animal that someone killed and prepared for him to consume. Despite this, most Buddhists feel most comfortable avoiding meat altogether as it allows them to adhere to their beliefs in a stricter manner.

Angels Were Not Originally Winged Humans

The modern depiction of angels typically involves them being shown as beautiful humans with large wings. This is not at all how they are described in the Bible. Angels are said to be beings who defy comprehension. One is said to be comprised of only six wings and a number of eyes. Another is described as a large wheel that glittered like precious gems. Since these descriptions were somewhat frightening, early Christian artists began the trend of giving angels more aesthetically pleasant forms.

The concept of “Biblically accurate angels” has become somewhat popular online in recent years. There are countless works of digital art that revolve around the original angel designs. The idea has also become a popular meme format, with people making jokes like “this is a Biblically accurate picture of me” when posting a picture where they look unkempt.

Many Hindus Also Identify as Atheist

Some Hindus follow the idea that their religion is based around a pantheon of gods and goddesses. Other followers of this religion believe there is only one God and that all the other deities are merely aspects of a singular divine entity. Interestingly, there are also many Hindus who consider themselves Atheists. Basically, these people follow all of the moral and ethical codes established by Hinduism without believing in any spiritual forces guiding the flow of the universe.

It is important to mention that Hinduism is often observed in different ways from one person to another. Though many followers believe in similar concepts, there are usually big distinctions between how individuals adhere to these beliefs.

New Ideas Are Always Being Uncovered

No matter how much the human race knows about established religions, new bits of information are always being found. Though these new discoveries may not make an impact on what followers believe, it can be fun to learn more about the religious concepts of the past.