In our world, a huge number of different religions and beliefs. But ordinary people are familiar with only a few of the most common - Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism. However, if you delve deeper into this topic, you can still discover a lot of beliefs and teachings with thousands of followers around the world. There are very interesting and unusual religions.
Some, so to speak, teachings and beliefs may seem so foolish to us that they cause only laughter. But even such directions have their followers.
Let's get acquainted with the most unusual religions.
15
Realism
Also known as the Rael movement, Raelism is the UFO religion that was founded in France in 1974 by Claude Vorilhon (now known as Rael), a car test designer.
Religion is based on the belief that scientists from another more developed planet came to Earth and created all known life forms, including humans, many thousands of years ago. This is the second religion after the UE-Seantology by the number of adherents.
14
Church of all worlds
The Church of All Worlds is a neo-pagan religion founded in 1962 by Auburn Zell-Ravenheit and his wife Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheit. The doctrine originated in California and quickly spread throughout the United States. The church of all worlds includes several "nests".
Churching means the integration of a personality into all aspects of life: acceptance of the diversity of cultures, tolerance for all people without exception, kindness to all living things. With all this, dominance is attributed to African Americans. Sometimes the followers of this teaching are even called "haters of the whites."
13
Subud
Subud is a relatively young movement based on spontaneous ecstatic exercises (getting into ecstasy). This current is more often called a sect than a full-fledged religion. It was founded by the Indonesian spiritual leader Muhammad Subuh in 1920, in whose honor it got its name.
The movement was known only in Indonesia until 1950, and then spread to Europe and America. Subbud is known for a wide variety of spiritual practices, the most effective of which are trance and meditation (“latihan”). Achieving complete harmony is possible only through daily hours of classes.
12
Pastafarianism
Also known as Pastafarianism, The Flying Pasta Monster Church is a “mocking” religion that was founded by a letter from Bobby Henderson to the Kansas School Board. A man recognized as insane demanded that the study of faith in the giant Flying Pasta Monster be included in the compulsory school curriculum.
This madness, at his suggestion, should have been taught along with basic school subjects. Then it seemed crazy delirium, but now pastafarianism is legally recognized as a religion in the Netherlands and New Zealand.
There is also a Russian pastafarian church, where there are several thousand followers. There are cases when post-Afarians of Russia were allowed to be photographed on documents with a colander on their heads. For example, a passport or a driver’s license.
11
Aghori
Aghori is a small ascetic part of Hinduism, which has developed uniquely since the 14th century. Many conservative Hindus condemn the Aghors for their strange and even criminal rites, inadequate interpretation of the scriptures, and a “wild” way of life.
In our civilized world, followers of the Aghori resort to cannibalism, make dishes from human skulls, live in cemeteries. In search of spiritual enlightenment, sectarians meditate while sitting on the graves of deceased ancestors.
By the way, about the largest religions of the world by the number of parishioners, read in one of our articles.
10
Pana Wave
An unusual “complex” religious movement arose in Japan in 1977. Pana Wave combines elements of Christianity, Buddhism and New Age doctrines. The movement is famous for its negative attitude to electromagnetic waves and their study.
According to believers, it is these waves that are guilty of all climatic cataclysms, the destruction of the ecosystem and most of the global problems of mankind.
9
Prince Philip Movement
One of the strangest religious sects is perhaps the Prince Philip Movement. Its origin dates back to 1974, when the Queen Elizabeth II visited her inhabitants of the island state tribe of Vanuatu with her husband, Prince Philip.
For a black tribe to see a man with such an aristocratic pallor is a real shock! Since then, the inhabitants of the tribe have decorated their homes with portraits of their idol and worship him as a deity.
8
Sect "World People" or "People of the Universe"
Since the 1990s, there has been another very strange religious organization in the Czech Republic - People of the Universe. Their mentor and spiritual leader is Ivo Benda, who is called Astar. The man claims that more than once he came into contact with representatives of other civilizations, which convinced him to create a new doctrine.
Believers avoid the use of modern technology, deny all the latest developments. They promote peace, love and unity with nature.
7
Church of Euthanasia
This church organization and political movement was founded by Chris Korda and Pastor Robert Kimberk in Boston in 1992. The Church of Euthanasia is considered the only "anti-human" religion in the world. She opposes the overpopulation of the Earth, which leads to all climatic and environmental problems.
The slogan of the Euthanasians “Save the planet - kill yourself” is famous throughout the world. Sectarians consider such phenomena as abortion, suicide to be quite normal, and also call not to provide assistance to people with disabilities. Thebiggest is absolutely not in solidarity with the adherents of this unusual belief.
6
Teaching "Happy Science"
Another fairly young religious movement was founded in 1986 by the Japanese Ryuho Okawaon, and already in 1991, Happy Science was officially recognized as a religious organization.
Believers praise the God of the Earth - El Cantare. They consider the main goal of existence to achieve harmony and happiness - for this they daily pray, read the teachings of their ideological leaders and think a lot about the essence of being and their role in the world.
5
Jedaism
This rather new religious sectarian movement unites thousands of fans of the Star Wars saga. Jedists believe in the Force - as a kind of energy field that fills the universe. This is currently the seventh most popular religion in the UK, with more than 175,000 followers.
4
Church of maradona
Football fans in 1998 founded their religion. They seriously worship the most popular athlete from Argentina, Diego Maradone. The main symbol is D10S, because this abbreviation combines the Spanish word “god” (Dios) and the game number of his idol (10). Fans of the athlete are convinced that Maradonna had a difficult football talent, and a divine gift.
3
Bazhovtsy
This movement arose in 1992 in the city of Yekaterinburg. Activists got their name on behalf of the writer Pavel Bazhov, whose works deify sectarians. Bazhovites believe in the existence of the mistress of the Copper Mountain and other characters in the collection "Malachite Box".
2
Esoteric Yeltsinism
This is an ultra-new sectarian movement whose participants believe that B.N. Yeltsin - the first president of Russia was and remains a divine messenger, or even a god in the flesh. Yeltsinists do not accept the principles of a healthy lifestyle (they drink a lot of alcohol) and deny any communist teachings.
1
Abdulover
Russian actor Alexander Abdulov with luminous eyes has become the main symbol of a parody of Internet faith. Photo source: http://lurkmore.to/Abdulover
One of the many attempts to assemble "an army of unreasonable schoolchildren." The purpose of this parody of Internet religion is to humiliate beginner or little-known video bloggers by writing negative comments and issuing ultimatums.
According to statistics, more than 60% of the “victims” of such online bullying lose adequate self-esteem or even become depressed. The peak of Abdulover’s activity occurred at the turn of the zero and tenth years of the 21st century.
TheBiggest editors ask you to write in the comments which other unusual religions you know, as well as which of those presented, have impressed you the most.
Author: Olesya Shcherbakova