No Religion Higher Than Truth

A blog dedicated to the study of all religion & spirituality, working towards the aims of Theosophy. | Sideblog |

[divinum-pacis]

“Do not be so proud, and do not laugh at the poor. Your boat is still out at sea, who knows what will happen?”

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji  (via sikhquotes)

[christianmiddleeast]

Mandaeans

The Mandaeans are part of the indigenous non-Arab people of Iraq. They are a religious and ethnic minority that is facing annihilation. The Mandaeans were originally native speakers of Mandaic, a Semitic language that evolved from Eastern Middle Aramaic. Mandaeans are a closed ethno-religious community, practicing Mandaeism, which is a Gnostic religion with a strongly dualistic worldview. Its adherents revere Adam, Abel, Seth, Enosh, Noah, Shem, Aram and especially John the Baptist, but reject Abraham, Moses and Jesus of Nazareth. They are neither Christian, Muslim, Jewish nor Zoroastrian. They live in limited numbers in the border territories of southern Iraq and Iran.

They face annihilation, oppression and severe persecution in the Middle East by the Muslims. There are only roughly 60,000 to 70,000 remaining the world. Reblog because the world doesn’t who they are and they may soon no longer exist as a people and religion.

sources:

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[shuten--douji-deactivated201901]

oni's belong to a culture and in buddhist mythology that portrays them as ogres and demons with years and years of culture and people appreciating and creating stories based on such, but u turned it into a badly written fanfiction? at least tag it as otherkin rather than youkai if ur just gonna go off ur own headcanons

Oni don’t originate from Buddhism, though the stories are prevalent in Buddhist teachings for morals. Oni existed far before Buddhism did. 

This is the true story of what happened, and you can take it or leave it, whatever you wish. I’m sorry you find my writing bad, but you can always…not read it? No one forced you to. Everyone’s entitled to their own tastes.

Even if this WAS fiction (which it’s not; it’s a memory dedicated to a very special day), people take mythos and old historical events and change them for fictional purposes all the time and that doesn’t make them “badly written fanfiction.” If I had a penny for every time someone rewrote the story of Persephone and Hades, I’d be rich and not plugging my Patreon anymore.

[livingwithkami]

Oh wow, this message and the last one are completely uncalled for.  Like anything of Japanese culture, there is very, very, very rarely “this is how this thing is, and only this” variations and different interpretations are innummerable. Even as something as solid as Ise Kotaijinguu saying Amaterasu Omikami-sama is without a doubt a feminine kami, there are still some groups and faiths out there that see her as a masculine kami. If the tradition is Japanese, don’t expect a rigidity. There’s a structure and tradition to certain things, but it’s not fixed or rigid. The core stays the same but it’s variations branch off wildly, like a solid tree trunk with many branches. Oni are the same– you have stories of scary, man-eating oni, and friendly, adorable oni. You have stories of oni who help people and stories of oni who kill and plunder people, and sometimes even both in the same oni. No one can say “Oni are only this” because there’s thousands of tales and folklore with numerous variations Now that being said, oni do have certain characteristics and aspects of them that @shutendoujiwriting​ doesn’t leave out in her writing. (click the link to read)  Mostly, her writing of oni is very aligned with tradition if not very close to it and captures the nuances of oni lore. I was actually surprised to read her works, and asked if she knew about certain obscure knowledge of oni, that I know only from researching in Japanese-which to my surprise she didn’t research but rather just knew inherently.  Just because her works don’t depict oni in the, should I say, stereotypical way doesn’t mean it’s inaccurate, fanfiction, or otherwise. In fact, if anything it goes above and beyond that and really into nuances most people don’t know about oni. I’ll show you a very relevant example. This is artwork of Shuten Douji, at Shuten Douji Jinja in Tsubame, Niigata

Doesn’t look very monstrous or oni-like, nor even masculine at all, but it is Shuten Douji. Their name is right on there, in the yellow box, 酒吞童子 , and 国上山、or Kugamiyama in the red box, the mountain the shrine is on 

Photos of Shuten Douji Jinja

img source: https://twitter.com/ZcHjLtXugp9E4gv/status/987189911945019392  Now despite this, and the funny part is too, if you read Suika’s writing you’d know she also doesn’t leave out or gloss over the monstrous form of oni. She frequently writes about the form, and even in Japanese folklore, oni can be huge, red/blue, and monstrous, but also even humanlike. Not only as seen in the Shuten Douji Jinja pictures, but also another example here:

img source: http://nekoarena.blog31.fc2.com/blog-entry-1696.html?sp the large figure (also interestingly, dressed in feminine clothing - Shuten Douji’s clothing here is long red hakama (nagabakama) and white kimono top (Hakui) notice how the clothing matches the women beside Shuten Douji, and not the men around them. Also, Shuten Douji may be larger in this art, but they’re humanoid - peach skin tone, no horns, no large teeth, no claws - contrasting to the other oni around. Again, variations. My point here is, it was very unfair and uncalled for to insult Suika’s works trying to use culture and tradition as a footing or backing to insult. Honestly, even if there was no variation of a woman humanoid Shuten Douji in Japan, that doesn’t make Suika wrong either, or badly written fanfiction,.  People are free to have their UPGs, their own personal spiritual experiences that doesn’t quite match to usual /common lore, and are free to write about them. As she said, if you don’t like it, no one is forcing you to read it. It is also not harming the culture or traditions at all as Suika has written numerous times in her works this is her own experience, her own story she is sharing, that is from a different perspective than the written history and lore.  In addition, it’s easy to do research and find the lore of Shuten Douji, it’s not obscure or hidden, to an extent Suika’s works would cause misunderstandings, so there’s really no harm at all. And again, honestly, her works have cultural nuances, real historical references, and originality within them that it’s far from anything “anime”, “fanfiction” or written just for fun. It is very real and there is traditions in and from Japan that show and acknowledge Shuten Douji could have been a woman, and humanoid at that.  

Shuten Douji Artwork

Ooeyama Shuten Douji Matsuri flyer ( the flyer is from residents of Ooeyama area, where Shuten Douji is said to have made their base. )  imgs source: https://kappapedia.blogspot.com/2015/05/shuten-doji-yokai.html?m=1

[haqqhurtshypocrites]

The DO and DONT’S of the Eid

By: Shaykh Ahmad Musa Jibril [‏حفظه الله‏]

[humansofnewyork]

“When you’re a kid, Jesus sounds like a hippie or Bernie Sanders or something so it all sounds pretty nice. But then the rules get confusing. You go to Catholic school and some guy in a dress named Brother Roy starts beating you cause you got in a fight. It’s sorta like Gitmo in there. And you start to realize that all these rules are just to keep people down. To keep women down especially because they have the ultimate power of not fucking you. I do like the Jews because their version is less full of shit. A lot of those Talmud guys are so smart that they’re practically just atheists who love fairy tales. And Buddhism is pretty cool too cause it’s all in your head. No Pope. No mandatory meetings. Anyway, let me know if you figure it out. I don’t know shit I just dress well.”

[divinum-pacis]

Apocalypticism 101: The Women of Revelation

[This is from an essay I did in undergrad for an Apocalyptic Literature course.]

There are two prominent female figures in the biblical Book of Revelation: the Woman Clothed with the Sun, and the Great Harlot. Revelation is filled to the brim with symbolism, and these women are no exception: each have multiple meanings within themselves, from the clothing they wear down to the wine they drink.

(Pictured above: an image of the Woman Clothed with the Sun.)   The Woman Clothed with the Sun is found in Revelation 12:1-6. She is described as being clothed with rays of sunlight, and also has “the moon under her feet, and on her head, a crown of twelve stars.”[1] There are many, many explanations for her symbolism. According to some, this woman is a symbol of the Church, while in Eastern Orthodoxy she is said to be the Theotokos (Virgin Mary), in which case, she is the opposing figure to the Great Harlot.

The moon beneath her feet represents her status over creation, while the twelve stars may represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel. This woman is pregnant and on the brink of giving birth in this passage.  A great dragon with seven heads waits nearby, ready to devour her child. This passage itself is an expose’ of the powers of evil; the cosmic woman’s child is often described as a messianic figure, and just as often associated with Jesus. Indeed, the child is said to “rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev. 12:5). This of course seems to allude to prophecies of Jesus’s birth and life, for “he will rule all nations.”

While this passage is about usurping evil, with the Sun Woman representing purity, virginity, and other holy attributes, and her child, representing the Christ, who is often believed to be the ultimate source of purity and salvation, the Harlot’s passage is surely one of symbolic darkness and strife.

The Great Harlot is found in Revelation 17:1-18. She is found sitting upon presumably the same dragon that awaited to eat the Messianic child in the previous passage: in both texts, the beast is described as having seven heads with ten horns.[1] Many sources conclude that the Harlot is the symbol of the Roman Empire, and that her sitting upon the dragon is an allusion to Rome being supported by the Antichrist-Emperor, Nero.[2] It can also be said that the beast can represent either the Empire or the Antichrist, separately.

Like the Sun Woman, the Harlot is wearing clothing and accessories with various meanings. Verses 17:4-5 say, “The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.”

It is safe to assume that both the Babylonian and Roman empires were two of the empires that had the most negative impacts on Judaism and early Christianity. Both armies destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, and Babylon was where Jews had been exiled years before. The idea of Babylon itself had always stood for rebellion against God, selfishness, and idolatry,[3] whereas Rome within the Harlot symbolized the empire’s claim of immortal God-hood (via emperors, etc.); all of these elements are blasphemous in Judaism and Christianity.

The Harlot is sometimes related to the older Biblical figure Jezebel, though that name is hardly used in Revelation. This “Jezebel” is the antithesis to the Sun Woman in that she stands for everything opposite her counterpart: sin, adultery, idolatry, and blasphemy. All of this is mixed together in the wine she holds in her hand, the wine symbolically intoxicating the inhabitants on earth. Whereas the Sun Woman, as Theotokos and through her cosmic child, provided a source of purification and life to humanity, the Great Harlot has done the opposite: she is seducing humanity into the worst of spiritual and physical states, “and she finds her life in a perverse eucharist.”[4]

In addition, her companion is the beast. Again, it is said this dragon could represent not only Rome but the Antichrist itself- once again the opposite of the Sun Woman/Theotokos and her Messiah offspring.

These two women in the Book of Revelation represent polar opposites, a clear sense of dualism (a key theme in apocalyptic texts): Virgin versus Harlot, Messiah versus Beast, salvation versus sinful pleasures, and life versus death.

[1] Rev. 17:7 (Orthodox Study Bible)

[2] Orthodox Study Bible, pg. 1738

[3] Orthodox Study Bible, pg. 1738

[4] Orthodoxy Study Bible, pg. 1738

[1] Rev. 12:1-3 (NRSV)

[keshetchai]

I’m reading Friedman’s book on The Exodus and he’s taking a turn to basically argue that the g-d of the tanakh lasts because the other gods *died* and it’s FASCINATING TBH.

[keshetchai]

okay so I read the whole book in the bookstore and skipping over his very compelling argument about how the exodus happened (to the extent that it did), Friedman also takes a turn at explaining how monotheism emerged pre-babylonian exile. 

and one of the things Friedman discusses is that the text of the Tanakh gives us a compelling way to identify that A.) Hashem began as the most powerful of many gods, or even their “parent” and B.) you can track this chronologically in the internal stories of the tanakh and C.) those other lesser gods died. (and may have been “judged” and then wiped out by G-d for failure in their duties as gods). hence, there are no other gods like G-d. 

it’s SO INTERESTING:

Keep reading

[keshetchai]

i am still actively brain thinking about this and it reminds me of the story of the Rebbe who yelled “TITUS, TITUS! AVU BIS DU, VAHL ICH BIN DO?”

Titus, Titus, where are you? For I am here! 

but like with ancient mesopotamian & canaanite gods. then egyptian ones.

Where is Baal, Moloch, Tiamat, Enlil, Enki, Ishtar? What of Ra, Set, Horus, Isis? In a literary sense, they’re gone. In a historical sense, Jewish monotheism outlasted both the pagan religions which tried to erase it from history and those empires. The Babylonians, the Persians, Ancient Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt…even the other native Canaanite religions. 

[blackfilm]

This Documentary Celebrates the Women Who Lead Bahia's Once-Secret Afro-Brazilian Religion

'Yemanja' explores the West African origins of Candomble, a once-secret religion popular in Bahia, Brazil.

[islam-reflections]

“Tell people about your religion without the use of your tongue.”

— Ja’far Al-Sadiq (with good character)

[by-grace-of-god]

Pope Francis adds new Marian celebration to Church Calendar

The Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church has been added to the universal calendar

The Monday after Pentecost will from now on be celebrated as the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church, Pope Francis has declared.

In a decree issued on Saturday by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Cardinal Robert Sarah wrote that the new celebration will “help us to remember that growth in the Christian life must be anchored to the Mystery of the Cross, to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic Banquet and to the Mother of the Redeemer and Mother of the Redeemed, the Virgin who makes her offering to God.”

The Memorial will appear in all calendars and liturgical books for the celebration of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours.

The Marian title “Mother of the Church” has grown in popularity in recent decades. Pope Paul VI solemnly destowed the title on Mary at the end of the Second Vatican Council, although it had previously been used by Benedict XIV and Leo XIII.

The Vatican prepared a Votive Mass for the title in 1975, and several episcopal conferences have been granted permission to insert the title into the Litany of Loretto.

Some countries and dioceses have also been granted permission to add the celebration to their local calendars.

Now Pope Francis has decided to add it to the universal calendar to “encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.”

This year, the celebration will fall on May 21.

[boarcriminal-deactivated2018052]

‪Conservative Christians: Thoughts and prayers.‬

The Actual Fucking Bible:‬

[shortvideosandstuff]

[hinducosmos]

Nihang Sikh warrior wears traditional huge turban

[moderntheosophy]

I would really appreciate some book recommendations, particularly books about mosque or synagogue architecture.

have one you like?  

[moderntheosophy]

A really good read, regardless of what faith you are, is Why Priests? A Failed Tradition by Gary Wills. It is well researched, and it takes a hard look at why the hierarchy of the church was created, in contrast to the intentions of early Christianity. Just as a look into structures and traditions of the church, its very interesting. 

Beyond that, its actually written by a practicing Catholic.

[moderntheosophy]

Been doing some research on church architecture, so I think I’ll be posting terms & definitions in the coming days surrounding that.

Following that, possibly some posts for the different costumes worn by members of the Catholic Church

[yidquotes]

No religion owns God. The real goal is not that we should be right and the other religionists wrong, but that together we should do God’s will and work together for a better world.

Rabbi Irving Greenberg

[hinducosmos]

Ritual-pata 20th century. Tantric Painting. Academy of Fine Arts and Literature.

Representing some regional ritual tradition, the painting renders a large snake coiling around a flower symbolising, perhaps, life to which the snake, symbol of long life, imparts endless tenure.