What are Einstein’s true beliefs about religion and science

I bet everybody knows who Einstein is, and many people know why he is famous and how he left is mark in the scientific world. Still, aside from his brilliant results in physics (mostly), he is also very well known for his aphorisms, metaphors and overall interesting way of expressing himself. I’ve always found it hard to understand why “believers” claim that Einstein is “one of them”, relying on one of his famous aphorisms: “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”. Seems quite a jump to me, but there are even further indications that he had really no true interest in religion, especially a little known letter that he wrote on January 3 1954 to the philosopher Eric Gutkind who had sent him a copy of his book Choose Life: The Biblical Call to Revolt.

Due to be auctioned this week in London after being in a private collection for more than 50 years, the document leaves no doubt that the theoretical physicist was no supporter of religious beliefs, which he regarded as “childish superstitions”. It is well known that Einstein was born in a jewish family and he made remarks about this on several occasions, but despite this, his feelings towards religion are of disbelief, to say the least, and rejected the idea that jews are god’s favorite people.

In his letter, he claims:

“The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this.”

He writes about his origins too, rejecting the idea of god favoring jews:

“For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.”

The letter will go on sale at Bloomsbury Auctions in Mayfair on Thursday and is expected to fetch up to £8,000. Also, probably the most famous of his quotes is somewhat religious: “He [God] does not throw dice” when referring to randomness thrown up by quantum theory. Still, this is a metaphor to say the most, but unfortunately his position was widely misinterpreted. Despite his categorical rejection of conventional religion, Einstein discharged the fact that his ideas were used by evangelists for atheism. He was offended by their lack of humility and once wrote. “The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.”. 16.000$ for a letter… the chance to shove it in the face of creationists all over the world… priceless !

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Top 10 Organized Religions and their Core Beliefs

Christianity [Abrahamic, 27 AD] 2.1 billion adherents


Christianity is a monotheistic religion which is based on the teachings of the Old Testament and Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe that Jesus, as the Son of God is part of the Trinity (God as three persons in one), the others being God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that Christianity fulfils Judaism. Most Christians believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus to be the cornerstone of their faith. Protestant ofshoots of Christianity believe that salvation comes from the belief in God alone, whereas Catholic and Orthodox Christians belief that faith, combined with good works is required for salvation.

The Christian scriptures are called the Bible – comprising two books, the Old Testament (based on the Septuagint) and the New Testament. Protestants and Catholics have the same books in the New Testament, but Martin Luther removed 7 books from the Old Testament during the Protestant reformation, considering them to be apocryphal. He also removed four books from the New Testament but was later persuaded to put them back – they were Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation.

Christians believe in Sacraments (Catholics and Orthodox and some Anglicans believe in 7: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Last Rites, Holy Orders, and Matrimony; some Protestants (following Martin Luther) believe in the sacramental nature of Baptism and Holy Communion, while others reject outright the concept of sacramental theology.

Christianity is generally broken into three branches: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Catholicism is the largest with over 1 billion adherents. The Orthodox and Catholic Churches split in the 11th century in an event called the Great Schism. Protestantism split from Roman Catholicism in in the 16th century in an event called the Protestant Reformation.

Islam is a monotheistic religion originating with the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th-century Arab religious and political figure. Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad, God’s final prophet, and regard the Qur’an and the Sunnah (the words and deeds of Muhammad) as the fundamental sources of Islam. They do not regard Muhammad as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. Islamic tradition holds that Judaism and Christianity distorted the messages of these prophets over time either in interpretation, in text, or both.

Almost all Muslims belong to one of two major denominations, the Sunni and Shi’a. The schism developed in the late 7th century following disagreements over the religious and political leadership of the Muslim community. Roughly 85 percent of Muslims are Sunni and 15 percent are Shi’a. Muslims consider the Qur’an to be the literal word of God; it is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe that the verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad by God through the angel Gabriel on many occasions between the years 610 and his death on July 6, 632.

Islam considers itself to be the supreme religion and therefore Muslims must not place themselves in a position inferior to that of the followers of other religions. Pursuant to this principle, Muslim women may not marry non-Muslim men, non-Muslims may not inherit from their Muslim relatives, and a testimony of a non-Muslim is inadmissible against a Muslim. A non-Muslim who insults Islam must be put to death, according to most schools of Islamic jurisprudence, or flogged and imprisoned, according to others.

Hinduism [Dharmic, 1500 BC] 1 billion adherents
Hinduism has no founder, being itself a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions. It is the world’s oldest existent religion, and has approximately a billion adherents, of whom about 905 million live in India and Nepal. Hinduism contains a vast body of scriptures. Divided as revealed and remembered and developed over millennia, these scriptures expound on theology, philosophy and mythology, providing spiritual insights and guidance on the practice of dharma (religious living). Among such texts, the Vedas and the Upanishads are the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity. Other major scriptures include the Tantras, the sectarian Agamas, the Purāṇas and the epics Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. The Bhagavad Gītā, a treatise excerpted from the Mahābhārata, is sometimes called a summary of the spiritual teachings of the Vedas.

Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include Dharma (ethics/duties), Samsāra (The continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth), Karma (action and subsequent reaction), Moksha (liberation from samsara), and the various yogas (paths or practices). Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, monism and even atheism. It is sometimes considered as henotheistic (devotion to a single “God” while accepting the existence of other gods), but such a view may be considered an oversimplification of the complexities and variations of belief.

Buddhism [Dharmic, 600 BC] 376 million adherents


Buddhism is also known as Buddha Dharma or Dhamma, which means roughly the “teachings of the Awakened One” in Sanskrit and Pali, languages of ancient Buddhist texts. Buddhism was founded around the fifth century BCE by Siddhartha Gautama – most commonly referred to as The Buddha. In Buddhism, any person who has awakened from the “sleep of ignorance” (by directly realizing the true nature of reality), without instruction, and teaches it to others is called a buddha. All traditional Buddhists agree that Shakyamuni or Gotama Buddha was not the only Buddha: it is generally taught that there have been many past Buddhas and that there will be future Buddhas too.

While there are now many sects of Buddhism, they all hold to four fundamental points: 1, All accept the Buddha as their teacher; 2, all accept the Middle Way (non-extremism), Dependant Origination, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path; 3, all accept that both monks and the laity can pursue the path to englightenment; and 4, all consider Buddahood to be the highest attainment.

Sikhism [Dharmic, 1469 AD] 23 million adherents


Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1539 AD) who was the first of Sikhism’s 10 Gurus, a lineage of holy teachers that continued until the end of the 17th century. The Gurus are understood to be the mediators of divine grace. Sikhism originated in the Punjab region of northwest India, where it drew on elements from Bhakti Hinduism and Islamic Sufism to develop into a distinctive religious tradition in its own right. Sikhs believe that liberation from the karmic cycle of rebirths occurs in the merging of the human spirit with the all-embracing spirit of God. Sikh males are recognisable by their long beards and turbans – worn to cover the hair that traditional says they should not cut.

Their religious worship involves contemplation of the divine Name. The ultimate deity is known by several names: Sat (truth), Sat Guru (true Guru), Akal Purakh (timeless being), Kartar (creator), and Wahi-Guru (”praise to the Guru”). By concentrating on God’s Name (or many titles), Sikhs believe that one conquers the ego and unites with God.

The compilation of the Sikh scriptures, the Adi Granth, was begun in 1604 by the Fifth Guru. The last of the ten Gurus, Guru Gobind Singh, announced that he would be the last personal Guru and that thereafter, Sikhs were to regard the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib) as their teacher. This sacred book is considered the living embodiment of all ten Gurus and is therefore the focus of worship in all Sikh temples and local gurudwaras, or sanctuaries.

Judaism [Abrahamic, 1300 BC] 14 million adherents



Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, based on principles and ethics embodied in the Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud (Rabbinical discussions on ethics, customs, and law). According to Jewish tradition, the history of Judaism begins with the Covenant between God and Abraham, the patriarch and progenitor of the Jewish people. Judaism is among the oldest religious traditions still in practice today.

Throughout the ages, Judaism has clung to a number of religious principles, the most important of which is the belief in a single, omniscient, omnipotent, benevolent, transcendent God, who created the universe and continues to govern it. Originally Judaism had priests and a temple in which sacrifices were made to God. The priesthood is an inherited position, and although priests no longer have any but ceremonial duties, they are still honored in many Jewish communities. Many Orthodox Jewish communities believe that they will be needed again for a future Third Temple and need to remain in readiness for future duty.

Following the destruction of Jerusalem and the expulsion of the Jews, Jewish worship stopped being centrally organized around the Temple, prayer took the place of sacrifice, and worship was rebuilt around rabbis who acted as teachers and leaders of individual communities. Modern Judaism is generally split into three groups: Orthodox, Conservative, and Liberal.

Baha’i Faith [Abrahamic, 1900 AD] 7 million adherents



Baha’i was founded in Iran in the mid-nineteenth century by Mirza Husayn Ali (1817-1892). Better known as Baha’ullah, he believed that he was the prophet foretold by the Bab, a religious leader who was believed to be a direct descendent of the prophet Muhammad. Baha’ullah was persecuted and banished several times during his life, and he died as a prisoner in Palestine. Babism (from which Baha’i originates) was a breakaway from shi’a Islam.

Important Baha’i prophets include Adam, the Jewish prophets, Jesus, and Muhammed, all of whom have been succeeded by Baha’ullah. The closest thing to a religious text the Baha’i have is Baha’ullah’s Kitab al-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book) which contains detailed instructions for Baha’i living.

The Baha’i believe that all religions teach the same truth. They therefore reject prejudice–racial, political, or otherwise–and stress ethical teachings such as world peace, education, and sexual equality. Although they believe that God is completely unknowable, they hold that God’s presence and works are evident in the creation of the world and the existence of the prophets, among other things.

Confucianism [Taoic, 600 BC] 6.4 million adherents



Confucianism is a Chinese set of philosphical and ethical beliefs that were taught by the sage Confucius. It has had a tremendous effect on East Asia right up to the 21st century. Debated during the Warring States Period and forbidden during the short-lived Qin Dynasty, Confucianism was chosen by Emperor Wu of Han for use as a political system to govern the Chinese state. There is a large body of Confucian texts which includes the I Ching (a series of divinations) and a series of books on poetry, rituals, music, and more. Y

Confucianist doctrine remained a mainstream Chinese orthodoxy for two millennia until the 20th century, when it was attacked by radical Chinese thinkers as a vanguard of a pre-modern system and an obstacle to China’s modernization, eventually culminating in its repression during the Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China.

Confucianism aims at making not simply the man of virtue, but the man of learning and of good manners. The perfect man must combine the qualities of saint, scholar, and gentleman. Confucianism is a religion without positive revelation, with a minimum of dogmatic teaching, whose popular worship is centered in offerings to the dead, in which the notion of duty is extended beyond the sphere of morals proper so as to embrace almost every detail of daily life.

Jainism [Dharmic, 600 BC] 4.2 million adherents


Jainism is one of the oldest religions in India and it has co-existed alongside Hinduism despite being a minority of less than 1% of the population. The religion was founded by Mahavira (”The Great Hero”) who is considered to be the most recent in a long line of 24 teachers who have brought Jainism to the world during various epochs. These teachers preach a belief in enlightenment through austerity and rejection of the world. Jains do not believe in a god and they seek release from endless reincarnations through strict self-denial.

Jainism also places a great emphasis on non-harm of living things and will often have their mouths covered with muslin to prevent accidentally swallowing insects. Many Jains also use a small brush to sweep the ground in front of them while travelling so they don’t accidentally step on a creature.

The main religious text of Jainism is called Agamas. An agama is an ancient Jain textbook. There were many agamas in ancient times, but as time passed, many of them were lost or destroyed. At present, 45 agamas are available. Agamas are written in the Prakrit language. These are read and studied by Jain monks (sadhus) only. The sacred literature was not written down until 500 AD.

There are two main types of Jain, the Digambaras and the Shvetambaras. The Digambaras have much simpler rituals and disdain earthly belongings to a point that the male monks live completely naked.

Shinto [Taoic, 300 BC] 4 million adherents


Shinto is a religious system that originates in Japan which has influences from Buddhism and other Chinese religions. Shinto recognizes no all-powerful deity and is a diverse set of traditional rituals and ceremonies, rather than a system of dogmatic beliefs or ethics. Shinto recognises a variety of gods (kami) which are the powers of nature primarily associated with such things as animals, trees, mountains, springs, boulders, the sun, and sometimes ancestors. Offerings are made to these gods and they are later eaten.

Shinto rituals involve dance and Shinto priests bless the offerings to the gods with branches from the sacred sakaki tree dipped in holy water. In some parts of Japan, women Shamans fall into a trance and speak for the gods.

Shinto does not have a founder or canon of religious texts, but a written Shinto mythology appears in the early sections of the eighth-century books “Kojiki” (”Records of Ancient Matters,” completed in 712 AD) and “Nihon Shoki” (”Chronicles of Japan,” completed in 720 AD), which record the role of the kami in creating Japan and the Japanese imperial lineage

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Signs Of Doomsday According To Major Religions r

All the world’s great religions contain Messianic prophecies, which promise that God will one day send a Promised One whose teachings will unite all humanity.

The Promised One is called by different names by different religions. Christians await the return of Christ.Jews look forward to a Prophet like Moses. Hindus look for the return of Krishna. Muslims look for the appearance of Imam Mahdi as well as Christ. Buddhists await Buddha.

The fascinating aspect of all these prophecies is that they all seem to be pointing towards the same event.

All the major religions of the world have their own signs of Doomsday.

Christianity

According to the Bible, there are twenty-one signs of Doomsday:

1. Israel, the fig tree, is budding and the generation that sees it shall not pass till all is fulfilled.
2. The son of perdition, the return of Jesus for his church, and rebuilding of the temple.
3. The red heifer.
4. Cohen and Levi.
5. The world awaits someone.
6. Transgressors are come to the full.
7. Neighbor oppressing neighbor.
8. Evil becomes good and good becomes evil.
9. As it was in the days of Noah.
10 Men shall be lovers of their own selves.
11. A famine for the word of God.
12. Many shall run to and fro.
13. Knowledge shall be increased.
14. One world government.
15. The Antichrist to rule the world.
16. One world religious system.
17. The mark of the beast.
18. All nations gather against Israel.
19. Ferocious battle kills two thirds of Israelites.
20. Half of Jerusalem is taken, and one third of the remaining Jews are holed up in the other half of Jerusalem.
21. Jesus Christ returns and the Mount of Olives splits in two for the battle of Armageddon.

Islam

Muslims believe in messengers of God and prophets. They believe that the final message to man was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. He is the last prophet sent by God. He is said to have foretold the following 72 signs that would appear nearing doomsday:

1. People will leave prayer.
2. People will usurp Amaanat.
3. Lying will become an art.
4. There will be murders on the slightest of disagreements.
5. Interest will become common.
6. There will be very tall buildings.
7. People will sell religion for the world.
8. People will treat relatives badly.
9. Justice will become a rarity.
10. Lies will be considered truth.
11. Clothes will be of silk.
12. Persecution will become common.
13. Divorces will become common.
14. Sudden deaths will increase.
15. The usurper of Amaanat will be considered honest and honorable.
16. The keeper of Amaanat will be called an usurper of things given to him for safekeeping.
17. Liars will be thought of as honest.
18. Honest people will be thought of as liars.
19. False accusations will become the norm.
20. It will be hot in spite of rain.
21. Instead of wishing for children, people will pray that they not have children.
22. People from bad backgrounds and with bad upbringing will live a life of luxury (material, not peaceful).
23. Good people, when they try to practice, will be cut off from the world.
24. Previously good people will also usurp Amaanat.
25. Leaders will become persecutors.
26. Ulema and Qaris will commit adultery.
27. People will wear clothes of animal skin.
28. But their hearts will smell and will be dead.
29. And will be bitter.
30. Gold will become common.
31. Demand for silver will increase.
32. Sin will increase.
33. Peace will become rare.
34. Words(Ayats) from the Quran will be decorated and calligraphy will become.
35. Mosques will be decorated.
36. And will have tall Minars.
37. But hearts will be empty.
38. Alcoholic drinks will be consumed.
39. Punishments ordered by the Shariah will be revoked and will no longer be implemented.
40. Women will order their mother around.
41. People who are with naked feet, naked bodies and against religion will become kings.
42. Women will trade along with men.
43. Women will imitate men.
44. Men will imitate women.
45. People will swear by things other than Allah and the Quran.
46. Even Muslims will be prepared to give false testimony, without being incited to it.
47. Only people one knows will be greeted with the salaam.
48. The knowledge of the Shariah will be used to earn worldly things.
49. Acts, which earn the Akhirah, will be used to earn the world.
50. Assets belonging to the nation will be considered and treated as personal treasures by the rulers.
51. Amaanat will be considered ones personal asset.
52. Zakaat will be considered as a penalty.
53. The lowest and the worst man in the nation will become its leader.
54. People will not obey their fathers.
55. And will mistreat their mothers.
56. And will not hold back from harming their friends.
57. And will obey their wives.
58. And the voices of the men who commit adultery will be raised in mosques.
59. Women who sing will be treated with great deference.
60. Instruments of music will be kept with great care.
61. Alcohol will be drunk on the highways.
62. People will be proud of their acts of persecution.
63. Justice will be sold in the courts.
64. The number of men in the police force will increase.
65. Instead of music, the Quran will be used to gain pleasure for its tune and style (Qirat), not for what it preaches, its meaning or for rewards in the Akhirah.
66. Animal fur will be used.
67. The last of the Ummat will curse those before them (clearly seen today in people who call the Prophets companions names).
68. Either Allah will send a Red Storm upon you.
69. Or Earthquakes.
70. Or your faces will be changed.
71. Or a rain of rocks from the skies. Asteroids? Meteors.
72. Lies will become a habit of the rulers and the rich.

Prophet Muhammad also said:

1. Alcohol will be called Sherbat and will be considered Halal.
2. Interest will be called Trade and will be considered Halal.
3. Brides will be called Gifts and will be considered Halal.
4. Women will be naked in spite of wearing dresses.


Jews

These signs were said to have been given in the historical books of the Hebrews, and depict the fifteen days before doom:

1. All the water from the earth, including the seas will rice up to the clouds, above the mountains, so that the cry of the seals, the yelling of the sea-monsters and the roar of the whales will be on the dry strands after the water leaves them.

2. The huge noise of the water falling down again the next day into their proper places will be heard, so that it goes deep into the earth; and nobody knows where.

3. All the water will freeze in its place and become hard, and armies will march on this.

4. The sea-animals of the earth will rise up into the clouds, and will cry and clamour continuously for fear of the Day of Doom. None other but God will understand what they are saying.

5. All the birds on the earth will move continuously, without resting, and without eating any food or drinking anything.

6. Great rivers, with fiery and rough waves, will flow out of the firmament from sunrise to sunset.

7. A huge, scary, ugly and unbearable sound will be heard from the heaven, and there will be thunder with many lightnings. From the southern part of the sky, there will be seen a fiery red cloud rising and spreading all over all the earth, and crimson blood will pour from that cloud, and fill the earth – both the land and the sea. There will be huge fires over all parts of the globe, and the world will face a mighty earthquake with a huge spark rising from every part of the earth. The sea will also be ruthless on that day.

8. There will be an excessive tremor and all the creatures of the earth will be numb with fear. The waves of the sea will rise very high, and the ocean will be shaken from its very core with fiery winds. The thundering seas and the water against rivers of fire, with no pleasure, no music throughout the world will leave a sad and distressful feeling.

9. Each and every stone in this world, both small and big will break into four parts. These parts will talk to each other, and except for God, nobody else will understand their language. These stones will begin to tremble after losing their form. All the woods of the earth will be completely uprooted, after they have all broken on that day. Streams of sulphurous fire will rise from the earth so that the entire world is one single blaze of fire from sunrise to sunset.

10. All the stones and trees on the earth will be shedding blood. Rough winds will rise and the whole world will be shaken at once. All humans will be screaming, wailing, and crying, and pleading with the earth to open up for them, so that they do not have to witness all the evil. They would prefer to die rather than be alive at that moment. It is at that time that three hundred and sixty-five stars will fall on the earth. The mountains will fall and they will be on the same level as the ground.

11. Big thunders and the sound of four fiery winds from the four airts of heaven will make all the elements shrink and separate. Five thousand three hundred and sixty-five stars will fall on earth just as ripe fruits falling on a windy day. The moon will turn into the color of blood, the sun will grow dark, the mountains and all other structures will turn into ash. A horrendous screaming of the burning birds will be heard. Humans will face a sad, bitter, and heavy grief on that day. All mankind will kneel in front of God, praying for Him to save them from the fire of Doom.

12. All the lawless animals of the earth will have to leave their places, and be on the plains, howling and crying, with no food or clothing. Every person that has tasted life will die on that day and the whole world will be on fire and hail. Then the doors of the palace will open and the roar of the seven heavens will be heard at the coming of the Creator with His angels. The heaven’s angels will sing to the Creator to rescue them and the angels and the souls of the saints and the good people will be saved, so that the fire of Doom does not burn them.

13. All graves will open up and the dead will come out, and the world will be in grief, as there will be no place to live for the living or for the dead in this world.

14. All the living will die.

15. The final sign of the day before doom – The only Son of the King of heaven and earth and hell, with all the angels and archangels, in His company will go, on that day to the summit of Mount Zion to judge their deeds, both good and evil, for Adam’s impure children. Michael the Archangel will summon all the human beings to that great assembly. All the dead will arise; first, the apostles will arise, then the prophets and the confessors, the martyrs and the saints and the good people, then the virgins and penitents and in the end, baptized infants. The whole human race will be aged thirty on that day, with no one being older or younger. This is the age at which Adam was created and the age of Jesus when He was baptized. Then the King of Glory will arise with His final Cross on his shoulder in everybody’s presence. He will have traces of all the wounds of His Passion upon Him, so that all the incurable wounds and tortures, which they themselves inflicted upon Him, may be manifested to the Jews.

Hinduism

According to Kaala Jnaana written by the Hindu mystic, Veera Brahmam, Kali Yuga will last for 5000 years after Lord Krishna passes away, after which evil will spread throughout the world. Hindu legend states that at the end of kali yuga, Vishnu, the universal ruler will appear again under his form of the Kalki-avatara for doing away with the wicked and inaugurating a realm of righteousness and spirituality. This will be the Doomsday.

The signs of Doomsday are:

1. There will be a rain of fire. Following this a strange thing will happen. 20 feet tall humans will appear and claim to be Kalki. (this is in India).
2. A huge comet will be born in the south; several people will die due to this.
3. Mammary glands will be born to the males of Cow, Goat, etc. and people will get milk from them.
4. Tigers will disappear completely from the forests.
5. The Sun will appear like a green colored human being.
6. Moon will be seen on a new moon day.
7. Wealth will arrive from other countries to India and India will be very rich and powerful.
8. Stones will break and fly about like crows and eagles; Stone horses and chariots will start to run.
9. Blood and pus will flow out from stones.
10. It will rain blood.

Over the years, there have been many versions of these signs and you will find they differ when taken from different books, and this is one version of the signs of Doomsday in different religions.

Skeptics may find it interesting to know that even the laws of science support the fact that the world will come to an end. The second law of thermodynamics states that everything goes from order to disorder and eventually ends. It can be your body, house, earth’s magnetic field, extinction of species or the shrinking sun.

Whether all this is true or not and whether we choose to believe in all this or not, will depend entirely on each one of us. What we have reproduced here is just what has been written about in numerous books.

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Beautifull Religious Buildings Carved from ‘Living Rock’

Perhaps among some of the most astonishing buildings in the world are those cut from living rock. Known as rock-cut architecture, buildings like this can be found all over the world from Myanmar to Ethiopia and many contain priceless works of ancient art. Some of these incredible carved caves date back thousands of years while others are surprisingly a bit more modern than you’d think. These 15 buildings carved from colossal cliffs, monoliths and volcanic rock are breathtakingly beautiful and a fascinating look inside the traditions of cultures long gone.

Ancient Rock City of Matera, Italy

In the ancient rock city of Matera in southwestern Italy, people live in the same exact homes that their ancestors did 9,000 years ago. Matera was created from a rocky ravine and the many natural caves in the area – called the ‘Sassi di Matera’ – were the first houses of the Neolithic inhabitants of the region. The caves create a labyrinth of houses, and it’s practically impossible to distinguish the natural rock formations from the ancient architecture. The houses seem to sprout from the rock in an organic way, creating somewhat of a tourist attraction from what was in the mid 20th century a ghost town. Matera was notably the setting for Mel Gibson’s film ‘The Passion of the Christ’.

Po Win Daung Caves, Myanmar

Dozens of caves in the Po Win Daung hills contain a treasure trove of carved Buddhas dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries. The hills have been occupied since the dawn of human inhabitation of Myanmar – formerly Burma. Within the caves you can see 4,000 murals, and take a covered stairway up a hill to the main cave shrine. Intricately carved Buddhas act as pillars within the caves as well as sentinels outside the entrances.

Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia

Among the most amazing structures carved from living stone are the churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia. 11 rock-hewn churches have each been carved from a single block of granite with its roof at ground level. 12th-century King Lalibela commissioned these churches with the goal of creating a New Jerusalem for those who couldn’t make the pilgrimage to the original city. Each church was created by carving a wide trench on all four sides of the rock and then painstakingly chiseling out the interior. The largest among them stands at 40 feet tall.

Ajanta Caves, India

The stunning rock-cut temples of Ajanta in Maharashtra, India, are among India’s most underrated treasures. Hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of a ravine in the Wagurna River valley, the caves consist of two complexes: monasteries and sanctuaries. They were excavated between the 1st century BCE and 7th century CE, and contain paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.

Abu Simbel Nubian Monuments, Egypt

Four colossal statues of ancient Egyptian Pharoah Ramesses II guard the entrance of Abu Simbel, a temple cut out of the sandstone cliffs above the Nile River. Commissioned by Ramesses himself, the temple faces east so that twice a year, the sun’s rays reach into the innermost sanctuary, lighting up the statues of Ptah, Amun-Re, Ramesses II and Re-Horakhty. The complex was relocated entirely from its original setting in the 1960s to avoid being flooded when Lake Nasser was created.

Yungang Grottoes, China

The Yungang Grottoes of Datong in the Shanxi province of China are comprised of 53 caves and 51,000 statues, and are one of China’s most beautiful examples of cave art. Giant Buddhas tower over visitors who wind through the caves viewing the many sculptures inside. Much of the artwork that was once inside the grottoes was stolen in the early 20th century and the wooden temple buildings that once protected the caves burned down. So, the site is now in urgent need of protection and has been named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Cappadocia Cave Houses, Turkey

Cappadocia is one of the 73 current provinces of the Republic of Turkey, and has one of the most strange and fascinating landscapes of the world. The rocky, scrubby land features bizarre volcanic ‘tufa’ rock formations referred to as ‘Fairy Chimneys’ as well as complex underground cities and buildings cut from the soft ‘tufa’. Many of these are churches, with columns and arches decorating the stony face of an otherwise natural hunk of rock.

Golden Temple of Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Carved from a giant rock in Sri Lanka, the Golden Temple of Dambulla was once a set of caves inhabited during prehistoric times and then used for pre-Buddhist ceremonies. The temple was built and decorated in 89 BC by King Valagambahu. Inside, the cave ceilings and walls are painted with religious images that follow the contours of the rock. 150 statues of Buddhist order, figures from Sri Lankan history and a few statues of Hindu gods. A 14-meter-tall Buddha statue carved from the rock dominates the first cave as you enter.

Ellora Caves, India

Like the Ajanta Caves, the Ellora Caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Carved from the Charanandri hills between the 5th and 6th centuries, the Ellora Caves were built just as Buddhism was declining in India and Hinduism was once again becoming more popular. As a result, there are both Buddhist and Hindu caves within the complex, with a rich variety of religious art including many elaborately carved shrines. The Ellora Caves are highly valued today as an example of the country’s tolerance of both religions.

Al-Hijr, Saudi Arabia

Among Saudi Arabia’s best-known architectural sites is Al Hijr, also known as Madain Saleh. The facades of the dwellings in Al Hijr were carved into the sandstone mountains sometime in the second millenium BC. Al Hijr – which literally means ‘rocky place’ – is believed to have been inhabited by the Nabataeans and the Thamud. It features water wells, well-preserved monumental tombs, inscriptions and cave drawings.

Dazu Rock Carvings, Chongqing, China

The Dazu rock carvings in Chongqing, China are hewn from the cliffside, featuring more than 5,000 statues and over 100,000 Chinese characters of inscriptions or epigraphs. Though Buddhist statues dominate, Taoist and Confucian figures can also be seen which is rather rare in Chinese grotto art. The carvings were made in 650 CE in the Tang Dynasty and continued in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).

Petra, Jordan

The city of Petra in Jordan is known as a setting of the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It’s also one of the new 7 wonders of the world, and it’s easy to see why – its majestic rock-cut architecture is among the most sophisticated ever seen. Built into the slope of Mount Hor, Petra flourished during Roman times but was unknown to the western world until 1812 when discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Over 800 individual monuments can be seen in Petra, including tombs, baths, funerary halls and temples.

Goa Gajah, Elephant Cave Temple, Bali

Goa Gojah, the Elephant Cave Temple, is one of Bali’s most historically significant sites. The cave was apparently partially destroyed by a natural disaster long ago, and was undetected for centuries until a team of Dutch archeologists stumbled upon it in 1923. Thought to have been built in the 11th century, Goa Gojah features statuary influenced by both Hinduism and Buddhism and contains secret meditation chambers for priests or hermits. Two traditional bathing pools outside the cave contain water said to have magical properties.

Churches of Ivanovo, Bulgaria

In the Ruse area of Bulgaria, there are a set of monolithic churches, chapels and monasteries hewn from solid rock known as the Churches of Ivanovo. Though the presence of these churches in the cliffside is impressive in itself, the structures are best known for their beautiful and well-preserved medieval frescoes. Christian monks dug out the caves and made the churches in the 13th century and though it’s a bit easier to access now, centuries ago people had to climb the cliff with ropes to get inside.

Temples of Damanhur, Valchuisella, Italy

Viewing photos of the Temples of Damanhur, carved into the rock under the village of Valchuisella, Italy, one might think they’re an ancient wonder. But what the Italian government has deemed “the 8th wonder of the world” is actually a modern product of one man’s very active imagination. A 57-year-old former insurance broker created the ornate temples, occupying almost 300,000 cubic feet, in secret over a period of 16 years. Oberto Airaudi selected the hillside for its sturdy rock, built an unassuming house and began excavating underneath it. The self-described ‘paranormal’ eccentric had volunteers work in 4-hour shifts to create the nine chambers full of astonishing murals, mosaics, statues, secret doors and stained glass windows. Airaudi’s entire story is a long and bizarre one, and though some may deem his creations a bit gaudy, the fact that he pulled all of this off certainly is amazing.

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The Wonderful World of Religious Drug And Alcohol Use

Drug use throughout our history has developed from a intensely sacred and religious practice, to a intensely secular and recreational one. The origins of many controlled substances is with Shamans and Buddhists, with native cultures and ancient civilizations. Many of these traditions have been all but lost, yet they exist still in records and stories. Others are still alive and flourishing, with the drugs uses and use being celebrated and giggled at.

Protestants/Catholics


Alcohol, and specifically wine, are still used in modern day Christian and Catholic ceremonies, taken as a sacrament during worship. Roman Catholic's believe that during the mass, the wine becomes Jesus Christ's blood, and is drank as such. Although Christians don't believe the same, they still drink the wine as part of the ceremony they participate in, to promote community and celebrate God.

Hindu Gurus

Cannabis has been used by Hindu Gurus since as early as 1500 BCE. The use of the drug is in worship of the god Shiva, also known as the supreme god. Not a bad way to worship your god as you're digging your way through a bag of crunchy Cheetos. The smoking of the drug is said to cleanse sins, unite one with Shiva, and avoid the miseries of hell and the after-life.

Mazatec Shamans




Salvia divinorum, also known as the Sage of the Seers, is an herb used around Oaxaca, Mexico by shamans. These shamans take the herb in tea form, crushing the plant and infusing it with hot water. It's used for religious healing ceremonies and provides the user with a psychedelic experience that can include uncontrollable laughter, becoming objects, and feelings of motion.

Amazonian Indians




Ayahuasca is an infusion of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine found in the Amazon, and prepared typically as tea drink. The drug is used for religious ceremonies, as well as to cure diseases and addictions. Taking the drug results is serious hallucinations, as well as copious amounts of vomiting and diarrhea. Maybe thats why its used to cleanse the body of worms.

Russian Shamans




Amanita muscaria, also known as the Flying Agaric, is a hallucinogenic mushroom used in Siberia by shamans. Typically, the shaman would take the mushrooms, and his followers would then drink the shaman's urine to also feel the effects. The purpose of the drug was to acheive a trance-state, and hopefully not as an excuse to drink someone else's piss. Typically side effects include twitching, seizures, and potentially comas.

Middle Eastern Sufis




Cannabis has been used by some sects Islam for centuries - although some Orthodox Muslims claim the drug is and intoxicant, and therefore haraam (forbidden). But, within the Sufi religious order the use is encouraged, claiming that the drug is not an intoxicant, but allows the user to achieve a higher state of awareness. That and a more talkative and animated couple of hours.

North American Indians




Peyote is a small cactus used by American Indians to trigger periods of deep insight and introspection. As well, the drug is used to treat everything from toothaches to breast pain, as well as child birth. Lets just hope a six year old doesn't complain of a toothache, or he's in for a 10 to 12 hour ride of his life. Peyote is only legal for "bonafide religious ceremonies", but its legal to generally possess in some states.

Central Americans



Damiana is an herb that is both smoked and brewed into tea, its affects are said to be more mild than cannabis. Its uses are to promote a deep sense of relaxation, as well as create lucid dreams for the user. The medicinal benefits of the drug are in treating everything from constipation to coughs to depression. The tea is also brewed and used as an aphrodisiac in Central and South America.

Aztecs




LSA, also known as Morning Glory Seed, was eaten by the Aztecs as a sacrament to their higher power. Eating the seeds led to a tired, dreamy state, with an inability to maintain clear thoughts. The seeds also caused hallucinations, which could explain why the Aztecs decided to butcher 84,000 of their people in four days in the name of the reconstruction of a temple.

Hawaiians




Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds are consumed to produce a psychedelic effect that leads to visions, cramping, and nausea. The drug was taken by indigenous Hawaiians in connection with worship and festivities. The drug lasts between 4 and 14 hours and can be easily cultivated, as it is essentially a weed.

Chinese Confuscists




Opium has been smoked in China for centuries, and the practice still continues among the elderly. The cultivation of opium was originally intended for Chinese ritual use, as well as medicinal purposes. The effects of opium are everything from relief from pain to a sense of well being. The drug has been prohibited and reintroduced to China many times, it is now a controlled substance with varying forms being used for pain relief.

Thai Buddhists



Kratom is said to produce a sense of well-being, with users reporting anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, analgesic, and even euphorigenic effects. The drug is used as both a depressant and a stimulant, and is typically chewed by the user continuously. Buddhist monks chew the drug consistently while in meditation to achieve a sense of heightened awareness and euphoria.

Ancient Greeks



Entheogen was used by oracles in ancient Greece to induce a state of revelation. The drug was typically drank in the form of Kykeon, a drink that was fermented from barley, herbs, and ground goat cheese. Apparently the oracle of Delphi made her prophisies while drinking Kykeon, which could explain why the ancient Greeks had so many issues. It's also said that it was a common drink in ancient Greece, which might explain their creativity, and their downfall.

Iranian Muslims



Khat leaves are often chewed by Muslims, they induce a sense of euphoria and excitement to the user. The drug has essentially the same strength and effect as modern day ecstasy, its religious uses were to induce a sense of euphoria while in prayer.

Rastafarians



Members of the Rastafari movement use cannabis in connection with worshiping God, studying the Bible, and Meditation. Rastafarian's see cannabis as spiritually beneficial, specifically referring to it as the "Tree of Life" discussed in the Bible. The plant is also an integral part of the "reasoning sessions" it's members participate in to discuss life and achieve a higher sense of understanding of the world around them.

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10 Extremely Weird Religions

10 Scientology

Scientology has featured on a previous list, but if I didn’t include it here the comments would be inundated with “where’s scientology?” questions. The Church of Scientology is a cult created by L Ron Hubbard (Elron) in 1952 as an outgrowth of his earlier self-help system called Dianetics. The Church of Scientology holds that at the higher levels of initiation (OT levels) mystical teachings are imparted that may be harmful to unprepared readers. These teachings are kept secret from members who have not reached these levels. In the OT levels, Hubbard explains how to reverse the effects of past-life trauma patterns that supposedly extend millions of years into the past. Among these advanced teachings is the story of Xenu (sometimes Xemu), introduced as an alien ruler of the “Galactic Confederacy.” According to this story, 75 million years ago Xenu brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes and detonated hydrogen bombs in the volcanoes. The thetans then clustered together, stuck to the bodies of the living, and continue to do this today. Scientologists at advanced levels place considerable emphasis on isolating body thetans and neutralizing their ill effects.

9 Creativity Movement

The Creativity Movement (formerly known as World Church Of The Creator), is a white separatist organization that advocates the whites-only religion, Creativity. It was also a descriptive phrase used by Ben Klassen, that included all adherents of the religion. The use of the term creator does not refer to a deity, but rather to themselves (white people). Despite the former use of the word Church in its name, the movement is atheistic. Creativity is a White Separatist religion that was founded by Ben Klassen in early 1973 under the name Church of the Creator. After Klassen’s death in 1993, Creativity almost died out as a religion until the New Church of the Creator was established three years later by Matthew F. Hale as its Pontifex Maximus (high priest), until his incarceration in January 2003 for plotting with the movement’s head of security, Anthony Evola (an FBI informant), to murder a federal judge.

8 Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth

Obviously spelling is not a fundamental part of this religion! Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth (TOPY) was founded in 1981 by members of Psychic TV, Coil, Current 93, and a number of other individuals. The ever-evolving network is a loosely federated group of people operating as a unique blend of artistic collective, and practitioners of magic. TOPY is dedicated to the manifestation of magical concepts lacking mysticism or the worship of gods. The group focuses on the psychic and magical aspects of the human brain linked with “guiltless sexuality”. Throughout its existence, TOPY has been an influential group in the underground Chaos magic scene and in the wider western occult tradition. TOPY’s research has covered both Left-hand path and Right-hand path magick, various elements of psychology, art, music, and a variety of other media. Some of the influences on the network have been Aleister Crowley, Austin Osman Spare, and Brion Gysin.

7 Nation of Yahweh

The Nation of Yahweh is a predominantly African-American religious group that is the most controversial offshoot of the Black Hebrew Israelites line of thought. They were founded in 1979 in Miami by Hulon Mitchell, Jr., who went by the name Yahweh ben Yahweh. Their goal is to return African Americans, whom they see as the original Israelites, to Israel. The group departs from mainstream Christianity and Judaism by accepting Yahweh ben Yahweh as the Son of God. In this way, their beliefs are unique and distinct from that of other known Black Hebrew Israelite groups. The group has engendered controversy due to legal issues of its founder and has also faced accusations of being a black supremacist cult by the Southern Poverty Law Center and The Miami Herald. The SPLC has criticized the beliefs of the Nation of Yahweh as racist, stating that the group believed blacks are “the true Jews” and that whites were “white devils.” They also claim the group believed Yahweh ben Yahweh had a Messianic mission to vanquish whites and that they held views similar to the Christian Identity movement.

6 Church of All Worlds

The Church of All Worlds is a neo-pagan religion founded in 1962 by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and his wife Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart. The religion evolved from a group of friends and lovers who were in part inspired by a fictional religion of the same name in the science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein; the church’s mythology includes science fiction to this day. They recognize “Gaea,” the Earth Mother Goddess and the Father God, as well as the realm of Faeries and the deities of many other pantheons. Many of their ritual celebrations are centered on the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. Following the tradition of using fiction as a basis for his ideas, Zell-Ravenheart recently founded The Grey School of Wizardry inspired in part by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school in the Harry Potter novels.

5 Universe People

Universe people or Cosmic people of light powers (Czech: Vesmírní lidé sil světla) is a Czech religious movement centered around Ivo A. Benda. Its belief system is based upon the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations communicating with Benda and other “contacters” since October 1997 telepathically and later even by direct personal contact. According to Benda those civilizations operate a fleet of spaceships, led by Ashtar Sheran, orbiting the Earth. They closely watch and help the good and are waiting to transport their followers into another dimension. The Universe People’s teachings incorporate various elements from ufology (some foreign “contacters” are credited, though often also renounced after a time as misguided or deceptive), Christianity (Jesus was a “fine-vibrations” being) and conspiracy theories (forces of evil are supposed to plan compulsory chipping of the population).

4 Church of the SubGenius

The Church of the SubGenius is a parody religion that promotes slack, while in a meta-commentarial way, satirizes religion, conspiracy theories, UFOs, and popular culture. The church claims to have been founded in the 1950s by the “world’s greatest salesman” J. R. “Bob” Dobbs. “Bob” Dobbs is depicted as a cartoon of a Ward Cleaver-like man smoking a pipe. The church really started with the publication of SubGenius Pamphlet #1 in 1979. It found acceptance in underground pop-culture circles and has been embraced on college campuses, in the underground music scene, and on the Internet. An important SubGenius event occurred on July 5, 1998: X-Day. The Church had been predicting that on this day the world would be destroyed by invading alien armies known as the X-ists (which is short for “Men from Planet X”). When the event didn’t come to pass, the church administrator who predicted it was tarred and feathered – but allowed to continue on as administrator. Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) is a SubGenius minister. Patrick Volkerding, the founder and maintainer of Slackware Linux, is also a SubGenius affiliate, and he has confirmed the Church and “Bob” inspired the name for Slackware.

3 Prince Philip Movement

The Prince Philip Movement is a cargo cult of the Yaohnanen tribe on the southern island of Tanna in Vanuatu. The Yaohnanen believe that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the consort to Queen Elizabeth II, is a divine being, the pale-skinned son of a mountain spirit and brother of John Frum. According to ancient tales the son travelled over the seas to a distant land, married a powerful lady and would in time return. The villagers had observed the respect accorded to Queen Elizabeth II by colonial officials and came to the conclusion that her husband, Prince Philip, must be the son from their legends. When the cult formed is unclear, but it is likely that it was sometime in the 1950s or 1960s. Their beliefs were strengthened by the royal couple’s official visit to Vanuatu in 1974 when a few villagers had the opportunity to observe the prince from afar. Prince Philip was made aware of the religion and has exchanged gifts with its leaders and even visited them.

2 The Church of Euthanasia

The Church of Euthanasia (CoE), is a political organization started by the Reverend Chris Korda (pictured above) in the Boston, Massachusetts area of the United States. According to the church’s website, it is “a non-profit educational foundation devoted to restoring balance between Humans and the remaining species on Earth.” The CoE uses sermons, music, culture jamming, publicity stunts and direct action combined with an underlying sense of satire and black humor to highlight Earth’s unsustainable population. The CoE is notorious for its conflicts with Pro-life Christian activists. According to the church’s website, the one commandment is “Thou shalt not procreate”. The CoE further asserts four principal pillars: suicide, abortion, cannibalism (”strictly limited to consumption of the already dead”), and sodomy (”any sexual act not intended for procreation”). Slogans employed by the group include “Save the Planet, Kill Yourself”, “Six Billion Humans Can’t Be Wrong”, and “Eat a Queer Fetus for Jesus”, all of which are intended to mix inflammatory issues to unnerve those who oppose abortion and homosexuality.

1 Nuwaubianism

Nuwaubianism is an umbrella term used to refer to the doctrines and teachings of the followers of Dwight York. The Nuwaubians originated as a Black Muslim group in New York in the 1970s, and have gone through many changes since. Eventually, the group established a headquarters in Putnam County, Georgia in 1993, which they have since abandoned. York is now in prison after having been convicted on money laundering and child molestation charges, but Nuwaubianism endures. York developed Nuwaubianism by drawing on a wide range of sources which include Theosophy-derived New Age movements such as Astara as well as the Rosicrucians, Freemasonry, the Shriners, the Moorish Science Temple of America, the revisionist Christianity & Islam and the Qadiani cult of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the numerology of Rashad Khalifa, and the ancient astronaut theories of Zecharia Sitchin. White people are said in one Nuwaubian myth to have been originally created as a race of killers to serve blacks as a slave army, but this plan went awry. Here is a list of some of the more unusual Nuwaubian beliefs:

1. It is important to bury the afterbirth so that Satan does not use it to make a duplicate of the recently-born child
2. Furthermore, some aborted fetuses survive their abortion to live in the sewers, where they are being gathered and organized to take over the world
3. People were once perfectly symmetrical and ambidextrous, but then a meteorite struck Earth and tilted its axis causing handedness and shifting the heart off-center in the chest
4. Each of us has seven clones living in different parts of the world
5. Women existed for many generations before they invented men through genetic manipulation
6. Homo sapiens is the result of cloning experiments that were done on Mars using Homo erectus
7. Nikola Tesla came from the planet Venus
8. The Illuminati have nurtured a child, Satan’s son, who was born on 6 June 1966 at the Dakota House on 72nd Street in New York to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis of the Rothschild/Kennedy families. The Pope was present at the birth and performed necromantic ceremonies. The child was raised by former U.S. president Richard Nixon and now lives in Belgium, where it is hooked up bodily to a computer called “The Beast 3M” or “3666.”

The Nuwaubians built a city modelled on Ancient Egyptian buildings in Putnam County, Georgia (pictured above). It has now been demolished.

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OLD HOUSE OF PROPHED MOHAMMED (P.B.U.H)

OLD HOUSE OF PROPHED MOHAMMED (P.B.U.H)

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