نزار قباني: شاعر الحب والثورة

worshippers in Africa

 

Throughout history, various bizarre and unconventional forms of worship have emerged across different cultures and belief systems. Here are ten examples of such practices:

 

Thuggee Cult: The Thuggee cult, prevalent in India during the 14th to 19th centuries, worshipped the goddess Kali. They believed in ritualistic killings, especially targeting travelers, as offerings to appease their deity.

 

Cargo Cults: These unique religious movements emerged in the South Pacific islands during and after World War II. The followers believed that by performing rituals and constructing imitation airstrips, they could attract the "cargo" or material goods brought by Westerners.

 

The Cult of Cybele: Ancient Roman worshippers of Cybele, the Phrygian goddess of fertility, engaged in ecstatic rituals that often involved self-castration, known as the "Galli."

 

Aghori Sadhus: Aghori sadhus are a sect of Hindu ascetics in India who engage in unconventional practices like meditating on corpses, smearing their bodies with cremation ashes, and consuming human flesh as part of their worship of the god Shiva.

 

Heaven's Gate: This infamous cult emerged in the 1970s in the United States. They believed in UFOs and that their bodies were just vehicles for their souls. In 1997, the cult's members committed mass suicide, believing it would allow their souls to ascend to a higher plane.

 

The Cult of Dionysus: In ancient Greece, the followers of Dionysus engaged in orgiastic rites, drunken revelries, and frenzied dancing to connect with their god of wine, fertility, and ecstasy.

 

The Cult of Mithras: This secretive Roman cult worshipped the god Mithras in underground temples called Mithraea. Initiates underwent rituals involving symbolic acts of slaying a bull, representing the god's victory over evil.

 

Snake Handling Churches: Found in some Pentecostal denominations in the southern United States, worshippers handle venomous snakes as a test of faith, believing that God will protect them from harm.

 

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster: A satirical religious movement that originated in the 21st century, which pokes fun at the concept of intelligent design and challenges the teaching of creationism in schools.

 

Yanomami Shamanism: The Yanomami, an indigenous tribe in the Amazon rainforest, practice shamanism, where shamans consume a hallucinogenic substance called yopo to communicate with spirits and access supernatural realms.