The once-obscure practise of smoking toad venom, a potent psychedelic drug that can cause users to encounter themselves as God, is steadily creeping into the mainstream as celebrities endorse its “healing” powers. Mike Tyson claimed he “died” during his first trip and said using the drug has provided him with an entirely different perspective on Read more
Standup comics hunt for laughter, not applause. A laugh is involuntary; clapping is not. The element of surprise – to which a laugh is a reaction – takes us beyond our sets of ideologies and expectations.—And this is a vital part of what churches are called to do. The lack of it partially explains why Read more
A woman, who made headlines earlier this year by marrying herself, is now heading for divorce after she met “someone special” and has even started to fall in love. She said she had felt fantastic on her big day but was sad to receive hate comments from trolls. Continue reading
A right-wing evangelical pastor, Jesse Duplantis, said on live TV that the reason for Jesus’s absence is that congregations do not give enough money to their churches During the four-day event, ‘Victorython’ in September Jesse Duplantis said: “I honestly believe this – the reason why Jesus hasn’t come is that people are not giving the Read more
Throughout the year, temples across Japan hold a “ningyo kuyo” (人形供養), a funeral ritual for unwanted dolls — especially traditional dolls. The Shinto belief of animism teaches that everything can have a spirit or soul. The doll funeral speaks to this idea. Read more
A 45 minutes police chase ended in a Catholic church where a funeral was being held for an 11-year-old boy who died of cancer. The suspect knelt in front of a stained-glass window and police handcuffed him on the altar. Once he was taken away, the funeral resumed. Read more
Last week a hornet landed on the Vatican’s live webcam overlooking St. Peter’s Square. Located on a nearby roof, the fixed cam continuously broadcasts around-the-clock view of the square. But with the unexpected guests crawling around the camera lens, the view has been blurred. Read more
“The Sopranos.” has recently gained a whole new audience, almost 15 years after its finale on HBO. New York Times’s Willy Staley says the show was prescient in a way that sheds light on our specific timeline. “But I think it deals with a theme that never stopped being relevant, namely, salvation. And did I Read more
Sometime next year, the European court of human rights will decide on the case of a Dutch woman who feels unfairly treated because her country’s highest court has told her she cannot wear a plastic colander on her head for her ID photo. Pastafarians, who are members of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s believers Read more
For $35.95, parents who want to discipline their kids “God’s way” can buy a handmade paddle, complete with Bible verse and free Prime shipping from Amazon. The online retailer’s algorithm recommended the paddle, which was listed as an “Amazon’s Choice,” a label Amazon uses to describe products that best match a customer’s search. Read more