All religious practices, from the most popularized to the most esoteric, have interesting facts buried deep beneath their surfaces. By taking time to uncover some of these intriguing bits of information, you may discover something that blows your mind and gives you a new appreciation for the religions of the world.
Being a member of a particular religion does not immediately make you an expert on it. While you may have strict beliefs, there is always a lot more to discover. In most cases, a person only winds up learning about the main religious practices involved. What’s more, only what is currently relevant will generally be taught. This means that a great deal of information about particular religious practices is left uncovered. Some of this information might be left out for a reason, but a lot of the time, it just comes down to different trends during different periods.
Mysterious Wires Over Manhattan
Judaism is one of the oldest religions currently being practiced across the world. Since it has been around for such a long period of time, there are many different groups that believe drastically different things under the umbrella of Judaism. Orthodox Jews, for example, tend to hold the strictest beliefs and adhere to many religious texts in a rigorous way. One very interesting point surrounding Orthodox Judaism is the “eruv.” An eruv is a structure built over or around communities to aid practicing Jews when they are put in conflict with rules of the Sabbath.
On the Sabbath, Orthodox Jews are not permitted to carry items or engage in activities that take them from their personal dwellings into the public. By constructing an eruv, people are once more allowed to carry important items like house keys when leaving the house on the Sabbath. Since a community like Manhattan in New York City has a huge number of practicing Orthodox Jews, there is a constant eruv made of wires hanging above the city and being maintained throughout the year. Despite how many people live in NYC, very few are aware of this structure’s existence.
Science and Hinduism
Religion and science can often seem like two opposing sides. While there might be some contradictions from melding the two schools of thought, they are not as mutually exclusive as many might tout. In fact, Hinduism has long taught the importance of science in the modern world. Hindu scholars have long argued that the miracles and advancements made through modern science are truthful and correct, unable to be denied in scope or overall importance to the human race. This has led many believers in Hinduism to pursue careers in science across the world.
Hinduism teaches that science helps mankind to understand a little bit more about the world and how it operates. While science is still considered a “limited view” of the world, Hindus are taught that religion cannot contradict any fact that is brought about by science. This open-minded attitude has helped science and religion come together in a safe and sacred manner for many.
Special Guest Stars
Many people familiar with Islam understand that Jesus, head figure of Christianity, was mentioned multiple times throughout the Quran and is considered one of the great prophets among many Muslims. What is less known is that the mother of Jesus, Mary, also made many appearances in the text. In fact, most records state that Mary is mentioned in the Quran far more than she is ever brought up in the New Testament of the Bible.
Religion is a fascinating exploration of the human condition. Even though Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are some of the more prevalent religions of the world, they still are surrounded by many mysteries. Exploring these mysteries can be a wonderful way to gain perspective.