How many religions do you know? Most often, people can name several major world religions - Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism. In fact, there are many other, lesser known religions, and some of them are quite unusual.
Raelism
This religious movement was founded in 1974 by a former French racing driver named Claude Vorilon (who took the name Rael). Its followers believe that the existence of life on Earth is the result of the scientific intervention of highly developed civilizations.
Church of all worlds
This neo-pagan religion was founded in 1962 by Oberon Zen-Ravenhart with his wife Mornin Glory, inspired by the religion of the same name from Robert Heinlein's science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land. His first followers were a group of friends and associates from California.
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Church of the Flying Pasta Monster
Also known as Pastafarianism. This satirical religion began with an open letter from founder Bobby Henderson to the Kansas Department of Education. In his letter, he demanded that his religion be studied in school along with creationism and the theory of evolution. Pastafarianism has official religious status in the Netherlands and New Zealand.
Aghori
Perhaps one of the most terrifying offshoots of Hinduism, it became an independent cult around the 14th century. Many orthodox Hindus anathematize this movement due to its taboo rituals. These rituals are indeed very sinister. Followers of the cult live near cemeteries and eat the flesh of corpses. They also drink from human skulls and meditate on graves in search of enlightenment.
Doomsday Wave Lab
Or Panavebu Kenkyujo is a Japanese religious movement founded in 1977. It combines elements of Christianity, Buddhism and New Age doctrine. The followers of the movement believe that electromagnetic waves are to blame for the troubles of the modern world, which should cause the end of the world.
People of the universe
Czech UFO religion founded in the 1990s by Ivo Benda, also known by the extraterrestrial name Ashtar. Benda stated that several times he came into direct contact with other civilizations, which led him to create the movement. The people of the Universe are fighting modern technologies and negative ideas, spreading love and positive vibes.
Discordianism
In the 1960s, two young hippies, Kerry Thornley and Greg Hill, jokingly created the "religion of Chaos", which later became famous thanks to the American author Robert Anton Wilson. The philosophy of his cult satirical trilogy "Illuminatus!" Is based on discordianism.
Euthanasia Church
The Church of Euthanasia, founded in 1992, is considered the world's only anti-human religion. It offers a solution to the problem of overpopulation and related environmental problems through massive voluntary population decline. Her famous motto "Save the planet - kill yourself!"
Temple of True Inner Light
Followers of this belief believe that psychoactive substances and hallucinogenic mushrooms are the true flesh of God. They also believe that all other religions are based on psychedelic experiences.
Jediism
This religion is practiced by thousands of Star Wars fans who believe that the Force is indeed one of the driving forces of our universe. In 2013, Jediism was the seventh largest religion in the United Kingdom, with an incredible 175,000 followers.
Rastafarianism
This young religion began after Haile Selassie I became King of Ethiopia in 1930. Rastafarians believe in his divinity, as well as in bringing exiled members of black communities back to Africa. They emphasize natural lifestyles, wear dreadlocks and smoke marijuana to elevate their spirits.
Frisbitarianism
Frisbitarianism is more of a parody of belief in an afterlife. Its essence was expressed by the American comedian George Carlin with the phrase: "When a person dies, his soul rises and flies like a frisbee to the roof, where it remains to lie."
Evgeniya Yakovleva