Caitlin Murphy- Religions You Have Never Heard Of

Religions You Have Never Heard Of

We often become close minded to different cultures and religions around the world that do not gain as much publicity. No religion is any less important that your own religion, and I wanted to learn more about the less spoken about religions around the world. 

Cheondoism is a Korean religion that draws from both Buddhism and Christian beliefs. The religion is centered around making Earth a "paradise". Sounds good to me. To my surprise, Cheondoism is the most popular religion in North Korea. Not to stereotype, but it does not seem like North Korea is much of a paradise to me. 

Another religion that really caught my eye is Jainism. Rooted in India, Jainism believes that there are multiple gods around humans in a hierarchy. As many other religions, they believe in complete peace. Those who contribute positively to the religion, are saved from rebirth and are called jinas. 

Lastly, Builders of the Adytum (BOTA) is a religion based in California founded by Dr. Paul Foster Case. There are multiple meet up locations around America and are not specifically for those of Chistian or Jewish belief. They heavily practice astrology and meditation. Right off the bat, the term "cult" popped in my head, so I am interested in researching this religion more to possibly debunk my first impression. 

I find it fascinating how many religions there are in this world. Throughout school, we only learn a handful of religions, so it is crucial to do independent research to become more knowledgeable about different cultures.

"Top 10 Religions You Never Knew Existed." Listverse. N.p., 13 June 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.