Some religions are well-known, while others follow beliefs that are unusual and bizarre to outsiders.
Religion has always played a significant role in human civilization, shaping cultures, traditions, and ways of life. Here are some of the strangest religious beliefs and practices around the world.
1. Shingo Pilgrimage
In the small village of Shingo, Japan, there exists a religious belief that believes Jesus Christ did not die on the cross. Instead, it was his younger brother, Isukiri, who was crucified in his place.
The story claims that Jesus fled to Japan, lived there as a farmer, and eventually died at the age of 106. Today, his supposed grave in Shingo attracts curious pilgrims and tourists, despite the lack of historical evidence supporting this claim.
2. Faizrakhmanist
Founded by Faizrakhman Sattarov in 1966, the Faizrakhmanist sect is a religious group that remained hidden for decades in Kazan, Russia. Sattarov, who believed himself to be the reincarnation of Allah, instructed his followers to live a secluded and ascetic life underground.
The sect blended Sufism, Islamic mysticism, and esoteric teachings, creating a closed-off world beneath the surface. In 2012, Russian authorities raided the compound and discovered that some of the children had never seen daylight, shocking the outside world.
3. The Aetherius Society
The Aetherius Society is a religious movement founded in the 1950s by George King, a British spiritualist who claimed to have received messages from extraterrestrial beings. According to their beliefs, Jesus was not the son of God but rather an advanced alien being sent to Earth to guide humanity.
The group also believes that advanced cosmic beings called "Space Masters" communicate with them and assist in global healing.
4. The Church of Euthanasia
Unlike most religions that promote life and spirituality, the Church of Euthanasia takes a shocking stance on humanity. Founded in the 1990s by Chris Korda, this religious sect believes that the Earth's resources are being depleted due to overpopulation.
To "restore balance" between humans and other species, they promote voluntary suicide, abortion, cannibalism (of those who are already dead), and an anti-reproduction ideology. Their controversial slogan, "Save the Planet, Kill Yourself," has been widely condemned.
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5. Digambara Jain Monks
In Jainism, an ancient Indian religion, a sect called Digambara monks follows a strict practice of renouncing all worldly possessions, including clothing. These monks live entirely naked, believing that material attachments hinder spiritual enlightenment.
They eat with their hands, sleep on the ground without blankets, and use a broom to gently sweep the ground in front of them to avoid harming insects.
6. Raëlism
Raëlism is a UFO-based religious movement founded by Claude Vorilhon (Raël) in the 1970s. The group believes that life on Earth was created by extraterrestrials known as the Elohim.
One of their most controversial beliefs is their desire to clone historical figures, including Adolf Hitler, so that he can be tried for his crimes posthumously. Raëlians also advocate for free love, human cloning, and space exploration.
7. Aghori
The Aghori are a Shaivite Hindu sect known for their extreme practices that challenge traditional taboos. They believe that purity and impurity are illusions and that spiritual liberation comes from embracing all aspects of existence, including death.
Aghori monks live in cremation grounds, cover their bodies with ashes from burned corpses, use human bones for rituals, and sometimes even consume human flesh as part of their spiritual practices.
8. Heaven’s Gate
Heaven’s Gate was a religious group that believed they could ascend to a higher plane of existence by leaving their physical bodies behind. Led by Marshall Applewhite, the group believed that an extraterrestrial spacecraft was following the Hale-Bopp comet in 1997.
Convinced that they needed to "shed their earthly vessels" to board the spaceship, 39 members committed mass suicide in what became one of the most shocking cult tragedies in modern history.
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