.... into a distinct conception of a higher order than human beings, and yet somehow resembling them. As it may seem, humans have a metaphysical (speculative) need for a Supreme Being. God, as we call him. He is the eternal and infinite Spirit, Creator of the Universe, and the ultimate power. We present him with human characteristics in all concepts of God, which has led me to believe that it is not God who created man in His image, but man who creates God in his. Religion is one such need based on myth and spiritualism. People are taught about their religion at a young age, and when they grow up they attempt to account for things .....

.... to obtain new members, is through chat lines on the internet. A recorded conversation between a member of the Divine Light Mission, Fire-Shade, and an 18-year old boy, Jay 18, was obtained off of the site, IRC Teen Chat. Jay18: I am a really great poet, but all of the kids in my class are pretty warped about it. I basically hide it from them because I don't need that hassle. Fire-Shade: My family has a great respect for the artist inside us all. I know you live in Michigan, and our family could always use new operatives all over the world. You have to understand what our family is about, it is about always fitting in and never h .....

.... in order to receive blessing and aid from somewhere or someone . They have also been known to bury their dead in the fetal position, reproducing the way in which they came into the world in order to accelerate the journey into the next world . The views of the ancient civilizations of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans have been well-documented. All three of these ancient societies believed in numerous Gods, who each held domain over certain aspects of that particular culture. These Beings were represented as being somewhat human, extremely powerful, and sometimes at odds with one another - even to the point of warring between themse .....

.... well over 300 lb. (136 kg), only the crossbar was carried. The crossbar, patibulum, weighing 75 to 125 lb. (34 to 57 kg), was placed on the victim's neck and balanced along both shoulders. Usually, the outstretched arms then were tied to the crossbar. The procession to the site of crucifixion was led by a complete Roman military guard, headed by a centurion. One of the soldiers carried a sign, titulus, on which the condemned man's name and crime were displayed. Later, the titulus would be attached to the top of the cross. At the site of execution, by law, the victim was given a bitter drink of wine mixed with myrrh, gall, as a mild ana .....

.... which bears more than a superficial resemblance to Blavatsky's "Secret Doctrine". In times past the book has been referred to as "Al Azif", or "The Book of the Arab". Azif is a word the Arabs use to refer to nocturnal insects, but it is also a reference to the howling of demons. It was written in seven volumes, and is over 900 pages long in the Latin edition. Abdul Alhazred Little is known about Abdul Alhazred. What we do know about him is largely from the small amount of biographical information in the Necronomicon itself. He traveled widely, from Alexandria to the Punjab, and was well educated. He had a flair for languages, and boasts .....

.... buy goods. The more cattle one had, the wealthier the family. Cows were used differently in different cultures. They were used for sacrifice in Iran, while in Spain they were used for sport. They have been used to haul heavy loads, and their most common use has been as a source of food. Cattle have been so valuable for thousands of years in so many cultures that to be caught stealing them was often an offense punished by death (Brahman 1). The cow was not always sacred in India. Long ago in India’s early history, cattle was used basically for food to feed one’s family. It was also used as trade, like money. In about the year 35 .....

.... its beliefs. Ignorance of these beliefs is a sign of weakness in the mind. To truly understand ones own religion, one must also understand those concepts of the other religions of the world. Hopefully this will be an enlightenment on the reincarnation concepts as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism. The goal in Taoism is to achieve tao, to find the way. Tao is the ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the world and everything in it. Tao is sometimes identified as the Mother, or the source of all things. That source is not a god or a supreme being as with Christians, fo .....

.... these early people was minimal. Then came the development of farming into this time period. Farming brought the people together. Small cities began to develop because the people didn't have to move around as much. With all this closeness, the people developed moral views on what to think about thieves or murderers. If certain civilizations didn't mind violence and killing, then they developed into a Brutal civilization. Consequently, the religions of these civilizations were evolved around sacrificial rituals and allegiance to brutal gods. The Assyrian civilization worked around this principle. They used scare tactics to overcome .....

.... in one God which rules the universe and human fate, whereas Buddhists do not believe in one God (and do not necessarily believe in any gods at all, or in many, as you wish) and believe that human destiny is individually determined by our past personal actions, thoughts and words (karma) which act as causes of our future happiness and misery. Karma is entirely focused upon individuals -- group karma is impossible as it must relate to one person. Christians believe that the efforts of another person or being (eg. Jesus, Virgin Mary, Saints, etc) can progress the spiritual condition of a single individual, and thus be the cause of their salvati .....

.... the Temple was destroyed during the war with Rome, these animal sacrifices were stopped, and there were no more active Jewish priests. The religious leadership in the synagogue was led by the rabbis. In the Protestant religion there exists a "priesthood of all believers"("Priesthood", 529). This meant that each member in the community serves as his or her own priest, with direct access to communication with God. Protestants believe that the role of the priest is an "officiating mediary"("Priesthood", 529), rather than a one who performs ritual sacrifices. This stems from the Protestant belief that Jesus Christ served as "the ultimate" s .....