See this entry by the World Religions and Spirituality Project for more on the Phoenix Goddess Temple: At the end of the day, the case against the Temple turned on several issues: whether Elise was a “spiritual leader” or a “brothel madam,” whether the Temple “goddesses” were “priestesses” or “prostitutes,” whether “orgasm” was part of … Read moreVICE News reports on the Phoenix Goddess Temple
Edited by Bron Taylor, the anthology Avatar and Nature Spirituality (2013) offers critical, personal, and spiritual reflections on James Cameron’s blockbuster science fiction epic via essays on the following subjects, among others: “Becoming the ‘Noble Savage’” (nature religion and the ‘other’ in Avatar) “The Na’vi as Spiritual Hunters” (a semiotic exploration) “Calling the Na’vi” (evolutionary … Read more“Avatar & Nature Spirituality” (2013)
Denver, Colorado’s International Church of Cannabis promotes the new religion of Elevationism, on the premise that: (…) an individual’s spiritual journey, and search for meaning, is one of self-discovery that can be accelerated and deepened with ritual and mindful cannabis use. We use the sacred flower to reveal the best version of self, discover a … Read moreElevationism and the International Church of Cannabis
The 2011 contest attracted over 900 entries via the Huffington Post’s comments section, of which over 100 were chosen to be featured; the 2013 iteration attracted a grand total of 3. You’ve got the long hair, the nice bushy beard, and lots of beliefs, but you don’t have the 2.2 billion adherents worldwide. Or perhaps … Read moreHuffPo’s “Create Your Own Religion Competition” (2011 and 2013)
Founded by the Reverend Chris Korda and Pastor Kim in 1992, the Church of Euthanasia is a Dadaist quasireligion promoting environmentalism via human extinction: Prayer for a Good Death by Rev. Chris Korda Great Spirit, I am unworthy;My species has disgraced itself.Of all the species that live, or have ever lived,Mine is the lowliest.Lower than … Read moreThe Church of Euthanasia: “Save the planet, kill yourself”
Like most, if not all of the diverse experiences at Shadow Traffic’s Lost Horizon Night Market, the Church of the Electric God was a one-night-only affair. Worshippers who entered the ephemeral box-truck Church (on a strictly individual basis) communed with a sonic deity via electronic drone music.
The Church of Universal Suffrage was founded in Nashville, Tennessee on June 1, 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic, upon the belief that: (…) all people are created equal and that they are all endowed by their Creator with the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The right to vote is a … Read moreThe Church of Universal Suffrage
Australian artist Deborah Kelly describes Creation, a “queer science fiction climate change religion” and an experiment in collaboratively creating religion as a work of art: CREATION is a new religion, manifesting in spectacle and intimacy. A faith, a gathering of intention and purpose with which to face an era when paid opinion trumps environmental evidence. … Read more“A religion you can dance to”: Deborah Kelly’s Creation project
What if we had a religion that protected LGBT rights under the umbrella of religious liberty? During the first week of 2022, Republican lawmakers in Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and South Dakota introduced at least 9 measures that limit the ability of transgender and nonbinary youths to participate in sports or receive … Read moreThe Nontheistic, LGBTQIA+ Prism Sanctuary