Updated Articles and Resources

By Catherine Beyer, About.com Guide

Branch Davidians at Waco - Students of the Seven Seals Created: Thursday, May 24, 2012 Updated: Thursday, May 24, 2012
The Waco group most commonly known as
Raelian Cloning - Resurrection through Cloning - Raelian Beliefs - Raelian Creation Created: Friday, March 05, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Raelians accept extra-terrestrial cloning technology to be a reality. It is a central part of both their life-after-death beliefs as well as their vision of the original creation of human life on ...
What is Vilokan? - Vodou Spirit Realm - Home of the Lwas Created: Monday, February 22, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Vilokan is the home of the lwa in Vodou. It is synonymous with the spirit realm, as opposed to the physical realm in which mortals live. It is depicted as a submerged island.
Bois Caiman Ceremony - Haitian Pact With the Devil Created: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Controversy surrounds the history of the ceremony held at Bois Caiman in 1791 on the eve of slave revolution against the white colonists. Those wishing to speak ill of either revolutionaries or Vo...
Gnosticism - What is Gnosticism? - Who are the Gnostics? Created: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Gnosticism encompasses a very wide range of beliefs and is better viewed as a collection of religions sharing some common themes rather than as one specific religion. There are two basic component...
Thelema - And Introduction to Thelema for Beginners Created: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Thelema is a complicated set of magical, mystical and religious beliefs formed in the 20th century by Aleister Crowley. Thelemites might be anything from atheists to polytheists, viewing the invol...
Raelian Movement - An Introduction to Raelians for Beginners Created: Thursday, July 23, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
An introduction to the Raelian Movement, including basic beliefs and practices.
What is the Occult? – An Introduction to Occultism – Western Occult Tradition - Western Esoteric Tradition Created: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Rumor, conspiracy theories and Hollywood have created a very warped image of occult studies, leading many to use the word as synonymous with black magic and demon worship. In truth, the occult is ...
72 Names of God – 72 Angels and Demons – Shemhamphorasch - Kabbalah Centre Names of God Created: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
The Kabbalah Centre has popularized the concept of the 72 Names of God, each of which consist of three Hebrew letters. Believers sometimes wear specific names of God on their persons to gain the i...
Kabbalah – Cabala – Qabala - Kaballah - Introduction to Kabbalah for Beginners Created: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
In introduction to Kabbalah, the multiple variations of this belief, and its connection with Judaism. Kabbalah is is spelled a variety of ways, including cabala, qabala, and kaballah.
The Baha'i Faith - An Introduction to Baha'is And Their Faith for Beginners Created: Friday, December 26, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
An introduction to the Baha'i Faith, including basic beliefs and practices.
LaVeyan Satanism - Church of Satan - An Introduction to LaVeyan Satanism for Beginners Created: Monday, October 13, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
An introduction to LaVeyan Satanism, including basic beliefs and practices.
Zoroastrianism - An Introduction to Zoroastrianism for Beginners Created: Thursday, October 09, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
An introduction to Zoroastrianism, including basic beliefs and practices.
Jediism - An Introduction to Jediism for Beginners Created: Wednesday, October 08, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
An introduction to Jedi Religion or Jediism, including basic beliefs and practices.
Rastafari - An Introduction to Rastafari for Beginners Created: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
An introduction to Rastafari, including basic beliefs and practices.
Who is Satan? Satan in Different Religions - The Devil - Lucifer Created: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Satan appears within multiple belief systems. Unfortunately, there is a common presumption that all of these Satanic figures must indeed be the same being, despite the fact that each religion has ...
Baha'i and Babi Roots in Shi'a Islam - Shi'a Islam Foundations of the Babi and Baha'i Movements Created: Monday, June 15, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Developing in Iran, the Baha'i and Babi Faiths can trace their roots back to Shi'a Islam. The similarities and differences between the two religions led to considerable conflict in the 19th centur...
Is Freemasonry a Religion? - Occultism and the Free Masons – Masonic Conspiracy Theories Created: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
The Freemasons are a fraternal order dating back at least four centuries and have likely roots in medieval mason guilds. Questions abound today as to what exactly Freemasons do, believe, and expec...
Rada Loa – Petro Loa – Ghede Loa - Rada and Petro Loa – Lwa Families Created: Thursday, June 04, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
In New World Vodoun, the spirits (or lwa) with whom believers interact are divided into three main families, Rada, Petro, and Ghede. Lwa can be viewed as forces of nature, but they also have perso...
Children in Scientology – How Should Children Be Raised? – How Scientologists Raise Children - Scientology Tips for Raising Children Created: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Scientology offers its followers advice on many aspects of life, including the raising of children. General principles of Scientology can be applied to interactions between children and adults.
Tarot Cards – Tarot Readings – How Does Tarot Work? Created: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Tarot readings are a form of divination giving insight into the influences surrounding person or issue. The skill is seem by some as entirely personal, while others view it as a reflection of a un...
Ahura Mazda and the Twin Spirits - Spenta Mainyu - Angra Mainyu Created: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Ahura Mazda is the supreme deity in Zoroastrianism. From him come many emanations, most notably the twin spirits of bounty and destruction known as Spenta Mainyu and Angra Mainyu (Avestan) or as S...
Xenu – Who is Xenu is Scientology? – Scientology Creation Myth – Galactic Overlord Xenu Created: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Xenu is considered by many critics to be Scientology's dirty little secret. Scientologists are reticent to publicly discuss or even acknowledge the existence of Xenu. Learn about Scientology's vi...
Scientology and Psychiatry - Why Scientology Is Against Psychiatric Treatment Created: Monday, January 05, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
An overview of Scientology's concerns with psychiatry and common psychiatric treatments of mental illness.
Zoroaster - Zarathushtra - The Origins of Zoroastrianism Created: Saturday, December 13, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
The very early history of Zoroastrianism and it's founder, Zoroaster.
How Much Does Scientology Cost? Created: Wednesday, October 08, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
One of the central complaints of Scientology critics is the vast amount of money required for auditing procedures. How much money is really on the line, and is it money well spent?
Divination Created: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Glossary definition of the term
Daemon - Definition of Daemon in The Western Occult Tradition Created: Thursday, April 16, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Glossary definition of the term
Abrahamic Religions or Judeo-Christian Religions Created: Wednesday, October 08, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Glossary definition of the term
Do Satanists Harm Animals? Created: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Is there any truth to the rumors of Satanists harming or sacrificing animals?
How Do I Convert to Satanism? - Joining Satanism - Satanic Conversion Created: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Learn about how to seek membership in Satanic organizations as well whether membership is even necessary for seekers.
Is the New Age Anti-Christian? Can Christians Follow New Age Beliefs? Created: Sunday, May 09, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012
There is nothing inherently anti-Christian about New Age beliefs, although some Christians (primarily more conservative ones) object to various New Age beliefs. Indeed, most New Age beliefs do not...

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