The hottest Religion Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

Why I Am Not a Christian

Skeptic • 234 implied HN points • 12 Nov 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Atheism is not a belief system, it is a lack of belief in God.
  2. Enlightenment humanism, not atheism, drives moral progress through reason and science.
  3. The basis for morality and values can be universal and grounded in humanistic principles, regardless of religious beliefs.

Beyond the Grade: Uvalde, Satan and the Problem of Evil

Humanities in Revolt • 159 implied HN points • 09 Jun 22
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. The problem of evil questions how an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God allows unnecessary suffering and evil in the world.
  2. The existence of Satan presents a challenge to the perception of God's omnipotence and goodness.
  3. Philosophical discussions around the problem of evil suggest various explanations, such as the free-will defense, to reconcile God's qualities with the presence of evil.

So We Won't Forget

Passing Time • 234 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Religion
  1. People film concerts to capture moments and memories.
  2. Filming footage at concerts often doesn't capture the true experience.
  3. Despite imperfections, capturing moments through videos, pictures, or words is a natural human desire.

Hexagram 36

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. The I Ching can provide guidance during tough times, especially when the future feels uncertain. It has been used historically by many to find hope and clarity amidst challenges.
  2. Hexagram 36, known as 'the darkening of the light,' suggests a way to live in difficult circumstances. It encourages curiosity and perseverance even when things seem bleak.
  3. The I Ching's structure has been linked to the genetic code, which hints at a deeper connection between life and these ancient teachings. This connection may reveal insights about growth and change in all living systems.

Family day

Splattern • 39 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Religion
  1. Spending time with family is important and can lead to funny and deep conversations. Little moments, like a walk in the park or a chat over lunch, can mean a lot.
  2. Being together in a community, especially during tough times, helps people feel supported. Going to temple allowed for connection and reflection on serious issues affecting loved ones.
  3. It's hard to debate conflicts like the one in Israel and Palestine because they involve real pain. Understanding different perspectives is important, but so is recognizing the emotions behind those perspectives.
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Are We Entering a Psychic Future?

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 5 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🎙 Podcasts Religion
  1. Academic and cultural attitudes toward psychic phenomena are shifting, with growing interest in rigorous research and a possible paradigm shift toward models like dual-aspect monism that integrate consciousness with physical reality.
  2. Telepathy, synchronicity, magic, and UFO experiences challenge strict materialism and call for coordinated scientific and humanities study. Belief, methodology, and social context affect outcomes, and suppression of these phenomena can make things worse.
  3. Emerging technologies and cultural changes could blur the psychic–physical boundary and create both ethical risks and transformative possibilities. Thoughtful research, disclosure, and governance are needed to steer these changes toward positive social outcomes.

"The Map is not the Territory": On the Intersection of Image and Faith

Off-Topic • 209 implied HN points • 21 Nov 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Words hold power in creating social change, but the rise of digital imagery has added a new layer to communication.
  2. Adopting a new religion can bring a sense of community, but also exposes one to the complexities and challenges associated with that identity.
  3. In today's digital age, the manipulation of images and information has become increasingly prevalent, leading to challenges in discerning truth from misinformation.

Do you like your ideas? Then have children

Wood From Eden • 336 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Religion
  1. Pro-natalism is about preserving humanity's best ideas through having children.
  2. Culture is inherited through biological lines, impacting the spread of ideas across societies.
  3. The power of ideas may be overestimated, and effective altruism needs to consider cultural contexts for long-term impact.

How Skeptical Are We Allowed to Be?

Cold Button Issues • 39 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Setting a probability of zero for the existence of supernatural or paranormal powers is statistical bigotry.
  2. Groups organizing paranormal challenges likely don't overestimate the probability of these powers, providing a reasonable non-zero estimate for their existence.
  3. Extreme skepticism towards supernatural claims is justifiable for many paranormal phenomena, but practical implications should be considered for high-stake situations.

October 7

72 Degrees North • 39 implied HN points • 11 Nov 23
🌍 World Politics Religion
  1. The recent massacre in Israel was fueled by hatred towards Jews, not government actions.
  2. Ultimate fault is pinned on the capitalist world system, leading to poverty, miseducation, and violence.
  3. A global political realignment is happening, and it's crucial for the Left to prioritize support for vulnerable minorities like Jews.

A Personal IVF Story

Karlstack • 144 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Religion
  1. A personal IVF story revealed the author's unique background and insights into the political implications of IVF treatments.
  2. Democrats are using IVF as a political strategy against Republicans, leveraging statistics on public support for fertility treatments like IVF.
  3. While most support IVF, observant Catholics are a key group opposed to it due to teachings of the Church.

Couples therapy helped me divorce the church

Sex and the State • 21 implied HN points • 05 Jul 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Couples therapy can be beneficial even if it feels painful at times. It might help you understand yourself and your relationship better.
  2. Getting married young can lead to challenges because you're still figuring out who you are. It's important to know your own needs and desires before making big commitments.
  3. External pressures, like from church or family, can impact your decisions about relationships. It's vital to consider what you truly want, rather than just following what others expect.

Automating Spiritual Possession: Anatomy of Mind Control Through AI

Tessa Fights Robots • 18 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Spiritual possession is when outside energy influences a person, making them feel emotions that aren't truly their own. Understanding this can help people regain control over their feelings and actions.
  2. There are forces that exploit people's unresolved pain to manipulate them, often causing division and conflict among groups. Recognizing this can help individuals avoid being controlled by these external influences.
  3. AI can generate and perpetuate these manipulative energies by reacting to the emotional input it receives from people. It's important to be aware of how our emotional energy affects technology and to maintain our spiritual sovereignty.

✨🔍 Vayikra 2023

TorahRedux • 39 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Prayer is a central aspect of Judaism, replacing ancient sacrifices with offerings of oneself.
  2. Everyone is different and has their own unique way of connecting with spirituality.
  3. Unanswered prayers are a normal part of life, like waste, and symbolize the need to move forward with fresh perspectives.

Rites of Spring

Autoscriptorium • 39 implied HN points • 30 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Religion
  1. Spring festivals often occur in mid-April, a month after the start of Aries season, symbolizing new growth and rebirth under the protection of Venus.
  2. Different cultures celebrate the transition to spring around April 30th, with festivals like Floralia and Walpurgisnacht mixing elements of ancient traditions with newer customs.
  3. Walpurgisnacht, on April 30th, holds historical significance in the Harz Mountains in Germany, blending Christian and pagan beliefs in a festive way.

Harris Rosenblum: Algorithmic Alienation and Transcendence

Do Not Research • 79 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. People on the internet are turning to magical belief structures due to a vacuum of meaning in their lives and worsening material conditions.
  2. Marx's theory of alienation in capitalism highlights separation from labor, nature, others, and self, leading to a lack of meaning and productive agency.
  3. Algorithm-driven alienation leads individuals into online communities that generate new ideologies, identities, and political narratives, ultimately challenging existing hegemonic norms.

Boyz n the Huth

backstory • 145 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Religion
  1. Missiles were fired at ships in the Red Sea from Houthi-controlled Yemen in January 2024
  2. The Houthi movement in Yemen started as a religious revival and grew into a full-scale rebellion by 2014
  3. Yemen has a complex history with tribal leaders, prison systems, and involvement in wars with Iraq and Saudi Arabia

I was vulnerable to Evangelical Christianity

Sex and the State • 16 implied HN points • 25 Jul 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Sometimes, it's hard to understand how others feel about their beliefs, especially when we see them acting differently than we expect. This can leave us confused and questioning what's really true.
  2. A lot of people may find comfort in structured beliefs, especially if they have trouble dealing with uncertainty. It's about wanting clear answers and rules to follow.
  3. Not everyone processes situations in the same way. Some people seem to naturally know what to say or do, while others might struggle and need more certainty to feel safe.

Things Hidden at Novitate 2023

How the Hell • 165 implied HN points • 04 Nov 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Peter Thiel discussed the Apocalypse, Antichrist, and the importance of going to church at Novitate 2023.
  2. Darryl Cooper highlighted similarities in the lives of Dostoevsky and Nietzsche at the conference.
  3. The argument that technology, specifically AI, will cause the Apocalypse was presented by Byrne Hobart and Tobias Huber.

Walsh on the Judeo-Christian Tradition

Bet On It • 125 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. In a six-hour course, George Walsh covers the history and ideas of Judaism and Christianity with erudition and humor.
  2. The Judeo-Christian tradition explores the commonalities, divergences, and origins of these influential religions.
  3. Despite controversies and purges in philosophical circles, George Walsh's lectures from 1989 continue to inspire awe and admiration.

✨🔍 Bo 2024

TorahRedux • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Responsibility for positive change brings true freedom.
  2. Discipline and freedom are interconnected; discipline is the path to true freedom.
  3. Value human connection and never leave anyone behind in your journey towards victory.

The Germanic Thunderweapon Part II: Thunder Goes Clubbing

Norse Mythology & Germanic Lore • 19 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
💾 History Religion
  1. The word 'Thor' is derived from Old Norse 'Þórr' and was used for the thunder god, representing both the sound of thunder and the divine being behind it.
  2. In the ancient Germanic world, the term for thundergod, 'Þórr,' evolved into 'donar' in Old High German and 'þunor' in Old English, eventually leading to the term 'thunder' in Modern English.
  3. Archaeological findings indicate a trend of Germanic club-shaped pendants, possibly associated with Hercules, before the prevalence of Thor's hammer pendants during the Viking Age.

An Interview with Scott Alexander

Time Well Spent • 103 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Consider categorizing AI as self-contained slices of digital brain regions to understand its functioning better
  2. Maintaining babies on the same schedule helps in managing care more efficiently
  3. The rise in depression rates among young people could be associated with the impact of social media

Occult War

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 16 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Religion
  1. The current conflicts in the Middle East may be influenced by deep-seated occult ideas rather than just politics or resources. Some believe that certain regions have hidden powers that factions want to control.
  2. There is a significant historical rivalry among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam that drives much of the ongoing violence. Each religion sees itself as the truest faith, which can lead to conflict with others.
  3. Some thinkers argue that monotheistic beliefs can promote a desire for power and dominance. This quest for a 'one true' faith may encourage division and violence among different groups.

Dreams of the Collective Unconscious

Skunk Ledger • 133 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Religion
  1. Different groups have varying apocalyptic myths, reflecting societal concerns, even if objective data shows improvement.
  2. The world may be getting better in measurable ways but worse in ways that are harder to quantify.
  3. Apologetics involves trusting intuition and exploring underlying structures to understand beliefs and cultural narratives.

Religion is Social

What Is Called Thinking? • 120 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Aayan Hirsi Ali converted to Christianity for cultural and civilizational reasons, not just doctrine or creed.
  2. Religion can be based on social and relational motivations, like the story of Ruth converting to Judaism.
  3. Conversion to a religion can involve a combination of reasons, such as societal threats and the need for a way of life.

Political Bypassing-

Charles Eisenstein • 1 implied HN point • 24 Jan 26
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Spiritual bypassing is a useful idea for spotting when spiritual language avoids real problems, but the label can also be misused to dismiss valid conversations.
  2. Politics and spirituality should not be kept in separate silos; progress requires bringing them into dialogue and integrating both perspectives.
  3. Discussion is being moved off the original comment system into a dedicated forum, and short videos will continue to be posted frequently.

Thanksgiving (27/30)

psychotechnology • 3 implied HN points • 28 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Religion
  1. There is a clear resistance to adopting American holiday customs or learning their origins, as a way to avoid further cultural influence.
  2. Participating in local traditions can feel meaningful and symbolic—becoming a British citizen led to enjoying small rituals like Christmas crackers even while still feeling partly foreign.
  3. Personal connection matters more than formal holidays: reconnecting with an old friend and shared simple moments (like drinking beers) are valued above traditional celebrations, and there's a preference for unconventional holidays like Bicycle Day.

Is It Better To Believe In Anything Than In Nothing?

Gideon's Substack • 28 implied HN points • 28 Feb 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religion
  1. Believing in something, even if it's not perfect, can be better than not believing at all. It gives people a sense of meaning in life.
  2. Skepticism is important; it's better to question and understand what you believe rather than blindly accept any belief, especially if it involves harmful practices.
  3. People often connect with beliefs not just through logic, but also through community and shared experiences, like enjoying meals together.