Recently, at a theological meeting in Rome, scholars had a heated debate on the subject of the ethnicity and nationality of Jesus. One by one they offered their evidence:

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Gautama Buddha made a profound statement: "Be a light unto yourself". To this, Osho adds another: "Be a joke unto yourself". Osho would say: "I have to tell jokes because you are all religious people, you tend to be serious. I have to tickle you sometimes so that you forget your religiousness, your philosophies, theories, systems, and you fall down to earth".

Osho has seen that in spontaneous laughter the noise of the mind stops for a few precious moments, allowing us to experience mindlessness or meditation, however fleetingly.

(See also: Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

On the Internet anti-Catholic sites are reportedly rampant. A check on the words "Catholicism is evil" yields some examples.[1] The Southern Poverty Law Center specifically cites groups like the New Black Panthers, as an anti-Catholic group with an Internet presence. Other groups deemed to be Anti-Catholic who have an online presence include "Reaching Catholics for Christ"[2], "Good News For Catholics"[3], and Chick Publications. Further, when a Christian humor site called "Ship of Fools" recently asked for offensive religious jokes as a reb ...

See also:

Anti-Catholicism, Anti-Catholicism - Religious anti-Catholicism, Anti-Catholicism - Historical anti-Catholicism, Anti-Catholicism - Anti-Catholicism in modern times, Anti-Catholicism - Contemporary anti-Catholicism, Anti-Catholicism - Religious, Anti-Catholicism - Secular, Anti-Catholicism - Abuse of the term, Anti-Catholicism - Actions frequently labeled anti-Catholic, Anti-Catholicism - Additional reading

Read more here: » Anti-Catholicism: Encyclopedia II - Anti-Catholicism - Religious anti-Catholicism

Holi is an abundant celebration of joy, goodness and the season of spring. The day of Holi on Phalgun Purnima (full moon day) is observed as the birthday of Manu, the start of Sambat (first day in the Hindu calendar). Spiritually, it signifies light prevailing over darkness, fear and ignorance.

Holi is associated with mal utsav (smearing of colours) and the Holika bonfire in which dry sticks and cow dung are put to fire and corn seeds burnt to the point of losing their power to germinate. The fire represents the burning away of what is old and worn out. The festivities of Holi have a central message - let bygones be bygones, bury old hatchets and start anew in the spirit of spring.

(See also: Holi, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

A joke is a short story or short series of words spoken or communicated with the intent of being laughed at or found humorous by the listener or reader. A practical joke differs in that the humour is not verbal, but mainly visual (e.g. putting a custard pie in somebody's face). Most jokes contain two components: joke setup (for example, "A man walks into a bar...") and a punchline, which, when juxtaposed with the setup, provides the necessary irony to elicit laughter from the audience. Joke - Psychology of jokesIncluding:

• Joke - Psychology of jokes
• Joke - Types of jokes
• Joke - Yo' mama jokes
• Joke - Political jokes
• Joke - Question–answer
• Joke - Dirty jokes
• Joke - Sick jokes
• Joke - Little Johnny jokes
• Joke - Ethnic jokes
• Joke - Sexist jokes
• Joke - Less offensive versions
• Joke - Blonde jokes
• Joke - Jokes about animals
• Joke - Shaggy dog stories
• Joke - You have two cows
• Joke - Duck jokes
• Joke - Religion in jokes
• Joke - Other classes of jokes

Read more here: » Joke: Encyclopedia - Joke

An unusual depiction of a religious figure is when a well-known religious figure is shown on something on which you would not normally expect to see them. It is a specific form of pareidolia and usually involves just the face. Unlike weeping statues, which generally occur in a religious venue, these depictions can be found in many unusual and unexpected locations. One recurring source is food, with many representations shown on them. The most commonly reported occurrences involve images of Jesus and other people associated with ...

Including:

• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - Unexpected occurrences
• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - Chicago underpass
• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - Mary and Jesus pretzel
• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich
• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Ghana
• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - The NunBun
• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - Created depictions
• Unusual depiction of a religious figure - Icon-caviar

Read more here: » Unusual depiction of a religious figure: Encyclopedia - Unusual depiction of a religious figure

Chukchi, or Chukchee (Russian: чукчи (plural), chukcha, чукча (singular)) are an indigenous people inhabiting the northeasternmost portion of the Russian Federation on the shores of the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea. They speak the Chukchi language.The Chukchi originated from the people living around the Okhotsk Sea. In Chukchi religion, every object, wether animate or inanimate is assigned a spirit. This spirit can be either harmful or benifitial. Chukchi religious practic ...

Read more here: » Chukchi people: Encyclopedia - Chukchi people

Chrismukkah is the merging of the holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah celebrated in interfaith households with one parent of Christian heritage and another parent of Jewish heritage. Chrismukkah is also celebrated as an ironic, alternative winter holiday, much like the Seinfeld-derived "Festivus." The term has been used for many years by some in the Jewish community to comment on the commercialization of Hanukkah and the dominance of the commercialized Christmas in American culture. An exhibit at the Jewish Museum of Berl ...

Read more here: » Chrismukkah: Encyclopedia - Chrismukkah

Folklore is the body of verbal expressive culture, including tales, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs current among a particular population, comprising the oral tradition of that culture, subculture, or group. The academic and usually ethnographic study of folklore is known as folkloristics. Folklore - History. The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological goals; on ...

Including:

• Folklore - History
• Folklore - The study of folklore
• Folklore - Categories of folklore
• Folklore - Other usages
• Folklore - For further reading

Read more here: » Folklore: Encyclopedia - Folklore

Superior may refer to superior (hierarchy), in a hierarchical structure of any kind, a superior is above a subordinate and closer to the apex "Superior" is commonly used as an adjective -- see All pages beginning with "superior" provincial superior, exercises a supervisory role in a religious order Standard Superior, a German automobile brand built in the 1920s that may have been a fore-runner of the Volkswagen Beetle Superior Coach Company, a former manufacturer of school ...

Including:

• Superior - Geographical locations

Read more here: » Superior: Encyclopedia - Superior

Islam History of Islam Oneness of God Profession of Faith Prayer • Fasting Pilgrimage • Charity Muhammad Ali • Abu Bakr Companions of Muhammad Household of Muhammad Prophets of Islam Qur'an • Hadith • Sharia Jurisprudence Biographies of Muhammad Sunni • Shi'a • Sufi Art • Architecture Cities • Calendar Science • Philosophy Religious leaders Women in Islam Political Islam • Jihad Liberal Islam Vocab ...

Including:

• Bektashi - Beliefs
• Bektashi - History
• Bektashi - Poetry and literature

Read more here: » Bektashi: Encyclopedia - Bektashi

The Church of the SubGenius is a satirical, postmodern religious organization, originally based in Dallas, Texas, which gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s subculture, with a large presence on the Internet. Church of the SubGenius - The basics of Bob. The Church of the SubGenius claims to have been founded in 1953, though its current popularity can only be traced to the publication of SubGenius Pamphlet #1 in 1980. It has found acceptance in underground pop-culture circles and been embraced on c ...

Including:

• Church of the SubGenius - The basics of Bob
• Church of the SubGenius - Bob
• Church of the SubGenius - Slack
• Church of the SubGenius - Sense of humor
• Church of the SubGenius - Clenches
• Church of the SubGenius - Devivals
• Church of the SubGenius - X-Day

Read more here: » Church of the SubGenius: Encyclopedia - Church of the SubGenius

The Brazilian Carnival (spelled Carnaval in Portuguese) is an annual celebration held forty days before Easter (marking the start of Lent), in Brazil. "Carnival" literally means "to put away the meat" it's root word being "carn" which means meat. It has some differences from its counterparts in Europe, as well there being variations across the large Brazilian territory. The Brazilian Carnival is known in Brazil simply as carnaval Despite the Catholic inspiration, Brazilian Carnival is celebrated more as a profane ...

Read more here: » Brazilian Carnival: Encyclopedia - Brazilian Carnival

Anti-Catholicism is opposition to the Roman Catholic Church or to Catholics, often employing mischaracterizations, stereotypes and negative prejudices. Its motivations are sometimes religious or political opposition. Occasionally it is little more than rank bigotry. Anti-Catholicism - Religious anti-Catholicism. On the Internet anti-Catholic sites are reportedly rampant. A check on the words "Catholicism is evil" yields some examples.[1] The Southern Poverty Law Center specifically cites groups like the New ...

Including:

• Anti-Catholicism - Religious anti-Catholicism
• Anti-Catholicism - Historical anti-Catholicism
• Anti-Catholicism - Anti-Catholicism in modern times
• Anti-Catholicism - Contemporary anti-Catholicism
• Anti-Catholicism - Religious
• Anti-Catholicism - Secular
• Anti-Catholicism - Abuse of the term
• Anti-Catholicism - Actions frequently labeled anti-Catholic
• Anti-Catholicism - Additional reading

Read more here: » Anti-Catholicism: Encyclopedia - Anti-Catholicism

A wedding is a civil or religious ceremony at which the beginning of a marriage is celebrated. Wedding - Customs. In most societies, a number of wedding traditions or customs have emerged around the wedding ceremony, many of which have lost their original symbolic meaning in the modern world. Other wedding traditions are relatively recent. Some elements of the Western wedding ceremony symbolize the bride's departure from her father's control and entry into a new family with her husband. In mod ...

Including:

• Wedding - Customs
• Wedding - Music
• Wedding - Variants
• Wedding - Events related to weddings
• Wedding - Types of weddings
• Wedding - Wedding traditions
• Wedding - Clothing
• Wedding - Food
• Wedding - Participants
• Wedding - Related travel
• Wedding - Other

Read more here: » Wedding: Encyclopedia - Wedding

A rite of passage is a ritual that marks a change in a person's social or sexual status. The term was popularised by the French ethnographer Arnold van Gennep (1873-1957), in the early part of the twentieth century. Further theories were developed in the 1960s by Mary Douglas and Victor Turner. Rites of passage are often ceremonies surrounding events such as childbirth, menarche or other mile ...

Read more here: » Rite of passage: Encyclopedia - Rite of passage

The Monk is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis that first appeared in 1796. It was written before he turned 20, in the space of 10 weeks. The story concerns Ambrosio, a pious well respected monk in Spain, and his violent downfall. He is undone by carnal lust of his pupil Matilda, and once satisfied is overcome with desire for the innocent Antonia whom he later rapes and kills. In the middle of telling this story, however, Lewis is frequently lured into further digressions, which serve to heighten the Gothic atmosphe ...

Including:

• The Monk - Quotation

Read more here: » The Monk: Encyclopedia - The Monk

Chastushka (часту́шка), a type of traditional Russian poetry, is a single quatrain in trochaic tetrameter with an abab or abcb rhyme scheme. Usually humorous, satirical, or ironic in nature, chastushkas are often put to music as well, usually with balalaika or accordion accompaniment. The rigid, short structure (and, to a lesser degree, the type of humor used) parallels limericks in British culture. The name originates from the Rus ...

Including:

• Chastushka - Examples

Read more here: » Chastushka: Encyclopedia - Chastushka

This CMX is the Finnish band. CMX also refers to a manga brand by DC Comics. See: CMX (comics) for the comic brand. Also, CMX is the name of a company (a collaboration between CBS and Memorex) which developed video editing systems in the 1970s. As well, CMX is the IATA code for Houghton County Memorial Airport in Houghton, Michigan. CMX is a Finnish rock band. They are known for lead singer and bass player A. W. Yrjänä's poetic lyrics of religious imagery and their progressive musical style ...

Including:

• CMX - Lineup
• CMX - Past members
• CMX - Discography
• CMX - Albums
• CMX - EPs
• CMX - Cassette demos
• CMX - Singles
• CMX - DVD's

Read more here: » CMX: Encyclopedia - CMX

Coitus interruptus or withdrawal is an unreliable method of contraception in which, during sexual intercourse, the man removes his penis from the woman's vagina just before he reaches orgasm. That way, the ejaculation of semen is not in the vagina but elsewhere. This method has been widely used for at least 2,000 years and was used by an estimated 38 million couples worldwide in 1991 (Population Action International). In practice, after removing his penis from the vagina, ...

Read more here: » Coitus interruptus: Encyclopedia - Coitus interruptus