The initial image that most people have of churches is of places where people gather to worship God.
Put differently, there are churches throughout the world where people do not worship God. It sounds strange, doesn’t it?
Five churches devoid of worship of God
The following five churches from throughout the globe fit this description:
1. The Maradona Church
By erecting a chapel in honour of the legend Diego Maradona, some ardent football enthusiasts have gone above and beyond in their devotion to the Argentine football player. Iglesia Maradoniana, also referred to as the “Church of Maradona,” is an Argentinean church with more than 500,000 adherents worldwide.
In this church, Maradona is the god, and every activity is modelled after him. To become a member of the Church of Maradona, you have to pledge your devotion to Maradona and the principles of the Church. Before you can be baptised in the Church of Maradona, you are expected to score a goal with your left fist, as Maradona did during the 1986 World Cup. This church also has its own calendar and commandments, all revolving around the football star.
2. Church Of Bey
Beyoncé Knowles, the popular singer, also has a church dedicated to her. The members practice what is called Beyism and the name of the church is The National Church of Bey. The members of this church strongly believe that Beyoncé is a deity and they hold services where they gather to sing Beyonce’s songs.
3. Church Of Cannabis
Another church where God isn’t worshipped is the Church of Cannabis. As the name implies, the church is dedicated to cannabis. Located in the United States, these churches (three of them) have members who believe cannabis binds them together. The Church of Cannabis has one commandment: treat others the way you want to be treated.
4. Church of Yeezus
Just as lovers of Maradona created a church dedicated to him, fans of Kanye West also did the same. This church, known as the Church of Yeezus, revolves around Kanye West, even though he has never identified with it. The Church of Yeezus believes that the rapper is the god and saviour of the human race and members refer to themselves as Ye’ciples.
5. Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Another controversial church where God isn’t the major focus is the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, where members worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM).
This church started out as a satire. It was created by Bobby Henderson in 2005 as a parody religion in response to discussions about teaching intelligent design alongside evolution in public schools. But it has since grown to amass lots of followers who now use satire and humour to raise serious questions about the intersection of religion, education, and public policy.
Would you like to visit any of these churches?