In Indonesia, digging up the dead is a spiritual practice  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

	Open in app or online 💀 Can the dead come back to life? In Indonesia, digging up the dead is a spiritual practice Religion Unplugged Feb 15   Cross-post   Hi ReligionUnplugged readers, Photojournalist Garry Lotulung traveled over 17,000 miles to the Indonesian island South Sulawesi, home to the Toraja people. Toraja means “those who are from mountains.” They’re a largely Christian people — and they practice a unique and ancient ceremony to honor their dead. In the Ma’nene ritual, which takes place every three to five years in August, Torajans exhume the bodies of dead family members. During that process, the crypts are cleaned, and the bodies are cleaned, re-dressed and taken care of. Some will even give their family members a cigarette. The ritual is a very spiritual and social one for the people, though it’s also become a form of tourist attraction, which critics say removes the sanctity. The Ma’nene ritual is fascinating all the same, and today’s top story explores it in-depth. Want to learn even more? Check out this video on our YouTube with Lotulung, who shares the emotional impact of this project and more. An Indonesian Tradition Of Digging Up Dead Relatives For A Spirited Afterlife Ritual In the unusual tradition of Ma’nene in South Sulawesi of Indonesia's Toraja region, families lovingly clean, dress up and even put cigarettes in the mouths of the exhumed bodies of their dead relatives. This photo essay and video offers ReligionUnplugged.com readers a glimpse of this unique religious and cultural ceremony. by Vishal Arora Share Jewish Fashion Photographer Erwin Blumenfeld On Display At Paris Museum (REVIEW) Erwin Blumenfeld was the perfect fashion photographer. The Museum of the Art and History of Judaism in Paris is showcasing this work in over 180 photographs with the temporary exhibit “The Trials and Tribulations of Erwin Blumenfeld, 1930-1950.” It spans Blumenfeld’s most active and influential period. by Jillian Cheney Why Foreign Aid Is Not Changing Africa And What Can Be Done (OPINION) The goal of aid is to end situations that lead to aid. It is estimated that the West has given $1.2 trillion in aid and development assistance to Africa since 1990 according to Greg Mills in the book “Expensive Poverty.” Much of that aid came from the U.S. But sadly the foreign aid has had little or no impact on bettering the lives of poor Africans. by Desta Heliso ‘The Banshees Of Inisherin’ Asks The Question On Everyone’s Minds: Does God Care About Miniature Donkeys? (REVIEW) Ever get the sinking feeling that your friends don’t like you? That every time you talk, they’re just wishing you’d shut up — that they’re even timing how long you talk? Or worse: have you always thought you had a friend until, one day, they just told you they didn’t like you anymore? That horrifying premise is the driving force behind Martin McDonagh’s heartbreakingly bloody friendship breakup “The Banshees of Inisherin.” by Jillian Cheney Whistleblower Details New Allegations About $100 Billion LDS Fund A former employee of a $100 billion investment fund owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has submitted a memorandum to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee about the operations of the Salt Lake City, Utah, based Ensign Peak Advisors Inc. The 90-page memorandum obtained by ReligionUnplugged.com“summarizes evidence of false statements, systematic accounting fraud, private inurement violations of the Internal Revenue Code and other federal statutes and a ‘Klein conspiracy’ by Ensign Peak Advisors, Inc. (‘EPA’) and others.” by Paul Glader ‘The Chosen’ Wraps Up An Uneven Third Season With A Worthy Bang (REVIEW) "The Chosen" wraps up an uneven third season in a triumphant manner, highlighting all the strengths and weaknesses of what might be the biggest faith-based project ever made. by Joseph Holmes 🏈 100 Million Super Bowl Viewers Expected To See Jesus — And Two Christian Quarterbacks 🔌 In this week’s Weekend Plug-in, Bobby Ross Jr. highlights the religion angles in this weekend’s Super Bowl. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith. Don’t forget! You can subscribe to receive Bobby’s column directly in your inbox on Friday mornings! Subscribe to Weekend Plug-In Thanks again for reading! At ReligionUnplugged, we cover the role of religion in public life and in peoples' lives. If you appreciate our journalism, become a sustaining monthly donor by clicking the button below. Donate Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.    Cross-post     Like Comment Share   Read Religion Unplugged’s Week in Headlines in the app Listen to posts, join subscriber chats, and never miss an update from Religion Unplugged. © 2023 Religion Unplugged 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104 Unsubscribe