"Christianity"

It’s still the world’s #1 religion, though Islam and Hinduism are nipping at its heels. And boy, does it get weird sometimes.

Unto Us A Child Is Born

William W. Davies and the Walla Walla Jesus

Mormons believe that Jesus once lived in the Americas. Some of them once believed he lived on the outskirts of Walla Walla, WA from 1868-1880.

Categories: Eccentrics & Prophecies, History, Series 12

Tags: American Civil War Christianity cult Jesus Christ Presented by #13 religion

Published: December 26, 2022

William Dudley Pelley, National Commander of the fascist Silver Legion of America

Seven Minutes in Heaven

the misbegotten existence of William Dudley Pelley (1890-1865)

One man's horrifying journey from toilet paper salesman to famous author to spiritual guru to American Hitler to space brother.

Categories: Biography, Eccentrics & Prophecies, History, Series 12

Tags: Christianity crime criminal law extra sensory perception fascism Franklin Delano Roosevelt Hollywood Indiana Japan Massachusetts motion pictures Presented by #13 racism Russia Silver Legion of America Spiritualism Theosophy UFO United States of America Washington, DC William Dudley Pelley World War II

Published: November 14, 2022

Holy Ghost Babies

ten times worse than Brigham Young (or so they say)

George Jacob Schweinfurth was a charlatan who mocked religion, stole money, and despoiled women with his hypnotic powers. Then he did something unexpected.

Categories: Eccentrics & Prophecies, People & Places, Series 11

Tags: "Doctor" John Alexander Dowie, "First Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ" Chicago, IL Christianity cult Dr. Cyrus Reed Teed "Koresh" Illinois Koreshan Unity Michigan Presented by #13 religion

Published: July 25, 2022

The Best Exotic Marigold Gospel

for one messiah, this is just the beginning of an exotic adventure

Where did Jesus get his ideas? Some people think he learned them in India. And some of those people have even ginned up fake evidence for that theory...

Categories: Hoaxes, Frauds & Forgeries, Series 10, Wild Card

Tags: Christianity fakelore folklore Jesus Christ Mirzā Ghulām Ahmad Presented by #13 Theosophy

Published: April 18, 2022

political cartoon showing John Alexander Dowie being run out of Chicago

Marching to Shibboleth

a sordid story of faith healing, financial fraud, flat Eartherism, and figs

Forty miles north of Chicago lies Zion, IL, a sleepy city with a sordid history of faith healing, financial fraud, flat Eartherism... and figs?

Categories: Eccentrics & Prophecies, People & Places, Series 6

Tags: "Doctor" John Alexander Dowie, "First Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ" 1893 Chicago World's Fair and Columbian Exposition Australia Chicago, IL Christianity cult faith healing Illinois Mirzā Ghulām Ahmad New York, NY Presented by #13 Protestantism quackery Sydney, NSW United Kingdom United States of America

Published: February 8, 2021

The Prophet of the Pacific

from San Francisco to Honolulu to Bombay, first class all the way

Sometimes a journey of ten thousand miles starts with mailing yourself from San Francisco to Honolulu.

Categories: Daring & Epic Journeys, Eccentrics & Prophecies, Intriguing & Unsolved Mysteries, People & Places, Series 6

Tags: Christianity Hawaii Ira Colver Sparks missing person Presented by #13 religion San Francisco, CA The Philippines

Published: January 11, 2021

That No Man Take Thy Crown

the rise and fall of the Harmony Society (1803-1905), the richest communists in the world [Part 2]

The Harmony Society managed to survive the death of its founder, but could it survive the twin ravages of time and greed?

Categories: Eccentrics & Prophecies, History, Series 2

Tags: Ambridge, PA Christianity civil law communism Dr. Cyrus Reed Teed "Koresh" Economy, PA Harmony Society John S. Duss Koreshan Unity Old Economy Village Pennsylvania Presented by #13 Protestantism religion

Published: January 27, 2020

Hold Fast What Thou Hast

the rise and fall of the Harmony Society (1803-1905), the richest communists in the world [Part 1]

An unusual cemetery leads us to the story of the Harmony Society (1803-1905), the richest communists in the world, and the saga of their rise and fall.