Religious initiation rites

Many

In Brahma Kumarism, after a probationary period of six months to three years, hundreds of young girls and virgin women are married to God in mass weddings.^[1] Their dowries are taken by the organisation after which they belong to it and are often posted at great distance from their families, unlikely to see them again. Returning to the world after doing so is very difficult for them.^[2] The practice was defended by the religion as the only way to stop the poor from dumping unwanted daughters on them.^[3]

Buddhism

Christianity

Gnostic Catholicism and Thelema

The

Belief in the monotheism of God in Islam is sufficient for entering into the fold of faith and does not require a ritual form of baptism.[6] This can be seen in the Quran in the verse: "[And say, “Ours is] the religion of Allah; And who is better than Allah in [ordaining] religion? And we are worshipers of Him.”

Judaism

Conversion to Judaism requires full immersion in a Mikveh, a ritual purification bath connected to a natural spring, well of naturally occurring water or a cistern filled by the rain. According to Orthodox Judaism, immersion of a convert requires three religiously observant male witnesses, preferably rabbis. Potential converts must accept the laws and beliefs in Judaism in front of three witnesses; males must undergo circumcision before the ritual immersion.

Mandaeism

In Mandaeism, priest initiation rites are complex and lengthy. For example, initiating a tarmida (junior priest) takes 68 days.^[7]

Mystery religions

In the

Apuleius, a 2nd-century Roman writer, described an initiation into the mysteries of Isis. The initiation was preceded by a normal bathing in the public baths and a ceremonial sprinkling by the priest, after which the candidate was given secret instructions in the temple of Isis. The candidate then fasted for ten days from meat and wine, after which he was dressed in linen and led at night into the innermost part of the sanctuary, where the actual initiation, the details of which were secret, took place. On the next two days, dressed in the robes of his consecration, he participated in feasting.^[8] Apuleius describes also an initiation into the cult of Osiris and yet a third initiation, all of the same pattern.^[9]

The water-less initiations of Lucius, the character in Apuleius's story who had been turned into an ass and changed back by Isis into human form, into the successive degrees of the rites of the goddess was accomplished only after a significant period of study to demonstrate his loyalty and trustworthiness, akin to

The

Khande Di Pahul was initiated in the times of Guru Gobind Singh when

With the recitation of the five banis completed, khande di pahul or amrit, the Nectar of Immortality, was ready for administration. Guru Gobind Singh gave the five Sikhs five palmsful each to drink.

Wicca

In Wicca, an infant is held up to the God and Goddess by the mother and then sprinkled with water or passed over a small fire. This is called Wiccaning.

References