Recently, a woman from the Philippines purchased a green statue from a local store, initially believing it to be a blessed Buddha statue. She prayed before it daily for over four years. After years of devout worship, she was shocked to discover that the statue she had so earnestly revered was not a Buddha at all, but rather a parody model of Shrek, the titular character from DreamWorks' classic animated film "Shrek."
The woman told media outlets that her faith in the statue had never wavered; she would pray before it daily, filled with devotion for this "deity." It wasn't until a friend visited one day and informed her that the "Buddha statue" was not a divine figure but an animated character that her long-held "religious belief" was profoundly shaken, leaving her stunned. This incident not only sparked reflection on faith but also raised questions about how to identify religious artifacts.
In fact, a similar misunderstanding occurred last year at the Banke Bihari Temple in India. Devotees at the temple mistakenly believed water flowing from an elephant statue was sacred "charan amrit" (holy water from the feet of deities). It turned out to be ordinary water dripping from an air conditioner. A temple member subsequently emphasized that the water was unsafe and urged devotees not to drink it.
Regarding this incident, one devotee expressed his disappointment and heartbreak. He stated that they had come with deep faith, only to discover that the water was not sacred, which was heartbreaking. He urged the temple to take measures to prevent devotees from mistakenly believing the water was sacred, as this not only affected their faith but also posed a potential health risk.
via： News18