Template:Infobox religion Dinkoism (Template:IPAc-en), the Dinkoist religion, or Dinkamatham[1][2] is a parody religion and social movement that emerged and evolved on social networks[3] organized by independent welfare groups in the Indian state of Kerala. Adherents describe Dinkoism as a genuine religion.
History
According to a report in India Today, Dinkoism[3] was established in 2008 in Kerala by a group of rationalists with the intention of ridiculing "the absurdity of blind religious faith".[4] The community planned to become politically active.[5] A report in The New Indian Express said Dinkoism is gaining members through Facebook.[3] The BBC described Dinkoism in 2016 as an atheist movement with significant growth on social media.[6]
Description
Template:Main The religion purports to worship Dinkan, a comic book character.[7] Dinkoists celebrate the character—a superhero mouse that appeared in 1983 in defunct Malayalam-language children's magazine Balamangalam—as their God for the purpose of exposing superstitions and fallacies and practices of traditional religions.[6][8]
Events and protests
The concept of Dinkoism has spread through social media but the movement has also organised protest events. On January 30, 2016, a group of Dinkoists, under the banner of Mooshikasena (Rat Army) held a mock protest in front of Dhe Puttu restaurant owned by popular actor Dileep alleging his upcoming film Professor Dinkan hurt their religious sentiments, mocking similar protests happening worldwide.[9][10]
Earlier Dinkoism was in news when an expatriate Dinkoist living in California obtained a license plate with the inscription DINKAN for his car, out of his devotion for Dinkan.[11] In 2016, J. Devika wrote an article about the concept of Dinkoism and the logic of the market.[12]
Conferences
Dinkoists of Kozhikode organised a conference at the Sports Council Hall, Mananchira on March 20, 2016. They organised a variety of entertainments with a theme of tapioca. E. A. Jabbar, a prominent rationalist, endorsed Dinkoism.[7]
In April 2016, 25,000 Dinkoists were expected to gather for a convention called a "Dinkamatha Maha Sammelanam" to "present their rights as a minority community".[5] Dinkoists have received threatening messages as well as opposition from believers of other religions.[3]
See also
- Church of the SubGenius
- Discordianism
- Dudeism
- Evolution as fact and theory
- Existence of God
- Fideism
- Flying Spaghetti Monster
- Intelligent falling
- Invisible Pink Unicorn
- Mighty Mouse
- Out Campaign
- Parody religion
- Reductio ad absurdum
- Religious satire
- Theological noncognitivism
References
- ↑ Praise the squeaky lord, a new religious minority is born in India!(22 March 2016). Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ↑ The Curious Case of Lord Dinkan. Graphics Shelf.com(23 November 2017). Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 'Dinkoists' Gather Under a Troll Tree. The New Indian Express(21 March 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ What is Dinkoism? Why are many Keralites worshipping a superhero mouse?. India Today(5 April 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Dinkoists gear up for 'Maha Sammelanam': 25,000 followers of comic superhero to meet on Sunday in Kozhikode.. Deccan Chronicle(19 March 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The mouse messiah bringing salvation to India's atheists. BBC News(11 April 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 They gather in the name of great 'Dinkan': Dinkoists throng Kozhikode to show strength of new 'religion'.. Deccan Chronicle(21 March 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ Fans of Mallu comic superhero seek 'minority' tag(21 March 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ Protest against upcoming Dileep film named Professor Dinkan(30 January 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ Time to look into Dinkan's ire: A mock protest against a Dileep film takes a potshot at religious groups. The Hindu(7 February 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ {{{title}}}(18 January 2016). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ↑ If You Can't Beat Them, Join 'em – Or, Ente Dinkeswara!. Kafila.org. Retrieved 11 February 2016.