Catharists believed there are two gods, one good and the other evil. The evil god created human beings and the good god created angels. They believed that each person has an angel trapped inside. Only by living a life without sin can a person free his or her angel. This movement from the thirteenth century is having a revival in the place where it started, the Languedoc region of southern France. We talked to Jean de Chabaud, Senior, in the commune of Villevieille on the grounds of Chateau de Villevieille whose blue chapel was where the faith was first declared. “In my opinion,” said Jean, “this is easier to believe than believing a benevolent omnipotent God created sinful human beings and required his son to die for them.” Jean paused to knock tobacco ashes from his pipe. “You can see, I’m no angel. Right? But I don’t need anyone to die for me to save my soul. That’s the way I feel.”
Unknown religions