# Religion that uses Pepsi in sacred ceremony? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2000, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699 "2000-04-18T13:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/1 "2000-04-18T13:02:00Z")
I seem to recall reading something years ago that there was a religion somewhere (far East perhaps) that has some kind of ceremony where Pepsi is used. Only Pepsi can be used, Coke was forbidden. (I might have it reversed, maybe Coke was used and Pepsi was forbidden) I realize that’s pretty vague, but I’d say more if I could remember more. Anybody else hear this? What religion in what country is this? ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/2 "2000-04-18T13:11:00Z")
While I don’t specifically know about any religion as such, I do know that, at least at certain times, Coke or Pepsi has fallen out of favor in certain regions. IIRC, it mainly had to do with the conflict between the Arabs and the Israelis; if Coke was selling to the Israelis, the Palestinians (or whomever) would boycott, and I don’t mean your typical college-activist boycott; NOBODY bought it. Pepsi/Coke would lose a major market, so it came down to selling to as many countries as possible without pissing any of them off. Come to think of it, I bet I read that in the Straight Dope. Dammit. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/3 "2000-04-18T13:29:00Z")
Well, when I lead a circle about three years ago, we used purple koolaid and pecan sandies for the sacrement. But that’s just because they were handy. I haven’t heard of any religion that specifically requires one soft drink over another. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/4 "2000-04-18T13:36:00Z")
I think its all ludicrous. It matters not if you drink Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Barq’s Root Beer, Jolt, Mountain Dew (non-Canadian): we all worship the same molecule – caffeine! * * * You must unlearn what you have learned. – Yoda ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/5 "2000-04-18T14:49:00Z")
I drink Mountain Dew religiously. Does that count for anything? * * * “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” - Adam Smith ---
**Author:** ![danielnsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@danielnsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danielnsmith)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/6 "2000-04-18T14:53:00Z")
Does anyone know what RC stands for? Most would have you beleive that it stands for Royal Crown, but it actually means _Recycled Coke_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/7 "2000-04-18T14:55:00Z")
You can use any soft drink, but the text on the label has to be in Arabic. * * * Yer pal, Satan [http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif](http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif) _I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR: One week, two days, 12 hours, 55 minutes and 12 seconds. 381 cigarettes not smoked, saving $47.69. Life saved: 1 day, 7 hours, 45 minutes._ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/8 "2000-04-18T16:28:00Z")
A word to the wise; when Great Cthulhu asks for a Pepsi to wash down his Fritos, you’d better not try to slip him a Coke. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/9 "2000-04-18T16:45:00Z")
Pepsi-Cola is an anagram of Episcopal - does that help? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2000, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/10 "2000-04-19T05:00:00Z")
I’ve been sitting here playing with my Google, and I found two possibilities: > [@](#): > > \*\* > Coke-Pepsi wars at religious ceremonies > ‘Cola war’ reaches Anandpur Sahib \*\* This was at [http://www.tribuneindia.com/99apr14/punjab.htm#6](http://www.tribuneindia.com/99apr14/punjab.htm#6) and seems to have more to do with marketing than with actual religious ceremonies. Then there’s this. [http://www.clevelandartists.net/truestories/religion.htm](http://www.clevelandartists.net/truestories/religion.htm) > [@](#): > > \*\*Cola Wars > The Toronto Globe and Mail reported in 1993 on the religious importance of Pepsi in the town of San Juan Chamula in southern Mexico. Practicing a blend of Christianity of the worship of Mayan gods, many parishioners believe their leaders’ doctrine that because Pepsi had more bubbles that Coke, it is closer to the sun, and thus more powerful. Bottles of Pepsi appear among holy artifacts inside local churches, and some leaders believe the cola has healing powers. (Coke officials say the dominance is due purely to Pepsi’s payment of kickbacks to the leaders.) \*\* Here’s their website, but it looks like they have only a 7-day archive. Bummer! [http://www.globeandmail.com/](http://www.globeandmail.com/) I’m sorry but I’m not interested enough to rummage my way through Google’s 10,000 hits on the words “San Juan Chamula”. From the looks of it, though, that’s the one that Revtim is thinking of. ## Apparently it’s not only a big tourist destination, but is also a hotbed of some kind of religious controversy. “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!” - the White Queen ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/11 "2000-04-19T05:22:00Z")
There was a story a while back (I swear that I read it in the News of the Weird, but I can’t find it using their search engine) that Pepsi Cola was marketing it’s product in some part of Central America as being the preferred cola for cures. Pepsi had more bubbles, which made it more magical. I may have confused a few details, but believe me, I’m not making this one up! Of course, there always is Waponi Woo, where Orange Jump soda is the sacred drink (isn’t it?) ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2000, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/12 "2000-04-19T05:29:00Z")
Hey Notthemama, I think you nailed it with the San Juan Chamula story. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2000, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/13 "2000-04-19T05:50:00Z")
Here’s an article that mentions the residents of San Juan Chamula using Pepsi in their religion: [http://www.best.com/~advo/freeman/920504.html](http://www.best.com/~advo/freeman/920504.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2000, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/14 "2000-04-18T21:20:00Z")
In _Dream Park_ by Larry Niven, a (fictonal) New Guiea tribe refers to “That sacred liquid which you Europeans know as ko-ka-ko-la”. Dunno how much basis Niven had for it. * * * “There are only two things that are infinite: The Universe, and human stupidity-- and I’m not sure about the Universe” –A. Einstein ---
**Author:** ![Dystopos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@Dystopos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dystopos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2000, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/15 "2000-04-19T04:07:00Z")
Not to inflame anyone - my childhood recollections may be completely off, but I remember the Mormon family across the street never let their kids have caffeinated soft drinks - then all of a sudden they were drinking Pepsi (not all the time, but not refusing it as expected). I later heard that the Mormon church had purchased the Pepsi-Cola Company (or it’s parent?) Does anyone have any information to dispel or confirm this recollection before it becomes a rumor? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/16 "2000-04-20T05:48:00Z")
Our friends at Snopes on [Mormons, soft drink company ownership and urban legends](http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/mormon.htm) . It’s a myth. [Note: This message has been edited by manhattan] ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2000, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/17 "2000-04-19T21:57:00Z")
Chronos, you’re thinking the same thing I am, except the novel was Niven’s _The Barsoom Project_, not _Dream Park_. The idea was that around WWII times, fighter craft and bombers were shot down over the islands, and the natives considered it to be gifts from the gods above when they found the cargo on board. Cargo cults, they were called, I believe. [http://www.channel1.com/mpr/Articles/63-frum.html](http://www.channel1.com/mpr/Articles/63-frum.html) has some interesting bits on cargo cults in the South Pacific: > [@](#): > > In the Melanesian moral system riches were exclusively the result > of labor. When the foreigners came the moral compass of their world lost its fix and swung wild and useless. It was necessary to > redress the situation. It seemed that the whites had fooled the gods with their superior magic, so that all this wealth-cargo-was > misdirected. > > The Melanesians had to call the gods’ attention to the situation, and it appeared that white rituals were the key. So they devised > something like the Jon Frum ceremonials, which arose during World War II in response to the sudden appearance of a US military > supply base. They would dress in an approximation of US Army uniform and conduct drills. They set up a miniature air base with a > control tower and radio antenna (a vine strung between poles). During the ritual the chiefs “utter ‘magic’ phrases, such as > ‘Roger…over and out…you have landing clearance…come in’.” [1] The Red Cross, apparently borrowed from American military > hospitals where islanders could get free medical attention during World War II, is also an important symbol for the cult [http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/cargocul.htm](http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/cargocul.htm) also has this to say, in way of example of “cargo cult science” which is somewhat relevant, though not really tracable: > [@](#): > > In the South Seas there is a cargo cult of people. During the war they saw airplanes land with lots of good materials, and they want the same thing to happen now. So they’ve arranged to imitate things like runways, to put fires along the sides of the runways, to make a wooden hut for a man to sit in, with two wooden pieces on his head > like headphones and bars of bamboo sticking out like antennas–he’s the controller–and they wait for the airplanes to land. * * * “I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/18 "2000-04-19T22:16:00Z")
No, _Dream Park_, like I said… _The Barsoom Project_ is the sequel… I haven’t read it yet, so I’m not sure how much it refers to the same setting. Thanks for the quotes, I had gotten it from the library, and returned it months ago. * * * “There are only two things that are infinite: The Universe, and human stupidity-- and I’m not sure about the Universe” –A. Einstein ---
**Author:** ![Dystopos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@Dystopos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dystopos)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/19 "2000-04-20T00:42:00Z")
Ah. The Mormon Soda cartel is a fabrication. Which brings up a particularly nefarious mechanism: the self-perpetuating urban legend. The fact is that my neighbors DID make a switch from a church-recommended caffeine free lifestyle to Generation:next. I wonder if they didn’t fall pray to an obnoxious urban legend about their own church? That seems unlikely given the very efficient centralization of the LDS church - but even if coincidence, it lent credence to an otherwise spurious conjecture. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-that-uses-pepsi-in-sacred-ceremony/10699/20 "2000-04-20T00:43:00Z")
You’re 100% correct. DP was with the cargo cult and the all that. BP was in the arctic. Ok, I’ll take my foot out of my mouth and be content that you liked my links. * * * “I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”