Print Page - Cults, Different groups

Christians "without Christ":

This is a group of churches that may call themselves Christians, use the Bible as their Sacred Scripture, and may even have the name of Christ in the title of their church... but they say that "Jesus is not God", or that Jesus Christ is god as much as you and I are god, like the Mormons.

Mormons. The Church of Jesus Christ of the of Latter-day Saints
Jehovah's Witnesses.
Moonies. Unification of Christianity...
Christian Science Church.
Church of Scientology.
Children of God, Family of Love.
Worldwide Church of God, of Armstrong.
Spiritualism.
Church Universal and Triumphant.
Unitarianism... Universalism.
Gnosticism, Neo-Gnosticism.
Way International.
Holy Order of MANS.
Church of the Living God.

Other Cults:
Central London Church of Christ.
Rev. Ike... Penitents... Snake Handlers.
Churches for Homosexuals.
Branch Davidians, "Waco", David Koresh.
People's Temple, Jim Jones, Jonestown.

The "Mormons" is the Church of "contradictions", and of "deception".
Founded in 1830 in Palmyra, New York, by Joseph Smith. 7 million members; 5 in the USA. -- Headquarters: 47 Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 80150.

See the 13 Articles of Faith of the Mormons:
They are one the first statements they will show when they go to the homes... some of them are beautiful, but some of them are great Christian deceptions.... be aware!.

The "Bible":

It is good... but it is good for nothing, at least it agrees with the "Book of Mormon". In fact, Smith introduced 125 new verses only in the New Testament, and changed 1,475 verses in the Bible.

- Only the Mormons use "their Bible", no other Christian does... in fact, no other Christian denomination considers the Mormons as Christians, though they have the name of "Jesus Christ" as the main title of their Church.

"Jesus Christ", and the "Father":

"God the Father", and "Jesus Christ" of the Mormons are not those of the real Bible:

- "God the Father", for the Mormons, was once a man, but became God. He has a physical body, as does his wife, Heavenly Mother. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate gods. Worthy men may one day become gods themselves.

- "Jesus Christ", like God the Father, for the Mormons is "eternal" because he has no end, like any other man, but he is "not eternal", because he had a beginning: He was born from Adam (who was God), by sexually cohabiting with the Virgin Mary in a physical, flesh relationship. Brigham declared emphatically, "Jesus was not begotten by the Holy Ghost". Jesus was married and had children with the two sisters of Lazarus, Maria and Martha... and Jesus became God, as you and I can become God, like Him!... everything contrary of what the real Bible says!.

- An another strange thing of the Mormons: Jesus and Lucifer are brothers!.

The "Latter-day Saints":

The "Latter-day Saints" of the title of their Church, are the "Mormons", because all the churches and creeds before Smith are "abomination" into the Lord, as revealed to Smith by God the Father and Jesus Christ!.

- Any man can become God... "As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man can become", is one of the most famous aphorisms of the Mormons... but of course, only the Mormons can become God, if they are faithful to their Church!... and only "men", not "women".

- This concept of "every man is god", has been taken up by the New Age Movement, but using different methods to become god.

- The Mormons could build on earth a "Garden of Eden", and that's the idea of Utah, USA... but Utah is still not a Garden of Eden!.

The "family"... "polygamy"... "women":

This is another "contradiction" and "deception"of the Mormon Church:

- The "family", "is the most important unit of life", for the Mormons... however, there is polygamy!

-"Polygamy", is forbidden in the "Book of Mormons"; however, Smith, in his 132 revelation was ordered by God to have polygamy, as in the life of Solomon: So, Smith had 27 wives officially, and 60 unofficially, and the second great leader, Brigham Young, had 25 wives with 56 children, and proclaimed, "he who rejects the doctrine of polygamy shall be condemned"... and "the only men who become gods are those who enter polygamy"... however, a third "little Pope", Fielding, abolished officially polygamy in 1904.

... Today, polygamy is forbidden in the Mormon Church, but an estimated 30,000 fundamentalist Mormons have plural marriages in Utah.

- "Women", cannot become priests or church leaders, and cannot become gods... may be this is one reason why in the Mormon Church women have the highest rate of suicides in the nation, the highest percentage in mental institutions, and the highest percentage of divorces in the nation.

- The Church forbids contraceptives and abortion.

The "Book of Mormon":

The "Book of Mormon" is the greatest deception: It was dictated by Smith to Cowdery, not face to face, but from behind a curtain, in a period of 4 years, since 1827 to 1830.

- The story of Smith, is that the Book was written by Mormon in the year 400 A.C., and found by Smith 1,400 years later in Cumorah, near Palmyra, N.Y., with the help of angel Moroni. The Book was buried, and engraved on thin sheets of gold metal, nobody knows how many sheets, 200?, 2,000?... and with the book, there were a pair of large "supernatural spectacles", to translate the reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics of the sheets.

- After translating the Book, Smith returned it to Moroni, without even showing to his wives this great unique treasure... nobody knows what he did with the "supernatural spectacles", another unique great treasure!...

... But for most evangelicals, the Book is a plagiarism of a fiction novel written by Solomon Spaulding in 1816, "Manuscript Story"... and may be this is the reason why Smith always dictated the book from behind a curtain.

- Martin Harris, an old friend of Smith, portrayed him as "a religious faker, a charlatan", in a letter in 1830.

"Contents" of the Book of Mormon:

It is another great deception:

- The Book relates a thousand-year history of a lost tribe of Israelites who left Palestine and came to America to become the ancestors of the Native Americans. The leader of the lost tribe was Lehi, who had two sons: Laman and Nephi. They lived in pease and love, until the Lamanites became bad people, who fought and annihilated the Nephites near Palmyra, N.Y. in 428 AC But, before his demise, Mormon, the Nephite leader, wrote and buried his Book, including the appearance of Christ in America, after his resurrection, instituting the ordinances of baptism, communion, and priesthood.

-- The Book was published in 1830, with the subtitle "Another Testament of Jesus Christ", and it is the most sacred scripture for the Mormons, "the most correct book of any on earth"...

... But here comes the big deception:

- The Mormon's doctrine often contradicts the Book of Mormon's doctrine:

- The Book says, "there is only one God", Mormonism teaches "there are many gods" (Mosiah 15:1-5, Alma 11:28, 2 Nephi 31:21, Journal of Discourses, Smith, Vol.6, pag..5).

- The Book says, "the Trinity is one God", Mormonism teaches, "the Trinity is 3 separate gods" (Alma 11:44, Mosiah 15:5, 2 Nephi 31:21, Articles of Faith,Talmage, pag.35, 1985).

- The Book says, "God is Spirit", Mormonism teaches "God has the form of a man" (Alma 18:24,28, Journal of Discourses, Smith, Vol.6, p.3.

- The Book says, "polygamy condemned", but polygamy was taught and practiced (Jacob 1:15, 2:23-31, Ether 10:5,7, Mosiah 11:2,4, Journal of Discourses, Young, Vol.3, p.266).

... And another big deception:

At least 12 essential Mormon doctrines are not found in the Book of Mormon: The Church organization, the Aaronic priesthood, Celestial Marriage, Baptism for the Dead, men my become gods, the pre-existing doctrine, the 3 degrees of glory in heaven, eternal progression, God is an exalted man, plurality of gods, plurality of wives doctrine, Word of Wisdom...

The "biggest deception":

The "biggest deception" of the Mormons is that their "Sacred Books" contradict each other, so, if you tell them that Mormonism teaches that there are many gods, they will show you the Book of Mormon teaching that there is only one God... and so forth...

To be cont....

The "Articles of Faith":

When they go to your home, they show you some of their "Articles of Faith", those appealing to a good Christian, but they are very deceptive: For example, the Article 1 says, "We believe in God, the eternal Father, and in his son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit"... but they don't say that they are 3 gods!... and they don't say that the Father is "eternal" only because he has no end, like any other men, but he had a beginning, so, he was actually "not eternal"... Article 8 says, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly"... but they don't explain to you that the "right translation" of Smith contains 1,475 verses changed from the real Bible.

The "Sacred Books" of the Mormons":

The "Book of Mormon"; The "Bible", correctly translated; "Doctrines and Covenants"; "The Pearl of Great Price", with the "Articles of Faith", and, like the Book of Mormon, is considered to be a divine revelation superior to the Bible.

Joseph Smith was a "false prophet":

Smith thought he was living in the last days before Christ return, and prophesied Jesus Second coming for 1890, but he died in 1844, without witnessing the non-fulfillment of his prophecy.

"Restitution"... the "key word":

The key word for the Mormons is "restitution", the words of Peter in Act.3:21, "restitution of all things"... they claim this restitution, or restoration, began in 1820 with Smith: The restitution of divine truths with the Book of Mormons, restitution of the priesthood, of sacred temples... but they don't realize that Peter was talking about "Jesus Christ", who restored already everything with his death and resurrection almost 2,000 years ago... Peter was not talking about Smith!.

The "blacks":

Smith taught that they were the defendants of Cain and therefore cursed... they were barred from the priesthood until Spencer Kimball received a "revelation" abrogating this injunction. Kimball died in 1985, and was succeeded as President by Ezra Taft Benson.

"Good people"... another deception:

It is impressive to see the young Mormons dedicating 2 years full time to the Church as missionaries, going the two in two, with closely cropped hair and regalia of dark suits, white shirts, subdued ties, polished shoes... representing the most basic human values: Patriotism, sobriety, familial responsibilities, hard work...

- Their sincerity is beyond question, 30,000 of them, garner 200,000 converts each year...

... But they are deceived, as millions of young Communists were deceived, as the followers of Jimmy Jones were deceived... and deceived people are the best to deceive other people...

... They are deceived, expecting to become God, and create new planets... they are deceived with the satanic and masonic rituals of the "celestial marriages" in the temple... they are deceived thinking that with the proxy "baptism for the dead" they can save their ancestors... a "baptism for the dead" taken erroneously from 1Cor.15:29...

- I pray Jesus to light the life of those Mormons of good faith, and I order Satan to go out of the heart of any Mormon who may read these lines. Only Satan can make up such deceptions and contradictions. Thank you, Jesus.

A Rich Church:

When you visit Temple Square in Salt Lake City, everything is "free"... but don't be deceived... the Mormon Church has assets of $8 "billion", making it the wealthiest Protestant Church in America... not everything is free!... all this fortune comes from the "deceived members", they end up giving to the Church their money, time, and life.

Next up, Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society

It was founded by Charles T. Russell in 1852, though the first formal organization was in Pittsburgh in 1872.

- 3 million members worldwide, and 926,614 in the USA, with 9,985 Kingdom or Assembly Halls (in 1994).

- Address: 117 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11202 (called "Bethel").

- Before, they have been called "Millennial Downists", "International Bible Students", and "Russsellites", after their first leader.

... Their official name, is not "Jehovah's Witnesses", but an Incorporated Society, the "Wathtower Bible and Tract Society" ... in this Society, the leaders are elected by the number of "stocks" they have; the "President of the Society" is the one who has more stocks... the members do not vote, they do not count, even though they are the ones who bring the money, selling Bibles, Books, the Watchtower, Tracts... the actual President is Milton G. Henschel, since 1993.

Very active members:

The Witnesses are very active, selling 100,000 books and Bibles, and 800,000 copies of its two magazines, daily!... from home to home...

False Prophecies:

The Witnesses are the children of the Adventists, and as the Adventists, they have officially announced the Second Coming of Christ and the Armageddon for 6 dates: 1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, and 1975... and never came!...

... The prophet whose prophecies are not fulfilled is a "false prophet"... on everything!.

... But the Society, and the money, keeps going on, because every time there was an "strange explanation", swallowed by some members: After the 1914 failure, the explanation was that Christ did not come to earth, but "became king in heaven", and cast out Satan, with the consequent World War I... After the 1975 failure, there was another explanation ready: The witnesses were told that Adam's creation was in 4026 B.C., and 6,000 years later would be the Second Coming of Christ, in 1975; when the date passed, many members left the Society, but others followed Franz's explanation that the 6,000-year chronology was set forward not since Adam, but since Eve's creation, and the leaders do not know the interval between the creation of Adam and Eve!...

... Henschel, the actual President, has not set a fixed date, only that it will be in the early 2,000s.

"Little Popes"... "Blood Transfusions":

The Witnesses reject the "successor of Peter" of Matt.16:19, the Catholic Pope... but they have their "little Popes", not the successor of Peter, they are self- proclaimed, but much more demanding that the real Pope:

... For example, Russell permitted the "Blood Transfusions", and said "only he with the mentality of a pharisee can prohibit them"... so, at that time all the Witnesses read in the Bible that the Blood Transfusions were a good thing to do...

... But then came their second "little Pope", Rutherford, and "prohibit the Blood Transfusions"... and since then, every Witness reads in the Bible that the Blood Transfusions are prohibited... the 3 million of them!... and if anyone dears to say that the Blood Transfusions are permitted, he will be "disfellowshiped", cast out of the Society, and the rest of the members will consider him as dead, they are forbidden even to speak with him... and the "excommunicated apostate" is told he will not rise from the grave on Judgment Day...

... How come at least 10 Witnesses don't read in the Bible that the Transfusions are permitted, like other 2,100 million Christians do?... you know the reason: Because the actual "little Pope" says so... if another Russell would come, all of them will read in the Bible that Transfusions are good!

... One of the big problems about the Transfusions is that Jesus repeats 4 times "you have to drink my blood", in Jn.6:53-56... but they dismiss it as a "symbol", as told by their "little Popes".

- Some members have been "disfellowshiped" for reading books written by ex-members, or eating with a suspected dissenter... and if a Witness says that "Jesus Christ is God", he will be the worst apostate!...

The "144,000"... the "Brainwash":

The key word for the Society is the "Second Coming of Christ", with the war of Armageddon, won by Jesus Christ, and the beginning of the "Millennium" of Rev.20.

- The Witnesses are told to work hard "now", because from that Day, the 144,000 "anointed ones" since 1914 will live for ever as kings and priests in heaven, as told in Rev.7 and 20; and the "Great Multitude" of Rev.7, will rise from their graves to live for ever on earth like in a paradise, ruling earth under the tutelage of the 144,000 during the "Millennium", ... but only the good Witnesses!... the rest of the wicked people will be annihilated in the Millennium... and the "apostate Witnesses" will not raise from the grave on Judgment Day, at the Second Coming of Christ.

- These ideas, of "raising from the graves" to "rule earth", "like a paradise"... are the basis for the brainwash of the members with biblical after long biblical lectures... and their leaders become like gods for them... there is no other world for a Witness...

... And there are many good honest Witnesses... but brainwashed... no biblical reason makes sense for them, only what they are told in the Kingdom Hall... I pray Jesus to give light to any honest Witness who reads these lines, and I order Satan to get out of his heart, in the glorious name of Jesus, because only Satan can praise Jesus by saying that "Jesus is not God". Thank you, my Lord and my God Jesus Christ... proclaimed just like that in the Bible, in the Gospel of St. John 20:28.

Jesus Christ "is not God"!:

The Jehovah's Witnesses discard most orthodox doctrines of the Bible, conflicting with those of historic Christianity:

- The Holy Trinity is seen as a demonic doctrine, Jesus christ is stripped of his deity, is not God!, the Holy Spirit is robbed of his personality... they deny the physical resurrection of Christ, and there is not eternal Hell... their doctrines on the sufficiency of Christ's atonement, on human government, and on the existence of the soul are not biblical...

- The worst of them all is to say that "Jesus is not God": But their Bible says emphatically the "Jesus is God", on John 20:28, proclaiming Jesus "my Lord and my God"... "Lord"... "God"... the Bible says Jesus is God!... directly... just like that!.

... John 1:1-3, says it also directly; however, in their Bible, Knorr added an "a"... "is a god", and he put not "God", but "god"... but verse 3 says that "all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being".

- Colossians 1:16-17, also proclaims that "all things" were made by Christ and for Christ... but again, Knorr adds "(other)" several times between "all things", trying to water down the creation of all things by Jesus Christ, material and spiritual... but in Jn.1:3 says it so clearly!... and here Knorr forgot to put the word "(other)" in between...

The Society is the worst vomit of Satan...

... only Satan can may you praise Jesus Christ, by saying the "Jesus Christ is not God"... only Satan can make you living only expecting the Second Coming of Christ, with his great victory of Armageddon, and proclaiming that "Jesus Christ is not God".

They "changed" the "Bible":

Knorr, the third president of the Society, published the Bible of the Society, "The New World Translation"... changing and adding words in many verses... and the Bible says, "if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him every plague mentioned in the book" (Rev.22:18).

- He changed or added words to verses relating to the "deity of Christ", the "adoration of Christ", the "immortality of the soul", the "eternal Hell"... (Jn.1:1, Colos.1:14-16, 2:9-10, Fil.2:5, Tit.2:13, Heb.1:6, 8, 2Pet.1:1, Matt.28:17, Luc.24:52, 23:43, Matt.25:56)

The Life of a Witness:

It is a strange one: Do not observe holidays or birthdays. Do not vote, salute the flag, work in the military, play chess... no Sabbath is observed, they meet on Sundays to study their Bible... they work haad, "door to door"... making money for the Society.

Next up, the Moonies

Moonies
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society

It was founded by Charles T. Russell in 1852, though the first formal organization was in Pittsburgh in 1872.

- 3 million members worldwide, and 926,614 in the USA, with 9,985 Kingdom or Assembly Halls (in 1994).

- Address: 117 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11202 (called "Bethel").

- Before, they have been called "Millennial Downists", "International Bible Students", and "Russsellites", after their first leader.

... Their official name, is not "Jehovah's Witnesses", but an Incorporated Society, the "Wathtower Bible and Tract Society" ... in this Society, the leaders are elected by the number of "stocks" they have; the "President of the Society" is the one who has more stocks... the members do not vote, they do not count, even though they are the ones who bring the money, selling Bibles, Books, the Watchtower, Tracts... the actual President is Milton G. Henschel, since 1993.

Very active members:

The Witnesses are very active, selling 100,000 books and Bibles, and 800,000 copies of its two magazines, daily!... from home to home...

False Prophecies:

The Witnesses are the children of the Adventists, and as the Adventists, they have officially announced the Second Coming of Christ and the Armageddon for 6 dates: 1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, and 1975... and never came!...

... The prophet whose prophecies are not fulfilled is a "false prophet"... on everything!.

... But the Society, and the money, keeps going on, because every time there was an "strange explanation", swallowed by some members: After the 1914 failure, the explanation was that Christ did not come to earth, but "became king in heaven", and cast out Satan, with the consequent World War I... After the 1975 failure, there was another explanation ready: The witnesses were told that Adam's creation was in 4026 B.C., and 6,000 years later would be the Second Coming of Christ, in 1975; when the date passed, many members left the Society, but others followed Franz's explanation that the 6,000-year chronology was set forward not since Adam, but since Eve's creation, and the leaders do not know the interval between the creation of Adam and Eve!...

... Henschel, the actual President, has not set a fixed date, only that it will be in the early 2,000s.

"Little Popes"... "Blood Transfusions":

The Witnesses reject the "successor of Peter" of Matt.16:19, the Catholic Pope... but they have their "little Popes", not the successor of Peter, they are self- proclaimed, but much more demanding that the real Pope:

... For example, Russell permitted the "Blood Transfusions", and said "only he with the mentality of a pharisee can prohibit them"... so, at that time all the Witnesses read in the Bible that the Blood Transfusions were a good thing to do...

... But then came their second "little Pope", Rutherford, and "prohibit the Blood Transfusions"... and since then, every Witness reads in the Bible that the Blood Transfusions are prohibited... the 3 million of them!... and if anyone dears to say that the Blood Transfusions are permitted, he will be "disfellowshiped", cast out of the Society, and the rest of the members will consider him as dead, they are forbidden even to speak with him... and the "excommunicated apostate" is told he will not rise from the grave on Judgment Day...

... How come at least 10 Witnesses don't read in the Bible that the Transfusions are permitted, like other 2,100 million Christians do?... you know the reason: Because the actual "little Pope" says so... if another Russell would come, all of them will read in the Bible that Transfusions are good!

... One of the big problems about the Transfusions is that Jesus repeats 4 times "you have to drink my blood", in Jn.6:53-56... but they dismiss it as a "symbol", as told by their "little Popes".

- Some members have been "disfellowshiped" for reading books written by ex-members, or eating with a suspected dissenter... and if a Witness says that "Jesus Christ is God", he will be the worst apostate!...

The "144,000"... the "Brainwash":

The key word for the Society is the "Second Coming of Christ", with the war of Armageddon, won by Jesus Christ, and the beginning of the "Millennium" of Rev.20.

- The Witnesses are told to work hard "now", because from that Day, the 144,000 "anointed ones" since 1914 will live for ever as kings and priests in heaven, as told in Rev.7 and 20; and the "Great Multitude" of Rev.7, will rise from their graves to live for ever on earth like in a paradise, ruling earth under the tutelage of the 144,000 during the "Millennium", ... but only the good Witnesses!... the rest of the wicked people will be annihilated in the Millennium... and the "apostate Witnesses" will not raise from the grave on Judgment Day, at the Second Coming of Christ.

- These ideas, of "raising from the graves" to "rule earth", "like a paradise"... are the basis for the brainwash of the members with biblical after long biblical lectures... and their leaders become like gods for them... there is no other world for a Witness...

... And there are many good honest Witnesses... but brainwashed... no biblical reason makes sense for them, only what they are told in the Kingdom Hall... I pray Jesus to give light to any honest Witness who reads these lines, and I order Satan to get out of his heart, in the glorious name of Jesus, because only Satan can praise Jesus by saying that "Jesus is not God". Thank you, my Lord and my God Jesus Christ... proclaimed just like that in the Bible, in the Gospel of St. John 20:28.

Jesus Christ "is not God"!:

The Jehovah's Witnesses discard most orthodox doctrines of the Bible, conflicting with those of historic Christianity:

- The Holy Trinity is seen as a demonic doctrine, Jesus christ is stripped of his deity, is not God!, the Holy Spirit is robbed of his personality... they deny the physical resurrection of Christ, and there is not eternal Hell... their doctrines on the sufficiency of Christ's atonement, on human government, and on the existence of the soul are not biblical...

- The worst of them all is to say that "Jesus is not God": But their Bible says emphatically the "Jesus is God", on John 20:28, proclaiming Jesus "my Lord and my God"... "Lord"... "God"... the Bible says Jesus is God!... directly... just like that!.

... John 1:1-3, says it also directly; however, in their Bible, Knorr added an "a"... "is a god", and he put not "God", but "god"... but verse 3 says that "all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being".

- Colossians 1:16-17, also proclaims that "all things" were made by Christ and for Christ... but again, Knorr adds "(other)" several times between "all things", trying to water down the creation of all things by Jesus Christ, material and spiritual... but in Jn.1:3 says it so clearly!... and here Knorr forgot to put the word "(other)" in between...

The Society is the worst vomit of Satan...

... only Satan can may you praise Jesus Christ, by saying the "Jesus Christ is not God"... only Satan can make you living only expecting the Second Coming of Christ, with his great victory of Armageddon, and proclaiming that "Jesus Christ is not God".

They "changed" the "Bible":

Knorr, the third president of the Society, published the Bible of the Society, "The New World Translation"... changing and adding words in many verses... and the Bible says, "if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him every plague mentioned in the book" (Rev.22:18).

- He changed or added words to verses relating to the "deity of Christ", the "adoration of Christ", the "immortality of the soul", the "eternal Hell"... (Jn.1:1, Colos.1:14-16, 2:9-10, Fil.2:5, Tit.2:13, Heb.1:6, 8, 2Pet.1:1, Matt.28:17, Luc.24:52, 23:43, Matt.25:56)

The Life of a Witness:

It is a strange one: Do not observe holidays or birthdays. Do not vote, salute the flag, work in the military, play chess... no Sabbath is observed, they meet on Sundays to study their Bible... they work haad, "door to door"... making money for the Society.

This link is for the last three posts.
cults (http://religion-cults.com/Cults/Christian/C-CULTS.htm)

Please feel free to add, other cults to this thread. I am trying to have them all together.

Resting in the Lord's arms.
Bob

Scientology is a very difficult religion to summarize in just a few paragraphs, let alone in a few pages. It was founded in 1953 by fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, just four years after he made the statement, "I'd like to start a religion. That's where the money is," to Lloyd Eshbach; quoted by Eshbach in Over My Shoulder. That's where he found wealth, also--Hubbard is a multi-millionaire today. An easier question to ask would be, "What are the similarities between Christianity and Scientology?" The answer to that would be, "There are no similarities."

Scientology teaches that mankind is an immortal being (called a Thetan) not originally from this planet that is trapped by matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). Salvation for a Scientologist comes through a process called 'auditing,' whereby 'engrams' (basically, memories of past pain and unconsciousness that create energy blockage) are removed. Auditing is a very lengthy process and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. When all engrams are finally removed, the Thetan can once again control MEST instead of being controlled by it. Until salvation, each Thetan is constantly reincarnated.

Scientology is a very expensive religion to associate with. Every aspect of Scientology has some sort of fee associated with it. This is why Scientology's "pews" are filled only with the wealthy. It is also a very strict religion, and very punitive against those who would try to leave behind its teachings and membership. Its "scriptures" are limited solely to the writings and teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.

Scientology is, without a doubt, a cult: Its teachings are taken from science fiction and eastern mythologies; It promotes man as the ultimate power in the universe--he just hasn't realized it yet; Salvation comes through an extremely expensive process of mind games; and it categorically denies the existence of God, Heaven, and Hell. To a Scientologist, Jesus Christ was just another nice guy who unfortunately was wrongfully put to death, and whose story ends at that death.

Though Scientologist will claim that Scientology is compatible with Christianity, the Bible counters each and every point of belief they hold to: God is the sovereign and only creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1); Mankind was created by God (Genesis 1:27); the only salvation available to man is by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:8); salvation is a free gift that mankind can do nothing to earn (Philippians 2:8-9); and Jesus Christ is alive and well, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father even now (Acts 2:33; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3), awaiting the time when He will gather His children to Himself to reside with Him for eternity in Heaven. Everybody else will be cast into a very real Hell, separated from God (Revelation 20:15).

Scientology differs from Biblical Christianity on every important doctrine. Some of the most important differences are summarized below.

God: Scientology believes that there are multiple Gods and that some gods are above other gods. Biblical Christianity on the other hand recognizes the One and Only True God who reveled Himself to us in the Bible. There is only one true God and He has reveled himself to us through the Bible and through Jesus Christ. Those that believe in Him cannot believe the false concept of God as taught in Scientology.

Jesus Christ: Like almost all other cults Scientology denies the deity of Christ. Instead of having a biblical view of who Christ is and what He did they assign to Him the characteristics of some sort of lesser God who has obtained a sort of legendary status over the years. On the other hand the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was God in the flesh and through His incarnation He could act as a sacrifice for our sins. It is through Christ’s death and resurrection that we can have the hope of eternal life with God.

Sin: Scientology believes in the inherent goodness of man and that “It is despicable and utterly beneath contempt to tell a man he must repent, that he is evil.” On the other hand the Bible teaches that man is a sinner and the only hope for him is that he repent of his sins and acknowledge Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Salvation: Scientology believes in reincarnation and that personal salvation in ones lifetime is freedom from the cycle of birth and death associated with reincarnation. They believe that religious practice of all faiths is the universal way to wisdom, understanding and salvation. On the other hand the Bible teaches that there is only one way of salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

When one looks at the teaching of Scientology in comparison with the Bible they will see that the two have little if anything in common. Scientology will only lead you away from God and eternal life and the Bible will lead you to God and eternal life. There is nothing to gain by associating with scientology and everything to lose.

http://www.gotquestions.org/scientology-Christian-cult.html

Christian Science Church

The movement known as Christian Science is a religion "emphasizing divine healing as practiced by Jesus Christ." It is officially known as The Church of Christ, Scientist (CCS) (with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts), founded in 1879 by the much married Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddy (1821-1910). It is one of the more sophisticated modern cults, attracting many intellectuals. Estimated membership was about 350,000 in the 1930s with approximately 2,500 branch churches, societies, and college organizations in more than 50 countries worldwide. Estimates suggest that membership has fallen to well under 100,000 at the present time. While the branches are democratic in government, they all conform to the rules laid down in Mary Baker Eddy's Manual of The Mother Church (1895); church affairs are now overseen by a self-perpetuating board of five people.

Under the leadership of Board of Directors Chairman Virginia Harris, the CCS has embarked on an aggressive, multi-faceted marketing program designed to mainstream itself and to attract new members. For example, the CCS is finding new ways to promote itself in light of our society's current interest in self-awareness, spirituality, mind/body connections, alternative medicine, and women's issues. The CCS's weekly magazine has been redesigned to include quotes from New-Age proponent Oprah Winfrey. Church representatives are also turning up at medical conferences and other places.

Mrs. Eddy was chronically sick growing up, with many ailments including paralysis, hysteria, seizures and convulsions. At 22, she married her first of three husbands, George Glover, who died within 6 months from yellow fever. Following Glover's death, she began to be involved in mesmerism (hypnosis) and the occult practices of spiritualism and clairvoyance (Ruth Tucker, Another Gospel, p. 152). Still ill, she married Daniel Patterson in 1853, a dentist and homeopathic practitioner. It was during this time she met mental healer Phineas P. Quimby (1802-1866), whose influence would shape her belief of Christian Science. Quimby believed that illness and disease could be cured through positive thoughts and healthy attitudes, by changing one's beliefs about the illness. She claimed that Quimby cured her; she suddenly improved, but later the symptoms returned (Another Gospel, p. 155).

After Quimby's death in 1866, Mrs. Eddy determined to carry on his work. She had developed a "psychic dependence" on Quimby, drawing on his spiritual presence, claiming even visitations by his apparition. Eddy "reached the scientific certainty that all causation rests with the Mind, and that every effect is a mental phenomena." Eddy took Quimby's teachings one step further, claiming that sickness, death, and even our physical bodies do not exist, but are only imagined. Based on this absurdity, Mary Baker Eddy formulated her unique interpretations of Scripture upon which Christian Science was founded (and recorded in Eddy's 1875 book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. [HJB] (In 2001, the ten millionth copy of Science and Health was sold). In essence, Christian Science is a revival of ancient Pantheism. [Eddy later published 16 other books, including Retrospection and Introspection (1891), which tells of her own experience of discovering, practicing, and teaching the "science" of Christian healing.] [The CCS recently announced plans to build (at a cost of $25 million) the Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity. Scheduled to open in 2002 in Boston, the library will house over 500,000 unpublished documents and artifacts related to Mrs. Eddy. It will also allow the CCS to secure another 45 years of copyright protection for the writings under new U.S. copyright laws that take effect at the end of 2002.]

The event that Mrs. Eddy claimed as the inauguration of Christian Science occurred in February of 1866. She claimed to have had a near fatal fall on icy pavement, but was instantly healed when "the healing Truth dawned upon my senses," and the divine healing ministry was born (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 24; Science and Health, p. 107). Testimony from her attending physician as well as other correspondence from Mrs. Eddy at the time strongly dispute Mrs. Eddy's "official" version of those events (Anthony Hoekema, Christian Science, pp. 12-13).

Healing became a major distinctive of Christian Science. According to Eddy Baker, the central fact of the Bible is the superiority of spiritual over physical power. The spiritual superiority is evident in other ways than healing. Telepathy is practiced in Christian Science treatment, and may be considered a form of psychic healing. Christian Science claims to prove through the healing of disease and other difficulties that the understanding of God and his spiritual creation is as effective now as it was in Jesus' time. Its adherents, therefore, rely on "divine law" in times of sickness instead of resorting to medical and other material means. Christian Scientists do not use doctors, medicine, or immunizations. Christian Science Practitioners are used to " help people through the false reality of illness." Instead, proper prayer and training are employed to battle the "non-reality" of illness. (The right of Christian Science parents to withhold medical treatment from their children has many times been challenged in court.)

During the formative stages, the church saw many rivalries, scandals, and dissident movements. One of the dissidents was Emma Hopkins, who as an independent Christian Science leader, taught Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, who later founded the Unity School of Christianity (another "mind-science" cult). Because Mrs. Eddy wanted to spread Christian Science, especially to the upper class, she increased her control over all aspects of the movement and would not tolerate any disloyalty (Georgine Milmine, The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy, p. 234 ff).

Publications of the Christian Science Publishing Society include the Christian Science Quarterly, containing Bible lessons for daily study; The Christian Science Journal, a monthly magazine; Christian Science Sentinel, a weekly magazine; The Christian Science Monitor, a daily newspaper; and The Herald of Christian Science. In the 1980s, the group expanded into other media, producing both radio and television news programming. Their venture into cable-television operations was ended in 1992, when it was discovered "that the church had secretly transferred $46.5 million from endowments and pension funds to help cover huge losses on the 'Monitor Channel,' which had lost over $325 million" (Chicago Tribune, 1/27/93, p. 2). [Additionally, there were losses of $36 million and the resulting termination of World Monitor, a newspaper begun in 1988. The Christian Science Monitor is said to be losing $13 million annually (Martin Gardner, The Healing Revelations of Mary Baker Eddy, p. 218).]

Instead of preachers (the CCS has no ordained clergy), Christian Science's Sunday services consist mainly of prescribed readings from the Bible, followed by interpretive readings from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (which Eddy thought was divinely inspired -- "I should blush to write of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures as I have, were it of human origin and I apart from God its author; but [since] I was only a scribe echoing the harmonies of heaven in Divine Metaphysics, I cannot be super-modest of the Christian Science Textbook."). Eddy's "Scientific Statement of Being" (read every week from every Christian Science pulpit) begins with, "There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter," and ends with, "Therefore, man is not material; he is spiritual." Wednesday meetings include testimonies of healing from the congregation. Readers, both men and women, are elected from the membership to conduct the services. Practitioners, also both men and women, devote full time to the work of "spiritual healing."

Mrs. Eddy presented Christian Science as a scientific system of healing based upon spiritual laws God (allegedly) had revealed to her. She taught these laws must be followed -- without deviation -- if a believer wishes to practice Christian Science with consistent success. She taught Christian Science cannot be mixed with any other doctrine or spiritual healing system, and, thereby, it is incompatible with medicine. Eddy also believed in "Malicious Animal Magnetism" (MAM), which is negative mental energy or power, on the level of black magic. "Reading Rooms" are local Christian Science libraries where members go to read Eddy's works to aid their spiritual evolvement.

Christian Scientists call themselves Christians, but their beliefs deviate from Biblical Christianity on nearly every central Doctrine. Below are the highlights of what Christian Scientists believe concerning their source of authority, the Godhead, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Resurrection, sin and salvation, heaven and hell, man's destiny, and disease and death:

To be cont.

1. Source of Authority. Mary Baker Eddy claimed the Bible was her "only textbook" and "only authority." Yet she also said the Bible has thousands of errors -- 30,000 in the Old Testament and 300,000 in the New Testament. Christian Scientists believe that Mrs. Eddy's discovery of Divine Science is the "final revelation" from God. They claim Science and Health is divinely inspired (even though it has been proven to contain numerous plagiarisms and revisions). -- Science and Health is the "first book" which has been "uncontaminated by human hypothesis" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist and Miscellany, p. 115; Science and Health, pp. 99, 139, 456-457). [HJB] One is only supposed to read the Bible if they have Eddy's "key" in hand, so as to find out what a passage means. The implication is that God couldn't make Himself plain, but has to have Mary Baker Eddy interpret what He says. With this in mind, the world was, in effect, left to grope in darkness until Mrs. Eddy came on the scene.

2. Language. Christian Scientists have given Bible terms allegorical, metaphysical definitions that are completely different from normal usage. Everything is spiritualized to the point that the physical no longer exists. New meanings have also been assigned to many traditional theological doctrines. (For example: "Adam was not an actual person who was created by God and fell into sin. 'Adam' means error; a falsity; the belief in 'original sin,' sickness, and death; evil; the opposite of good.") [HJB]

3. Trinity. Christian Science clearly repudiates the Trinitarian Godhead: "The theory of three persons in one God (that is, a personal Trinity or Tri-unity) suggests polytheism, rather than the one ever-present I Am" (Science and Health, p. 256). Instead, "Life, Truth, and Love constitutes the triune Person called God ... God the Father-Mother; Christ the spiritual idea of sonship; divine Science or the Holy Comforter" (Science and Health, p. 331-332). Christian Science teaches that the Biblical concept of the Trinity suggests "heathen gods" (Science and Health, p. 152). God is thus viewed as an impersonal "Divine Principle," a conception of one's mind (Science and Health, pp. 361, 469). On page 465 in another of Mrs. Eddy's "authoritative" books, entitled Miscellaneous Writings, she wrote: "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite, mind, spirit, soul, principle, life, truth, love," but devoid of any personality. [HJB] [To the contrary, the Bible teaches that God is a triune, personal, transcendent Being who created "the world and all things in it" (Act 17:24). He is not a pantheistic all-in-all. He is holy and just, as well as love. God created and governs the universe, including man (Acts 17:24-27).]

4. Jesus Christ. Christian Science denies that the incarnation of Christ was the fullness of deity dwelling in human flesh, denies the perfection of the man Jesus, and attempts to explain away the historical death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (Science and Health, pp. 336, 29, 332, 53, 398, 313, 593; Miscellaneous Writings, p. 201) Christian Science believes that Mary's conception of Jesus was spiritual -- on pages 332 and 347 of Science and Health, the virgin birth of Christ is described and explained: "Jesus was the offspring of Mary's self-conscious communion with God. ... Mary's conception of him was spiritual." Christian Science believes that the names "Jesus" and "Christ" do not refer to the same person -- that Jesus is the human man and Christ is the "divine idea" (i.e., "dualism"). They teach that the spiritual (good) cannot dwell in material bodies because they are evil; thus Jesus could not have been both God and man. [To the contrary, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is not the divine idea of God but was God uniquely manifested in the flesh, truly God and truly man, one divine Person with two indivisible natures, who is the only Savior and the only truth and Lord (John 1:1-3,14; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:6-7; John 14:6).] Christian Science believes that Jesus was not God and the only way to heaven, but only the "wayshower" (cf. Jn. 20:31; I Jn. 4:2,3).

Christian Science not only denies that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, it also denies that Jesus is one Person with two natures -- fully God and fully man. Christian Science presents Jesus Christ in terms of a Gnostic duality: "The spiritual Christ was infallible: Jesus as material manhood was not Christ'' (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 84). "Christ as the true spiritual ideal, is the ideal of God now and forever ..." (Science and Health, p. 361). "The Christ is incorporeal, spiritual ..." while, "The corporeal [physical] man Jesus was human only (Science and Health, p 332). Yet "matter is mortal error … matter is the unreal and temporal" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 21). So what Christian Science actually concludes is that the physical humanity of Jesus was an illusion, ''as it seemed to mortal view" (Science and Health, p. 315).

Concerning the blood atonement of Jesus Christ: "The material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed upon 'the accursed tree,' than when it was flowing in his veins ..." (Science and Health, p. 25). Christian Science teaches that the death of Jesus Christ for sin was a "man-made" theory, and that Jesus was alive in the tomb, demonstrating the "power of Spirit to overrule mortal, material sense" (Science and Health, p. 44). Eddy states, "Christ was not crucified ... Jesus, being the man who possessed the Christ consciousness, was the one who went to the cross and who appeared to die." Thus, according to the theology of Christian Science, the Bible only appears to say that Jesus died on the cross and His body was laid in the tomb; it must instead be understood that Jesus actually never died, but was rather in the tomb denying death's reality!

5. Holy Spirit. Christian Science denies that the Holy Spirit is a personal being. It teaches that the Holy Spirit is Christian Science. -- "This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science" (Science and Health, p. 55). It is the unfolding of the thoughts and infinite mind of God (pp. 502-503). [cf. Jn. 16:13-14] Thus, God, the Holy Spirit, cannot indwell a person (Science and Health, p. 336).

6. The Resurrection. It is obvious that if Jesus never physically died on the cross to atone for sins that mankind cannot commit (Science and Health, pp. 45-46), then the resurrection must also have a unique meaning in Christian Science. Eddy explains, "When Jesus reproduced his body after its burial, he revealed the myth or material falsity of evil; its powerlessness to destroy good and the omnipotence of the Mind that knows this: he also showed forth the error of nothingness of supposed life in matter, and the great somethingness of the good we possess, which is of Spirit, and immortal" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 201). Jesus resurrection was thus the manifestation of the error of evil. He demonstrated that sin and death are illusions and that if one wishes to rid themselves of these illusions, they only need to deny their reality.

7. Sin. Christian Science denies the existence of all matter, including man's physical body. They say that man is "incapable of sin, sickness, and death." They claim sin, sickness, and death are the "effects of error," thereby denying the reality of sin. [HJB] Bottom line, to Christian Science, there is no sin (Science and Health, p. 447). This is a consistent deduction and fundamental principle of the Christian Science system -- namely, God is all and God is good, and since the real man has never departed from his original state of perfection, he is not in need of salvation. He is saved now and reposing in the bosom of the Father. He has always been saved -- that is, as God's idea of the expression of the mind, man is forever held in the divine consciousness. And since sin and evil have no reality, all ideas of sin and evil are illusions. They are the product of the mortal mind. Hence, it is a sense of sin which is sinful because of the illusory product of the mortal mind. They say that man's real problem is the belief of sin, and that "Christ came to destroy the belief of sin." [Eddy writes in Miscellaneous Writings in the question and answer section: "If there is no sin, why did Jesus come to save sinners?" She answers, "Jesus came to seek and to save such as believe in the reality of the unreal; to save them from this false belief; that they might lay hold of eternal Life ..." (p. 63). In other words, Jesus came to save mankind from the false belief that sin is real! Jesus saving work was to exemplify the fact that death is unreal, that sin is only an illusion or false belief, and that to deny its existence is the ultimate task of each person.]

8. Salvation. Since Christian Scientists do not believe that sin is real, they, therefore, see no need for salvation in Jesus Christ. Notwithstanding, Christian Scientists still teach a salvation based on works -- and contrary to even their own teachings, a salvation through victory over suffering and temptation. [HJB]

to be cont.

9. Hell. Christian Science denies the existence of hell and eternal punishment, and, therefore, there is no devil (Science and Health, p. 469). Hell is defined as "mortal belief; error; lust; remorse; hatred; revenge; sin; sickness; death." They believe that hell is a self-imposed "mental anguish," emanating from the guilt of one's imagined sin. [HJB]

10. Man's Destiny. Christian Science teaches that since God is all good and nothing that is real exists outside God, then sin, sickness, and death are mortal error or an illusion. Christ, as the Truth, therefore came to set man free from these false beliefs by His teachings and example (Science and Health, pp. 473, 475, 108). Christian Science denies the penal, substitutionary atonement of Christ, saying, ''The material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed on 'the accursed tree,' than when it was flowing in his veins as he went daily about His Father's business" (Science and Health, p.25). "Jesus taught the way of Life by demonstration. There is but one way to heaven, harmony, and Christ in Divine Science shows us this way" (Science and Health, p. 242). ''Universal salvation rests on progression and probation … No final judgment awaits mortals …" (Science and Health, p. 291)

11. Disease and Death. Christian Scientists claim that since organic disease does not exist, "the cause of all so-called disease is mental" [i.e., 'the belief in sin is thereby the cause of it'], "a mistaken belief" (Science and Health, p. 377). They say that since our physical bodies do not exist, disease and death are only illusions (Science and Health, pp. 348,386). [To the contrary, the Bible teaches that sin, sickness, and evil are not an illusion, but a result of man’s willful choice to rebel against a Holy God, and death (both physical and the spiritual eternal separation from God) is the result of sin (Rom. 3:10, 23; 5:12-14; 1 John 1:8-10).] They believe they have restored Christ's principles of divine healing through their practices of mental healing; i.e., the healing performed by Christian Science involves helping a person to deny the reality of his illness, and thereby, any failure to heal is due to a person's inability to overcome his belief. Mary Baker Eddy claimed to have this power of healing (called Divine Science), though she never provided any tangible proof of it. [HJB] [Whereas the Christian Science approach to healing may help psychosomatic illnesses, it has been scientifically demonstrated that it is not effective with real illness. In fact, studies comparing the cumulative death rates of practicing Christian Scientists with control groups have shown significantly higher death rates among the Christian Scientists (Journal of American Medical Association, September 22/29, 1989, pp 1657-58; and Morbidity Weekly Report, August 23, 1991, pp. 579-582).]

12. The "Gospel" of Christian Science. Jesus, who possessed the Christ consciousness as do all men to a lesser extent, went to the cross, not to bring about forgiveness of sin, for sin is an illusion, but rather to demonstrate that death is an illusion. On the morning of the resurrection, the supposed physical body of Jesus was reproduced in its original illusionary form, for all matter is illusion, and thereby demonstrated to mankind that all could do the same by denying the reality of sin and death.

Jesus' "seeming" death on the cross was not intended to pay for our sins, but to prove the unreality of sin, disease, and death. The Bible is full of mistakes. Jesus' words were recorded by "dull disciples ... in a decaying language," and must be spiritually interpreted through Christian Science.

To put it another way: "Jesus was laid down as the result of apparent death, into a fictitious tomb, in an unreal body, to make an unnecessary atonement for sins that had never been a reality and had been committed in an imaginary body, and that He saves from non-existing evil those headed toward an imaginary hell, the false fancy of an erroneous Mortal Mind" (J.K. VanBaalen, The Chaos of Cults).

13. Conclusion. Christian Science offers some real enticements -- a "spiritually scientific" method for healing, victory over life's circumstances, and guaranteed salvation. All one has to do to receive these blessings is to study Eddy's writings and obey them to the letter. She was God's messenger to this age and her writings are considered infallible. Just obey her teaching, and learn to think as she thought, and you will be victorious.

The physical dangers of Christian Science are obvious. Since they are taught that learning about their bodies is spiritually harmful, Christian Scientists are ill equipped to understand the symptoms of illness. They often suffer needlessly from treatable ailments and neglect life-threatening conditions that could be cured if treated in their early stages.

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/science.htm

These people are victims of an insidious cult, the media called "the sex cult of the 80's." They call themselves "The Family." They were once known as "The Children of God." They also call themselves: "Independent Christian Missionaries," "World Services," "Family of Love," "Heaven's Magic," "Martinelli," and the "Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches." Homes (colonies) are run by Shepherds or Team Workers. The cult has a vast history of public deception. Many, many children are kidnapped, moved around, and hidden from parents who leave the cult. Followers are taught to lie to silence anyone who senses problems.

The old leader, David Berg, recently died. He led the cult followers to Europe due to charges of tax evasion, assault, abuse, sexual perversion, and kidnapping. They are back in the U.S. with a massive PR campaign, trying to gain credibility and converts. For revenue, The Family may sell Berg's messages, posters, videos, and cassettes like "Heaven's Magic" or "Music With Meaning." They target schools, bookstores, and go door-to-door. In true cult fashion, they practice mandatory tithing and it's leader's writings, "Mo Letters," are held above the authority of the Bible.

MIND CONTROL. Former members say, The Family is similar to the Jehovah's Witnesses, the (Oahu) Boston Church of Christ, and other cults. As in The Mindbenders, by Jack Sparks, it practices various mind-control techniques and manipulation through control of information, isolation from family, the feeding of guilt, fear, persecution complexes, and the abandoning of careers. Berg told his followers to brainwash themselves.

SEX. The Children of God do not practice the godly behavior of God's children. David Berg, a bisexual, claimed to have sex with spirits (demons). He controlled his followers, enforcing his sexual aberrations. In 1974, he introduced religious prostitution and Flirty Fishing (free sex) as way of life. The women became "hookers for Jesus," seducing men into membership. Berg led his cult into group sex, lesbianism, fornication, adultery, incest, occultic practices, vulgar talk, adult-child sex, and child sex. Berg encouraged children to play and sleep together in the nude. He recommended wine to overcome sexual inhibitions and to induce occultic experiences.

Imagine children in communal homes with immoral, drunken, demonized adults! Court cases over child abuse are going on in Australia, the Philippines, Argentina, and France. Most cults have some type of sexual perversion. Like the Mormons, The Family teaches that Jesus had sex with Mary and Martha. David Berg was a dirty old man. He said that VD is just a sacrifice that must be made in order to "win souls" (really flesh and followers)! Cult members were sent to bars to entice "fishes" (converts).

Having a reputation for free sex, females were instructed to just expect to be raped. Leaders punished members who would not submit to sex with whoever they designated by solitary confinement in "the cage." Clearly, the cult practices a dictator/doormat relationship with the disciples. To justify the rampant VD in The Children of God/The Family, Berg said Jesus probably had VD. Due to public exposure and the AIDS scare, he issued statements to discontinue Flirty Fishing and incest in 1987.

DEMONS. David Berg claimed to have sex with a green scaly spirit and pagan goddesses. Typically cult, he claimed to have authority straight from God and a spirit-medium named Abraham. He said he received messages from the dead (really demons) through an alcohol-induced trance (Rom. 13:12-14; Eph. 5:18). Submission to the spirits is thought to be necessary for spiritual growth. The whole scene sounds more like voodoo than Christianity with Berg's wizards, witches, casting spells, enchantments, hypnotism, fortune-telling, and astrology.

Berg compared himself to other cult leaders, like William Branham, who received "a message from God" while responding to spirits. Joseph Smith also said an "angel" appeared as a circle of light and materialized. Hear from God! "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). It doesn't matter what the cult is; any form of spiritism is categorically condemned and forbidden throughout the Bible.

Berg even wrote about "God's Witches!" There are no witches approved by God! In Old Testament times, God declared that false prophets and occultists were to die (Deut. 13:1-5; 18:10-22)! Don't let all the thinking be done for you. The Family is aligned with the forces of darkness rather than the living God. Discern the demonic spirits. Pray for deliverance. Jesus can set the captives free!

DOCTRINE. Blasphemous teaching reflects the filthy imaginations of the leadership. The Family's description of the Godhead is nothing less than gross perversion! It calls God the Father a pimp! He is described as an oversexed god (as in Mormonism and Krishna). They believe (like the Mormons) that God had intercourse with Mary to produce Jesus. Wrong! The Holy Spirit, (Luke 1:35), was miraculously responsible for the virgin birth (Mat. 1:23)! Resembling the polygamous Jesus of Mormonism, the Jesus of The Family is a sexually active, promiscuous bachelor with VD.

The Holy Spirit is unscripturally referred to in the feminine gender, blasphemously called a "Queen of Love" and depicted as a semi-naked woman. The god of David Berg is an immoral reprobate like himself. Paul warned about those with another Jesus, a different Gospel, and a different Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 11:4). The Mormon Jesus is the brother of Satan; the Jehovah's Witness Jesus is Michael the Archangel; the Christian Science Jesus is a Divine Idea; the New Age Jesus is the Christ consciousness we all have; the Bahai and Masonic Jesus are dead Cropland’s Jesus had to be born again; David Berg's Jesus is just another sinner.

The wrong Jesus could not save anybody! Whatever contradicts Scripture is from false prophets with lying spirits in their mouths. The real Jesus is the God-Man, God in human form (John 1:1,14; Phil. 2:1-13). Look to Jesus and the empty tomb. David Berg was a corrupted, dangerous dictator. Like other cults, Berg's changing and conflicting doctrines intermingle evangelical terminology with heresy.

Like New Agers, The Family believes in reincarnation. Hear from God! "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (He. 9:27). Like Scientology and Roman Catholicism, Berg taught a universal salvation through a purgatory-like process. He said the living can pray people out of hell. Not one Bible verse supports the lie! "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). Who will you believe, the Bible or Berg? The doctrinal and sexual aber-rations completely separates The Family from Christianity.

To be cont.

PROPHECY. Berg predicted the coming of Jesus Christ and failed (like Ellen G. White, Joseph Smith, and the Watchtower). Those with false visions cannot be trusted (Jer. 14:14). They are liars like their father the devil (John 8:44). Was America destroyed by the comet Kahoutek in the 1970s as Berg predicted (Mat. 24:11)? He prophesied the return of Jesus Christ for 1993. Did anyone see Jesus come in all His glory (Mat. 25:31)? Another date-setter ignored Jesus! Let Jesus correct Berg, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Mat. 24:36).

David Berg claimed the understanding of Daniel. He called himself Moses, God's prophet, and he claimed the name "David" after the King of Israel. Yet, Berg promoted killing Jews, saying, "O God, if I had a gun I'd shoot them myself!" The cultists were instructed to regard Berg as their King and Father. You face a choice between any spiritual leader claiming the title of "Father" or Jesus, who said, "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven" (Mat. 23:9). Berg's word is considered God's Word for today, taking precedence over God's Word for yesterday, the Bible. This differs little from Mormonism or Watchtower "new light." The end to these "damnable heresies" will be "swift destruction," and a reservation with punishment and everlasting darkness (2 Pet. 2:1-2,9,17).

A true prophet does not say, "Thus saith David Berg..." He says, "Thus saith the Scriptures...", or as Jesus said, "It is written..." David Berg held the same position in The Family that the pope holds in Roman Catholicism, the governing body holds in the Jehovah's Witnesses, the prophet holds in Mormonism, or the apostle holds over the (Oahu) Boston Church of Christ. They claim to speak for God. "For there is one God, and one mediator (go between) between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Tim. 2:5).

ACTION. What can you do for those in a cult? Many leave the cults through the help of a friend and become faithful Christians! Tell the children, how to get help and that no one has a right to abuse their bodies. Tell them of Jesus' love; all they experience is lust. Jesus said, "Suffer (allow) little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Mat. 19:14).

The counterfeit Jesus of The Family is nothing but a depraved religious leader like David Berg. The true Jesus is "without sin" (Heb. 4:15)! Any child could sit on the lap of Jesus or a true follower of Christ without being violated! Jesus warned the David Bergs of this world, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Mat. 18:6).

On judgment day they will wish they'd never been born! "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31). Dear soul, perhaps you have been confused, looking for truth, and found yourself a victim in The Family. Pray, "Jesus, I believe You died for my sins. Now You are risen from the dead. Forgive me. I have lost the way. I forsake the counterfeit. I quit trusting my works to save me (Eph. 2:8,9). I accept the true Jesus as my Savior. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!" There is healing from abuse and sin. Real love is available. Reach out for help! You don't have to face this alone.

Pastor Chuck Brocka,
New Life Baptist Church
95-231 Kaopua Loop,
Mililani, HI 96789

http://www.blessedquietness.com/journal/housechu/chilofgd.htm

Doctrinal heresy is a sin against God (Galatians 5:20).

An ideal world would be free from doctrinal heresy and the other results of sin. This ideal world we must await in Christ Jesus who will grant such perfect existence in his future kingdom (Revelation 7:17; 21:4).

Until that time we must contend with heresies and cults that dot church history, leaving their mark of remembrance. Cults come and go, but rare indeed is the repentance of cult leadership that results in heresy being replaced with biblical Christianity.

Such is the story of the Worldwide Church of God. Once known far and wide as the cult of Armstrongism, it now, through repentance, joins hands with conservative Christians in heralding the gospel.

Its official organ, The Plain Truth magazine, embraces the very doctrines its past issues condemned. It interviews contemporary Christian leaders it once derided. It accepts advertising from various Christian publishers it once shunned.

The Worldwide Church of God, originally founded by Herbert W. Armstrong (1892- 1986), was led through this remarkable change by his successor, Joseph W. Tkach (1927-1995).

He reversed Armstrong's most damnable doctrines in full acceptance of the Trinity, Christ's divinity and humanity, the person and deity of the Holy Spirit, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and salvation by grace through faith alone.

Gone is Anglo-Israelism. Gone is the bondage of legalism as a test for fellowship. Gone is the God Family of divine humans. Gone is the exclusivism and cultism.

Not all followers of Armstrong, whose teaching we term "Armstrongism," accepted this welcomed change.

Joseph W. Tkach and the administrators made earnest attempts to hold the church together during their doctrinal reexamination period. But those dedicated to Armstrong's cultism grew impatient, forming about fifty splinter groups from 1985 to 1995. These groups are disassociated from the Worldwide Church of God and each claims succession from Armstrong.

Preceding them, another fifty splinter groups separated from Herbert W. Armstrong during his lifetime.

Armstrong's teaching bred a hundred factions of which ninety presently remain. The founder's son, Garner Ted Armstrong, leads quite a successful movement with the Church of God, International.

Garner Ted Armstrong was once viewed by millions on television as the flamboyant commentator of The World Tomorrow program. Amid charges of sexual misconduct, his forced departure from his father's domain landed him in Tyler, Texas, with thousands of television followers.

His playboy lifestyle followed him into the 1990s with new charges of sexual misconduct, again forcing a temporary step-down from his new church (Los Angeles Times, Nov. 23, 1995).

Nevertheless, faithful Church of God, International members reinstated him as their iconic representative on 315 cable stations in North America. His espoused doctrines follow that of his father, namely, denial of the Trinity, denial of the bodily resurrection, and denial of biblical salvation.

Among those that broke away during the reformation of the Worldwide Church of God, the largest is led by another self-proclaimed successor to Armstrong, Gerald Flurry.

The Philadelphia Church of God, located in Edmond, Oklahoma, has a television log of sixty stations in five countries. Their program, The Key of David, echoes Armstrong's prophetic speculation.

The Philadelphia Trumpet, their official magazine, is a constant reminder of Herbert W. Armstrong's old doctrines in the face of the reborn Worldwide Church of God. Gerald Flurry minces no words in prodding and jostling the Worldwide Church of God for its baptism into historical Christianity.

Most of the splinter cults of Armstrongism retain the name "Church of God" somewhere in their title. They mix legalism, including strict Sabbatarianism, with a variety of Armstrong's leading doctrines.

Two other noteworthy groups among these are the Global Church of God, located in San Diego, California, and the United Church of God in Arcadia, California.

The former has a television following on two superstations covering much of the United States, while the latter publishes The Good News magazine and covers thirty television stations with programming.

Joseph Tkach Jr., son of Joseph W. Tkach, currently heads the Worldwide Church of God. Leading this church through the exodus of error was costly, which is seen in the loss of many thousands of members.

The Plain Truth magazine now circulates approximately 130,000, down considerably from their high of eight million. Much better though is the loss of size than the compromise of truth.

The World Tomorrow television program has ceased and actual church membership has dropped to half of its normative to 40,000 constituents.

Their Pasadena, California, campus is shrinking and the church-supported Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, has closed its doors.

On the positive side, the Worldwide Church of God has a remnant of 300 pastors committed to preaching an uncompromised gospel. Their message is that you must be born again by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

The Plain Truth magazine is greeted as a refreshing Christian voice. Prominent denominations and Christian leaders have extended the right hand of fellowship to its church leaders.

The church now holds membership in the National Association of Evangelicals, while the magazine is a member of the Evangelical Press Association and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

As for the present changes in the Worldwide Church of God, they wrote, in an interview with this writer, "The Worldwide Church of God has abandoned unbiblical doctrines of Herbert W. Armstrong."

This abandonment may be viewed as parallel to one of Armstrong's toughest decisions, which was to excommunicate his son, Garner Ted Armstrong, from his church.

He said, "Perhaps another evidence of the Worldwide Church of God being the one original Church of God is that its apostle did remove his son, who was secularizing God's Church and college, besides other sins."1

Again, he wrote, "Finally, four leaders ... came to God's apostle, saying, `We have to report to you that your son has systematically destroyed all that Christ has built through his apostle and is building something for himself. Like a spoiled child, he wants his own way.'

"God's apostle, to be not guilty of Eli's sin, removed his son from all authority and disfellowshipped him from the church."2

In a similar way, those in the Worldwide Church of God have abandoned the false teachings of their founder, Herbert W. Armstrong. It was emotionally painful, for many of them had known Armstrong for decades. But to stand for biblical truth and accuracy one must hurtle all barriers.

To be cont.

The New Age Movement

The term "New Age" seems to be saturating the media these days. One can hardly turn on a talk show without being bombarded with some aspect of the "New Age", be it "channeling", or "holistic health", or "astral travel", etc. The so-called "New Age" is big business. " Time Magazine" of December 7th, l987, reported some very interesting facts, namely that Bantam Books reported a tenfold increase in New Age titles in the past decade. Also that New Age Bookstores have doubled in the past five years to total about 2,500. The "Grammy Awards" have a special prize now for "New Age music."

Shirley MacLaine has written five books on the subject totaling 8 million copies. Her recent 15-city tour brought her an estimated income of 1.5 million, and she plans to open a 300-acre retreat in Colorado. She is quoted in this same "Time Magazine" as saying,

"I want to prove that spirituality is profitable". Also "If you don't see me as God", says MacLaine, blithe as ever, "it's because you don't see yourself as God". (page 68, Time Magazine 12/7/87).

One thing is certain. People are flocking to the New Age Movement, or to various parts of it, looking for answers in this life, and the Christian must be prepared to deal with New Age concepts and understand them, if we are to offer these honest, seeking persons, a better alternative.

DEFINING THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT

It is difficult to place a firm definition on the New Age Movement, because it encompasses so many concepts. It mixes revived Gnosticism and Eastern mysticism with health and well-being treatments, and includes astrology, and even mediumship or channeling. Not all persons believe all aspects of the New Age, but practice some of them. We will therefore briefly list some of the identifying marks of the New Age Movement, and present a Christian, Biblical perspective.

SURFACE "RESPECT FOR ALL RELIGIONS"

Christians will notice right away, how difficult it is to witness to a person who has had various experiences in the New Age. When presenting Christian counsel, the New Ager will often reply, "I'll allow you your truth, and you allow me mine". This "reasoning" flies in the face of the meaning of the word "truth". The Doubleday Dictionary defines "truth" as "conformity to fact or reality".

The Christian will wish to use the Bible as "fact" to establish "truth", while the New Ager will wish to use his "experience(s)" to establish "truth". He may even deny reality altogether. New Agers do not want to hear that anything is necessarily "right" or "wrong", "good" or "evil", as each wants to be god and make his own decisions. In our experience, we have usually had to wait until the New Ager has had a bad "trip" with his seeking, and has succeeded in finding out that he no longer has control. He wants help, and he wants out! Persons out of a Christian background involved in New Age activities are often convicted of violating Bible principles when these are lovingly pointed out to them, with real concern.

NEW AGE VIEW OF GOD

The New Age Movement has the Eastern view of God, namely that "God is All" and "man is god". Since they believe that God is the sum total of all things, then there is no evil, nor any standards to live by, according to their reasoning. They are constantly trying to draw closer to the "godforce" or "energy" by their various techniques, indeed, they hope to enter the Godhead. The Bible view is the exact opposite. We worship a personal God, who is the Creator of all. Romans 1:20-23 says,

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man...."

There is only one scripture in the Bible where humans are told they can become gods, and that was Satan the Devil lying to the gullible and foolish Eve! (Genesis 3:4,5).

NEW AGE VIEW OF THE PERSON OF

JESUS CHRIST

New Age teaching presents Jesus Christ as a "world teacher", an "ascended master", a man with "Christ principle", a "cosmic Christ". The Bible presents Jesus Christ as Almighty God manifest in the flesh. (See John 1:1,14). Quite a difference!

I like to ask New Agers, would Jesus Christ teach truth or error? They admit that He would teach truth. Then the Christian is in a position to present the claims of Jesus Christ as to who He is. We recommend the chapter "Defending the Deity of Jesus Christ to the Cults" in our book "Coping With The Cults".

LOOKING FOR MESSIAH

Most New Agers are expecting Messiah to reveal himself any day now. Most believe he is already alive and living somewhere in the world. Those believing the date 1982 for his revealing already have "egg on their faces" for spending thousands of dollars to take out a full-page ad in major newspapers in major cities worldwide, to announce the arrival of the "Maitreya" or "Messiah". Followers were blamed for the failure, for not creating enough positive "energy", so the date has been moved forward, rather indefinitely at this point.

This view does not surprise Bible students as they have been forewarned in 1 John 4:1-3

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming and now it is already in the world."

We sincerely believe that New Agers have been deceived into anticipating the arrival of the Antichrist.

NEW AGE "SALVATION BY SELF"

The New Age Movement is extremely humanistic. Since each person believes he is a god and in charge of his own universe, it follows that he can "work out his own salvation", and has no need of a savior. He is therefore continually "turning in" with meditation, and striving to become part of the godforce. While missing the true Jesus Christ of the Bible, he tunes in various "spirit guides", and accepts the experiences they give him as "truth". He imagines he is making progress towards salvation, or self-realization. The Bible, once again, presents the opposite view. Rather than being self-sufficient gods, the Bible teaches that we are humans who have all inherited sin from our common forefather, Adam. Romans 5:12 reads,

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned."

We truly cannot save ourselves. We may seek in various experiences for light, but Jesus Christ is the true light. John 1: 9,12,13 reads

"There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. But as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Those seeking for a better life can find it in the person of Jesus Christ who promises in John 10:10,

"...I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly".
Cont., next post

NEW AGE "SALVATION BY SELF"

The New Age Movement is extremely humanistic. Since each person believes he is a god and in charge of his own universe, it follows that he can "work out his own salvation", and has no need of a savior. He is therefore continually "turning in" with meditation, and striving to become part of the godforce. While missing the true Jesus Christ of the Bible, he tunes in various "spirit guides", and accepts the experiences they give him as "truth". He imagines he is making progress towards salvation, or self-realization. The Bible, once again, presents the opposite view. Rather than being self-sufficient gods, the Bible teaches that we are humans who have all inherited sin from our common forefather, Adam. Romans 5:12 reads,

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned."

We truly cannot save ourselves. We may seek in various experiences for light, but Jesus Christ is the true light. John 1: 9,12,13 reads

"There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. But as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Those seeking for a better life can find it in the person of Jesus Christ who promises in John 10:10,

"...I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly".

CHANNELING - AN ENLIGHTENING EXPERIENCE, OR A DANGEROUS PRACTICE?

Channeling is a popular new word for an ancient experience, that of allowing oneself to be a spirit medium, and have voices supposedly from the dead speak through that person. The person lapses into a trance and has no remembrance of the experience after. No matter how famous or obscure the medium is, the messages delivered are all similar. Namely, that you are god, there is no sin or punishment, good or evil, and Jesus is not the only son of God. Egos are often inflated by claims that the person was somebody famous in a past life. Great wisdom from ages past is supposedly imparted, but, in fact, is usually vague and disjointed.

The Bible strongly warns against contacting spirits through mediums. Leviticus 19:31 says,

"Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God."

God lovingly protects us from demon spirits (New Age word is "entities"), and anyone foolish enough to dabble in the occult in this manner is asking for, at the very least, demon oppression, and very possibly, demon possession. Deliverance is possible, however in the name of the true Jesus Christ.

TUNING OUT WITH

EASTERN MEDITATION AND MANTRAS

Emptying the mind in an altered state of consciousness and calling on Eastern gods or entities will result in the entities visiting you, to guide you spiritually into new, and often frightening experiences.

Bible meditation is the filling of your mind with the truth of God's word and reflecting on what you have learned. True meditation, done God's way, will protect you from the dangerous, counterfeit meditation, of the New Age movement.

Other similar practices to avoid are regression to supposedly former lives, hypnosis, subliminal, suggestive tapes, soul (astral) travel, rebirthing, sensory isolation (floating tanks), or any other practice designed to alter your consciousness. Do not allow your mind and body to be used by demonic "entities". Heed the warnings in the Bible.

HOLISTIC HEALTH WARNINGS

On the surface, holistic health sounds wonderful. It makes sense to treat the whole person, spirit, soul, and body to ensure good health. However, many questionable practices have crept into the movement to treat the whole person. Often, one finds a medically untrained psychic doing the diagnosis, perhaps with the aid of a "spirit guide" or an "entity" posing as a doctor from a former life.

Often Eastern meditation is prescribed, or a diet lacking in essential nutrition. Medically unproved practices abound, such as Iridology (examining the iris to diagnose ailments all over the body), or Kinesiology (the testing of muscles and body balances), and Homeopathy (the treating of ailments with small amounts of poisons to build up a resistance), or Reflexology (the treating of all bodily ailments by massaging various areas of the feet). Of themselves, these treatments may be of some help, but one should examine carefully the beliefs of the practitioner.

For example, some years ago I went to a Chiropractor for a neck problem. He professed to be a Christian but had Eastern-type posters on his wall, saying things like, "The Force be with you". When questioned closely by me, he admitted that he was trying to align my spine so my "energy flow" would be attuned to the universal energy, and not be impeded. I promptly left. Christians need to inquire carefully beyond surface appearances. and choose treatment that will not violate their Christian values, or open them up to oppression by the forces of darkness.

BELIEF IN REINCARNATION

Many today are turning their attention to practitioners who promise to "regress them to their past lives" and deal with lingering traumas from past lives, so they will feel better today. This practice is based on the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation, that when you die, your soul is reborn in another human. In other words, you recycle after death, no heaven or hell, just go around again!

New Agers claim without one shred of evidence that the teaching of reincarnation was removed from the Bible at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. What nonsense! The Council of Nicea dealt with the Arian heresy and the Deity of Jesus Christ. Also, if this claim is correct, then how come recent finds of extremely ancient copies of the Biblical scriptures contain no references to reincarnation? I would suggest that New Agers spend some time in their local libraries finding out the truth about this important matter. The Bible, in fact, teaches the opposite of reincarnation. Hebrews 927 plainly states

"It is appointed unto men to die ONCE, and then the judgment".

REINCARNATION "PROVED"

BY ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Hypnotism plays a large part in so-called regressions to a former life. Admittedly, some have been regressed, and have given correct details of a former life. Could this be because the demons have knowledge at their disposal to deceive man? The Bible warns in 1 Timothy 4:1,

"But the (Holy) Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons".

If souls merely recycle (to new humans only according to reincarnation), why then is the world's population increasing, if the same number of souls are going round and round. Also, the birth rate exceeds the death rate, so where are these supposedly newly reincarnated souls coming from? Also, shouldn't we see some evidence of our natures improving after so much purifying?

Beware of the misuse of Bible texts to try to prop up these non-biblical teachings. In context, there is not one scripture to support this belief. It is clearly not of God, and should be avoided.

THE LIST GOES ON AND ON

New Agers also involve themselves in astrology, reading crystals, color therapy, dream studies, tarot cards, physic readings, faith healings, physic surgery, ESP, and even UFO's. Not all New Agers participate in all things, but it is certainly a mixed bag, and a mixed group.

GROUPS ENCOMPASSING SOME ASPECT OF NEW AGE THEOLOGY

This is not a complete list by any means, but we hope it helps you identify some of these groups

Theosophical Society, Christian Science, Unity School of Christianity, Findhorn, Chinook Learning Center, ESP, TM, Eck, est (the Forum), Silva Mind Control, Lifespring, Pacific Institute, Numerology, Scientology, Yoga, Academy of Universal Truth, Kabalah, Masons, Astrology, Baha'i Faith, Aetherius Society, Anthroposophical Society, Edgar Cayce (Association for Research and Enlightenment), Astara, Baba Ram Dass (Hanuman Foundation), Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship, The Holy Order of Mans, "I AM" Movement, Inner Peace Movement, International Community of Jesus (The Jamilians), Jainism, Megiddo Mission, Psychiana, Radha Soami Society, Rajneesh, Rosicrucians, Ruhani Satsang, Sathya Sai Baba, Self-Realization Fellowship, Spiritual Advancement of the Individual Foundation, Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship, Spiritualists, Occult, Sri Chinmoy Centers, Still Point Institute, Subud, Sufism, Summit Lighthouse, Swami Kriyananda Taoism, Unitarian-Universalist Association, Zoroastrianism. There are many others.

IN CONCLUSION

The New Age Movement is not new at all, but is Eastern Mysticism and the occult, blended in with humanism. The Christian should not have part in any aspect of it. It has even crept into the Christian church, with some TV teachers promising you can be "a god", and some "inner healing" seminars dabbling in areas they should be avoiding. Christian Bookstores should take responsibility and rid their shelves of Eastern-influence books masquerading as Christianity.

"Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14).

http://www.macgregorministries.org/cult_groups/new_age.html

Since I can't find the orginal thread, this is a repost.

1. Source of Authority. Ellen G. White claimed to be, "a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light." The official SDA Questions on Doctrine (Q.D.) states that, "the Holy Spirit opened to her mind important events and called her to give certain instructions for these last days, and inasmuch as these instructions, in our understanding, are in harmony with the Word of God, which Word alone is able to make us wise unto salvation, we as a denomination accept them as inspired counsels from the Lord" (Q.D., p. 93). (Emphasis added.) Mrs. White claimed to have received more than 3,000 "inspired counsels from the Lord" (i.e., visions) between 1844 and 1868. (From these "visions," she produced over 100,000 handwritten manuscript pages from which were published 54 books!) Therefore, SDAs have a new source of authority in their lives -- according to SDA's dogma, if an SDA does not accept Mrs. White as infallible, they have no salvation!

2. Mankind. Seventh-Day Adventists do not believe that the whole man or any part of him is inherently "immortal" (Q.D., p. 518). SDAs believe in "soul sleep" for the saved (i.e., no conscious existence from the time of death until the resurrection), and annihilation for the wicked (i.e., the body and soul are destroyed at death rather than experiencing everlasting torment). How, then, can one get to heaven?: SDAs believe that one can have immortality only on the condition that he comes to Christ through Ellen G. White; i.e., a works program, following salvation by grace with light of revelation through Ellen G. White as the infallible guide to Holy Scripture, apart from which one cannot have immortality.3 Then, at resurrection day, the body will be re-created (necessary because of soul sleep) for all those who believe in White's guidance and teachings (while non-SDAs will remain in "soul sleep" forever; i.e., will cease to exist [annihilated] and will not suffer everlasting torment).

3. Christ. Mrs. White: "Christ took upon His sinless nature our sinful nature ... Christ took human nature and bore the infirmities and degeneracy of the race. He took our nature and its deteriorating condition" (Q.D., pp. 654-656) (cf. Jn. 14:30). According to SDA, then, Christ acquired a sinful nature! Of course, if this could have been so, there could have been no sinless sacrifice, no hope for sinners, and no Savior.

4. Atonement. "Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ" (E.G. White, The Great Controversy [TGC], 1911, p. 623; TGC has since been retitled and published as America in Prophecy, 1988). SDA teaches that, though saved by grace, we are kept by the Law (i.e., "partial atonement"). Therefore, one must keep Old Testament dietary and ceremonial laws, paying particular attention to keep the Saturday Sabbath and the Ten Commandments, and most importantly, making sure to faithfully pay the tithe.

Even when speaking of being saved by the righteousness of Christ, Adventist writers refer to imparted righteousness, seldom to the Biblical concept of imputed righteousness. Calling it "Christ's righteousness," while insisting on the believer's perfection of character as a prerequisite to salvation, is at worst a thinly veiled works salvation, or at best an attempt to mix grace and works, something the Bible says is impossible to do (Rom. 11:6). Mrs. White's words are crystal clear -- one will not be forgiven until all sins are eradicated from one's life and one's character is perfected. Precisely the same heresy is found (besides many others) in Mormonism. It is not the salvation by grace alone through faith alone offered in the Bible.

5. Baptism. "… Christ made it clear that He required baptism of those who wished to become part of His church, His spiritual kingdom"; "In baptism believers enter into the passion experience of our Lord"; "… aptism also marks [a] person's entrance into Christ's spiritual kingdom. … it unites the new believer to Christ.… Through baptism the Lord adds the new disciples to the body of believers -- His body, the church.… Then they are members of God's family" (SDAs Believe …, pp. 182, 184, 187).

6. The Investigative Judgment. According to SDA theology, beginning on October 22, 1844, Christ entered upon the "judgment phase" of His ministry, whereby He blots out sin: [The SDA doctrine of the "Investigative Judgment" rests on Ellen G. White's claimed revelation that Christ entered the heavenly Holy of Holies, not at His ascension, but in 1844, wherein He then began to investigate the records of human works (TGC, pp. 362-373) (cf. Heb. 9).] "When Christ, by virtue of His own blood, removes the sins of His people from the heavenly sanctuary at the close of His ministration, He will place them upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judgment, must bear the final penalty" (TGC, p. 422). Satan, thereby, becomes the scapegoat of Leviticus 16. This lack of clear distinction between the forgiveness of sins and the blotting out of sins, makes it impossible for anyone to know, even in the hour of his death, whether he is saved or not. (SDAs are not "allowed" to experience assurance of salvation, because then there would be no pressure on them to keep the Old Testament law, as interpreted by Ellen G. White, and especially no pressure to pay the tithe.) Moreover, the concept that the sins of all men are to be laid on Satan, assigns to Satan an indispensable role in the blotting out of sin, thus nullifying the all-sufficiency of the finished work of Christ. [When Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished," i.e. completed, paid in full, it cannot be that there is yet another salvation event more than 1,800 years later, just as essential to salvation as Christ's death on the cross, in which one must believe in order to be saved. This is clearly "another gospel" (Gal. 1:6–9).]4

The "Investigative Judgment" and the "Scapegoat Theory of the Atonement" are, by themselves, so non-Biblical as to contradict Galatians 1:8-9. It is "another gospel," about which the Apostle Paul wrote, "let such be anathema" (i.e., cursed/condemned). Yet according to Ellen White, one must believe this doctrine to be saved:
Cont., next post.

Those who would share the benefits of the Savior's mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God … The subject of the sanctuary and the Investigative Judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position [in the Holy of Holies] and work [Investigative Judgment] of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs for them to fill. Every individual has a soul to save or to lose. Each has a case pending at the bar of God … All who have received the light on these subjects are to bear testimony of the great truths which God has committed to them. The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ's work in behalf of men … It is of the utmost importance that all should thoroughly investigate these subjects … The intercession of Christ in man's behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon a cross. By His death He began that work which after his resurrection He ascended to complete in Heaven" (TGC, pp. 488–89; emphasis added).

7. The Sabbath. "In the last days, the Sabbath test will be made plain. When this time comes, anyone who does not keep the Sabbath will receive the mark of the beast and will be kept from heaven" (TGC, p. 449); "… [T]he divine institution of the Sabbath is to be restored … The delivering of this message will precipitate a conflict that will involve the whole world. The central issue will be obedience to God's law and the observance of the Sabbath. … Those who reject it will eventually receive the mark of the beast" (TGC, pp. 262–63). In one of her most revered works, Ellen White wrote that Sabbath observance would be the "line of distinction" in the "final test" that will separate God's end-time people who "receive the seal of God" and are saved, from those who "receive the mark of the beast" (The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan, p. 605). Describing a supposed vision direct from God, Ellen White wrote, "I saw that the Holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers" (Early Writings, p. 33; emphasis added). She also wrote of some Adventists failing to understand that "Sabbath … observance was of sufficient importance to draw a line between the people of God and unbelievers" (Ibid., p. 85).

SDAs have, thereby, made Sabbath-keeping a criterion for a personal relationship with the Lord -- even to the extent of one's salvation! Why? Because, according to SDAs, we are all to be under strict adherence to Old Testament Law, including the Ten Commandments, of which the fourth one says, "keep the Sabbath." (This Sabbath-keeping requirement was supposedly confirmed in a vision received by Ellen G. White, rather than by study of the Bible.) SDAs believe that "Sunday-keeping" will be the mark of the beast in the future.

8. Ellen G. White, the Prophet. Many rank-and-file SDA members deny that their organization any longer decrees Ellen G. White a God-inspired prophet. Yet in SDA official publications, the SDA church continues to defend Ellen White legends, and maintain there was no difference in the degree of inspiration she received from that received by Bible writers (Review & Herald, 4 October 1928, p. 11; "Source of Final Appeal," Adventist Review, 3 June 1971, pp. 4–6; G. A. Irwin, Mark of the Beast, p. 1; "The Inspiration and Authority of the Ellen G. White Writings," Adventist Review, 15 July 1982, p. 3; Ministry, October 1981, p. 8 (5); see also, Judged by the Gospel, pp. 125–130). And in the SDA June 2000, General Conference, the church voted to more aggressively affirm and support the "Spirit of Prophecy through the ministry of Ellen White" (Adventist Today, [online: July 2000]).

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/sda/adventi.htm

Resting peacefully with the Lord.
Bob

Y'all know, you can add to this thread. :D

ON THE ROAD TO THE NEW WORLD
Examining Islam's Expansionist History
By Abdullah al-Araby

Muslims often claim that Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. This boast empowers them with increased fervor as they race down the road for conquest of the New World. They argue that the number of new adherents embracing Islam is an indication of Allah's vindication and Islam's appeal as the only true religion. They ask, "How could so many people be wrong?" Hand in hand with this, Muslims cite another equally important claim, that Islam has a lower attrition rate than other faiths.

Undisputedly, Islam is growing rather rapidly, but there is no scientific evidence for the claim that Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. The purpose of this article is not to dispute the fact that Islam is growing, but to demonstrate that the reasons for Islam's growth can be attributed to factors that have very little to do with Islam's merits. To accomplish this we will explore the reasons and implications behind the phenomenon of the spread of Islam during historical and contemporary times.

First, we will acquaint you with some of the Islamic principles that serve as the force behind Islam's expansionist mentality.

Islam's ultimate goal is to rule the world. Islamic theology provides two methods for this to be accomplished. The first is spiritual, as people are lured into conversion. The second is coercive; it is the political/physical conquest of nations. For Muslims, there are no gray areas. They see the world in black and white. To them the world is divided into two big camps: the House of Islam and the House of War. The House of Islam are the Muslims, and the House of war are the non-Muslims. Muslims (the House of Islam) are in a constant state of spiritual/political/physical warfare with Non-Muslims (the House of War) until they subjugate them into Islam.

Islam always employs a carrot and stick policy. The carrot and stick that is perpetually set before Muslims is the expectation of generous rewards in this life and in eternity for those who fight for Islam. On the other hand, those who falter are warned of severe temporal and eternal punishments.

Apostasy from Islam is not an option. Once-a-Muslim-always-a-Muslim, the only official alternative is death. There is no room for changing one's mind. The door is wide open to join Islam, but there is no backdoor for those that would like to leave it.
The Early Stages of Islam

Mohammed started espousing his new Islamic religion at age 40. Initially, his methods for spreading the message were gentle and peaceful. The motto was, "No compulsion in religion". His first convert was his loyal wife, Khadija. During the next three years, Mohammed privately persuaded seven men to join him, one of whom was his slave Zaid. The other six were: Abu Bakr, Uthman ibn Affan, Zubair ibnel Awam, Abdel Rahman ibn Auf, Saad ibn abi Wakkaas, and Talha. With this limited success, Mohamed decided to begin preaching the message of Islam in public. During this period he was under the protection of an influential uncle named, Abu-Talib. There is no evidence, however, that his uncle ever converted to Islam. After five years of hard work, the Muslim band had grown in numbers to a total of a mere sixteen. Some of Mohammed's followers migrated to a Christianized area that is present day Ethiopia. These enthusiasts succeeded in adding only a few more men, women and children to Islam's membership. To this day, Ethiopia remains a predominantly Christian country. As the years passed, the number of Muslims in Mecca, the birthplace of Islam, grew to about forty men and women.

Mohammed used every maneuver at his disposal to convince the polytheistic people of Mecca to embrace Islam. They worshipped 360 gods, of whom Allah was considered the ruling deity. To appease and appeal to the pagan Arabs, Mohammed incorporated some of their idolatrous rituals into Islam. The Islamic practices of making ubgone86, circling the Kaaba, and kissing the black stone are all pagan rituals that predate Islam. During one of his meetings with the chiefs of the Quraish tribe of Mecca, he took a step that exposes the depth of his deceptive desperation. He feigned devotion to their pagan deities. He recited the following Quranic verses wherein supposedly Allah praised the three pagan Arabian goddesses, Allat, Al-Uzza, and Manat. The verses read, "Have you not seen Allat, and Al-Uzza, and Manat, the other, the third? These are the exalted Swans, and truly their intercession may be hoped for." Mohammed then led the Quragotcha2es in paying homage to the goddesses by kneeling in prayer with them. Curiously, soon afterward Mohammed apparently recognized that his actions had been inconsistent with the monotheistic nature of Islam. His remedy was to allege that Satan had whispered the verses in his ears. He nullified the verses and changed the text of Surah 53:19-23 to read as it does today.

Regardless of his hard work, willingness to compromise with idolatry, and peaceful preaching, nothing seemed to work in his efforts to add members to his new religion. After 13 years of being headquartered in Mecca, he had won no more than 100 converts. The failures, the ridicule, and the threats against him by the people of Mecca, led him to a pivotal decision. In the year 622A.D. he decided to relocate his ministry base from Mecca to Medina, Arabia. This action was so strategic in the development of Islam that it was marked by the introduction of a new Hijira (migration) calendar and a revolutionary new methodology for spreading the Muslim message. The days of being a peaceful, tolerant prophet were over. At this juncture Mohammed began to proclaim that Allah was instructing all Muslims to use swords, not just words, to fight for the cause. They were to adopt the sword of Jihad as the primary means of subduing the masses to the will of Allah. From that point on, Mohammed's directives and the actions of his Muslim band signaled to non-Muslim Arabs that all his old pacts with them and former promises to them were null and void.

Soon, significant numbers of Arabs flocked to join Mohammed. Their motivations for doing so were twofold. They feared his ruthlessness, and they hoped for shares of the booty derived from the Muslims' plundering of caravans and villages. Muslims conducted a series of 27 raids on other Arabian tribes and caravans in which they killed opponents and captured goods, slaves and gained new territories. Mohammed personally observed 26 of these raids, and participated by fighting in 9 of them. His peaceful efforts prior to the migration to Medina produced a constituency that was primarily comprised of friends and family. During the subsequent years, and up until his death, tens of thousands were added to the ranks of Islam through his new policy of coercive violence.

Cont., next post.

Eight years after arriving in Medina, Mohammed was able to organize an army of 10,000 to attack Mecca. For the most part, this army consisted of men that were far more motivated by personal greed for material gains than they were by spiritual zeal for Allah's call. Conversely, the Meccans that surrendered to Islam after Mohammed's victory were motivated more by fear of death than they were by sincere belief in Allah and his Apostle. Mohammed was successful in subduing all of Arabia under his control and at the time of his death he was planning to send an army to take Syria. However, events that transpired over the next few years proved that the conversions of many were a matter of coercion rather than conviction. Those that perceived opportunities to forsake Islam did so with greater rapidity than their original conversions.

After Mohammed's death, the various factions within Arabia, including Jews and Christians, revolted against Islam. The successors of Mohammed were called Caliphs. The first one, Caliph Abu Bakr, had to recall the Muslim army from the anticipated conquest of Syria to quell a revolt at home. This revolt resulted in a fierce war called the Apostasy War, which was waged against the masses that were attempting to leave Islam. The Muslims prevailed after offering the Arabian revolutionaries a combination of attractive enticements and physical threats.

Once the Arabian Peninsula was securely under Muslim control, it was time to look beyond its borders in furthering Islam's influence. Between the years 637A.D. - 644A.D. the second Caliph, Omar, authorized a number of successful raids to subjugate many of the neighboring countries. Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Armenia, Iraq and Iran were all invaded and Islamisized.

Within a century of its birth, there were many indications that Islam was making great progress on its road to establishing a new world order. Islamic forces raged through North Africa, and destroyed corrupt Byzantine Christianity in their wake. They conquered all of the Middle East, Central Asia, and large portions of India. In 710 A.D. Islamic forces crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and swept through most of Spain and Portugal. France was invaded and one-third of it was captured. Fortunately, when the Muslim hordes were 125 miles from Paris, they were defeated by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours (Poitiers), in 732 A.D. The Muslims' occupation of Spain lasted a few hundred years, until they were slowly driven back to North Africa.

Muslim activists constantly boast that, "Islam is the religion of peace and tolerance," They assert that the wars of Islam were only "defensive" actions in response to the aggressions of others. Historical facts belie their assertions. The nations that the Muslims conquered did not pose any threat to Arabia. The countries that the Muslims invaded, had not initiated attacks. The Muslims attacked them with the motive of prospective plunder and the desire to force Islam on the rest of the world. Allah's orders were clear, "When the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." Surah 9:5

In dealing with "People of the Book" (Christians and Jews), the Quran was a bit more generous. The Quran did not call for their deaths, but commanded Muslims to, "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." Surah 9:29

It was no surprise that the invading Muslims were not satisfied to merely subjugate the conquered countries to Islamic Law. In addition, each nation underwent the process of Arabization. This was accomplished as the invaders systematically attempted to erase the identities of people groups by abolishing their native cultures and languages replacing them with Arab culture and language. Christians and Jews that did not accept Islam lost the status of full-citizenship in their respective nations. They were reduced to the status of "Dhimmitude" or the "protectees" or wards of the Muslims. In return for this protection they were expected to pay the Jizya" (poll tax).

Christians and Jews were also subjected to a long list of humiliating and degrading rules included in what is known as "the Pact of Omar." They were forced to sign a document, authored by Omar, agreeing to the following regulations and prohibitions.
# We shall not build new monasteries, churches, convents or monks' cells in our cities or in Muslim neighborhoods. Should any of theses fall into ruins or disrepair, we shall not repair, by day or night, those in our own neighborhoods or those situated in the quarters of the Muslims.
# We shall keep our gates wide open for passersby and travelers. All Muslims that pass our way are to be given board and lodging for as many as three days. We shall not hide any spy from the Muslims or give them sanctuary in our churches or shelter them in our homes.
# We shall not proclaim our religion publicly nor attempt to convert anyone to it. We shall not forbid any of our kin from entering Islam if they desire to do so.
# We shall show respect toward Muslims. If they wish to sit, we shall rise from our seats.
# We shall not seek to resemble Muslims by imitating any of their garments, turbans, footwear or parting of the hair. We shall not imitate their way of speech.
# We shall not mount on saddles, gird ourselves with swords, bear any kind of arms, or conceal weapons on our bodies.
# We shall not engrave Arabic inscriptions on our seals.
# We shall not sell fermented drinks.
# We identify ourselves as non-Muslims by clipping the fronts of our heads.
# We shall always dress in the same manner wherever we go and we shall bind the zunar, identifying us as non-Muslims, around our waists
# We shall not display our crosses or our books on the roads or in the markets of the Muslims. We shall use only clappers very softly in our churches. We shall not raise our voices in mourning when following our dead. We shall not shine lights on any of the roads of the Muslims or in their markets. We shall not bury our dead near the Muslims.
# We shall not take slaves who have been allotted to Muslims.
# We shall not build houses of taller elevation than the houses of Muslims.
# We accept these conditions for ourselves and for the people of our community, and in return we shall receive safe-conduct.
If we in any way violate these regulations, for which we ourselves stand surety, we forfeit our covenant [dhimma] status and shall become liable to the penalties for contumacy and sedition."
Cont., next post

Islam in Modern History

Nine hundred years after the first wave of Islamization, a second powerful wave took place, in the seventeenth Century. The Ottoman Empire's Muslim Turks tried to expand their rule into Europe. They captured Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and parts of Romania and Hungary. By 1683, they had reached the gates of Vienna. However, once again, and against all odds, the Western forces were able, miraculously, to repel them.

Following this second failed attempt to conquer Europe, Islam fell into a state of depression. In the mid-nineteenth century the Western countries pressured the Ottoman Empire to stop collecting the Jizya tax from Christians and Jews living in the Islamic world. The dhimmitude status was officially abolished; however, many of its provisions against Christians and Jews lingered on in the Islamic world. To this day, discrimination, and, at times, flagrant State-sanctioned persecutions against Christians and Jews run rampant in most Islamic countries.

A new Islamic awakening began taking place in the 20th Century. It was not spawned by military might or the forced occupation of lands. Undoubtedly, in modern history, the driving factor behind the new revival and acceptance of Islam was the discovery of vast reserves of oil in the Arab and Islamic countries. Oil has become a strong weapon to advance the global influence of the Islamic oil-producing nations. With it, they can make stronger nations, that depend of them for oil, tremble in fear. Suddenly it became politically incorrect to criticize Islam or Muslims. Most importantly, with this new sword in hand, Muslims now have the means to finance their call to convert the world to Islam.

Now in the 21rst Century Muslim advocates sense that they have the upper hand and therefore are becoming increasingly more aggressive in the West. They boast about being able to convert some 6-8 million in the United States alone. Muslims challenge the historical fact that Islam has been spread by the sword. When speaking about their new converts they say, "Where is the sword? Nobody is using a sword against these people. They are coming into Islam on their own accord!"

In reality, the number of Muslims in the USA and the growth rate of Islam in America have been extremely exaggerated. Islamic activists inflate the figures by including Christians of Middle Eastern origin in the numbers cited as the USA Muslim population. The truth is 80% of the Arabic speaking people in America are actually affiliated with Christian denominations. The motive behind the exaggerations is to gain more political clout. One scientific study put the number of Middle Eastern Muslims in the U.S. between 1.4 and 2.8 million. The majority of these did not come through conversion but through immigration and procreation.

It is undeniable; however, that Islam is seriously advancing in the West. This is mainly attributed to Islam's capacity to wield influence through its new sword of oil. The newly acquired wealth is currently being used in Western democracies in a manner that gives Islam a distinct economic advantage over Christianity. Christians must depend on the sacrificial donations of their members to build and maintain churches, pay salaries and finance evangelism and benevolent outreaches. As a result many Christian churches and organization have to shut down and sell their buildings. Muslims that are using Petro-Dollars from the oil rich Gulf and Saudi governments often purchase these defunct Christian properties. Muslim clerics, on the other hand, don't need to depend on donations to build mosques, pay their salaries, and purchase airtime in the various broadcast Media. The financial aid that they get from Islamic states enables them also to give generous assistance to needy people that are potential converts to Islam. More seriously, large sums of oil monies are covertly slipped into the hands of Muslim extremists' organizations. Without any qualms of conscience they finance terrorist attacks, against non-Muslims and against moderate Muslims alike, around the globe. With these factors in mind, it should be no surprise that Islam is growing in the West. In addition, unquestionably the Muslim activists of modern times are smarter and are using more sophisticated tactics than those of ancient times. The days of the primitive methods that were used to conquer the known world, between the 7th - 17th centuries, are over. Islam now applies carefully studied and sophisticatedly executed methods. They define their targets, and decide on the best strategies to reach them. Young women are reached through love and marriage. With our African-American citizens the race card is used. They are deceived into believing that Mohammed was black and that Islam was birthed on the African continent. To the needy, they use money. For most people, they polish Islam and present it in an attractively revised westernized form. The violent Quranic verses that were revealed in Medina are carefully excluded. The peaceful verses of the Mecca era are emphasized. The fact is, according to Islamic theology, the early peaceful verses that were written in Mecca are nullified (abrogated), and replaced by the later verses that were written in Medina. To the religious establishment they claim compatibility with the Judeo-Christian faith. They cite belief in Moses, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary. They concur with us on the existence of Heaven and Hell. Regardless of their boast that they have a lot in common with us, the fine print in Islamic teaching tells a different story.

Legally and politically they have the means to buy political influence and to retain high-powered teams of skilled lawyers. These experts find loopholes in our laws that enable Muslims to manipulate the system. They frighten their opponents with the prospect of dragging them into long-term court battles in order to sue for large sums of money.

The Archbishop of Izmir, His Exc. Giuseppe Germano Bernandini, summed up the political dilemma of the West in relation to Islam by quoting an authoritative Muslim spokesperson that he had encountered during an Islamic-Christian dialogue meeting. The man calmly stated with assurance, "Thanks to your democratic laws we will invade you; thanks to our religious laws we will dominate you."

In Conclusion

Make no mistake about it; Islam is well on the road to becoming a major spiritual/political influence in the New World. It is imperative that we don't lose sight of the fact that their ultimate goal is to rule the world. It is patient enough, and sufficiently financed, to accomplish its goal, one country at a time. Muslim advocates are working fervently to convert America to Islam. Their dream may not be practical, but they are gaining ground every day. There is a thought that often wakes me at night: The Muslims were able to conquer most of the known world in the 7th century with their limited and primitive means. What will happen to the world, if America becomes a Muslim country, and its might, wealth, technology, and resources fall into the hands of the Muslims? If this occurs, the New World will look like the old world. Time will lapse, and revert back to the 7th century, and the New World's civilization will be reduced to a big, barren Sahara desert.
http://www.islamreview.com/articles/theroad.shtml

The Basis for Salvation

The Roman Catholic Church claims that salvation is by grace through the shed blood of Christ on the cross. But in practice and other teachings, how true is their affirmation of that crucial doctrine?

Historically, Roman Catholicism has maintained that Jesus merely made the way open for salvation. But to enter into that salvation, one must live in obedience to the authority of the papacy. In addition, Jesus' provision for salvation not being complete, the Church offers other means to assure one's salvation.

It is through the Roman Catholic Church alone that salvation in its fullest sense can be attained:

"For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help towards salvation. that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained. It was to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, that we believe that Our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant, in order to establish on earth the one Body of Christ into which all those should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the people of God" (Vatican Council II, p. 456).

Penance

On the subject of salvation and the expiation of sin, Vatican Council II stated:

"Therefore, the Church announces the good tidings of salvation to those who do not believe, so that all men may know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent and may be converted from their ways, doing penance (Vatican Council II, p. 6).

"The full taking away and, as it is called, reparation of sins requires two things. Firstly, friendship with God must be restored. Amends must be made for offending his wisdom and goodness. This is done by a sincere conversion of mind. Secondly, all the personal and social values, as well as those that are universal, which sin has lessened or destroyed must be fully made good. This is done in two ways. The first is by feely making reparation, which involves punishment. The second is by accepting the punishments God's just and most holy wisdom has appointed. From this the holiness and splendor of his glory shine out through the world. ...

"The doctrine of purgatory clearly demonstrates that even when the guilt of sin has been taken away, punishment for it or the consequences of it may remain to be expiated or cleansed. They often are. In fact, in purgatory the souls of those 'who died in the charity of God and truly repentant, but who had not made satisfaction with adequate penance for their sins and omissions' are cleansed after death with punishment designed to purge away their debt" (Vatican Council II, p. 64).

Indulgences

One means of attaining salvation from the punishment of one's sins is what the Roman Church calls indulgences. These may be purchased with money or through acts of penitence, acts of charity, or other pietistic means. The concept of indulgences is based on the idea that one's good works merit God's grace. Since Christ's sacrifice was insufficient for the full payment of the penalty of sin, acts of piety and gifts to the Roman Church may be used as partial payment for one's sins. The efficacy of an indulgence depends upon the merit attributed to it by the church. For example, one may pay to have a mass said for a relative believed to be in purgatory. The mass will then account for a certain number of days deleted from his purgatorial sentence.

"The use of indulgences spread gradually. It became a very clear element in the history of the Church when the Popes decreed that certain works which were suitable for promoting the common good of the Church 'could replace all penitential practices' and that the faithful who were 'genuinely sorry for and had confessed their sins' and done such works were granted 'by almighty God's mercy and ... trusting in his Apostles merits and authority' and 'by virtue of the fullness of the apostolic power' 'not only full and abundant forgiveness, but the most complete forgiveness possible for their sins.

"For 'God's only-begotten Son ... has won a treasure for the militant Church ... he has entrusted it to blessed Peter, the key-bearer of heaven, and to his successors who are Christ's vicars on earth, so that they may distribute it to the faithful for their salvation. They may apply it with mercy for reasonable causes to all who have repented for and have confessed their sins. At times they may remit completely, and at other times only partially, the temporal punishment due to sin in a general as well as in special ways (insofar as they judge to be fitting in the sight of the Lord). The merits of the Blessed Mother of God and of the elect ... are known to add further to this treasure'" (Vatican Council II, p. 70).

While acknowledging that indulgences have been abused, the Roman Church ascribes that abuse to "the past," as if no such abuse occurs today. But the very nature of indulgences is an abuse against the purity of the Faith. To make matters worse, the Roman Church condemns those who oppose the idea of indulgences:

"[The Roman Catholic Church] 'teaches and commands that the usage of indulgences -- a usage most beneficial to Christians and approved by the authority of the Sacred Councils -- should be kept in the Church; and it condemns with anathema [cursing by ecclesiastical authority] those who say that indulgences are useless or that the Church does not have the power to grant them.'" (Vatican Council II, p. 71)

The Roman Catholic Church says it alone can grant this essential blessing for full salvation, and then condemns to hell those who disagree -- virtually all non-Catholics!

It was primarily Martin Luther's opposition to the evil practice of selling indulgences that sparked the Reformation. While he sought to remain in the Roman Church and bring reform to it [e.g., Martin Luther never gave up the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration], he was eventually excommunicated for his stand, as were other Reformers.

The response of Roman Catholicism to the Reformation was a hardening of the papal heart which resulted in mass executions, torture, and other violent means to squelch the rejection of papal authority. The Counter-Reformation resulted in the creation of Order of Jesus -- the Jesuits -- as a means to spy out and destroy those who sought to follow the path to freedom from Rome's tyrannical grip upon their souls. Thus ensued one of the bloodiest periods in the history of the Church, which saw countless martyrs for Christ at the hands of the papacy. With all its posturing to win the hearts of non-Catholic Christians today, the Roman Catholic Church has never offered an apology for its murdering of our ancestral brethren. This chapter in history is virtually ignored by the Vatican.
The Eucharist & The Mass

Roman Catholicism states that redemption is accomplished in the Eucharist:

"For it is the liturgy through which, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, 'the work of our redemption is accomplished'" (Vatican Council II, p. 1).

In Roman Catholic belief, the Eucharist is the embodiment of Christ in the bread of the Roman Catholic communion table; the bread is literally His body, and the wine is literally His blood. To non-Catholics, this can be confusing. But the Vatican II documents spell out the degree to which this literalness is held by its affirmation of the Council of Trent's Decree on the Eucharist that the wafer is to be worshiped as God. Is not idolatry the sign of a cult?

"There should be no doubt in anyone's mind 'that all the faithful ought to show to this most holy sacrament the worship which is due to the true God, as has always been the custom of the Catholic Church. Nor is it to be adored by any the less because it was instituted by Christ to be eaten'" (Vatican Council II, p. 104).

The Roman Church insists that Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient in itself to take away the penalty for our sins, but that we must add to His sacrifice through penance and through the application of the Roman Catholic mass as an ongoing sacrifice:

"Hence the Mass, the Lord's Supper, is at the same time and inseparably: a sacrifice in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated (Vatican Council II, p. 102).

"Christ's own association of what he did at the Last Supper with what he was to do on Good Friday has been the Church's own norm for intimately relating the two. The sacrifice of the altar, then is no mere empty commemoration of Calvary, but a true and proper act of sacrifice, whereby Christ is the high priest by an unbloody immolation offers himself a most acceptable victim to the eternal Father, as he did on the cross. 'It is one and the same victim; the same person now offers it by the ministry of his priests, who then offered himself on the cross. Only the manner of offering is different.' ... Worth stressing is that what makes the Mass a sacrifice is that Christ is a living human being with a human will, still capable of offering (hence priest) and being offered (hence victim), no less truly today than occurred on the cross. (John Hardon, The Catholic Catechism, pp. 465-66) (cf. Heb. 10:12-18).

Scripture is clear that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for taking away not only the guilt, but also the punishment for our sins. The whole purpose of His suffering was to bear our punishment (Isa. 53:4-6).

The chastisement (or punishment) that reconciled us to God (establishing peace with Him) was laid upon Jesus at the cross. There is not a single Scripture that speaks of punishment for our sins if we die in Christ. At worst, we will suffer the loss of reward for our failure to produce fruit in our lives to our capabilities. But all Scriptural references to punishment apply to unbelievers only. For the believer, to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ (2 Cor. 5:8).
Cont., next post.

Does this make us more inclined to sin and take a cavalier attitude about our position in Christ? Just the opposite. When those who have the Spirit of God consider the awful price paid for our redemption, we abhor our sins all the more. If we fall, it is as Paul said, the result of sin that dwells in our mortal bodies. But our spirits -- our attitude -- is one of hatred for sin.

The history of the Catholic Church proves conclusively that its means for salvation is not by grace, but by works of its own laws. This, in itself, qualifies it to deemed a cult. It was one of the "approved religions" under the pagan emperor Constantine -- the first major cult that broke from the teachings of the apostles.
The Basis for Authority

Perhaps the most cogent argument offered against the cults by true believers in Christ Jesus is that Scripture is the sole authority for all belief and practice for those who are in Christ. The first avenue of attack against a cult's theology takes the researcher through that cult's basis for belief. Even those cults which affirm the validity of the Bible as the sole authority, add their own authorities to it. And that is what cult researchers mark as one of the unmistakable signs of a cult.

Like other cults, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and that is the basis for establishing truth, doctrine, and practice. But it also has other criteria that it says are equal to Scripture: tradition, and Magesterium (the teaching authority of the Church).

While asserting, as do all aberrant "Christian" cults, that Scripture is the primary source of all revelation, the Roman Catholic Church in practice and in its teachings affirms that its interpretation of Scripture is the only valid basis upon which all truth resides and upon which its other authorities rest.

"Sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them , flowing out from the same divine wellspring, move towards the same goal. Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit. And Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors of the apostles [the pope and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church] so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching. Thus it comes about that the Church does not draw her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone. Hence, both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal feelings of devotion and reverence...

"But the task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. Yet this Magesterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith.

"It is clear, therefore, that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, sacred Tradition, sacred Scripture and the Magesterium of the Church are so connected and associated that one of them cannot stand without the others. Working together, each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they all contribute effectively to the salvation of souls" (Vatican Council II , pp. 755-756). (Emphasis ours.)

In addition, the Roman Church openly professes that its view of Scripture differs from that of 'other' Christians:

"But when Christians separated from us affirm the divine authority of the sacred books, they think differently from us -- different ones in different ways -- about the relationship between the scriptures and the Church. For the Church according to Catholic belief, its authentic teaching office has a special place in expounding and preaching the written Word of God (Vatican Council II, p. 468).

"It is for the bishops, 'with whom the apostolic doctrine resides' suitably to instruct the faithful entrusted to them in the correct use of the divine books, especially of the New Testament, and in particular of the Gospels. They do this by giving them translations of the sacred texts which are equipped with necessary and really adequate explanations. Thus the children of the Church can familiarize themselves safely and profitably with sacred Scriptures, and become steeped in their spirit.

"Moreover, editions of sacred Scripture, provided with suitable notes, should be prepared for the use of even non-Christians and adapted to their circumstances. These should be prudently circulated, either by pastors of souls, or by Christians of any rank" (Vatican Council II, pp. 764-765).

The cry of Reformation was sola scriptura -- the insistence that the Bible alone is the ultimate authority for all believers. The Holy Spirit's enlightenment is a safeguard against religious tyranny.

But for the Roman Catholic Church, the Scriptures are not sufficient of themselves to provide all that is necessary "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:16-17) without the Roman Church's interpretations. Isn't that what CRI originally established as one of the primary criteria for determining if a group is as cult?
Exclusivity

Another sign of a cult is its exclusivity and insistence that it alone holds the authority as God's only true church. Rather than acknowledge that the true Church is comprised of individuals bound to God the Father through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, a cult looks upon the organization itself -- that is, the hierarchical structure -- as the Church. This is true of Romanism.

Although the Roman Catholic Church admits today that God's grace is active in non-Catholic Christians, we are referred to as "separated brethren" (which the Roman Church, through its ecumenical movement, hopes to some day bring into fellowship under its authority). According to Romanism, unless we acquiesce to this movement toward "unity," we remain outside the graces of the Church, regardless of how much in God's grace we live.

"Bishops should show affectionate consideration in their relations with the separated brethren and should urge the faithful also to exercise all kindness and charity in their regard, encouraging ecumenism as it is understood by the Church" (Vatican Council II, p. 573).

The key phrase in this statement is "as it is understood by the Church." This betrays Roman Catholicism's cult mindset that sees the Church as a separate entity from the corporate body of all true believers. How the Roman Church views ecumenism is revealed in the Vatican II documents:

"The term 'ecumenical movement' indicates the initiatives and activities encouraged and organized, according to the various needs of the Church and as opportunities offer, to promote Christian unity" (Vatican Council II, p. 457).

To the papacy, the purpose of the ecumenical movement is to meet the needs of the Vatican's ecclesiastical system on the pretext of promoting Christian unity. But on what terms is unity to be realized?

"This sacred Council urges the faithful to abstain from any frivolous or imprudent zeal, for these can cause harm to true progress toward unity. Their ecumenical activity cannot be other than fully and sincerely Catholic, that is, loyal to the truth we have received from the Apostles and the Fathers, and in harmony with the faith which the Catholic Church has always professed, and at the same time tending toward that fullness in which our Lord wants his Body to grow in the course of time" (Vatican Council II, p. 470).

Through the ecumenical movement, the Roman Catholic Church is attempting to undo the Reformation, and to bring all of Christendom under the authority of the papacy. While it encourages "dialogue" with non-Catholic Christians, its position is adamant: there will be no unity without surrender to "Mother Church."

This establishes the pope as the central figure for the Faith in the same way that the apostles of other cults are established. While they acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the central figure of the faith to which they adhere, there can be no true relationship with Him apart from the dictates of the hierarchical pronouncements. The cult of the papacy is in itself sufficient grounds to recognize the Roman Church as a cult. The display of adoration, the gaudy parade of a mere man as if he were a god, the pandering to idolatrous worship through bowing down and kissing his ring, the insistence that he be addressed as His Holiness the Pope (or Father) of all Christians cannot but confirm to any Christian -- let alone professed cult-watchers -- that Roman Catholicism is a cult.
Conclusion

There are other evidences of cultism in Roman Catholicism, too numerous to mention here. One significant consideration: any religious group that threatens damnation and/or excommunication to any segment of its membership for eating, drinking, marrying, or failure to attend religious rites is a cult.
http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/Catholicism/isitcult.htm

Quote from: DreamWeaver on January 08, 2005, 12:07:13 PM

Dreamweaver,
thanks for the stimulating report on Scientology. I was just thinking about them today. I read an article about John Travolta and his wife. They are members of this cult. How absolutely sad.

Thanks again. :)

bluelake

[quote "Jesus Christ", and the "Father":

"God the Father", and "Jesus Christ" of the Mormons are not those of the real Bible:

- "God the Father", for the Mormons, was once a man, but became God. He has a physical body, as does his wife, Heavenly Mother. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate gods. Worthy men may one day become gods themselves.

- "Jesus Christ", like God the Father, for the Mormons is "eternal" because he has no end, like any other man, but he is "not eternal", because he had a beginning: He was born from Adam (who was God), by sexually cohabiting with the Virgin Mary in a physical, flesh relationship. Brigham declared emphatically, "Jesus was not begotten by the Holy Ghost". Jesus was married and had children with the two sisters of Lazarus, Maria and Martha... and Jesus became God, as you and I can become God, like Him!... everything contrary of what the real Bible says!.

- An another strange thing of the Mormons: Jesus and Lucifer are brothers!.

- Any man can become God... "As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man can become", is one of the most famous aphorisms of the Mormons... but of course, only the Mormons can become God, if they are faithful to their Church!... and only "men", not "women".

- This concept of "every man is god", has been taken up by the New Age Movement, but using different methods to become god.

- The Mormons could build on earth a "Garden of Eden", and that's the idea of Utah, USA... but Utah is still not a Garden of Eden!.

- The Church forbids contraceptives and abortion.

The "Book of Mormon":

The "Book of Mormon" is the greatest deception: It was dictated by Smith to Cowdery, not face to face, but from behind a curtain, in a period of 4 years, since 1827 to 1830.

- The story of Smith, is that the Book was written by Mormon in the year 400 A.C., and found by Smith 1,400 years later in Cumorah, near Palmyra, N.Y., with the help of angel Moroni. The Book was buried, and engraved on thin sheets of gold metal, nobody knows how many sheets, 200?, 2,000?... and with the book, there were a pair of large "supernatural spectacles", to translate the reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics of the sheets.

- After translating the Book, Smith returned it to Moroni, without even showing to his wives this great unique treasure... nobody knows what he did with the "supernatural spectacles", another unique great treasure!...

... But for most evangelicals, the Book is a plagiarism of a fiction novel written by Solomon Spaulding in 1816, "Manuscript Story"... and may be this is the reason why Smith always dictated the book from behind a curtain.

- Martin Harris, an old friend of Smith, portrayed him as "a religious faker, a charlatan", in a letter in 1830.

"Contents" of the Book of Mormon:

It is another great deception:

- The Book relates a thousand-year history of a lost tribe of Israelites who left Palestine and came to America to become the ancestors of the Native Americans. The leader of the lost tribe was Lehi, who had two sons: Laman and Nephi. They lived in pease and love, until the Lamanites became bad people, who fought and annihilated the Nephites near Palmyra, N.Y. in 428 AC But, before his demise, Mormon, the Nephite leader, wrote and buried his Book, including the appearance of Christ in America, after his resurrection, instituting the ordinances of baptism, communion, and priesthood.

-- The Book was published in 1830, with the subtitle "Another Testament of Jesus Christ", and it is the most sacred scripture for the Mormons, "the most correct book of any on earth"...

... But here comes the big deception:

- The Mormon's doctrine often contradicts the Book of Mormon's doctrine:

- The Book says, "there is only one God", Mormonism teaches "there are many gods" (Mosiah 15:1-5, Alma 11:28, 2 Nephi 31:21, Journal of Discourses, Smith, Vol.6, pag..5).

- The Book says, "the Trinity is one God", Mormonism teaches, "the Trinity is 3 separate gods" (Alma 11:44, Mosiah 15:5, 2 Nephi 31:21, Articles of Faith,Talmage, pag.35, 1985).

- The Book says, "God is Spirit", Mormonism teaches "God has the form of a man" (Alma 18:24,28, Journal of Discourses, Smith, Vol.6, p.3.

Quote

all of this is very interesting. im wondering where you got most of your info, let me know okay?
Something else Mormons believe is that after they die there's a split between the genders. Males go into one heaven and females into another. They also believe that there's a planet called "Coleb" (not sure about the spelling) and they say that thats where God lives. which gets me thinking...if according to their doctrine man is god then what does that mean? we are living on planet Coleb or something? you gotta be kidding me!

Concerned Christians" Cult - Originally of Denver CO

Concerned Christians is a group of at least 78 adults and children, led by Monte Kim Miller, (b. 1954). (Some sources incorrectly call him Kim Monte Miller). Until recently he had been a marketing executive of Proctor & Gamble. Ironically, Miller was an anti-cult activist in the 1980's. He formed Concerned Christians in the 1980's to fight the New Age movement, and what he regarded as the anti-Christian bias of the media. His newsletter, "Report from Concerned Christians" attacked feminist spirituality, the 1987 Harmonic Convergence, New Age trends in Evangelical Christianity, alternative medicine, the Coalition on Revival, Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God, the Roman Catholic Church, the World-Faith movement, and many other Christian denominations and organizations.

He produced a radio program "Our Foundation" for a during part of 1996. In 1996-JUN, he announced that he speaks for God. Some followers were disillusioned by this and left; most remained in the group. He predicted that an earthquake would wipe Denver, CO off the map on 1998-OCT-10. This prophecy proved to be false. His followers believe that Miller is the one of the two witnesses mentioned in the Book of Revelation, chapter 11. He predicted his own death, and that of his co-prophet, in 1999-DEC in Jerusalem. He expected to be resurrected three days later. This prophecy also failed. He taught that his group are the only true Christians; salvation can only be earned by repenting and following him. 6 Presumably the remaining 2 billion Christians and 4 billion non-Christians in the world will all go to Hell.

The Denver apocalypse didn't happen. However, about 78 of the group sold some of their possessions, emptied out their homes, and left Denver near the end of 1998-SEP. (Estimates range from fewer than 60 to up to 80). At least some relocated to Jerusalem. Many Christians believe that when Jesus returns, he will descend from the sky and make landfall on the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem. 1

On 1999-JAN-3, Israeli police raided two suburban-style homes in the Mevasseret Zion suburb, in the western outskirts of Jerusalem. They detained eight adults and six children who belonged to the Concerned Christians. They had been living quietly, financing themselves on their savings and donations from the U.S. Brigadier General Elihu Ben-Onn, an Israeli police spokesperson alleged that the cult members planned to "carry out violent and extreme acts in the streets of Jerusalem at the end of 1999." 2 This would begin "a process that would bring about the Second Coming of Jesus." 4 If this is true, then their technique appears to be to incite a religious war that would expand into the War of Armageddon as prophesied in the book of Revelation of the Christian Scriptures. Most conservative Christians believe that Jesus would return at this time. The Israeli police allege that the group planned a deadly shoot-out with police near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where some Christians believe the tomb of Jesus is situated. No evidence has been made public to support these allegations. No firearms were found at either of the group's residences. Eleven of the group were deported; the 3 other members were temporarily arrested on suspicion of being involved in a conspiracy to violate a law which protects holy places. The three told their lawyer that they didn't want to return home because they feared that the U.S. would be destroyed soon. One of the detainees. John Bayles, denied any evil intent on the part of his group: "I'm not here to hurt anybody. I don't feel I pose a threat of physical harm to anyone. I don't feel I have committed any conspiracy.'' 3

On 1999-JAN-4, a reporter found a taped message and associated photocopied document on the doorstep of one of the then-abandoned homes that had been rented by the Concerned Christians. It was labeled "Series # 18, Tape # 30" indicating that it was apparently one of a large group of such messages. The voice on the tape has not been identified. It linked Presidents Clinton and Coolidge with mass murderer Charles Manson. It linked such events as hurricane Andrew, the Oslo peace accords, and Nagasaki. The speaker predicted that the United States, the "dragon kingdom" would receive "double the judgment" that Japan experienced at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This tape may be totally unrelated to the Concerned Christians group.

All 14 arrived back in Denver on 1999-JAN-9, accompanied by Israeli security agents. 5 They avoided friends and relatives who were waiting for them in the airport. Dozens more members are being sought by Israeli police.

On 1999-JAN-8, Muslim prayer leader Hayan al Idrisi at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque referred to the Concerned Christians as "a dangerous group.'' He claimed that the group planned to destroy the mosque. It is located on the Temple mount and is Islam's third holiest shrine. Although no evidence has been produced to support this theory, it is consistent with prophecies in the Bible. In Revelation, the Jewish Temple is described as fully functional and engaged in regular ritual animal sacrifices when Jesus returns. The temple would have to be located at, or near, or on top of the mosque.

"There is growing concern in Israel that the group, the Concerned Christians, is a forerunner of hundreds of fanatics who will be drawn to Israel at the close of the millennium for what they expect to be the return of Jesus." 5 The Israeli security authorities established a task force in 1998 to deal with violence perpetrated by various Christian groups as the year 2000 approaches. The police asked for a budget of $50 million dollars (U.S.) to handle the problem. Fortunately, their fears did not materialize.

The Denver Post published a news item about a law-enforcement official in England. He feared that Monte Kim Miller and followers might have targeting the Millennium Dome, a massive exhibition hall built east of London. This concern appears to have been based solely on the rumor that some of Miller's followers said that he was in England doing "research." "Scotland Yard will launch a massive operation to protect the site from all cults and terrorists...The operation will cost about $10 million."

Most of the Concerned Christians who landed in Greece have since been deported. Many are believed to be living in the Philadelphia, PA area.

In mid-2001 Kim Miller started a web site, which only contained information on how to purchase his audio recordings. 12

As of 2002-FEB-20, an E-mail had been added to the web site in which Miller says that people cannot be simultaneously good Christians and patriotic. He wrote: "The Lord even served warning to America that he will Judge the Judges through the unrighteous sword-bearing of Osama bin Laden's very own Manhattan Project. Fear God, not Osama bin Laden, about 911.'' Miller states that the breaking of the seventh seal and sound of the seventh trumpet mentioned in Revelation have already occurred. They happened on 2002-FEB-15, the 777th day of the seventh millennium. (He believes that the millennium started on 2000-JAN-1). This would indicate that the end of the world can happen at any time.

We have a nagging concern that the Concerned Christians may be exactly what they claim to be: a peaceful group that mistakenly believed in the imminent return of Jesus at the millennium, and who had traveled to Jerusalem to view the event. The anti-cult movement, counter-cult movement, and media have given this group a lot of bad press. The police have made public only accusations of violent plans. No solid evidence has been provided that indicates any murderous intent by members of the group. No weapons have been produced. Since there will be no trial in Israel, the government will not have to prove that their accusations have any validity. We wonder if the government of Israel merely picked on this group as an example to frighten off other apocalyptic organizations from visiting Jerusalem at the time of the Millennium. 11

Some in the anti-cult movement (ACM) have pointed to past disasters involving loss of life among the membership of new religious groups. Over the past three decades, these have included the Students of the Seven Seals (Branch Davidians), Heaven's Gate, Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God (in Uganda), The People's Temple, and the Solar Temple. The ACM often interprets these tragedies as group suicides, and suggest that Miller and the Concerned Christians may be headed for their own mass suicide. We consider this unlikely for three reasons:
bullet   The loss of life in the destructive new religious movements cited above were mainly mass murders.
bullet   In his recent report on the "Seventh Angel" he does discuss "losing one's life for the Lord's sake and the gospel's (Mark 8:34 - 35)." But he seems to interpret this symbolically, stating that it "means giving up one's own will in exchange for the Lord's will for his life. This includes, if necessary, one's fortunes and sacred honor."
bullet   Members of the group expect to play a major role in the activities surrounding the second coming of Jesus. They would probably not want to commit suicide now, when they have the expectation of seeing the end of the world unfold.

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Note:
This Concerned Christian group is not connected in any way with another Concerned Christian group in Mesa, AZ. The latter have a web page at: http://www.concernedchristians.org They conduct an Evangelical Christian ministry to Mormons - trying to convert Mormons into ex-Mormons.

HOUSE OF YAHWEH® IN ABILENE, TEXAS

The House of Yahweh was organized by Jacob Hawkins. He is an American, who had gone to Israel in 1967 to work on a kibbutz. While there, he heard of an archaeological discovery of a 1st century building that had "House of Yahweh" (in Hebrew) over the entrance. He believed that this was the name of a group specially selected in ancient times by God. He decided to return to the US and to build a sanctuary in Odessa TX with that name.

Members worshiped Yahweh (Elohim) and Yeshua, His son. They were Sabbatarians; that is, they hold religious services on Saturday. They celebrated the main Jewish festivals (Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles). They rejected, with considerable justification, Christmas, Easter, Halloween as Pagan inventions. They believed that Yeshua was born in the spring time, when the shepherds are out watching their flock at night during the birthing season. They taught that Yeshua's shed blood cleanses believers from sin, but only if they also adhere to the 10 commandments.

Members tithed 10% of their earnings. The group's leadership was from 12 disciples and 70 elders. They published a periodical: The Prophetic Watchman. They didn't keep membership records, but reported (in 1980) congregations in the US, Israel, India, South Africa, West Africa, Burma, Australian and Belgium.

Jacob's brother Yisrayl was originally part of the Odessa group. But he left in 1980 to form a second House of Yahweh in Abilene TX. The brothers had disagreed over the proper name for God. Yisrayl is the High Priest and is assisted by elders, and male and female deacons. They celebrate the various Jewish feast days specified in Leviticus 23. They also celebrate two additional feasts: "Yahshua's Memorial" and "Last Great Day". They have a periodical called The Prophetic Word. In 1987, they reported seven congregations served by 35 ministers. They have about 100 followers living at their headquarters.

They place major emphasis on an end of world scenario which the believed would start on 1998-OCT. Their latest prophecy, published in 1999-SEP, is geared to the 7 year Middle East peace plan which was signed on 1993-SEP-13. They expect that when "the seven year peace plan...starts again in the fall of 2000" that the world will experience "the worst time of trouble ever." According to Isaiah 24, God will make the earth a wasteland and will scatter its inhabitants. The land will be utterly emptied and plundered. By mid-2001, they predict that 80% of the world's population will have been killed as a result of nuclear war. No rain will fall for 1260 days.

There have been a series of largely unconfirmed allegations about:
bullet   Extreme psychological control over the membership of the Abilene group. Members are told what to wear, what to read, and what to listen to or watch.
bullet   The assembly of weapons by the leaders.
bullet   "Four men tied to the militant, anti-government Posse Comitatus of Wisconsin are elders or guards in the House of Yahweh." 4
bullet   Polygyny within the group.
bullet   The belief that the House of Yahweh will play a major role in the War of Armageddon.

The Creativity Movement was formerly called the "World Church of the Creator"

The Creativity Movement (TCM) is a non-Christian, non-profit, religious organization, with their head office in Illinois. 3 They have 24 regional and local branches. 4 They have members "all over the world." They promote the religion of "Creativity, based on the eternal laws of nature." Their prime objective is: "The survival, expansion and advancement of the white race."

They regard themselves as being motivated by a love for the white race. This implies extreme hatred of non-white races. They are overwhelmingly hate-filled towards Jews, African-Americans, and other non-whites. They hate homosexual behavior. However their concern in this area appears to be muted in comparison to other white-supremacist organizations.

U.S. District Judge Joan H. Lefkow ruled in 2002-NOV that the TCM violated the copyright of a Christian organization in Oregon, the Church of the Creator 1 by copying their name. 5 The TCM leader, white supremacist Matt Hale, is suing Judge Lefkow because of her decision. On 2003-JAN-8, Hale was arrested and accused of conspiring to kill Judge Lefkow. 6 Judge Lefkow ruled on 2003-APR-24 that the TCM had failed stop using the name World Church of the Creator and should be fined $1,000 a day until it complies.

The founder, Matthew Hale, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for conspiring to murder Judge Joan Lefkow. Her husband and mother were allegedly murdered on 2005-FEB-28 by a man unrelated to Hale and the Creativity Movement. He was angry at an malpractice ruling the Judge Lefkow had made.

Symbol, flag and slogans:

The church symbol is composed of three images on a white background. From top to bottom, they are:

a halo, which symbolizes that race is "unique and sacred above all other values."

a red and black crown which indicates that their group form the elite,

a large black letter W which stands for the white race.

Their flag consists of the church symbol on a red background. The blood-red color symbolizes their "struggle for the survival, expansion and advancement of the White Race." There is a white triangle at the right side of the flag which symbolizes the emergence of a "Whiter and Brighter World."

Their slogans include:

"A Whiter and Brighter World."

"RAHOWA" (RAcial HOly WAr)

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Racial beliefs:

Their race is their religion.

Their religion and philosophy called "Creativity" is based on the external laws of nature, the experience of history, on logic and common sense.

The white race is the finest achievement of nature.

Hatred for Jews, African-Americans, and other "mud races" flows naturally from their love of their fellow whites.

All of the progress in society has been due to the white race.

The entire white race is an extension of each white family.

Persons who are not white are of a "mud race." They may be a sub-species who share a common ancestor with the white race. Black people form the bottom level of humans, barely above monkeys and chimpanzees.

The percentage of white people on the earth has dropped from 33% in 1920 to about 8% today. There are 500 million white people alive today.

Founder Ben Klassen envisioned a racial holy war (RAHOWA) in the future between the white and non-white races.

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Morality:

"...what is good for the White Race is the highest value..."

"...what is bad for the White Race is the ultimate sin."

They believe that the American culture is becoming more decadent. Symptoms are: black crimes, growing acceptance of homosexuality, interracial marriage, increasing drug use, and lack of racial identity among white people.

Love and hate are the most powerful emotions; having both is healthy and essential to life.

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Anti-Christian beliefs:

Christianity is a violent religion. They have killed 1000 fellow Christians down through the years for every Christian that the Romans killed.

They do not believe that Jesus existed in the 1st century CE. They point to the complete lack of evidence from any non-Jewish source that verifies his existence in Palestine.

They reject the principle of loving your enemies. Enemies should be hated.

They reject the ethic of reciprocity which is expressed in the Christian golden rule and in many similar statements in other religions.

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Anti-semitic beliefs:

Jews were responsible for World War II

The Nazi holocaust never happened.

Jews control the U.S.federal government, which they call the JOG (Jewish Occupational Government)

Jews are in control of the United Nations.

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Un-Christian beliefs:

They do not believe in life after death; heaven and hell are a fantasy.

They have no belief in the existence of a God, angels, devils, spooks, etc. However, they do not use the term Atheist to describe their religion.

They do not know how the universe began. They remain agnostic on matters relating to the origin of life, the world and the rest of the universe.

Practices:

General:

They hope to expand the white race, to gain control of all of the land, and crowd out everyone else (i.e. members of the mud races). Everything is geared towards populating the earth with only white people.

They refer to black people as "niggers" rather than Negroes, African-American or blacks. This is because the latter terms indicate excessive respect.

They refer to their faith as a racial and natural religion.

Individual members of TCM are called "creators" because they believe that the white race has created all worthwhile culture and civilization.

Their primary mission is to convert other white people to their religion.

Membership is restricted to persons whose genetic heritage is "wholly or predominantly" from Europe.

A Creator should not meet with non-whites socially.

A Creator shuns "sexual deviation" which apparently includes homosexual behavior.

Location:

They urge that members relocate to central Illinois. Their reasoning is that they need an "area in which our influence and numbers are so widespread that we can be said to dominate that area."

Diet:

They recommend "Salubrious Living" which involves the eating of natural foods in a proper balance, advocating a clean environment and organic farming.

Deception, and illegal activities:

When trying to participate on a call-in radio show, they urge their members to "Do whatever it takes to get on the air..."

They suggest that Creators call numbers at random from the telephone book. If the person who answers is not white, they are to say that a wrong number was dialed.

If they are in a country that has laws against the distribution of hate literature, Creators are to ignore those laws.

Rituals:

Creators (members) are expected to engage in a religious ritual five times a day. They recite the five fundamental beliefs of Creativity. All five relate to race, including the first belief: that their "Race is their Religion."

They have a wedding ceremony which can be performed only by church ministers. The bride and groom exchange their vows before nature.

They have a Ceremony of Pledging to Raise the Child Loyal to the White Race. It can be performed only by church ministers, ideally within the first week after birth. Both parents pledge to raise their child as a loyal member of the White Race and faithful to the church.

A Ceremony of Confirmation of Loyalty to the White Race can be performed by a minister on or after the child's 13th birthday.

Calendar: 1973 was the date of the first publishing of Nature's Eternal Religion; it is regarded as the year in which the W.C.O.T.C was founded. They have abandoned the Gregorian calendar. 1973 is considered the Incepto de Creativitat (Inception of Creativity), or I.C. Years following are called "Anno de Creativitat." Thus 1974 CE is called 1 A.C. The years before I.C. are called Prius Creativitat (Before Creativity). Thus 1972 CE is called 1 P.C.

Holidays:

Klassen day on FEB-20, the anniversary of their founder's birth.

Founding Day on FEB-21, the anniversary of the first publishing of the book Nature's Eternal Religion.

Kozel Day or Martyrs' Day on SEP-15: the date at which a Creator minister was killed in action.

West Victory Day on DEC-29, commemorating the white victory over the last organized native America resistance in 1890 CE (83 PC).

Festum Album is a week-long celebration that runs from DEC-26 to JAN-1. It celebrates white racial pride and unity.

The church and violence:

Their founder, Ben Klassen, wrote: "We have a non-violent religious movement. We have a comprehensive plan as to how to achieve a Whiter and Brighter World. Every step along the way is legal, constitutional and non-violent..." 1

The Creator Membership Manual says that: "any member of the Church who either commits crimes (other than unconstitutional violations of our right to freedom of speech, assembly, etc.) or encourages others to do so, will be subject to expulsion from the Church." 2 They view illegal or violent behavior as counter-productive. It subjects their own members to arrest. They feel that the public is craving for order, security and stability; people will reject any group that appears to advocate anarchy.

Although the organization itself considers itself non-violent, some of its members have allegedly engaged in racially an religiously-inspired criminal acts:

1991: George Loeb was arrested for the killing of Harold Mansfield Jr., an African-American military veteran in Florida. Leob was found guilty and received a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. His wife was arrested and jailed on a lesser crime. Loeb was a minister in the COTC.

1994: Some COTC members in California planned two bombing sprees that were designed to attack African-American, homosexual and Jewish institutions. Police thwarted the terrorists' plans.

1997: Some skinheads (neo-Nazis) were distributing TCM pamphlets at a rock concert in Florida. About 11 of them attacked a African-American man and his son. Several members were arrested, tried and sentenced for this crime. The police classified it as a hate crime.

1999-JUN/JUL: The Sacramento (CA) Bee reported on 1999-AUG-20 that two brothers are suspected in the murder of a gay couple (Gary Matson and Winfield Mowder), arson at three synagogues, and arson at an abortion clinic at the Country Club Medical Center in Sacramento CA. The two brothers are Benjamin Williams and James Matthews. The newspaper commented "Authorities also have reportedly linked the brothers to the World Church of the Creator..." 3 (This is the former name of TCM)

1999-JUL-3/4: A senior TCM member, Benjamin Nathaniel Smith, went on a shooting rampage through the mid-west, killing one African-American and one Korean-American. Six orthodox Jews and three African-Americans were wounded. Smith then committed suicide. He had earlier testified at Matt Hale's law hearing. When Hale was asked what he had to say to Smith's surviving victims and the families of the people who died, he commented: "We really just don't have anything to say to them. And that's part of our church. We do not socialize with the other races."

In an ironic twist of logic, on his July 6 episode of The 700 Club Pat Robertson, predicted that this type of violence will continue into the future. "There will be many more of them." He blamed Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) for the "violence, killing, mayhem [and] hatred." His rationale was that if the ACLU, the AU and similar groups succeed in their goal of attaining true separation of church and state in the U.S., that the public will have have no religious influence to restrain them. Robertson said that in order to minimize racial assassinations, "...we must pull together to once again reestablish the Bible as our guidebook for faith and conduct." The AU requested an immediate on-air apology for these statements.

2002-AUG-16: Patrick John O'Sullivan, the leader of TCM in Victoria, Australia, was convicted of bashing and stabbing a man. According to evidence given in the court, he was chanting "white power" with a group of people at a house-warming in 1999-MAY. Another guest started to talk to O'Sullivan about his white supremacist views. They started to debate whether O'Sullivan can be considered a Nazi because he did not have German blood. According to the Herald Sun newspaper: "The jury found he then either butted or punched the victim in the head before stabbing him in the abdomen. The victim received a 5cm-deep (2") wound." 6

2003-JAN-8: U.S. District Judge Joan H. Lefkow ruled in 2002-NOV that the W.C.O.T.C., as the TCM was then known, violated the copyright of a Christian organization in Oregon, the Church of the Creator 7 by copying their name. 8 The TCM leader, white supremacist Matt Hale, launched a lawsuit against Judge Lefkow because of her decision. The church web site blasted the judge, using anti-Semitic and racial slurs to urge its white supremacist members to "show the k--- and n----- - loving judge that the jailing of . . . Hale will not stop our Church of the Creator!" On 2003-JAN-8, Hale was arrested and accused of conspiring with another individual between 2002-NOV-29 and DEC-17 to kill Judge Lefkow. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said: "Freedom of speech does not include the freedom to solicit murder. The conduct alleged in this indictment is disturbing on many levels, but particularly so because it targeted a judge, whose sworn duty is to apply the law equally and fairly to all who appear before her."

2005-FEB-28: Judge Joan Lefkow returned to her home to find her husband Michael Lefkow, 64, and her mother Donna Humphrey, 89, dead in her basement. They had been shot to death. The murders came one month before Matt Hale was scheduled to be sentenced for trying to have the judge killed because of her handling of the 2003-JAN trademark dispute. Authorities are investigating whether the multiple murders were a work of revenge by white supremacists. Hale said on MAR-03 that: "There is no way that any supporter of mine could commit such a heinous crime. I totally condemn it and I want the perpetrator caught and prosecuted...I only hope they sincerely wish to apprehend the animal instead of railroading the innocent. Only an idiot would think I would do this." 10 Police later determined that the mass murders were unrelated to Hale and the Creativity Movement. They suspect a man who was angry at Judge Lefkow's decision in a malpractice case.

2005-APR-6: U.S. District Judge James Moody sentenced Matthew Hale to 40 years in jail for soliciting an undercover informant to murder Judge Lefkow. Judge Moody said that this "strikes at the very core of our system of government."

Early warning signs of "bad religions"

A handful of these conflicts have made national and even international headlines, from the siege of the Branch Davidian community to the group suicide of Heaven's Gate members. One consequence of these highly publicized incidents is that they have served to reinforce unreflective stereotypes about "cults" and "cult leaders" that are appropriate for some--but certainly not the majority of--minority religions. Unfortunately, such stereotyped information is often the only "data" readily available to the media and law enforcement at the onset of such conflicts.

Putting aside the technical discourse of sociologists, in ordinary language people talk as if there is an objective category of groups called "cults" that can be distinguished from genuine religions. In this commonly accepted view, cults are by definition socially dangerous false religions, led by cynical cult leaders who exploit followers for their own gain.

This stereotype is, however, deeply flawed, and for more than one reason. In the first place, "cult" is a socially-negotiated label that often means little more than a religion one dislikes for some reason. To certain conservative Christians, for example, a "cult" is any religion that departs from a certain traditional interpretation of scripture. Alternatively, ultra-conservative Christians who take a strictly fundamentalist approach to scripture often appear "cult-like" to many mainline Christians. In other words, one person's cult is another person's religion.

In the second place, the founders of new groups are--despite whatever personal flaws some might have--almost always sincerely religious. Part of the problem here is that most people unreflectively assume that religion is always something "good." If, therefore, a given religious body does something "bad," then ipso facto it must not be "real" religion. Instead, it must be a false religion, created for no other reason than the founder/leader's personal gain. This attitude is, however, naive. The ancient Aztecs, to take an extreme example, regularly tortured and sacrificed other human beings as part of their religious rites. These practices were, in fact, a central aspect of the Aztec religion. But, however much we might be able to explain and even to understand why the Aztecs engaged in such practices, no contemporary person would defend these rites as "good."

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Dangerous Groups:

The proper question to ask, then, is not whether some particular group is or is not a cult (in the sense of a "false religion"), but, rather, whether or not the social-psychological dynamics within a particular religion are potentially dangerous to its members and/or to the larger society. Unfortunately, once we get beyond such actions as torturing and murdering other human beings, the criteria for what one regards as harmful can be quite subjective. It has been seriously asserted, for example, that requiring "cult" members to be celibate and to follow vegetarian diets are harmful practices. Similarly, requiring followers to engage in several hours of meditation per day plus discouraging the questioning of "cult" doctrine have often been portrayed as parts of a group's "brainwashing" regime designed to damage one's ability to reason properly.

Once again, the problem with such criteria is that they are naive. If celibacy was harmful, for example, then how does one explain the lack of more-than-ordinary pathology among monks and nuns? Also, if certain mental practices actually damaged the brain, then why do members of intensive religious groups perform so well on I.Q. tests and other measures of individual reasoning ability? Such critical criteria also reflect an abysmal ignorance of traditional religious practices: Many traditional religions have promoted celibacy, restricted diets, prescribed lengthy prayers and meditations, discouraged the questioning of group ideology, etc. Clearly, if one wants to delineate serious criteria for determining "bad religion," then one must focus on traits that embody more than the observer's ethnocentric attitudes.

To begin with, making a radical lifestyle change as part of joining a religious group should not, in itself, be taken to indicate that the individual has therefore become involved in something harmful. Friends and family members may feel that an individual is making a mistake to quit a job or to drop out of school--actions that, by the way, very few contemporary new religions would actively encourage--but a free society means nothing if one is not also free to make mistakes.

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Developing Objective Early Warning Signs:

If one wishes to develop objective criteria for distinguishing harmful or potentially harmful religious organizations from harmless religions, one needs to place oneself in the position of a public policy maker. From this perspective, religions that raise the most concern are those groups that tangibly, physically harm members and/or non-members, or engage in other anti-social/illegal acts. However, a public policy maker might well respond that this post facto criterion is too little too late, and that what is needed are criteria that could act as early warning signs--criteria indicating that a previously innocuous group is potentially "going bad." The following discussion will make a stab at developing such criteria, with the caveat that the presence of the less serious factors listed below in any given group does not automatically mean they are on the verge of becoming the next Heaven's Gate.

Charismatic Leader: As part of this discussion, we shall be referring to a few false criteria for distinguishing a healthy from an unhealthy religion. In the first place, the mere fact that a group is headed up by a charismatic leader does not automatically raise a red flag. This is because new religions are much like new businesses: new businesses are almost always the manifestation of the vision and work of a single entrepreneur. In contrast, few if any successful businesses are the outgrowth of the work of a committee.

Divine Authority: Also, to found a religion, a leader usually makes some sort of claim to special insight or to special revelation that legitimates both the new religion and the leader's right to lead. The founder may even claim to be prophet, messiah or avatar. While many critics of alternative religions have asserted that the assumption of such authority is in itself a danger sign, too many objectively harmless groups have come into being with the leader asserting divine authority for such claims to be meaningful danger signs.

Use of Authority: Far more important than one's claim to authority is what one does with the authority once he or she attracts followers who choose to recognize it. A minister or guru who focuses her or his pronouncements on the interpretation of scripture or on other matters having to do with religion proper is far less problematic than a leader who takes it upon her- or himself to make decisions in the personal lives of individual parishioners, such as dictating (as opposed to suggesting) who and when one will marry. The line between advising and ordering others with respect to their personal lives can, however, be quite thin. A useful criterion for determining whether or not this line has been crossed is to examine what happens when one acts against the guru's advice: If one can respectfully disagree about a particular item of personal--as opposed to religious--advice without suffering negative consequences as a result, then the leadership dynamics within the group are healthy with respect to authority issues.

One of the clearest signs that leaders are overstepping their proper sphere of authority is when they articulate certain ethical guidelines that everyone must follow except for the guru or minister. This is especially the case with a differential sexual ethic that restricts the sexual activity of followers but allows leaders to initiate liaisons with whomever they choose.

Above the Law: Perhaps the most serious danger sign is when a religious group places itself above the law, although there are some nuances that make this point trickier than it might first appear. All of us, in some sphere of life, place ourselves above the law, if only when we go a few miles per hour over the speed limit or fudge a few figures on our income tax returns. Also, when push comes to shove, almost every religion in the world would be willing to assert that divine law takes precedence over human law--should they ever come into conflict. Hence a group that, for example, solicits donations in an area where soliciting is forbidden should not, on that basis alone, be viewed as danger to society. Exceptions should also be made for groups or individuals who make a very public protest against certain laws judged as immoral, as when a contentious objector goes to jail rather than be drafted into the military.

On the other hand, it should be clear that a group leader who consistently violates serious laws has developed a rationale that could easily be used to legitimate more serious anti-social acts. Examples that come readily to mind are Marshall Hertiff, founder/leader of Heaven's Gate, who regularly ducked out on motel bills and who was once even arrested for stealing a rental car, and Swami Kirtananda, founder of the New Vrindavan community, who was caught authorizing the stealing of computer software before being arrested for ordering the murder of a community critic. Documentable child abuse and other illegalities committed within the organization are also covered by this criterion.

End of the World Scenarios: Another misconceived criterion is perceiving groups as dangerous because of apocalyptic theologies. Almost every religion in the larger Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition has an apocalyptic theology, even the traditional peace churches that forbid members from participating in the military. Thus, contrary to the assertions of some contemporary critics of religion, having an apocalyptic theology does not, in itself, raise a red flag. This is because in most apocalyptic scenarios it is God and his angels who fight the final battle, not flesh-and-blood human beings. The human role is spiritual, and the "saved" fight a spiritual war, not a literal, physical war.

An apocalyptic theology is only dangerous when individual followers believe they are going to be called upon to be foot soldiers in God's army, and prepare themselves by stocking up on weapons and ammunition. Groups that come to mind here are some of the Identity Christian churches who see themselves as preparing to fight a literal war with God's enemies. On the other hand, a community's possession of firearms--in the absence of such a theology of physical confrontation--is probably not dangerous, if no other danger signs are present. If the simple possession of firearms by members was a significant danger sign, then the Southern Baptist Convention would be the most dangerous "cult" in the nation.

Salvation: Another false, yet frequently voiced criterion is that religious groups are dangerous which see only themselves as saved and the rest of the world as damned. Like apocalypticism, this trait is far too widespread among traditional religions to constitute an authentic danger sign. A more meaningful characteristic should be how a religion actually treats non-members.

Group Isolation: Another criterion is a group's relative isolation. This trait is somewhat more complex than the others we have examined. On the one hand, there are abundant examples of traditional religions establishing communities or monastic centers apart from the larger society that have posed no danger to anyone. On the other hand, some of the worst abuses have taken place in the segregated (usually communal) sub-societies of certain minority religions. From the suicidal violence of People's Temple to the externally-directed violence of AUM Shinrikyo, it was the social dynamics found in an isolated or semi-isolated community that allowed such extreme actions to be contemplated.

In order to flag this characteristic while simultaneously avoiding stigmatizing every religion that sets up a segregated society as being potentially dangerous, it might be best to invert this trait and state it as a counter-indicator. In other words, rather than asserting that any religion with a partially isolated community is potentially dangerous, let us instead assert that the relative lack of such boundaries indicates that the group in question is almost certainly not dangerous.

Deception: A final early warning sign is a group's readiness to deceive outsiders. Some critics have asserted that a recruiter who invites a potential convert to a dinner without mentioning that the event is being sponsored by such-and-such church is deceptive. Others have criticized religions possessing a hierarchical system of knowledge to which only initiates are privy. These kinds of criticisms are silly. When a guru publicly asserts that no one in his organization is involved in illegal drugs and police later find a LSD laboratory in his basement, that's deception.

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Warning Signs:

To summarize, the traits designated above as early warning signs of 'bad religion'" are:

1. The organization is willing to place itself above the law. With the exceptions noted earlier, this is probably the most important characteristic.
2. The leadership dictates (rather than suggests) important personal (as opposed to spiritual) details of followers' lives, such as whom to marry, what to study in college, etc.
3. The leader sets forth ethical guidelines members must follow but from which the leader is exempt.
4. The group is preparing to fight a literal, physical Armageddon against other human beings.
5. The leader regularly makes public assertions that he or she knows is false and/or the group has a policy of routinely deceiving outsiders.

I. Group Profile

1. Name: Wicca, Wicce, the Craft or Neo-Paganism; Wicca means "to bend or alter" from the Old English (Matthews, 339).

The derivation of the word "Wicca" has been the subject of much debate among the people who practice it. Some think it was originally a word meaning "wise," some say it derived from words meaning "twisted." These arguments could be followed in articles written for pagan newsletters and magazines, as well as in early computer newsgroups or web sites. It was not commonly used by the members of the groups who practice it until around 1980, when much of the debate began. It could be said that this was one of the ways members of the various groups sought to distinguish themselves from one another within the movement.

"The Craft" is a much older way to describe what is commonly known as witchcraft. Practitioners who use this term either do not have a religious facet to their practice, or are pagan in faith and use the term to encompass their magical belief and practice. Members who claim to be descended from relatives who were witches often use this term.

The term "Neopagan" is used to distinguish those of magical religious belief from the Wiccans, but it also includes the Wiccans. Around 1980 in North America, the members of groups who were initiated into a coven descended in a direct line from Gerald Gardner or Alex Sanders (founder of Alexandrian witchcraft) began using the term "pagan" to describe those who were not members of their covens. The word "Neo-pagan" appeared in a periodical called Green Egg [insert date] . Oberon Zell (formerly known as Tim Zell and Otter Zell), publisher of Green Egg claimed to have coined the word "Neo Pagan" in his publication. 1 . However, the word "Neo pagan" appears much earlier in an essay by F. Hugh O'Donnell, Irish MP in the British House of Commons, written in 1904. 2 O'Donnell, writing about the theater of W. B. Yeats and Maude Gonne, criticized their work as an attempt to marry Madame Blavatsky with Cuchalainn. Yeats and Gonne, he claimed, openly worked to create a reconstructionist Celtic religion which incorporated Gaelic legend with magic. They were early members of the Order of the Golden Dawn, which included Aleister Crowley, who later founded the OTO and became known for his use of sex magic and the invocation of demons in his practice.

Gerald Gardner met Crowley in the 1930's at a social event held in the New Forest of England, according to Robert, a member of Gardner's coven. At this meeting, it is believed by Robert's informant (the curator of the Museum of Witchcraft on the Isle of Mann, who was at the meeting), several prominent members of London society were planning a magical order which would be quite like that proposed by Yeats and Gonne, using the formal magic practiced by the Ceremonial Magicians (like the Golden Dawn) in combination with the folk magic of the common people of Britain.

At the time, the Irish and all things Celtic were not yet as favored as they are today, so the English would have wanted a more pure British group. Dorothy Clutterbuck was among those present at that meeting. When discussion turned to who would be chosen to lead the order as High Priestess, it was decided that it should be someone who had good relations with the commoners in her acquaintance and who could convince them to share their powerful, albeit vulgar, secret magic. Clutterbuck was chosen to lead one of many New Forest covens formed that night. Later, in the 1960's, Sybil Leek became famous as a New Forest witch, claiming descent from a long family line of witches.

2. Founder: Gerald B. Gardner is considered the first founding father of all modern incarnations of Wicca. Some of his students later went on to found other Wiccan traditions, from which arose more branches, continuing the process of self-perpetuation. Gerald Gardner is one of many practitioners of a magical religion which has come to be known as Wicca. In his writing, the word Wica is used, but in practice, his coven members did not use the word outside of their initiatory rites, according to Robert, a member of the coven. Gardner became famous by publishing books on the craft or witchcraft. Others rejected him for publishing, which they viewed as a violation of vows to remain secret

3. Date of Birth: Gardner was born on June 13, 1884 and died February 13, 1964.

4. Birth Place: Lancashire, England.

5. Year Founded: 1951.

6. Sacred or Revered Texts: There is no sacred text encompassing all of Wicca, in all its many andeclectic incarnations. However each Coven has a Book of Shadows, which contains rituals,invocations and charms. They contain things that have been learned from experience and fromeach other. Witches often copy from each others' books that which appeals to them so functionally, no two are ever exactly like. Ideally a Book of Shadows should contain only methods that have proven successful and consistent whereas failed ideas are excluded. Along with the Book of Shadows , other essential texts are two grimoires: The Greater Key of Solomon the King which dates from medieval times and The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage which was published in the late 1900s (Melton, 165).

Wiccan covens based on Gardnerian-type initiations probably have some kind of Book of Shadows , but many general neopagan covens and solitary practitioners do not. Most initiatory covens will have a reading list of books published on topics related to pagan religion and magic. Many books have been published by writers who simply made up the information within. Much of the history and practice of Wicca is based on oral tradition, with many conflicting stories arising as various factions have created a body of sacred belief and practice for themselves.

7. Cult or Sect: Negative sentiments are typically implied when the concepts "cult" and "sect" are employed in popular discourse. Since the Religious Movements Homepage seeks to promote religious tolerance and appreciation of the positive benefits of pluralism and religious diversity in human cultures, we encourage the use of alternative concepts that do not carry implicit negative stereotypes. For a more detailed discussion of both scholarly and popular usage of the concepts "cult" and "sect," please visit our Conceptualizing "Cult" and "Sect" page, where you will find additional links to related issues.

8. Size of Group: Because of its lack of hierarchical structure and methods for initiating members, the actual number of practicing members of the many Wiccan traditions has been difficult to ascertain. Also several of its constituents have been hesitant to reveal their religious affiliation due to a fear of public persecution and prejudice. A recent estimate is that there exist somewhere between 300-30,000 covens in the United States today (Lewis, 302). This tremendous range in estimated size effectively says that no one knows.

History

Gardner was a retired British civil servant who claimed to have beeninitiated into the New Forest Coven by Dorothy Clutterbuck in 1939. The New Forest Coven claimed to be a traditional Wiccan coven where rituals and practices had been passed down since pre- Christian times. In 1951, laws prohibiting the practice of witchcraft in England were repealed and soon thereafter in 1954, Gardner published his book, Witchcraft Today . His work was based on the thesis by the anthropologist, Margaret Murray, that witchcraft has existed since pre-Christian times but was hidden because of persecution (Melton, 162-165).

More recently, the actual legitimacy of Gardner's claims has been refuted with the existence of claims that Gardner was never initiated by a Dorothy Clutterbuck and that the rituals and practices outlined in his book are simply a synthesis of several sources, including Murray's work, the writings of Aleister Crowley and Freemasonry (Melton, 165; Adler, 63-64). Critics and experts have since drawn the conclusion that Gardner probably was involved in a form of Wicca, as in the Old Religion 3 of earth magic and herbal practices, but in time created a more ritualized and romanticized Wiccan form (Lewis, 173). The Wiccan tradition he created eventually became known as Gardnerian Wicca.

Although Gardner's claims in Witchcraft Today that Wicca has existed since pre-Christian times have since been refuted, this is not to say that Wicca did not exist during the pre-Christian era. It is simply that the Old Religion of Wicca focused more on herbal medicine and magical lore (Lewis, 178-179).

The romantic idea that Wicca survived from the "Old Religion" through the "Burning Times" is an important part of the belief of many modern practitioners. As in any religion, rigid scholarship is not a requirement for membership. This idea is another tenet that provides a point of separation among the groups within the movement, along with yet another small faction that believes witches are survivors or reincarnations of the citizens of Atlantis, though this is more popular in North America.

A recent article in Gnosis magazine has created another huge debate in the movement. In it, the writers suggest that Wicca is based on earlier rituals of the Order of Woodcraft and those used later in the Boy Scouts. Among those who have hastened to discredit these theories are the proponents of the North American "I've got lineage" factions. In Britain, it is fairly common knowledge that Gardner cobbled together ideas from many sources to create what has become a viable religious movement.

Regardless of its relatively benign practice, as Christianity began to spread across Europe, so did its influence especially when the Kings converted to Christianity. Further into the countryside, the common people tended to practice both the Old Religion and Christianity but as the Church became more and more hierarchical and patriarchical, the drive to cease all Pagan practices substantially increased. With the increasing persecution, the Inquisition and witch-hunts, it is understandble why practitioners of the Old Religion eventually went underground and remained anonymous until the coming of Gerald Gardner (Adler, 45-46).

One of Gardner's students, Alexander Sanders later revised Gardnerian rituals and practices into another Wiccan tradition, called Alexandrian for the ancient city of Alexandria. The misconception that Alexandrians are named for a city is a common one. Members of the group began calling themselves Alexandrian after the founder, Alex Sanders, to distinguish themselves from the Gardnerians (a term coined by an Alexandrian in an article written in the 1960's in England, now out of print). The Alexandrian covens differ from the Gardnerians by incorporating more of the ritual used by the ceremonialists and material based on the Kabbalah. They are considered "high church" among the Wiccans.

Members of Sander's covens say that he never actually studied with Gardner, but was given an initiation into Gardner's coven and got a copy of the Book of Shadows used by the group, to which he then added material used by his students. It was once common for people who practiced these forms of magical religion to extend courtesy initiations to one another, especially in the U.S. As of 1998, the original Book of Shadows written by Gardner was in the possession of a coven of Alexandrians in Canada, who bought it at auction when the American museum of witchcraft started by Ray Buckland was sold. They have offered it for sale from time to time.

A point of controversy in the movement has been over which "traditions" are truly related, whether once iniated into a Gardnerian-based coven one is automatically entitled to material held to be initiatory secrets by another "line" of the movement. In North America, the covens split into factions based on whether their initiates are descended in an unbroken line from Gardner. Some groups copy what they believe to be the original Book of Shadows verbatim and never change a word of the rituals. They report any initiations to a Priestess assigned to keep records, including pictures of the initiate and their initiating Priestess's verification of lineage. In Britain, the book is used for reference and changed by the initiate as they like. There is little emphasis on one's lineage and the groups tend to be inclusive rather than creating a focus on their differences.

Even though by all observations, Alexandrian Wicca directly evolved from Gardnerian Wicca, Sanders as the self-proclaimed "King of the Witches," appeared as a guest on several television shows and just like Gardner, worked towards publicizing Wicca, which drew criticisms from the older, more traditional constituents of the Craft (Melton, 772).

Eventually these two main Wiccan traditions migrated from Britain to the United Statesduring the 1960s and 1970s (Matthews, 340). As to be expected, several new branches emerged during this time due to the influx of ideas. Some North American covens claim to have been founded earlier than the 1930's or by "war brides" who were early Gardnerian initiates.

Eventually in 1972, an Alexandrian High Priestess, Mary Nesnick, created a tradition called Algard Wicca which bases its foundation upon the similarities between Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca (Melton, 772). Another form of Wicca, Dianic , also began to emerge in the United States in 1971. Unlike other traditions, Dianic focuses on the worship of Diana, the ancient greek Goddess and consequently, a higher percentage of women and feminist beliefs are found in Dianic covens. The Dianic tradition formed in two separate locations; first in Venice, California by Zsuzsanne Emese Budapest and in Dallas, Texas by Morgan McFarland and Mark Roberts (Melton, 782).

The California Dianics are separatist feminist Goddess worshippers, founded by Budapest. The Texas Dianics are polytheists, with no particular emphasis on either Goddess or God, according to initiates. By far, the largest number of modern pagans are not members of Gardnerian type covens -- the term "Dianic" was used by the Gardnerian- based groups to identify the groups not based on Gardnerian or Alexandrian initiations. It has been used as a term of derision toward the goddess worshippers by others, rarely does someone self-identify as Dianic, except in the case of initiates of the Texas Dianics, who use the term to describe themselves, largely because Diana was one of the tutelary deities of the group.

More currently, however, a larger proportion of members in Wicca are known as eclectic practitioners . That is, they are not a part of any specific Wiccan craft and often not part of a coven. Instead, these practitioners draw upon several sources to form their own individualized and innovative religious practices (Lewis, 86-87).

These eclectics are more commonly called " Neopagan " or " Pagan ". Those not part of a coven are called Solitaries by the Wiccans, but rarely self-identify with that term. Some use the term "Wicca" to self-identify, but the members of the initiatory covens based on Gardnerian and Alexandrian practice have begun a concerted effort to claim that term belongs to their groups alone. The confusion may have arisen from early neopagan writers using the terms interchangeably. Independent believers in a magical pagan religion may have begun using the term Wicca to refer to themselves in the belief that there was virtually no difference among the groups.

Some initiates of the Gardnerian-based craft even believe that without an initiation, one cannot be a witch. This is in conflict with the belief of many witches who have practiced magic passed down to them from relatives or friends that they are indeed witches, whether they have a pagan religion or otherwise. In fact, many Gardnerian type Wiccans are independent practitioners, living too far from others of their initiatory group or otherwise unable to find Wiccans of similar enough belief to form a coven.

Many modern pagans do not consider themselves to be witches.

Beliefs of the Group

Wiccan practitioners believe in a balanced polarities, especially that of the feminine and masculine. These two aspects of nature are embodied in two dieties, known as the Goddess Goddess and God . Traditionally most Pagan gods such as Diana, Hecate, Pan and Zeus are considered to represent the different aspects of the Goddess and God. Most traditions worship the two dieties as equals where none deserves more importance than the other. This usually translates into a balance between the feminine and masculine forces in a coven, although men tend to be a minority in the Wiccan religion (Adler, 108; Matthews, 344). However a few branches, such as Dianic, give more (or sole) importance to the feminine aspect (Lewis, 280).

There are many neopagans who are monotheists, polytheists or duotheists. Many regard the gods as real, not simply as aspects of a male or female deity. Hence, the gods are worshipped as themselves. Some groups, such as the Church of All Worlds, acknowledge one another as manifestations of deity, addressing each other in ritual as "Thou art God, Thou art Goddess". Not all groups worship all gods. Some may only worship the Norse pantheon or the Greek. Others may only worship specific gods, alone or in combination with gods from the same or different pantheons. In some groups each person has their own deities, while the group may have tutelary deities.

According to Wiccan tradition, the Goddess is the immanent existing force and the originof all creation as in the Earth, nature and life itself. Evidence of Goddess worship since the pre-Christian era exists in the form of small statues and carvings of voluptous female figures that have been found throughout Europe (Cabot, 21-22). The Goddess has three faces: the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone (Lewis, 19-20). These faces correspond to the many different cycles in nature: the waxing, full and waning phases of the moon; the menstrual cycle and the cycle of life in birth, life and death.

The God aspect is better known as the Horned God from the ancient Celtic god, Cernunnos ("The Horned"). Evidence of a belief in the Horned God dates back to cave paintings from the Paleolithic times in Europe. Other representations of the Horned God later appeared in Egypt, Mesopotamia and India (Murray, 1952, 23-24). The Horned God is worshiped as the masculine side of nature as well as the opener of the gates of life and death. The Horned God represents the fertility that allows the Goddess to create life so in essence, all life originates from Him. He also known as the Hunter so eventually, He is a bringer of death (Adler, 218). According the Wiccan belief, the Horned God represents a masculine force that is wild, strong and expressive without being violent, patriarchical and destructive. Essentially, the Horned God is the perfect opposing force and complement to the Triple Goddess.

Some neopagans and Wiccans do worship the gods or aspects of the god which are indeed warlike or patriarchal. Each person is able to create their own set of beliefs about the nature of deity and their relationship. One of the big drawing cards in the early neopagan movement was its lack of dogma. The movement flourished in the 1960's anti- establishment environment. Its ideas may have been introduced by people who follow a structured coven or initiatory path, but it was quickly adapted by countless others who saw an opportunity to find meaning in a confusing religious mileu.

Due to its innovative nature, Wicca does not have a written set of rules for its members to follow. However three main beliefs guide practitioners through their actions and beliefs. The first law is known as the Wiccan Rede which states: "An ye harm none, do what ye will." The basic meaning is that members are allowed to follow whatever path they choose so long as no harm befalls others, including themselves. The Wiccan rede also serves as an ethical guideline for magical practices in everyday life and ritual (Matthews, 341).

The Wiccan Rede is closely related to the writing of Aleister Crowley who said, "Do what you will is the whole of the law." The rede is probably a later adaptation by Gardner, and is certainly not necessarily a part of all neopagan belief.

The second law that Wiccans follow is the Threefold Law , which simply states that a person's deeds return to him/her three times over. The Threefold Law has large implications in governing one's behavior because due to its meaning, the repercussions of both good and evil behavior return to their originator three times over (Matthews, 341).

This law is also mostly confined to the Gardnerian-based wiccans. Some magical practitioners do not subscribe to it at all, invoking demons and casting curses with abandon. However, there has been a great deal of writing on the Wiccan and neopagan movement that attempts to sever the early ties with ceremonial magic and its later incarnations such as The Church of Satan and the Temple of Set or the like. The Satanists don't want to be lumped with the Wiccans any more than the Wiccans want to be lumped with them. To a Satanist, the Wiccans are weak and ineffectual. Many neopagans worship Egyptian gods, including Set, but tend to distinguish themselves from practitioners from The Temple of Set, withing to be seen in a more positive light. Satanists and the Temple of Set , conversely, relish the limelight associated with their negative image.

The final belief is that of Reincarnation . Wiccans do not believe in heaven or hell since death is considered to be another form of existence. Some Wiccans believe that a soul is continually reborn whereas others believe that once a soul learns all the life lessons, it is granted eternal rest in a place called the Summerlands. Reincarnation is the ultimate method for curbing the misuse of magic and evil behavior since it deals out a type of cosmic justice in that person is reborn in a position that befits their deeds from the previous life (Matthews, 341).

Some do not believe in reincarnation at all. Nor does belief in a deity from a historically Greek pantheon, for example, necessarily require one to worship in the historical Greek manner. Part of the modern pagan religion is a mix and match set of beliefs and practices refined to suit the sensibilities of the modern world. Human sacrifice is out. Dancing naked under the moonlight is in, in some groups.

Although Wiccan practices vary greatly from tradition to tradition and coven to coven, most practitioners follow a basic system of ritual and celebration. Covens range in number of members, but traditionally have a maximum of thirteen (Adler, 108). When the number of members in a coven exceeds thirteen, the common belief is that the coven should split, to continue the self-perpetuation process. Wiccans do not have any holy buildings for their rituals. Due to their beliefs, any place in contact with the Earth will suffice. Instead Wiccans worship what is known as the Circle. The area is purified by the four elements and then the Circle is cast , usually by someone walking clockwise along its perimeter and drawing an actual circle, sometimes with a wand or athame which are two common Wiccan tools. After this, the four cardinal directions are greeted and invoked, according to the tradition and preference of the practitioners (Cabot, 114).

Other neopagans practice entirely without formal circle-casting. Some Celtic reconstructionists worship in a Nemeton, as they believe the ancients did, within a ritual framework based on three realms - earth, wind, water. Others have adapted Native American paradigms and invoke the directions, including Above and Below.

Wiccans conduct their magical and sacred rites within the Circle, invoking the names of the Goddess and God and the powers of nature. Once the Circle has been cast, the space within represents an altered consciousness that is "between worlds." The Circle also serves to contain energy that is built up during the magical rites until it is ready to be released in what is known as the Cone of Power.

When the Cone of Power is released, the energy goes into the purposes that the Wiccan practitioners desired for it during their rites (Adler, 108-109). Also common during Wiccan rituals, a cup of wine is raised and an Athame is dipped into it. The cup is then passed around the Circle to be drunk by the practitioners with the words, "Blessed Be." Cakes are then passed around as well, to complete the socialising and fellowship that is present in covens (Adler, 168). Sometimes rituals are also conducted skyclad (naked) or in special costumes, depending on the Wiccan tradition (Lewis, 79). The purpose of either is to increase the unity with nature and magical potential. At the end of the rites, the Circle is opened, usually the counterclockwise direction (Cabot, 116).

Wiccans have a set of tools commonly used for casting circles and during rituals. Thebroom, a stereotypical Wiccan symbol, actually serves the purpose of purifying a space before casting a circle. An altar is also commonly set up in the center of the circle where the members cast magic. The main tools utilized by members are the wand , cup , pentacle and athame , which is a type of black-handled dagger. These objects represent fire, water, earth and air, respectively. In some traditions, the wand is symbol for air and the athame a symbol for fire. With the altar and practitioner, if solitary, or High Priestess, in a coven, located in the center of the circle, the fifth element of spirit is present during the spellcasting (Matthews, 341-342). This totality of the elements and nature perfectly complement the image of the Goddess and God during the ritual.

Some Wiccans have alternate associations with elements and directions, especially those based on Norse or Welsh covens formed in North America since 1960.The Athame in some groups is a white-handled knife used in ritual, the black handled athame might be used outside the circle for magically related work such as gathering herbs or cutting candle wicks. Another tool used for these purposes is the boline, a cresecent shaped knife.

The most well-known ritual is that of "Drawing Down the Moon," in which the spirit of the Goddess and God are drawn down into the High Priestess and High Priest, respectively (Adler, 109-110). The ritual usually occurs during a full moon and consists of an invokation and the High Priestess holding up the cup, full of water, while the High Priest raises the athame. After "Drawing Down the Moon," the High Priestess and High Priest are the dieties incarnate. In the succeeding time, they convey knowledge and information to the other members of the coven. Sometimes they answer questions about personal issues and give insight and understanding about the spiritual realms (Cabot, 115-116).

Neopagans gather together formally or informally in public settings for discussion groups, parties, booksignings, baby-blessings, handfastings (the pagan form of marriage) and many other occasions. Drawing down the moon was a Gardnerian-type innovation in modern times, but since Adler's book and others have been published, it has been adopted by people who are not initiates of the formal groups. In fact, everything that has been published has been used by anyone who had access to the material, including non- initiates. Initiates comprise only a fraction of the movement.

There are three types of Wiccan gatherings: Sabbats, Esbats and special purpose. In a special purpose gathering, a coven meets to deal with a common goal or issue that needs immediate attention, such as casting a health spell to aid a sickly friend. Most magical rites are performed at Esbats, which are small gatherings that correspond to the phases of the moon. Covens usually celebrate the Esbats alone, a practice which helps to reaffirm the bonds within a coven (Adler, 110). Larger and more tribal festivals also take place during the year. These holidays, known as Sabbats , celebrate four major agricultural and pastoral festivals ( Samhain , Imbolc , Beltaine and Lammas ) and four minor solar festivals of the solstices ( Winter and Summer )and equinoxes ( Vernal and Autumnal ). During these gatherings, several covens often meet together to share and enjoy the festivities (Adler, 110-111).

Some neopagans celebrate the historic religious festivals of their deities, Dionysia, for example. Some have attempted to recreate rites based on their understanding of how the ancients might have worshipped, based on surviving materials such as the Eleusinian Mysteries. Others have created their rites entirely based on their own preferences.

It is important to note that among the neopagans, some distinguish themselves as Religious Pagans, as opposed to what they would call Cultural Pagans. In the 40 or so years of the movement in North America, a vast system of festivals and meetings has arisen, giving opportunity for anyone who joins in to identify and consider themselves part of the movement. Some pagans do not actually have a religious aspect to their practice, but wish to participate in the celebrations and adopt the magical personae associated with witchcraft or neopaganism.

While the Wiccan initiates consider themselves to be priesthood, the non-initiate has no intention of being their laity. They are simply unrelated, while sharing many common beliefs and practices. So, the covens comprised of Gardnerian-type initiates are priests and priestesses (or those who are in training to become initiated) who celebrate among themselves. Occasionally, a neopagan acts in a role similar to other clergy, performing blessings, weddings, etc., but it is not always an initiate of a formal group who acts in this capacity. Many are self-proclaimed clergy. In Canada and parts of the US, groups are actively seeking credentialled status for their members to be recognized as clergy by the local and federal governments. In some areas, Wiccans or Neopagans are active in Interfaith groups with every other religion.

Issues and Controversies: Past and Present

Note: The commentary which follows is fairly commonly held belief among neopagans and Wiccans. However, it should be stated that growing numbers of people in the movement do not wish to be associated with beliefs which they view as serving to marginalize their religion. Some modern pagans reject the role of victim and oppressed person.

Wicca, in all its incarnations, is probably one of the longest and most persecuted religions in history. With the coming of Christianity in Europe, the Old Religion was almost immediately opposed. Although the rulers easily converted, the common folk were less accessible (Lewis, 44). Eventually during the 15th century, what became known as "The Burning Times" came to pass. As the Church spread lies about the Wiccan tradition and accused female practitioners of being handmaidens of Satan, Wiccans were increasingly persecuted as the hysteria increased. With the aid of witch-hunting manuals such as the Malleus Maleficarum , thousands of accused witches across Europe, a large portion of which were not even practitioners of the Old Religion, were hunted down and killed well into the 18th century in Europe. Even today, the actual number of people who died during that time is unknown (Ruether, 101-103).

While the "Burning Times" were moving towards their end in Europe, in 17th century Salem, another witch-hunt was beginning. As with the European witch-hysteria, Salem fostered an environment ready for such a hysteria, strained as its inhabitants were between economics, lifestyles and politics as a result of their new surroundings and Puritan values and beliefs. With the addition of an interest in the occult and some knowledge in voodoo lore from a slave, the stage was set for another general panic and witch-hunt to begin (Boyer and Nissenbaum, 1974, 181). In 1692, a group of closely-knit girls ranging in age from nine to nineteen started to meet together to discuss the future. Because of a slight fascination with magic, one of the girls eventually created a crude crystal ball and from there, the path to the Witch Trials began (Boyer and Nissenbaum, 1974, 1-2). As time went on, the girls' parents began to show concern about their children's "odd" behavior and most likely were the original instigators of the belief in the presence of witchcraft. Only under persistent questioning did the girls finally begin to accuse other people in Salem of the practice of witchcraft (Boyer and Nissenbaum, 1974, 24). At this time, members of the clergy were struggling to reassert authority and create religious fervor. The accusations served as an opportunity to do exactly that (Boyer and Nissenbaum, 1974, 60-65). With the aid of Cotton Mather's The Wonders of the Invisible World , the witch-craze was justified and even further driven into a panic. Before the Witch trials ended, several people had been hanged and many more had been tortured or spent months in prison (Hill, 1).

Today, Old Salem has been into a Maritime National Site for its esteemed status as a major center for the Eastern luxuries trade and its legacy of ships leaving its ports to open new trading markets overseas. Shortly after the Witch trials ended, New England trade increased and much later after the Revolutionary War, the sea port substiantially flourished. Even though most of the museums and historic landmarks are devoted to Old Salem's maritime heritage, the Visitor Center and a private museum present interesting ways to learn about the Salem Witch trials.

Almost unbelievably the witch-hunts have persisted to the present day. As recent as 1986-1996 in South Africa ,thousands of people have been accused of witchcraft, although the term does not apply to a religion and practice similar to that of Wicca. The victims have been accused of powers that are remarkably similar to the accused powers of witches in Medieval Europe. Despite all beliefs to the contrary and regardless of an actual involvement in Wicca or the occult, witch-hunts have continued to occur across time and culture.

One of the more common and present day controversies of Wicca, one that has its links to the European witch-hunt, is that of its supposed link to Satanism (Matthews, 342-343). One of the unlying reasons for this is the marked similarity between the visual representations of the Horned God and Satan. More than one theorist has suggested that one of the ways the Church aided in the persecution of Wicca and its predecessors was taking the Horned God and making Him into the Christian incarnation of evil (Murray, 1952, 32). Such a legacy probably helps to further the present-day prejudice against Wiccans. There have been allegations of members losing custody of their children and facing discrimination because of their religious beliefs (Matthews, 343). Despite all the misinformation concerning Wicca in popular culture, it should be obvious that none of it applies to true adherents of the Wiccan craft. Ideas such as human sacrifice and child molestation are in direct opposition to the Wiccan Rede. Unfortunately this ignorance and misinformation is a direct result of the tendency for Wiccan practitioners to remain anonymous and unnamed (Lewis 302). Even with such public awareness groups as the Witches' League for Public Awareness and The Witches' Web , the stigma that has been associated with the word "witch" is likely to remain for a long time.

Another issue connected to Wicca is that of the feminist movement. Traditional Wiccan adherents and feminist proponents have had an uneasy relationship since Wicca was first introduced in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. For the traditional Wiccan, the Goddess was a symbol of nature but for the feminist, the Goddess was the symbol of the empowerment of women (Neitz, 353). Feminist practitioners such as Zsuzsanne Bedapest and her branch of Dianic Wicca have emphasized the feminine aspect much more than traditional Wicca, to the extent that men are excluded from their covens (Neitz, 367). This does not sit well with traditional Wiccans who stress the balance of masculinity and femininity. Such obvious disregard for one polarity, in Wiccan belief, would throw the magical forces askew (Adler, 217). Perhaps another attractive aspect of Wicca is the opportunity for feminists to identify with the persecuted of Europe's Witch-hunt who were victims of the strongly patriarchical structure of Christianity (Neitz, 359). Since its connection to Wicca, the feminist movement has then focused its purpose on stripping away all the dark connotations of the word "witch" and restore to it instead the old attachments of healing and female power (Neitz, 358).

ASTROLOGY:

A CHRISTIAN ANALYSIS

Pastor Tony Costa, B.A., M.A.

Astrology is defined as a belief in the movement or the position of the planets and stars as the forewarnings of the will of the gods (or forces of fate), which the devotees of astrology may somehow cope with by taking some sort of evasive or preventive action.

Astrology, when related to the horoscopes and study of the signs of the zodiac, may indicate special potentialities in those born under a certain constellation, or signify good or bad luck for activities that might be engaged in during that particular day.

In ancient pre-Christian times, the concern for astrology was accompanied by actual worship of the heavenly bodies in a ritualistic way.

Astrology is condemned by God because it is an attempt on the part of humanity to usurp that which naturally belongs to God, ie. foreknowledge and acquire knowledge of the future whether near or far. Astrology is also a result of humanity's rejection of God's revelation, in that humans seek to worship the created order or themselves, rather than the Creator Himself. (Romans 1:25)

Scripture emphatically states in Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV) "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." This truth is reiterated by Joseph in Genesis 40:8 "Do not interpretations belong to God?" and the prophet Daniel, "but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries" (Daniel 2:28 NIV)

That which is secret, be it the future, our plans for the future, the end of the age, the coming of Christ is in the jurisdiction of God alone. We are not privy to that information nor are we permitted to interfere into that area. What has been given to us to know by God has been given by way of revelation, to go beyond God's revealed Word is to tread into perilous waters. Once again Scripture admonishes us "…so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another." (1 Corinthians 4:6 NIV) The result of going beyond God's revelation is human pride, the concept that man is the measure of all things and the master of his destiny. Therein lies the very essence of astrology. It all comes down to one point: CONTROL. It is the attempt to have control over one's future in regards to marriage, employment, relationships, etc. From the beginning, humanity has always sought to be independent and released from God. Humans have been assuming all along that they are their own god. This was the lie of the serpent in the Garden, "your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5 NIV)

Astrology is false according to the Scriptures for the following reasons:

1) The stars were created by God to serve as "lights" and "signs" for calendar purposes (years, months, days, seasons). The stars were made for our benefit (Genesis 1:1, 14-19) and not for the purposes of divination or predicting the future. (Psalm 136:7-9)

2) The worship of the heavenly bodies and stars is condemned by God as idolatry. Under the Mosaic law, people who engaged in these practices were to be executed. (Deuteronomy 17:2-7)

3) The worship of heavenly bodies and stars are forbidden. (Deuteronomy 4:19)

4) The stars, being God's creation, are told in biblical poetical literature to worship God. (Psalm 148:3) The reason being that God alone is the Creator and worthy of all worship by the created order whether animated (humans, animals, plants) or inanimate. (sun, moon, stars, heavens, etc)

5) Israel was condemned for falling away from God by worshipping the stars. (2 Kings 23:4-5; 2 Chronicles 33:1-6)

6) God challenges the Babylonians to summon their astrologers and prevent His judgment from falling on the nation of Babylon. God Himself mocks the astrologers. (Isaiah 47:11-15) Astrology leads to error and cannot save anyone.

7) Astrologers cannot interpret the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 2:1-2, 10-12)

8) Astrologers cannot decipher the handwriting on the wall. (Daniel 5:7-8)

9) Daniel and his friends' knowledge surpasses those of astrologers. (Daniel 1:17, 20) This demonstrates that God's revelation, that Daniel had, was greater and much more reliable than the information that the Babylonian astrologers had.

10) God alone knows the future and He does not make it known through astrologers. (Daniel 2:27-28) Rather God reveals His plans to His chosen prophets. "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets"(Amos 3:7 NIV) This agrees with Deuteronomy 29:29 cited above.

11) Although Jesus never mentioned astrology, we know that He opposed it since He viewed the Scriptures as authoritative and inspired as He said, "the Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35 NIV). We must also note that Jesus was the God-Man. As the Word who existed from all eternity with God and was Himself God (John 1:1-3, 18), He was the One who spoke with Moses and gave the Law (including prohibitions against astrology) to him. ( Compare Exodus 3:13 with John 8:58-59)

12) "Idolaters" will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) As noted earlier, God views astrology as equivalent to idolatry. (Deuteronomy 17:2-7)

13) Idolatry and witchcraft are condemned and those who practice it will not inherit God's Kingdom. (Galatians 5:19-21) Witchcraft and/or sorcery in the New Testament comes from the Greek word farmakeia (pronounced pharmakeia). We get the word pharmacy from this word. It means "sorcery", "witchcraft", "magical arts" and it is connected with idolatry. Astrology was related to sorcery and magical arts as well.

14) According to Revelation 9:20-21, the end times will be characterized by an increased involvement in sorcery or magical arts which includes astrology.

15) Those who practice "magical arts" (like astrology), have no part in the New Jerusalem, but are referred to as "dogs" which in biblical times referred to those who were unclean and outside of God's favour. (Revelation 22:15)

16) The chief Apostles, Peter and Paul personally condemned sorcerers with strong language. (Acts 8:9-10, 18-24; 13:6-12)

Thus, astrology is condemned throughout Scripture by the Law of Moses, the Prophets, Jesus Christ (implicitly, see point 11 above), the Apostles, and the Christian Church today.

There are 2 irrefutable facts in the Bible: 1) There is a God and 2) You are not Him. Only God is infinite and omniscient, Who knows all things, the end from the beginning. We are finite and limited in knowledge. Scripture reminds us to never to assume that we will know what will happen tomorrow. We should instead recognize that only God knows what tomorrow will bring. For this reason we are told that we should always say, "if it is the Lord's will." (James 4:13-16) We do not know the future, but we do know Him who holds it in the palm of His hand. What a blessed assurance this brings.

UFO Cults

Birth Place of Movement: Cascade Mountains in western Washington.

Brief History: On June 24, 1947, pilot Kenneth Arnold was flying over the Cascades when he reported seeing "nine shiny objects in a chain-like formation speeding by at some 1600 miles per hour" (Ellwood 393). Arnold compared what he saw to a saucer skipping across water. This characterization led the media to adopt the concept of "flying saucer". Arnold's report was quickly followed by many other sightings reported from various places around the country.

The introduction of this phenomenon into society brought about rumors as to the meanings behind these unidentified flying objects. Soon, people began to believe that UFOs had made contact with humans. These humans came to be known as contactees. The first contactee was George Adamski, who claimed to have met a UFO traveler from Venus. Throughout the fifties, there were many other contactees who claimed interaction with interplanetary occupants.

Some of these contactees wrote books, gave lectures, and formed small groups of friends following them. These groups could be characterized as UFO audience cults. Like many audience cults, these groups serve as a form of social entertainment rather than a serious life commitment. Through the fifties and the sixties, UFO cults substantially remained at this level.

By the Seventies UFO audience cults began to take the shape of cult movements. A group known as Human Individual Metamorphosis (now known as Heaven's Gate) appeared in California in 1975. The two leaders of this group persuaded followers to follow them into the wilderness. They would be met by UFOs and carried to the "level above human."

In the Eighties and Nineties several cults emerged with a Christian system of beliefs. These groups considered UFO beings to be spiritual guides (even angels) who are assisting humans.

Sacred or Revered Texts: It is not possible to identify texts that would be sacred to all UFO groups, but some groups clearly have books or writings that have a sacred character. For instance, The Urantia Book is a massive two thousand page tome that tells the story of the people of our planet, Uranti, our destiny and relation to God, as well as detailed information of other universes. The Heaven's Gate cult, which committed mass suicide in March, 1997 had a volume entitled How and When Heaven's Gate May be Entered which could be considered sacred text. They also sited specific Bible texts, especially the eleventh Chaper of the Book of Revelations, that legitimate their mission.

Cult or Sect: Negative sentiments are typically implied when the concepts "cult" and "sect" are employed in popular discourse. Since the Religious Movements Homepage seeks to promote religious tolerance and appreciation of the positive benefits of pluralism and religious diversity in human cultures, we encourage the use of alternative concepts that do not carry implicit negative stereotypes.

Beliefs: Making sense of the UFO subculture, or more appropriately subcultures, is not easy. Most groups are small and function autonomously from all others. The only belief they share in common is the conviction that there are alien beings "out there". The nature of these beings, whether they are or have been present in our little corner of the universe, whether individuals have had contact with them, etc. are all points of differing beliefs.

Despite the differences among groups, several common beliefs can be found. A very common belief is the idea that only a select few (contactees) can communicate with UFOs. Since these contactees are the only way for others to receive the messages sent by UFO, followers must put full faith into what the contactees report.

Another common belief is the idea of evolution. Many groups believe that mankind evolves continuously from life time to life time. Of course, with each group, there are variations, but a common belief is that at the end of each life, a human being moves on to a new place to then further evolve.

Yet another belief is that everyone/everything is living and related. As a being moves on after life, there is a connection, and a closer relationship to becoming one with the Universe. After all things move on and evolve, all things will become one. What happens to this uniform being also varies from group to group.

Size of Group: Since there are numerous UFO Cults, no definite size can be determined. The majority of UFO cult movements rarely have more than fifty or sixty members at a given time, but UFO audience cults can have up to a couple thousand members. At a broader level, there are literally millions of persons with at least some casual interest in UFO.

amazing!! before i bumped in to this thread i had just posted something simular on this site in prophecies--> http://forums.christiansunite.com/index.php?topic=12780.msg167730#new

Its my beleife that UFO's are real...Ive seen one. I also had a demonic encounter with one and guess what it looked like? thats when i came to a relization ( theory)
That thease things are in fact real, but they are demons, or Satan and his fallen angels.

Lets not argue the cave drawings, the lost civilizations with incredible technologys, the renisance paintings, the recent incline in technology and the increase of sightings. It has all been planted from day 1 building it self up to be the COUNTERFIT LIE of the anti-Christ. Thease things are in fact real. Satan Runs Earth untill God comes back. He was here 1st, to temp eve with the forbidden fruit. Now If you Read the Bible looking for Proof that The Bible is real ( like most unbeleivers do ) you will discover many UFO encounters. From The Birth of Christ ( Artificial Insimination ) yo The Rib Taken from Adam to make Eve. ( Genetic DNA cloning ) and of course the Book of ezeikial and his sightings , it then sadly makes sence in a twisted way. This is how the Anti Christ will decieve man!!! with twisted scripture from ALLLLLL religions. I was a Victim of this crime!! And Guess what Just as the Bible prophecised so will the entire human race with the exception of Christians who beleive through FAITH. The Road To Heaven is a Narrow one....Now you relize why. Those are only a few holes I mentioned in the Bible, there are many more but i will not go in to that..But this is what man kind will see. Man kind with no Faith. Most Demonic Encounters are described almost exactly like UFO abductions. Ghost , Spirits, Ufo's...all Demons in different Image. " Well It sais so right here in the Bible" will not work on the human race. but Proof from the beast will.

The UFO's will come down and man will see these ET's in the Flesh. They just wont know that it's Satan. By the Time this happens Christians will all have alraedy been raptured.

This is My theory.

Astrology, A Christian View

Astrology is defined as a belief in the movement or the position of the planets and stars as the forewarnings of the will of the gods (or forces of fate), which the devotees of astrology may somehow cope with by taking some sort of evasive or preventive action.

Astrology, when related to the horoscopes and study of the signs of the zodiac, may indicate special potentialities in those born under a certain constellation, or signify good or bad luck for activities that might be engaged in during that particular day.

In ancient pre-Christian times, the concern for astrology was accompanied by actual worship of the heavenly bodies in a ritualistic way.

Astrology is condemned by God because it is an attempt on the part of humanity to usurp that which naturally belongs to God, ie. foreknowledge and acquire knowledge of the future whether near or far. Astrology is also a result of humanity's rejection of God's revelation, in that humans seek to worship the created order or themselves, rather than the Creator Himself. (Romans 1:25)

Scripture emphatically states in Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." This truth is reiterated by Joseph in Genesis 40:8 "Do not interpretations belong to God?" and the prophet Daniel, "but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries" (Daniel 2:28)

That which is secret, be it the future, our plans for the future, the end of the age, the coming of Christ is in the jurisdiction of God alone. We are not privy to that information nor are we permitted to interfere into that area. What has been given to us to know by God has been given by way of revelation, to go beyond God's revealed Word is to tread into perilous waters. Once again Scripture admonishes us "…so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another." (1 Corinthians 4:6) The result of going beyond God's revelation is human pride, the concept that man is the measure of all things and the master of his destiny. Therein lies the very essence of astrology. It all comes down to one point: CONTROL. It is the attempt to have control over one's future in regards to marriage, employment, relationships, etc. From the beginning, humanity has always sought to be independent and released from God. Humans have been assuming all along that they are their own god. This was the lie of the serpent in the Garden, "your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5)

Astrology is false according to the Scriptures for the following reasons:

1) The stars were created by God to serve as "lights" and "signs" for calendar purposes (years, months, days, seasons). The stars were made for our benefit (Genesis 1:1, 14-19) and not for the purposes of divination or predicting the future. (Psalm 136:7-9)

2) The worship of the heavenly bodies and stars is condemned by God as idolatry. Under the Mosaic law, people who engaged in these practices were to be executed. (Deuteronomy 17:2-7)

3) The worship of heavenly bodies and stars are forbidden. (Deuteronomy 4:19)

4) The stars, being God's creation, are told in biblical poetical literature to worship God. (Psalm 148:3) The reason being that God alone is the Creator and worthy of all worship by the created order whether animated (humans, animals, plants) or inanimate. (sun, moon, stars, heavens, etc.)

5) Israel was condemned for falling away from God by worshipping the stars. (2 Kings 23:4-5; 2 Chronicles 33:1-6)

6) God challenges the Babylonians to summon their astrologers and prevent His judgment from falling on the nation of Babylon. God Himself mocks the astrologers. (Isaiah 47:11-15) Astrology leads to error and cannot save anyone.

7) Astrologers cannot interpret the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 2:1-2, 10-12)

8) Astrologers cannot decipher the handwriting on the wall. (Daniel 5:7-8)

9) Daniel and his friends' knowledge surpasses those of astrologers. (Daniel 1:17, 20) This demonstrates that God's revelation, that Daniel had, was greater and much more reliable than the information that the Babylonian astrologers had.

10) God alone knows the future and He does not make it known through astrologers. (Daniel 2:27-28) Rather God reveals His plans to His chosen prophets. "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets"(Amos 3:7 This agrees with Deuteronomy 29:29 cited above.

11) Although Jesus never mentioned astrology, we know that He opposed it since He viewed the Scriptures as authoritative and inspired as He said, "the Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). We must also note that Jesus was the God-Man. As the Word who existed from all eternity with God and was Himself God (John 1:1-3, 18), He was the One who spoke with Moses and gave the Law (including prohibitions against astrology) to him. ( Compare Exodus 3:13 with John 8:58-59)

12) "Idolaters" will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) As noted earlier, God views astrology as equivalent to idolatry. (Deuteronomy 17:2-7)

13) Idolatry and witchcraft are condemned and those who practice it will not inherit God's Kingdom. (Galatians 5:19-21) Witchcraft and/or sorcery in the New Testament comes from the Greek word farmakeia (pronounced pharmakeia). We get the word pharmacy from this word. It means "sorcery", "witchcraft", "magical arts" and it is connected with idolatry. Astrology was related to sorcery and magical arts as well.

14) According to Revelation 9:20-21, the end times will be characterized by an increased involvement in sorcery or magical arts which includes astrology.

15) Those who practice "magical arts" (like astrology), have no part in the New Jerusalem, but are referred to as "dogs" which in biblical times referred to those who were unclean and outside of God's favour. (Revelation 22:15)

16) The chief Apostles, Peter and Paul personally condemned sorcerers with strong language. (Acts 8:9-10, 18-24; 13:6-12)

Thus, astrology is condemned throughout Scripture by the Law of Moses, the Prophets, Jesus Christ (implicitly, see point 11 above), the Apostles, and the Christian Church today.

There are 2 irrefutable facts in the Bible: 1) There is a God and 2) You are not Him. Only God is infinite and omniscient, Who knows all things, the end from the beginning. We are finite and limited in knowledge. Scripture reminds us to never to assume that we will know what will happen tomorrow. We should instead recognize that only God knows what tomorrow will bring. For this reason we are told that we should always say, "if it is the Lord's will." (James 4:13-16) We do not know the future, but we do know Him who holds it in the palm of His hand. What a blessed assurance this brings.

The Christadelphians

The Christadelphians have been with us since about 1848. They rose up after the Mormons, but prior to the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists. A man name John Thomas founded the group. The Disciples of Christ denomination attempted to discipline this man for his "strange doctrines", but the discipline was not accepted by him. John Thomas drew off his own followers under their original name, "The Royal Association of Believers in New York", now known as the "Christadelphians".

John Thomas' book, "Elpis Israel" (Hope of Israel), and his successor's book, "Christendom Astray from the Bible", by Robert Roberts form the basis for the group's beliefs.

VIEW ON THE GODHEAD

The Christadelphian publication, "Key to Understanding the Bible", page 13, reads under "The Godhead"

"God is one, not three. He has revealed Himself as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and of all who are related to Him in Faith."

God is therefore believed to be ONLY God the FATHER. Christians do believe there is only one God. However, whereas we agree that the Father is called God, the Son, Jesus Christ, is also called God. Therefore He is likewise a manifestation of the One God of Scripture.

Prophecy calls Jesus God - Matthew

The Disciples called Jesus God - John

The Father called Jesus God - Hebrews

CHRISTADELPHIAN VIEW OF JESUS

Again, we quote from "Key to Understanding the Bible", page 14.

"Jesus Christ is not God the Son, but is the Son of God, begotten of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. He was a man of our race, identical in nature with all mankind."

Jesus Christ is therefore presented by the Christadelphians as being the son of God ONLY, having no existence prior to his birth to Mary and being only a man by nature. However, the Bible plainly teaches the preexistence and eternal nature of Jesus Christ. For example, John 1:1 states,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God." (NAS)

Verse 14 continues, regarding Jesus,

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (NAS)

The Word, Jesus Christ, was plainly there "in the beginning". In fact, He is "before all things" according to Colossians 1:17, which chapter of the Bible portrays Him as Creator of all.

The prophecy in Micah is of special interest. Micah 52 reads,

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity."

The key word here is "eternity", also translated "everlasting". This is the Hebrew word "olam". This word is never used for any creature, or product of creation. It is ONLY used for GOD. This same Hebrew word is used of the Father in Psalm 90:2,

"...Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God."

The eternal nature of Jesus Christ is also evident from 1 Timothy 1:17, which ways of Christ,

"Now to the King ETERNAL, immortal, invisible, THE ONLY GOD, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen."

Jesus Christ did function on this earth as a man to perfectly redeem us, but this did not detract from His eternal Deity. Colossians 2:9 says of Christ, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form."

All is all, full is full. Jesus Christ, even in the flesh never ceased to be truly and fully God.

CHRISTADELPHIAN VIEW OF SATAN THE DEVIL

Under the heading "Devil" and "Satan" in the Christadelphian publication, "Key to Understanding the Bible", on page 15, we find,

"Devil.....Its general meaning is sin or lawlessness, whether manifested individually or politically. It is also applied to the unlawful lusts and tendencies of human nature which invariably lead to sin. It is not a supernatural being. Satan is a Hebrew word signifying "adversary", "enemy", or "accuser"."

Christadelphians therefore reduce the Devil to our own sinful lusts, and make every adversary in the Bible a "Satan". Both views are in error, as we shall see.

In Zechariah 3:1,2, we see Satan standing before the angel of the Lord, and God Himself speaks to Satan, rebuking him. Was God rebuking His own lustful thoughts? Ridiculous. Likewise Jesus carried on quite a conversation with the person of Satan the Devil in Matthew 4, verses 1 through 11. Jesus, who was perfect, certainly did not have a sinful nature talking to Him! He was speaking to a real personage, Satan the Devil. Jesus went on to call him, the "father of lies" and a "Murderer" in John 8:44. These are titles for a real person, not abstract feelings.

Christadelphians need to know that there is a real person in the world called "Satan the Devil" and he delights in having people deny his existence, for then they never gain the mastery over him.

CHRISTADELPHIAN VIEW OF SALVATION

According to the booklet, "Christadelphians" by L. Hutchins, a Christadelphian gains salvation by

1. Accepting the gospel preached by Jesus Christ and His apostles, as interpreted by Christadelphians.

2. Being baptized by total immersion.

3. Obeying the commandments of Christ.

The Bible, on the other hand, promises us salvation by GRACE alone. Ephesians 2:8,9 puts it this way

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, that no one should boast."

We as Christians should have good works, but they are a RESULT of our salvation, not a CONDITION for our salvation.

A parting thought......

No doubt there will be sincere Christadelphians reading this, as well as Christians, so I want to add this personal note.

I understand so well how many hours you have given to your faith, always striving to improve, for I was once in a group similar to yours. Friends, please do not stumble over salvation by grace alone, because it seems too easy. First off, begin by praying an honest prayer to God, asking Him to reveal the truth to you through the pages of the Bible alone.

Set aside your Christadelphian publications for a time and really seek Jesus Christ through the pages of the Bible, and personally in prayer. You will find out that He is far different from what you have been taught. Nevertheless do not stop seeking until you find Him. After all, if you have the right Jesus Christ, you are right for all eternity, but if you have the wrong Jesus Christ you are wrong for all eternity.

I think it is time to update this some.

The Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kansas, is a hate group masquerading as a Christian church. Led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, the misguided members of this church target homosexuals and a range of others with messages of hate. The church’s ourageous protest actions - the group prefers to picket funerals(!) - have earned the Phelps and his ilk much media coverage.

The church’s web site, is deservedly listed as a hate site by many internet watchdog organizations. Its content is the verbal equivalent to what you would find in any other sewer. The same is true for its companion web site.

Phelps and his followers say his civil rights advocacy in the early 1960s was “the Lord’s work.” They insist it arose from the same strict reading of the Bible that propels them to savage homosexuals. Daughter Abigail Phelps, one of several children who live near their father in the Westboro Baptist Church compound in Topeka, says Phelps “isn’t flip-flopping” from one extreme to another.

But Topeka civic leaders counter that Phelps’ metamorphosis from civil rights lawyer to anti-gay scourge was motivated by his craving for publicity and gadfly’s obsession with stirring up trouble. “He’s made himself an institution in town by attacking people,” said Bill Beachy, an official with the Concerned Citizens of Topeka, a local civic group.

Phelps’ obsession with homosexuals blossomed in 1991, when he demanded that Topeka leaders crack down on gays who congregated in Gage Park, an urban oasis near his church. Unsatisfied by officials’ responses, Phelps churned out vitriolic handbills accusing them of being “Sodomites”–and took up picketing anyone who objected to his harsh tactics.

Corruption, in Phelps’ eyes, ripples from anyone tainted by homosexuality. Likening himself to the stern 18th century Calvinist theologian Jonathan Edwards, he picketed dozens of Topeka churches. As the campaign grew, Phelps moved out across the county to castigate anyone who consorts with the enemy.

Pastor Who Takes Pride in Hate Traces the Emotion to Bible, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 16, 1999

Needless to say, the despicable teachings and practices of this extremist group fall outside those of historic, orthodox Christianity.

Phelps and his followers call themselves “primitive Baptists.” They believe in predestination, the idea that God already has selected those who will go to heaven and that everyone else is irreversibly doomed to hell.

Their mission, members say, simply is to spread this news.

“We don’t strive to change your hearts or minds,” Phelps wrote in a letter to the Capital-Journal. “Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t make you believe the truth.

“Every person who is predestined for hell will remain in darkness.”

Kansas anti-gay church embarrasses Topekans, The Oakland Tribune, Nov. 4, 2002

Despite the term ‘Baptist’ in the church’s name, the hate group - made up largely of Phelp’s children, grandchildren and in-laws - is not affiliated with any denomination. Most Christians reject Phelp’s theology and methods:

“The slogans that Fred Phelps and his group are promoting are unscriptural and very inappropriate,” says Dwayne Hastings, director of communications for the Southern Baptist Convention’s ethics and religious-liberty commission. “Southern Baptists stand on the word of God in believing that homosexuality is wrong and that, as the Bible says, it’s an abomination to God. But God does not hate the homosexual…. To those who are unaware of the orthodox Christian view of homosexuality, Fred Phelps presents a distorted and, in fact, perverted view of God’s word in his message of hate.”

Condem Sin - and sinner, by Robert Stacy McCain. Insight on the News, Volume: 15. Issue: 30, August 16, 1999. Page 32

Theologically, this group of pseudo-Christians is a cult of Christianity.

The Anti-Defamation League has collected quotations from WBC materials and other sources that “expose the Church’s views on Jews, gays, Blacks, Christians and the United States. WBC’s own words best demonstrate the wide range and disturbing nature of its hatred.” The ADL introduces its collection with an overview of the group:

At the funeral of gay murder victim Matthew Shepard, they held up signs reading “No Fags in Heaven” and “God Hates Fags.” According to their Web site, they have staged “20,000″ protests across the nation and around the world in the last decade.

Virulently homophobic, the Westboro Baptist Church has picketed the gay community at hundreds of events nationwide. Many of its fliers emphasize the race or religion of these individuals.

They believe that “God’s hatred is one of His holy attributes.” They are the congregants of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas.

Incorporated in 1967 as a not-for-profit organization, the virulently homophobic Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) considers itself an “Old School (or, Primitive)” Baptist Church. The Church is led by the septuagenarian Reverend Fred Waldron Phelps Sr., and many WBC congregants are related to Phelps by blood. His wife, several of his children and dozens of his grandchildren frequent the church.

While WBC has picketed the gay community at hundreds of events nationwide, most of the individuals protested by the Church are not homosexual. In fact, WBC most often targets people it mistakenly claims are gay or those it believes to be encouraging homosexuality. Many WBC fliers emphasize the race or religion of these individuals, suggesting that the Church’s hate spreads beyond its abhorrence of homosexuality. What appears to be anti-gay rhetoric is often a vehicle for WBC’s anti-Semitism, hatred of other Christians, and even racism, though in the 1980s Fred Phelps received awards from the Greater Kansas City Chapter of Blacks in Government and the Bonner Springs branch of the NAACP for his work on behalf of Black clients.

Trained as a lawyer, Fred Phelps was disbarred in 1979 by the Kansas Supreme Court, which asserted that he had “little regard for the ethics of his profession.”

Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church: In Their Own Words Anti-Defamation League, last accessed Jan. 5, 2005

African cult leader responsible for mass murder/suicide still alive?

Kibwetere led the cult called the “Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God,” which ended its history in 2001 through a horrific mass murder/suicide that claimed the lives of hundreds of followers.

This tragedy occurred after doomsday predictions made by Kibwetere and his accomplice Credonia Mwerinde failed to materialize at the turn of the millenium.

A Ugandan elected official told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that Kibwetere altered his appearance through “plastic surgery” and now lives in Israel.

He offered no proof to support this claim.

Kibwetere and Mwerinde’s bodies were never recovered. There were persistent rumors that Mwerinde may have escaped after looting the group’s assets.

However, many believe Kibwetere is dead, though his remains have never been positively identified.

It is very doubtful that such a notorious cult leader could have successfully entered Israel, which is a country known for its tight security and carefully monitored immigration.

The Ugandan cult murder/suicide probably exceeded the number of deaths at Jonestown, making it the most horrific cult tragedy in recorded history.

But due to the lack of forensic and technical assistance available in Uganda, a true count of the dead will never be known.

The Mungiki sect or “cult” has a horrific history of murder and mayhem in Kenya. Last week alone 32 people were murdered by cult members, only the latest victims of the cult’s reign of terror, reports Sunday Nation.

However, the international media rarely devotes its resources for meaningful in-depth coverage of the brutal cult killings in Africa.

Why?

When 39 members of a relatively obscure American cult known as “Heaven’s Gate” committed suicide in 1997 it made headlines and generated seemingly endless journalistic analysis.

And in 1994 when 53 members of the then obscure Solar Temple were found dead in Switzerland, that too became the focus of rapt international press concern.

The Mungiki movement may include more than 2 million members and seems intent upon destablizing a government.

Just after 2000 hundreds of bodies were recovered in Uganda, the direct result of brutal cult slayings and suicide connected to “The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments.” But again this didn’t generate the same international news coverage that much less historically significant cults did outside of Africa .

Why?

In 1978 when 900 Americans died in an isolated cult compound in Guyana called “Jonestown” there was no shortage of journalists willing to cover that story. More than that number probably died in Uganda, but we will never know due to a lack of forensic assistance and it seems international interest.

Apparently African cult tragedies somehow don’t rate the same attention from the international media and community.

It appears that many news outlets think cult members must be white, American, European or at least from an industrialized nation such as Japan (i.e. Aum), to be worthy serious concern and meaningful in-depth reporting.

Maharishi’s mantra for money may be his most lasting legacy

Posted in Transcendental Meditation, Al Qaeda, Miscellaneous at 1:40 am by Rick Ross

Mahesh Prasad Varma, better known as “Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,” was born near the Indian town of Jabalpur, into a scribe caste family. He died last night at the age of 91.

At times referred to as a “cult leader,” one BBC website called him a “Rasputinesque” figure.

The Indian guru promoted “Transcendental meditation,” known as TM to its fans and followers. This practice involves reciting a mantra over and over again to still the mind.

However, TM critics saw the technique as little more than self-hypnosis or trance induction.

Classes to learn TM don’t come cheap. The current list price is $2,500 for a five-day session.

Mahrishi launched his public career as the “Beatles guru.” In 1968 the British group journeyed to his Himalayan ashram to study.

But it wasn’t long before the popular band dumped their would-be teacher.

John Lennon felt that Maharishi’s claim to celibacy was a lie. Lennon said in interviews that the Beatles song “Sexy Sadie,” which includes the lyrics “Sexy Sadie, what have you done, you made a fool of everyone” was originally called “Maharishi.”

This year on January 11th the guru announced his retirement, but apparently he was already quite ill and died in less than a month.

Maharishi and his followers often made ridiculous claims regarding the power of TM, such as a mass meditation session of 7,000 followers somehow being linked to the fall of the Berlin wall and the end of the Cold War.

Maharishi’s mantra almost always included money.

The TM Web site states, “When the group cannot be maintained financially, new tensions arise in the world.” Such statements almost seem like spiritual blackmail.

Perhaps Maharishi will be most remembered for his shrewd business sense. He leaves behind the legacy of a multi-billion dollar spiritual empire.

Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported that TM has been marketed “with all the zeal of a multinational corporation — which is, effectively, what it became.”

In 1990 Maharishi moved to the Netherlands where he turned a historic former Catholic retreat into his home. The guru created considerable controversy when he attempted to demolish the landmark to suit his own taste.

One of Maharishi’s last fund raising pitches took place in 2002. The guru claimed he wanted to combat world terrorism and war through meditation.

The price tag this time was $1 billion dollars to train 40,000 TMers.

In the United States alone TM accumulated assets of about $300 million, including Maharishi University in Iowa.

Many of the guru’s remaining devotees live in Maharishi Vedic City, which is located a few miles from Fairfield, Iowa.

Maharishi may have been one of world’s most successful “cult leaders.”

That is, if measured by money, rather than mantras.

Cult-ivating a new defense: Sect leader serving life for starving son claims he was brainwashed
Boston Herald/November 22, 2005
By David Wedge

Killer cult dad Jacques Robidoux has pulled away from the controversial religious sect and is seeking a new trial, copping an insanity plea similar to one that got his wife off the hook for their son’s 1999 starvation death.

“He’s reconsidering everything,” said Robert Pardon, a cult deprogrammer who has frequently met with Robidoux behind bars. “He’s away from the group. He’s had a chance to think. He’s cooperating with his attorney. He understands things in ways that he didn’t before.”

Pardon said Robidoux has had problems in prison and is currently in protective custody in MCI-Bridgewater after being moved from MCI-Concord with other lifers. Pardon said Robidoux, who was a leader of the sect, has withdrawn and is now questioning his allegiance to the controversial religious group.

Robidoux, 32, is serving life without parole for starving his son, Samuel, to death as part of a twisted religious prophecy. While he has always been described as a leader of the cult, Robidoux recently filed an appeal claiming he was brainwashed by the Attleboro-based sect. The claim is similar to the mind-control argument that led a jury last year to clear Robidoux’s wife, Karen, of second-degree murder charges.

“It sounds to me that he saw the deal that his wife pulled off and wants to get a piece of the same,” Bristol District Attorney Paul F. Walsh Jr. said.

Robidoux reportedly rejected an insanity defense before his 2002 trial. His trial attorney, Frank O’Boy, said he’s satisfied with the advice he gave Robidoux.

“I pride myself on always informing my clients of all of the options involved, the risks that they raise and the rewards,” O’Boy said. “But it’s the client that makes the decision.”

Sect leader serving life for starving son claims he was brainwashed (http://www.rickross.com/reference/attleboro/attleboro148.html)

Yoga Alliance

Yoga has become a popular form of exercise and something of a sensational craze in recent years.

Many Westerners are enthralled with the practice and hope that yoga will help them to shed pounds and firm up. Some say it may also lead to a sense of inner calm and tranquility.

Numerous yoga studios have opened up almost everywhere, from major metropolitan areas to large towns.

But how can a hopeful student find a reputable studio with a good teacher?

Most seem to rely on word-of-mouth endorsements from friends, but there are some organizations that register schools and teachers.

One such body is called the “Yoga Alliance” (YA), its mailing address is in Reading, Pennsylvania. YA was officially established just a few years ago in 1999.

But the background history of some YA board members is rather disturbing. It seems nearly half at one time or another have been involved with groups called “cults.” And some of the schools registered at YA are associated with “cults.”

For example, the alliance includes on its list of schools the 3HO ashram in Espanola, New Mexico, the Integral Yoga Center of Richmond, Virginia and Ananda Yoga of Nevada City, California.

All three of these groups have less than laudable histories and they have also often been called “cults.”

A close look at the resumes of YA board members reveals some interesting connections.

Kartar Singh Khalsa, Co-head of Teachers Outreach, is a devotee of Yogi Bhajan the founder of 3HO.

The group Ananda Marga first initiated Steven Landau, Chairman of the YA Newsletter Committee.

Carol A. Stefanelli, head of the group’s Networking Committee, once studied with Swami Muktananda the founder of Siddha.

Mary Lynn Tucker, Co-chair of the Outreach Committee, studied yoga with Swami Satchidananda and lives near the ashram the guru created named “Yogaville.”

Rich McCord, Chairman of YA’s pivotal Standards Committee, actually teaches at the Ananda Church of Self-Realization, which has been labeled a “cult” in court.

Ananda’s founder J. Donald Walters was found guilty of sexual misconduct and plaintiffs were awarded a staggering multi-million dollar judgment.

Interestingly, the last “face-to-face” meeting of the YA board was actually held at the so-called “Ananda Village,” in California.

Isn’t this a bit like the “foxes guarding the hen house”?

Anyone considering yoga classes with teachers and/or schools registered by the Yoga Alliance might want to exercise a bit of caution, before beginning any of their exercises.

The Army of Mary

Who should determine the parameters and/or identity for a religious denomination?

Most people would answer that the historically established leadership of a religion and/or denomination has this exclusive and traditional right and role.

But some disgruntled former members and/or splinter groups seem to think otherwise.

Movie star Mel Gibson belongs to just such a group composed largely of former Roman Catholics. The actor was raised from childhood within such a religious environment.

Gibson and his fellow religionists consider themselves “traditional Catholics.”

But ironically such so-called “Catholics” have abandoned perhaps the most established tradition of Roman Catholicism, which is the teaching of one church under the direction and ecclesiastical authority of the Pope.

“We just want to be good Catholics,” says one “priest” from a schismatic group quoted by Knight Ridder Newspapers.

However, a “priest” like this has no standing in the Roman Catholic Church and is very often an excommunicate.

But some media reports persist in calling such groups “traditionalist Catholics,” whatever that means.

There is an old axiom, “If you want to be a member of the club you must abide by its rules.” But somehow this doesn’t seem to apply to “traditional Catholics.”

Instead they apparently want to have it both ways. That is, to have the status of being in the club generally, but make up their own rules.

Isn’t that non-traditional?

Catholic authorities seem to regard such splinter groups largely as a nuisance and there are only about 20,000 members in the US. An insignificant number, given the size of Roman Catholicism worldwide.

The present Pope excommunicated a renegade French priest, Cardinal Marcel Lefebvre, once a key figure in the so-called “traditionalist” movement.

Lefebvre has since died, but his faithful followers soldier on. The largest single group is the Society of St. Pius X; perhaps named after the last Pope they really liked.

The Roman Catholic Church has endured an assortment of schismatic “kooks,” “crazies” and “cult leaders,” who claim to speak for Mary, God and/or the Holy Spirit.

This burgeoning list of former Catholics includes Caritas of Birmingham, William Kamm known as the “Little Pebble,” the Army of Mary, His Community/Christ Covenant Ministries, Four Winds Commune, Friends of the Eucharist and the Magnificat Meal Movement.

The most destructive and tragic group of former Catholics was the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments, responsible for the mass murder/suicide of hundreds in Uganda.

Not unlike the problems posed by pseudo-Catholics the Mormon Church also has its share of troublesome splinter groups.

Polygamist groups that are often called “fundamentalist Mormons” practice their faith largely in Arizona, Utah and parts of Canada. They are an embarrassment to the Mormon Church, which abandoned the practice of polygamy more than a century ago.

Yet some media reports confuse the public with the label “fundamentalist Mormons” to describe these disparate sects, frequently run by absolute leaders much like “cults.”

Recently, an author apparently striving for better book sales said, “Mormon authorities treat the fundamentalists as they would a crazy uncle — they try to keep the ‘polygs’ hidden in the attic.”

His book titled Under the Banner of Heaven, places grizzly murders within the context of so-called “Mormon Fundamentalism” reported Associated Press.

An official church spokesman made it clear that such groups have nothing whatsoever to do with the Mormon Church and that those Mormons. And when Mormons do become involved with them they are excommunicated, much like former Catholics in schismatic groups.

Recently since the 1960s Jews have also endured apostates setting up their own so-called “Jewish” groups.

Interestingly, these groups, which are composed of converts to fundamentalist Christianity such as “Jews for Jesus” and so-called “Messianic Jews,” are closely aligned and supported by Protestant denominations within the “born-again” movement.

These “Jews” like the polygamists and former Catholics have no standing in the organized Jewish community.

Israel’s “Law of Return” does not recognize them as Jews and recently a Canadian court rejected one such group’s attempt to use historical Jewish symbols for self-promotion reported Canadian Jewish News.

But some media reports continue to confuse readers with a mixed bag of historically incoherent labels and/or oxymorons, such as “traditionalist Catholics,” “fundamentalist Mormons” and “Jews for Jesus,” that are self-referentially incoherent.

Even if such a group has a celebrity sponsor like Mel Gibson, it’s unlikely to be a meaningful substitute for the Pope’s blessings.

And there is a historic right of denominational leaders to determine the parameters of their own faith’s identity, which should be recognized by responsible and objective journalists, rather than misleading the public.

Benny Hinn

No one knows exactly what salary evangelist Benny Hinn pays himself annually from his ministry’s funds, but a decade ago he stated it was more than $500,000.

Since then sources say Hinn has apparently quadrupled his take to somewhere around $2 million per annum.

How is it that this oily preacher manages to haul in so much cash?

Has everyone forgotten the televangelist scandals of the 1980s, which landed PTL Club founder Jim Bakker in prison and his wife Tammy Faye in divorce court?

Now incredibly even Bakker is back in business, plying his trade again by using virtually the same pitch.

Perhaps given such a startling reversal, it’s not hard to understand the continuing success of Benny Hinn, the peripatetic “prophet,” who hops around on a Gulfstream jet, stays overnight in presidential hotel suites and maintains a fleet of luxury cars.

After all, Hinn’s multi-million dollar so-called California “parsonage” has parking for ten.

Maybe a borrowed donkey and night sleeping under the stars was good enough for Jesus, but doesn’t this 21st Century “Man of God” deserve more consideration?

Meanwhile, Iowa senator and Baptist Charles Grassley doen’t seem much impressed by Hinn’s supposed spiritual authority. Grassley is currently investigating the minister’s finances and wants some detailed disclosure.

But Pastor Benny apparently thinks that opening up his books may be “sinful” or even “satanic.”

The evangelist envoked the Constitutional doctrine of church and state, hoping to hide behind what has been called the “wall of separation,” for his salvation.

But does making money in the “name of God,” mean special treatment when it comes to the tax code?

In a recent visit to Brisbane Pastor Benny drew audiences in the thousands. One night Hinn cooked up quite a convenient revelation. “This is a prophecy,” he said. “You are about to see the biggest transfer of wealth in the history of the world. You are going to see prosperity like you never dreamed of. Money is being transferred from sinners to the righteous.”

“Are you righteous?” Hinn asked the crowd.

Of course those assembled answered in the affirmative, anxious to get their slice of the heavenly kingdom.

But to get what they want from God, according to Benny, believers first need to put up some earnest money.

He explained, “The Jews were taught by God how to give. When they brought their gifts to the Lord, it was only the best…God deserves the best. You give God the best and you’ll get the best from him. Are you here for God’s blessing? What are you going to give the Lord tonight?”

By “the Lord,” what Hinn really means for practical purposes, is himself.

So “sowing the seed” with “God,” literally means giving your money to Benny Hinn.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald Hinn hauled in about $800,000, through just three performances.

Benny Hinn would make the fictional “Elmer Gantry” blush.

After all, in the end Gantry appears to have a conscience, but Benny Hinn does not.

Preying upon people that are sick and suffering by telling them that they must pay to receive God’s blessings, sounds more like blackmail than preaching the Gospel.

CultNews receives regular emails from Benny Hinn supporters, who say that criticiszing him is tantamount to “coming against God.”

This self-proclaimed prophet is supposedly an “annointed” hero, and not a huckster.

CultNews has also been told that it’s a plan of the “devil,” to raise questions about Benny Hinn, which could incur God’s holy wrath.

But Jesus answered questions and advised his followers to “love” their “enemies.”

And critically evaluating leaders is certainly well-within the parameters of the New Testament. In Galatians Paul quite harshly criticized and then condemned corrupt leaders.

And as recorded in Acts Peter didn’t automatically rebuke Paul’s critique of his teachings. Instead, Peter slept on it and subsequently realized that Paul was right.

So should Pastor Benny receive any more consideration than Jesus or the apostles?

Charles Grassley certainly doesn’t seem to think so. And it probably didn’t take a “prophecy” to prompt the Iowa senator’s concern about Pastor Hinn’s finances.

In NXIVM classes, rank was displayed through colored sashes, similar to colored belts in martial arts.

NXIVM drew up a 12-point "Mission Statement" which participants recited during classes, pledging to "purge" themselves "of all parasite and envy-based habits", to enroll others, and to "ethically control as much of the money, wealth and resources of the world as possible within my success. Photographs of Raniere and Nancy Salzman were displayed during classes, which would conclude with participants showing gratitude to the two leaders.

NXIVM conducted "Intensives" classes for 12 hours daily for 16 days. One cited price was $7,500. Classes were divided into modules. In one module, "Relationship Sourcing", students were instructed to explore the benefits they would receive in the event of a partner's sudden death. Another module, "Dracula and his ghouls", reportedly discussed psychopaths and their followers. Other module titles included "Best People; Perfect World" and "The Heroic Struggle".

NXIVM taught that some people, called "Suppressives", try to impede progress within NXIVM. People who irrevocably turned against Raniere were said to have undergone "The Fall" and were labeled, in the words of a former member, as "Luciferians, lost people for whom bad feels good, and good feels bad."

NXIVM has been associated with several related organizations. Jness was a society aimed at women, while the Society of Protectors was aimed primarily at men. A third group was known by the acronym DOS, short for "Dominus Obsequious Sororium", which, according to one member, means "master over slave women". In 2006, Raniere founded Rainbow Cultural Garden, an international chain of childcare organizations in which children were to be exposed to seven different languages.

Apparently some members of NXIVM's inner circle were reportedly taught that, in past lives, they were high-ranking Nazis

I'm going to try and add, daily at least one group that is a cult

Rajneeshpuram: The mystic

Rajneeshpuram, for the Bhagwan's original ashram, it is still standing in India, with a few upgrades. You can still go to the resort has been renamed O""" and live by his teachings, signature red robes and all. You can visit O*** today.

Rajneeshpuram's ambitious commune collapsed amid murder plots, a poisoning attack, political intimidation and illegal wiretaps, and the city-in-the-making was abandoned and has been re-named.

Rajneesh, who died in 1990, was a popular spiritual leader in India, attracting thousands of followers – called sannyasins or “orange people” – to practise free love and take part in his unusual style of meditation: lots of primal screaming followed by dancing as if Fatboy Slim had just come on to Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage.

By the 1980s he was at odds with the government in India and so decided to buy a ranch in Oregon. The land was largely uninhabitable but he sent his followers ahead to create a utopia. They built a giant dam, an airport, an electricity station and a meditation centre that could hold 10,000 people. They called it Rajneeshpuram, and when it was ready, Rajneesh and his followers relocated to the US.

The cult that formed was as over-suspicious as scientology, as bizarre as Jonestown, and yet as controlling as the Manson family.

Until the release of Wild Wild Country, Netflix’s latest hit documentary series directed by brothers Mclain and Chapman Way, it had not entered the cultural conversation in the same way as those movements. Now it seems people can talk about little else. The six-part documentary, available to view now, scored 100% on the review site Rotten Tomatoes, and received even more glowing endorsements from other filmmakers, including Barry Jenkins, the Oscar-winning director of Moonlight, who tweeted: “I’m on my second watch of Wild Wild Country. I’ll probably make it through a third.” The film has spurred hundreds of articles revisiting the events as other journalists attempt to get in touch with former members or relive their sannyasins experiences.

Frankly I wouldn't waste my time or breath to even look at this website if it wasn't for being a cult!!

The Twelve Tribes.

The group started in Tennessee in the early 1970s, moved to Vermont a few years later, and now has communities worldwide. In the beginning they were very Biblical and adhered to the historic Christian faith. Street people, drug addicts, and run-a-ways were led to Christ, given a purpose and place to live.

However, the group quickly changed in doctrine and practice due to their “apostle,” Elbert Eugene Spriggs. He claims to have a direct pipeline to God and is accountable to no one—a very dangerous mix.

The group now teaches three eternal destinies for all humanity. There are those who go to the Holy City (Twelve Tribes and other Old and New Testament worthies), those who go to the Lake of Fire, and those who go to the “Nations.”

This last group is a vast segment of humanity who make it to the “suburbs” of heaven by living according to their conscience. Christ's death is thus bypassed. This is rank heresy--see Acts 4:12.

The group also teaches that according to Acts 2 and 4, the true disciple will give all his possessions to the group and live in community with them. This is problematic in two respects.

First, the sole justification for this comes from the book of Acts, an historical book. It is always very precarious to draw theology solely from a historical book, because it describes what was, not necessarily what ought to be.

Secondly, the Twelve Tribes designate themselves as the recipients of all your possessions, claiming to be the true and only restoration of the first century Church--another non-Biblical teaching that all elitist groups proclaim.

They teach that Christ cannot return until they replant the Twelve Tribes of Israel geographically on the Earth. The first Church fell away and Yashua has been waiting for His bride to prepare herself, and cannot return until she does. Nowhere in Scripture does it teach that Christ is held captive in heaven until His bride (the Church) replants herself on the Earth as Twelve Tribes.

The practices of the group have also become non-Biblical.

The true disciple must live in their community and wear a beard and ponytail (male), or balloon pants or long skirt (female).

Radio, television, newspapers and books not approved by the group are forbidden.

Not only must there be absolute unity in doctrine (the teachings of “apostle” Spriggs)—no differences of opinion are tolerated.

Children are not allowed to fantasize or play any fantasy games.

Adults must obey the elders completely, as the elders speak for God. Even oppressive leadership should not be resisted. To question the group's doctrine or authority is “Satan tempting you.”

If you were to decide to leave the group you are literally "leaving the Kingdom of God", and where can one go when they leave God's Kingdom? You are an apostate and are only worthy of God's fearful judgment in this life and the Lake of Fire in eternity.

This group does not follow the Jesus of Scripture, but rather the man Elbert Spriggs, who has essentially transformed the group into a Galatian heresy where salvation depends upon works.

Differences Between Amish and Mennonite, they may look the same, but there’s a difference!!

Many people are familiar with two of the prominent religious groups in Lancaster, PA- the Amish and the Mennonite, but do you know what makes them different? While they have many similarities and stem from the same branch of religion they are not the same. Read on and learn about these two groups and the unique qualities they contribute to the culture of Lancaster County.

Mennonite and Amish Have Some Similarities

Both groups actually stem from the same Christian movement during the European Protestant Reformation. These Christians were called Anabaptists and they sought to return to a simplicity of faith and practice based on the Bible. The Anabaptists also stressed the importance that belief must result in practice, and that idea still holds true today for both the Amish and Mennonite communities.

The split between the two groups started with a gentleman named Jacob Amann who believed that sinning resulting in excommunication should result in a more serious punishment (now known as “shunning”) than what the Mennonite community currently followed. Amann’s beliefs attracted a large group of followers who came to be known as the Amish.

Today, the greatest differences between the Amish and Mennonites stem mainly from practices rather than beliefs. Amish groups tend to shy away from technology (I've seen at first hand when I lived in York county, Pennsylvania) and involvement with the greater world, by dressing “plain” and using scooters and buggies for transportation. The Mennonites have embraced some of the world’s technologies and stress the importance of missionary work, helping to spread their faith to over fifty countries around the world. However, the Amish are allowed to use electric tools as long as the tools don't belong to them.

Mind you, there is much more to the history and beliefs of the Mennonite and Amish than a couple of sentences and there are also exceptions to every rule.

Amish: Cult or Community

They are a system of religious people, devoted to God. And then, we look at the qualifying statements. Relatively small? Check. Practices sinister? Definitely no check. Misplaced, excessive admiration? No check, they worship God, not the preacher. And unless the movie Witness in some way resembles the Big Lebowski, the “cult classic” box similarly remains unchecked.

“The Amish movement was founded in Europe by Jacob Amman (~1644 to ~1720 CE), from whom their name is derived. In many ways, it started as a reform group within the Mennonite movement, an attempt to restore some of the early practices of the Mennonites.

The beliefs and practices of the Amish were based on the writings of the founder of the Mennonite faith, Menno Simons (1496–1561), and on the 1632 Mennonite Dordrecht Confession of Faith. The Amish who split from Mennonites generally lived in Switzerland and in the southern Rhine river region. During the late 17th century, they separated because of what they perceived as a lack of discipline among the Mennonites.
Some Amish migrated to the United States, starting in the early 18th century. They initially settled in Pennsylvania. Other waves of immigrants became established in New York, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri Ohio, and other states.

The faith group has attempted to preserve the elements of late 17th century European rural culture. They try to avoid many of the features of modern society, by developing practices and behaviors which isolate themselves from American culture.”

Angel’s Landing

Angel’s Landing is the name of the 20-acre compound outside of Wichita, Kansas, where Lou Castro and a small group of people lived an inexplicably extravagant life in the early 2000s. Castro’s followers were convinced that he was an angel and a “seer” who could look into the future and know when you were going to die. Already suspicious of Castro’s luxury vehicles and money that no one could explain (there was no paper trail on Castro), local law enforcement took an active interest when Patricia Hughes, a member of the Angel’s Landing community, tragically turned up dead on the compound in 2003.

Then when Patricia’s husband died in a freak accident in 2006, local detective Ron Goodwyn dived into every bit of personal and financial information he could find on the people living at Angel’s Landing. What he found was disturbing: Expensive life insurance policies were taken out on people in Castro’s circle and cashed in by members when someone in the makeshift family “accidentally” died. This pattern occurred around every two and a half years. But the detective couldn’t find any records for the mysterious leader Castro.

In 2010, Castro moved from Kansas to Tennessee and adopted a new identity, but he was soon arrested by the FBI for aggravated identity theft and fraudulent use of a Social Security card number. During Castro’s two-year stint in federal prison, Goodwyn and the FBI discovered, according to the Wichita Eagle, that “Lou Castro” was really Daniel Perez, a man from Texas with many police reports, including a case involving sex crimes against two girls, 11 and 14, until he fled Texas.

Through interviews with members of the commune, they uncovered Perez’s sexual abuse of women and girls at Angel’s Landing, including Sara McGrath, who alleged that Perez raped her regularly for years. Sadly, she was just one of his many victims. More witnesses came forward, accusing Perez of abuse and pointing to him for the murder of Patricia Hughes. Perez was charged with 28 felonies, and in February 2015, he was convicted on all counts and sentenced to 80 years in prison.

This cult was later profiled in an episode of Oxygen’s Deadly Cults, episode 2.

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Theology => Apologetics => Topic started by: Shammu on January 07, 2005, 10:29:39 PM