Cults, Different groups

[Shammu]

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

[Shammu]

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.

[Shammu]

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.

[Shammu]

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.

[Shammu]

 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

[Shammu]

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

[Shammu]

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:.
Cont., next post.

[Shammu]

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

[bluelake]

Are Mormons Christian? No, they are not. They deny the Trinity. They follow another gospel written by Joseph Smith.
They deny the divinity of Jesus Christ.
One of the ways to identify a cult is they will always have another gospel, written by a mortal.
My prayers are that these churches will accept the saving grace of our Lord. (Eph.2:8-9)

God bless,
bluelake

[Bronzesnake]

Are Mormons Christian? No, they are not. They deny the Trinity. They follow another gospel written by Joseph Smith.
They deny the divinity of Jesus Christ.
One of the ways to identify a cult is they will always have another gospel, written by a mortal.
My prayers are that these churches will accept the saving grace of our Lord. (Eph.2:8-9)

God bless,
bluelake

and all God's children said...Amen!  

Bronzesnake

[Mathurin]

Dreamweaver:  

Don't be so  hasty to speak out against our heritage, if our past is wrong then we, too, are certainly wrong.

[bluelake]

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:; 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

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

[Patricia777]

Hello,

I noticed your comments on the Worldwide Church of God.

I was in this church for several decades and left just a few years ago.

I was extremely happy with the doctrinal changes but please be cautious in giving the "New" Worldwide Church of God a clean bill of health.

Doctrinal changes are only one step in reforming a cult. The WCG has devestated the faith of many by how they implimented these changes.

Thousands were hurt by the treatment they received because they prefered the customs of the "Old" WCG. These were  customs members were told they could keep but were pressured to abandon.

Others like myself left because although we embraced the changes we were disillusioned by the lack of grace we saw and experienced.

There are also other problems as well.

Those that leave the WCG are often described as Armstrong lovers but that is not true. Many of us have left for healthy orthodox churches.

[LiL-Christian]

[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.

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!

[Soldier4Christ]

Thank you Brother. I think it is very important for people to read the truth about these many different cults that claim to be Christian that have no clue what a Christian really is. These many cults trick people into believeing that they are the true followers of Jesus Christ when in fact they deny Him as very God and in some cases even deny him as their Saviour.