Month: June 2021

Once we become aware of the truth of God and accept his grace unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior it’s only the beginning of our walk with God. Our spiritual journey, the individual race God has assigned to us, is just starting. What are we supposed to do at that point? How do we go about it? Not to worry; God has left us explicit instructions on what we are to do and how to go about doing it. God is very thorough and he has left us his Word, our Holy Bible, as our guide through this life after we have become children of God.

In numerous places in the Bible God commands us to continually read, study and meditate on God’s Word for knowledge, understanding and wisdom that only the Bible can provide as the wisdom of God. That means we’re to read our Bibles daily along with prayers to God the Father asking him for revelation of his Word through the Holy Spirit of God. That means reading the Bible completely through from one end to the other, not just once, but multiple times. In fact, never stop reading the Bible. I try to read the entire Bible every year because I want to know it like the back of my hand. I want the Bible stories to become so ingrained in my soul I recognize them instantly, like an old friend.

God wants fellowship with us. God wants us to know him. That happens when we talk to God in prayer and God talks to us when we read the pages of the Bible. When we don’t read the Bible God can’t talk to us and fellowship is broken. When you read the Bible God is speaking to you individually through its pages, as if the Bible was written for you alone. The Bible is a living thing. As you read the Bible the Holy Spirit emerges to sit on your shoulder to help you understand what you’re reading. You’re never closer to God than when you’re in his Word. The more you read the Bible the more you’re getting to know God.

All professional athletes who run competitive races have to train for it. Believers are spiritual athletes and intense Bible study is the training we need to put in to complete the work God has for us to do. We can’t effectively run the spiritual race God has given us without preparation. Knowledge is power and when you know the Bible you have the power and wisdom of God at your fingertips. We need this power and wisdom to confront Satan and the powers of darkness that control this world. We’re in enemy territory until we return home to God so we must never let our guard down.

Besides knowing God and fellowshipping with him, the other reason we need to know the Bible intimately is so that we can obey the commands of God in general and the Great Commission in particular. Before he ascended back to heaven Jesus told all his disciples to preach the gospel of Christ to all the world and, as believers, we are those disciples. We have been appointed to do the work of God here on earth. We don’t have a choice in the matter if we want to please God. In addition to sharing our witness for Christ we are to do good works so that men will see the light of God in our actions and be drawn to the truth of God. The key to pleasing God and obeying his commandments is to study his Word so you know how to witness to the nonbeliever and you’re ready to go whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Listen to me carefully. I’ve been studying Christianity for 20 years and I know this stuff. Every believer will one day stand before the bema judgment seat of Christ. One of the first questions Jesus will ask you is, “Have you witnessed the gospel of Christ and if so, how often?” Another question is, “Have you saved anyone to the kingdom of God through your witness?” You need to be able to answer yes to both questions. Another question Jesus will ask is, “What good works have you done?” Everyone will have done some good works but your goal should be to have a ton of good works on your ledger so you have treasures awaiting you in heaven. One last note, good works won’t help you at all if you haven’t first witnessed the gospel of Christ effectively while on earth. Our salvation in heaven is secure through our faith in Jesus but our rewards in heaven will depend on our works in the flesh. We have the choice in this world to serve God and to obey his commands. We need to do both to please God. Our position in heaven and our standing among the saints of heaven depends on what we do for God here on earth. Whatever honor and glory we receive in heaven will last for eternity and vice versa.

What does all this have to do with fake religions and false gods? Like I said earlier, we know knowledge is power. We need to know the basic beliefs of the followers of fake religions so we can effectively witness to them by countering the tenets of their faith, whatever they may be. We earn their respect when we know what they believe and they’re more likely to listen to us. Studying fake religions only increases our faith in God so it serves an additional purpose for us. I’ve included in this blog series a brief synopsis of the top 16 fake religion in the world (out of about 4200 religions) that are the most important to us here in the United States. Become familiar with these fake religions in case you ever have to witness the gospel to one of their followers. There are about 10,000 atheists in this country and maybe 20,000 agnostics. The number of believers of fake religions is hundreds of times greater than that so you’re much more likely to witness to a believer of a fake religion than you are an atheist or agnostic. I’ve summarized the fake religions covered in this blog series below:

FAKE RELIGIONS

1.Islam – Two billion followers. The majority religion in 51 countries of the world primarily in the Middle East, North Africa and a large swath of southern Asia.

2.Hinduism – 1.3 billion followers, mostly in India. Hindu is also the majority religion in Nepal and Mauritius.

3.Buddhisism – 500 million followers. Buddhism is the majority religion in ten countries of southeast Asia.

4.Shintoism – 113 million followers. A Japanese religion.

5.Sikhism – 28 million followers. An Indian religion centered in the Punjab region of India.

6.Taoism – 20 million followers. A religion of China and Taiwan.

7.Mormonism – 14 million followers. Half in the U. S. and half abroad.

8.Jehovah’s Witnesses – 8.5 million followers. Half in the U. S. and half abroad.

9.Korean Shamanism – 8 million followers. A ethnic religion on the Korean peninsula.

10.Confucianism – 6-10 million followers. A Chinese religion.

11.Caodaism – 4-6 million followers. A Vietnamese religion.

12.Jainism – 4-6 million followers. An Indian religion.

13.Bahaism – 5 million followers. Originated in Iran but because of persecution now in India.

14.Zorastrianism – 130,000 followers. Originated in Iran but now in India.

15.Christian Science – 50,000 followers. An American religion.

16.Scientology – 31,000 followers. An American religion.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Christian Science is an indigenous American religion developed by Mary Eddy Baker in New England in the nineteenth century. In 1879 a charter was granted to found the Church of Christ, Scientist. The mother church was built in Boston in 1894. The Christian Science church considers themselves to be a Christian denomination but they aren’t. Legitimate Christian denominations do not claim them. At the peak of their popularity in 1936 there were 270,000 followers of Christian Science but membership today is less than 50,000 people. The church puts out its own newspaper called the Christian Science Monitor.

Eddy adopted the belief of many eastern religions that the material world is an illusion and reality is purely spiritual. Eddy believed all sickness and disease was a mental error of faith rather than a physical disorder and should be treated by prayer. Christian Science says they believe in the Bible as God’s Word but Eddy disputed some parts of the Bible. You can’t pick and choose which parts of the Bible you like. It’s all or none. There is no supplication in Christian Science prayers. Eddy believed Jesus did not die on the cross for our sins and there is no doctrine of the soul in Christian Science beliefs. Eddy referred to God by the feminine pronoun “she”. According to Eddy heaven and hell are a state of mind and not real places. According to Eddy when someone dies that individual continues his probationary state until he has worked out his own salvation by proving the truths of Christian Science.

Christian Science has four main beliefs that differ form mainstream Christianity:

1. Rejection of original sin – The divine is completely good and all creation reflects that perfection. Humans are not born in sin but are part of a divine and flawless reality.

2. No ordained pastors – Ministers are replaced by studying the Bible and the doctrine of the faith, “Science and Health.” Members elect a “First Reader” to run church services which consist of reading selected Bible passages and quotes form Science and Health.

3. Salvation is an everyday process – Christian Science doesn’t believe salvation by faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior is a one time event. They believe in salvation-by-action to reform our lives here on earth rather than a pardon for sins.

4. Emphasis on spiritual health – Prayer is the first line of treatment when one suffers disease. Christian Science doesn’t prohibit the use of Western medicine by its followers but it does emphasize spiritual healing.

Notable celebrities who were either raised Christian Science or currently practice Christian Science include the following:

Those raised Christian Science who didn’t practice it as adults: Marilyn Monroe, Ellen DeGeneres, Robin Williams, Elizabeth Taylor (converted to Judaism), Audrey Hepburn, Earnest Hemingway, Kelsey Grammer, Henry Fonda, Robert Duvall and Daniel Steele.

Those who actively practiced the Christian Science faith: Ginger Rogers, Doris Day, Joan Crawford (converted from Catholicism), Jean Stapleton, Carol Channing, Val Kilmer, Alan Shepard. Jim Henson was an ex-Sunday School teacher for Christian Science before he left the faith.

This is a fake religion, a cult, that believes man is basically good and capable of saving himself. That’s a hallmark of fake religions. Followers don’t believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and they don’t believe in the gospel of Christ or a physical heaven or hell or a final judgment by God. Christian Scientists believe man is his own god capable of saving himself. The wrath of God will fall on all followers of Christian Science on the last Day.

SCIENTOLOGY

Scientology is a set of beliefs invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986). Scientology has variously been defined as a cult, a business, and a new religious movement. There are about 25,000 followers in the United States and another 6,000 abroad. Hubbard initially developed a set of ideas he called “Dianetics”, intending it to be a science. In 1952 he repackaged his ideas as a religion he called the Church of Scientology. Scientology has three fundamental beliefs:

1.Man is an immortal spiritual being

We know from the Bible that this is correct so nothing new here.

2.Man lives more than a single lifetime

We know there is no such thing as reincarnation. The Bible confirms we only have one life to live and after that we stand before God for judgment.

Hebrews 9:27 – And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.

3.Man’s capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized

The Bible confirms man is sinful, corrupt, wicked and totally lost on their own. Left to their own devices man would ultimately destroy themselves if not for God’s intervention at the second coming of Jesus Christ to save us from destruction.

Mark 13:20 – (Jesus speaking) – And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

Scientology calls our spirit “Thetan” and says we have had innumerable past lives on other planets. Hubbard also believes Xenu, the ruler of a confederation of planets, brought billions of aliens to earth and then killed them with nukes. Like all fake religions Scientology say man is good and the highest principle of Scientology is survival. Scientology does not preach or impose a particular idea of God but people are left to discover their own truth. Like all fake religions, Scientology glorifies man as good and capable of reaching a higher existence on their own therefore god is not needed.

Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

John 8:24 – (Jesus speaking) – Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

The Bible tells us that God has put eternity in the hearts of men so that we will seek his face. God has left an obvious void in our souls that only he can fill. It’s like our soul has a special lock on it that can only be opened with one key, and God is that key! You can try all other keys to no avail. You’ll never be truly happy until you’re reunited with Jehovah, the God who made you. As we all begin our own personal search for the truth of God the first place we should look is the most obvious place. Christianity has 2.5 billion followers, more than any other religion. God’s Word, our Holy Bible, is almost 2,000 years old and has never been disproven and is inerrant even though critic have tried for centuries to find fault. Over the centuries there have been millions of Christians who have provided their personal testimonies that Jesus Christ had dramatically changed their lives for the better.

Instead, we have some people ignoring the obvious; choosing to follow fake religions like Scientology without a shred of evidence. If these lost souls would just do their homework they’d realize the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, was one sick puppy. Here was a man who had a failed Navy career and was so mentally disturbed he sough psychiatric help. L. Ron Hubbard didn’t receive any spiritual revelation. He freely admitted he invented “Dianetics” as a science but later repackaged as a religion because religion sells. Here was a man who was in and out of bankruptcy court a number of times and whose business dealings were shady to the point of being illegal or on the verge of being illegal. Here was a man sought by law enforcement from several countries and Mr. Hubbard often had to go into hiding to avoid arrest. All in all, I’d say Mr. Hubbard had a rather dismal and unhappy life.

And we have a number of people today still following L. Ron Hubbard and his fake religion, Scientology. Do people really believe Mr. Hubbard had some spiritual insight into how the universe works and the answers to our questions about God? Contrast the failed life of Mr. Hubbard against Christianity and the perfect, sinless life of Jesus Christ and the wisdom of God’s Word and there is no comparison. The followers of Scientology and all the other fake religions of the world have truly been blinded by Satan to the truth of God. They’re headed straight to hell and as believers we must be prepared give our witness to them if we get the opportunity. Our hope is that we can change their eternal destination from hell to heaven.

Scientology is one of those trendy religions that draws a host of celebrities as followers. As a group, the Hollywood elites are a bunch of lost souls who are unhappy and looking for some meaning in their lives but they’re looking in the wrong places. Here is a list of notable celebrities who follow or have followed Scientology:

John Travolta, Kelly Preston. Tom Cruise, Kristie Alley, Ann Archer, Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, Christopher Reeve, Sonny Bone, Karen Black, Catherine Bell, Leah Remini, Isaac Hayes, Edgar Winter, Elizabeth Moss, Juliette Lewis and Greta Van Sustern.

JAINISM

The three ancient religions developed on the Indian subcontinent are Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Of the three, Jainism is the oldest and smallest with 4-6 million followers. Jainism is one of the world’s oldest continuously practiced religions. Jains are found mostly in India. All three of these Indian religions share many beliefs and practices. Devout Jains follow three main principles:

1. Non-violence – This is the main principle of Jainism and the highest religious duty of all followers. Jains believe without this commitment to non-violence all religious behavior is rendered worthless. Jains believe violence destroys the soul. Jains will not kill any living thing, both plant and animal, no matter how small. Jains will not swat a mosquito or even sweep the floor in case they accidentally kill an ant. Jains will not eat root vegetables because you have to kill the plant to get the root. Jains believe all living things have souls. Of course this means Jains are strict vegetarians.

2. Many-sidedness – This second principle of Jainism says there is no absolute truth or reality. Truth and reality are complex, have multiple aspects and are ever changing. To Jains this equates to tolerance of all other religions. Jains worship numerous deities like the Hindus. Jains believe in the birth, death and rebirth cycle of reincarnation just like Hindus and Buddhists. The Jains are big on repeating religious mantras during their services because they believe it accrues them merit for rebirth.

3. Non-possessiveness – Jains disavow all worldly possessions. They keep what is necessary for survival and give away the rest.

In addition to the three principles mentioned above Jains also take an oath not to lie or steal. Jains also practice sexual continence. Jains may not abstain from all sex but they try to remain as chaste as humanly possible. Jains believe the function of all souls is to help one another and this aspect is the most common and basic component of the prayers of the faithful. Jains don’t believe in heaven or hell or judgment by any one creator god. Jains believe purification of the soul can be achieved by man himself by following the path of the four jewels:

1 . Correct view – How they see the world.

2. Correct knowledge – Know their religious scriptures called Agamas.

3. Correct conduct – Follow their main principles and vows.

4. Correct ascetics – Their self-discipline in avoiding worldliness and sensual pleasure.

Jains have temples all over India. There are two sects within Jainism and there are monasteries for both sects. In one sect the monks go around naked. They don’t own any clothes at all. The women of the sect are a little more discreet; they wear white sarees. In the other sect the monks and nuns both wear only white clothes. In the Bible God makes it clear that all the plants and animals are provided for man to eat. Non-violence is basically a good idea but it’s not required by God because sometimes you have to defend what’s yours from evil people. Not lying or stealing are also commandments of Jehovah, the one true God of creation. While some of the principles of Jainism are admirable the followers are still pagans worshipping many gods. They don’t know or believe in Jehovah or his Son Jesus Christ so they will feel the wrath of God on the last day just like all the other people of the world who engage in paganism. Jains are violating God’s first commandment to all men, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

BAHAISM

In 1844 Ali Muhammad Shirazi (1819-1850) said he received a revelation from god and started preaching a new interpretation of Shia Islam in Iran. Shirazi became the self-appointed “Bab” or “gate” for his new religion. The Bab taught that all religious faiths are fundamentally unified but simply have different manifestations of god through their founders who were actually prophets of the one god who progressively revealed himself to mankind. The Bab preached that god would send a new prophet after Muhammed with a further revelation from god and he would be the last and favorite messenger that god would send. The followers of this new religion were persecuted by Islam and Shirazi was executed in 1850. His followers fled to Iraq and under the leadership of Bahaullah, a Persian religious leader, they established the Bahai religion. Bahaullah claimed to be the prophet from god foretold by Shirazi.

Bahaism is the newest independent global belief system and the second most widespread religion after Christianity and they span the globe working to unite all religions into one. There are about five million Bahai followers who worship one all-powerful inaccessible god. While virtually all religious faiths claim exclusivity and salvation is only possible through their god, Bahaism has taken the opposite approach by being inclusive and embracing all religions under their god. Bahais see the founders of all the other religions as earlier prophets god has sent to progressively reveal the truth of god to mankind. So to the Bahai Muhammed and Jesus were both prophets of god and so were Abraham, Moses, Zoraster, Confucius and Krishna. Bahaism stresses that all people are essentially good.

The three guiding principles of Bahaism are: unity of god; unity of religion; unity of humanity. Bahaism was persecuted early on in Iraq so they then moved their worldwide headquarters and primary shrine to Haifa, Israel, where they are today. Letters from Bahaullah have been assembled into a canon of holy Bahai scripture. The Bab originally prescribed a world-embracing collective security agreement for the establishment of a temporary era of world peace referred to in Bahai teachings as the Lesser Peace. Bab preached that for the establishment of a lasting peace in the world and the purging of the overwhelming corruption it would be necessary that all people in the world unite under a universal faith; and that faith he proposed was Bahaism.

Bahaism teaches universal peace, the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people while rejecting racism and nationalism. At the heart of Bahai teachings is the goal of a, “unified world order,” that ensures world peace the prosperity of all nations, races, creeds and classes. The Bahai are working to bring all religions under the banner of Bahaism so that there will be one world religion in the end, theirs. The problem is Bab overlooked three fundamental flaws of Bahaism:

1.Bahai followers are to believe their prophet is a man of god who is greater than Jesus Christ. We know from God’s revelation to man in the Bible that Jesus Christ is not only the last prophet of God but also his Son and the author of Christianity. The work of Christ on the cross, by his sacrificial death, for the forgiveness of the sins of man is a finished work. Anyone claiming to be a prophet after Jesus Christ is a false prophet and the pawn of the devil.

2.Bahai teaches that Buddha, Muhammed, and Jesus were all equally prophets of god just like many others including Abraham, Moses, Zoraster, Confucius and Krishna. The problem with that is the teachings and beliefs of all these people are very different; some are polar opposites. If you look at it logically, we can be wrong about all the men listed above being prophets of god but they can’t all be right because of their differing views. The Bahai god couldn’t reveal progressive truths to man by sending prophets with conflicting messages.

3.Bahai denies the fundamental truths of both Islam and Christianity so the followers of both religions could never abandon their faith to follow Bahaism. Bahaism denies the fundamental truths of Christianity by denying the Trinity, the virgin birth of Jesus, the incarnation of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus. The Bahai also don’t believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ to set foot on the Mount of Olives on the last Day.

Hebrews 1:1-2 – God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the worlds.

John 14:6 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Colossians 2:9 – For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven (except Jesus) given among men by which we must be saved.

What scares me about Bahaism is its beliefs mirror that of the one world religion foretold in the book of Revelation. I’m comforted by the fact they only have five million followers plus the fact I can’t see either Islam or Christianity giving up the core tenets of their respective faiths to go follow Bahaism. Bahaism doesn’t acknowledge Jehovah as God. Bahaism certainly doesn’t accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior like the Bible says everyone must do to have salvation. Bahaism considers Jesus to be only a prophet and not the Son of God. Bahaism misses the point that Jesus is the God Jehovah incarnated on the earth to save a sinful mankind from their sins which then allows them to have eternal life in heaven. Bahaism is a fake religion and the god they worship is a false god. All followers of Bahaism will be condemned on the last Day by Jesus Christ and sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity.

ZORASTRIANISM

This religion has been practiced for 3500 years, making it probably the oldest continuously practiced religion in the world. This religion was based on the teachings of the Persian philosopher and prophet Zoraster who lived around 1500 BC. Zoraster claimed to have received visions from god; the one supreme creator Ahura Mazda. Zorastrianism was the first monotheistic religion and the forerunner of other religions. Zoraster was the first religious leader to recognize that the world was divided into good and evil forces, making him an inspiration to a millennia of philosophers. Zorastrianism was the state religion of the three great Persian empires of antiquity and at one time boasted millions of followers. After Alexander the Great defeated Persia the religion languished.

Zorastrianism only has 130,000 followers today. Because of Islamic persecution only 10% of Zorastrians remain in the Middle East. India has 80% of all followers of Zorastrianism and the United States has the remaining 10%. I included Zorastrianism in this study of fake religion not because of the number of followers but because of its historical significance. Wherever religions are studied the name of Zoraster and Zorastrianism will crop up so I wanted everyone to be familiar with it. There are seven primary beliefs of all Zorastrians:

1.Avesta are the sacred scriptures of the faith; they believe in the goodness of man

2.Ahura Mazda is the supreme god who is worshipped (although there are other gods)

3.The evil spirit Anga Mainyu opposes god

4.Ritual prayer must include the use of fire; in their temples a fire burns continually

5.After death the deeds of men are judged to decide whether they go to heaven or hell

6.Three future prophets will come just before the end of the world by a flood of molten metal

7.You can be defiled by handling a dead body so Zorastrians don’t bury their dead they just mount the corpses so scavengers can dispose of the human remains

SHINTOISM

Shinto means, “way of the gods,” and is the religion of the indigenous Japanese people dating from 300 BC. Shinto is more of a belief system and way of life than it is a religion. Shintoism is a nature religion that has no founder, no sacred scriptures, no dogmas and no preachers. There are no worship services of any kind. Worship is done by each person individually. Shintoism is polytheistic and revolves around the worship of over 300 “kami” (gods or spirits) which are supernatural entities believed to inhabit all things. The kami are worshipped at household shrines, family shrines and at over 80,000 public shrines throughout Japan. The key Shinto concepts of purity, harmony, family respect, and subordination of the individual needs to the needs of the group have been so ingrained into the Japanese character that Shintoism is a part of everyday life.

Buddhism entered Japan in 552 AD and amalgamated with Shintoism until the early 1900’s when Imperial Japan separated the two and created State Shinto to encourage the worship of the Emperor as a divine being. After WWII Shinto was formally separated from the state. Shinto is the largest religion in Japan and is practiced by 80% of the Japanese people (113 million). Buddhism is the second largest religion in Japan. Most of the country takes part in both Shinto and Buddhist activities because in Japanese culture the beliefs and practices of different religions need not be exclusive. The Japanese people see themselves as a secular people. Shintoism is non-denominational but there are three Shinto sects. Shinto followers make four affirmations: to love and honor nature, to strive for physical cleanliness, to worship ancestors and to maintain family values and traditions. Shintoism is paganism and its followers are pagans who will not see eternal life in heaven according to God’s Word.

KOREAN SHAMANISM

According to the dictionary a Shaman is, “a person who is believed to be able to contact good and evil spirits.” Shamanism has been the primary religion of the indigenous people of the Korean peninsula since prehistoric times. It consists of the worship of many gods, various spirits and ancestors. Shaman temples are located throughout North and South Korea, usually in the rural areas because Shamanism is important to the largely rural and peasant population. There are approximately eight million followers of Shamanism split equally between North Korea and South Korea. There is no priesthood for Shamanism. There are no religious texts or dogma. Koreans believe the gods simply choose who will be Shamans from among the people and then give them a special ability to reach the gods.

Shamans, who are usually women, act as the intermediary between the gods and man and their rites are known as “gut”. Do you remember the movie Ghost? In that movie Whoppi Goldberg played the part of Oda Mae Brown, a fake spirit medium who, for a price, would summon a dead relative from the spirit world so they could answer questions from their living family members. The dead relative would supposedly enter Oda Mae Brown’s body and speak to the living relative and answer their questions. Of course it was all a big con game to bilk money out of gullible family members who desperately wanted to ask questions of their dear departed loved ones.

These Korean Shamans work the same way. They can come to you but usually you have to go to their office like you would go to a doctor’s office. The Shaman’s office has a waiting room and once you get inside to see the Shaman there is an elaborate stage set to impress whoever comes to see them for answers from the gods. The Shaman’s have their own team of people to help them set the mood. Musicians are playing their instruments. There are a number of apprentices assisting the Shaman to put on the show. The Shaman makes her grand entrance onto the stage all decked out in an elaborate costume and then goes through her practiced theatrics. The Shaman will then go into a trance which allows whichever god the person is seeking to enter the Shaman’s body so she can respond to the person seeking answers to whatever questions they have. Apprentices serve for years learning how to be a professional con artists; how to act the part; and how to mimic receiving spirits in a trance. It would be funny if not for the fact that so many people are taken in by these frauds. Shamanism is paganism at its worst and its followers are gullible pagans who are disobeying the true God Jehovah’s first commandment to man, ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.” Sinning against God will result in condemnation on the last Day and being sentenced to the lake of fire forever.

TAOISM (pronounced Daoism)

Taoism is a philosophical and spiritual tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao. The Tao is the source, pattern and substance of everything that exists. We’ve all heard the term ying and yang, the male and female, which is used to represent the balanced forces of nature within the Tao. Taoism has had a profound influence on Chinese culture and the roots of Taoism go back to around 550 BC. Taoism is a major religion in both China and Taiwan with an estimated 20 million followers who identify as “Taoists.” Taoists recognize a pantheon of gods and goddesses, none of which they acknowledge as being omnipotent or eternal. Taoism worship rituals are never spontaneous. They are carefully scripted and choreographed down to the last word and movement. The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote the founding text of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching, which describes the, “the Way of the Tao and its Power,” which is the interplay between the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

Taoists believe that the spirit within our bodies is immortal and it will join the universe after we die. Taoism is the way of the universe and all living creatures should live in harmony. Behind the nature of all things is the guiding principle of, “the way of the Tao.” Taoists believe the purpose of human life is to live according to the Tao which requires passivity, calmness and non-strife, which is referred to as “We Wei”. The three jewels of the Taoist philosophy are compassion, moderation and humility. Taoists believe in doing what’s natural and going with the flow. Taoism has no central authority and their teachings stem from the founding text by Lao Tzu plus two other writings considered to be sacred texts. Taoism is just another form of paganism that has been toned down to include nature. Taoist don’t acknowledge Jehovah as God or Jesus Christ as the Son of God so they will feel the wrath of God on the last Day along with all the other worshippers of fake religions and false gods.

CONFUCIANISM

Confucianism is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China in the sixth century BC. Confucianism developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC). Confucianism developed in China in response to Buddhist and Taoist influences in China and was later embraced by the Song dynasty (960-1297 AD). Confucianism is variously described as a tradition, a philosophy, a religion. a way of governing or simply a way of life. Confucianism emphasizes the importance of family and social harmony over otherworldly spiritual values so it’s not technically a religion and Confucius himself didn’t see his teachings in the context of starting a new religion. It’s estimated there are 6-10 million people in the world who identify themselves as followers of Confucianism and they primarily live in China.

Romans 3:20 – Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Confucianism recognizes no gods, however followers do worship the spirit of Confucius along with their ancestors. Confucianism is not an organized religion. There are no worship services, no religious hierarchy, no central authority and no dogma. There are Confucian temples throughout China that are used for important community and civic rituals. Think of Confucian temples like we in the U. S. see our civic centers. The important thing to know is that Confucianism laid the foundation for much of Chinese culture. I think Confucianism is a fake religion because Confucius was the first person to lay out the “humanist” manifesto of worshipping man as god. We see the prevalence of that in our world today. As far as I’m concerned Confucianism and humanism are interchangeable. Confucianism was the first humanist by considering human life as sacred and saying man’s moral nature comes from heaven, which Confucius saw as an absolute principle of the universe and not some divine god. In essence, Confucius was saying that man is god.

In the dictionary Confucianism is defined as, “the system of ethics, education, and statesmanship taught be Confucius and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought and conduct.”

In the dictionary Humanism is defined as, “a system of thought that regards people as capable of using their intelligence to live their lives, rather than relying on religious belief.”

The above definitions aren’t that far apart. The ethical philosophy of Confucianism is commendable but the problem is Confucianism is based on self-effort of the individual, leaving no room or need for god. Confucianism teaches that man is capable of reaching heaven by his own efforts which is clearly refuted in the biblical teachings of Christianity. If we look at the last 2500 years of human history we can clearly see Confucius was wrong in his conclusions. Look at how much human misery has been caused by all the wars, killing and destruction caused by mankind. Instead of becoming more enlightened man is becoming more evil and depraved as time goes by, Not only does man lack the capability not to do evil, man can’t please the true God Jehovah by his own efforts nor can man attain heaven on his own.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Confucianism, like all fake religions, relies on the works and abilities of man. Confucianism also worships a false god, which is man himself. In Romans 3:23, the Bible tells us that Christianity is the only religion that recognizes that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All believers must rely solely on Jesus Christ because his sacrificial death on the cross opened heaven’s door to all who believe in him and put their trust not in themselves, but in Jesus Christ alone. Those who worship themselves will not have their sins forgiven and when they die they will have to stand in judgment before the Great White Throne of Jesus Christ on the last Day. The wrath of God will fall on them and they will be condemned to the lake of fire for all eternity. For those who have eyes, let them see!

CAODAISM

Caodaism is almost exclusively an ethnic Vietnamese religion. It’s a young religion which started in southern Vietnam in 1926 and currently has 4-6 million followers. Vietnamese who have immigrated to other countries have taken Caodaism with them. In 1921 Ngo Van Chieu claims to have received visions from god in the form of a divine eye. Caodaism has borrowed from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and even Catholicism in forming their religious practices. They have their own church hierarchy that looks much like the Catholic church. They have incorporated reincarnation beliefs similar to the Hindus. They believe in becoming one with god like the Taoists. They believe the path to heaven is by leading a virtuous life similar to what the Buddhists believe. It’s obvious when Mr. Chieu started his religion he picked out what he liked about all the religions he was familiar with and amalgamated them into his new religion.

The followers of Caodaism engage in prayers, veneration of ancestors, nonviolence and vegetarianism. The goal of Caodaism is union with god and freedom from samsara, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth (reincarnation). Caodaists believe in two major gods, god the father (Highest Lord) and the feminine god (Holy Buddha Mother). All other devine beings obey the two creators. To achieve heaven one must cultivate their virtues and devote themselves to spiritual causes. If you do a good enough job you get to go to heaven and join with god. Otherwise, when you die you may end up in one of 3000 other worlds in one of 36 heavenly planes. We only have union with god when we have true liberation and reach Nirvana.

Any religion less than 2000 years old is a fake religion but one less than 100 years old is so obviously a fake as to be laughable. Caodaism is the worship of a pantheon of false gods. It’s a mortal sin to worship false gods before the true God Jehovah, who has commanded all men, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” God couldn’t be any clearer on the subject. All the pagans who worship false gods are disobeying God, which is a sin, and they’ll wind up in hell for it. Those pagans who reject Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God will not be saved unto eternal life in heaven. The only path to heaven is through faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior and by rejecting God’s saving grace they’ll face the wrath of God on the last Day.

There are about 4200 religions in the world and two of them, Christianity and Judaism, are from our God Jehovah. All the rest of them are fake religions sponsored by Satan, the god of this world, to lead man away from the truth of God and eternal life in heaven. Judaism is the ninth largest religion in the world with 17 million followers. God gave his laws and his covenants through Moses to the Israelites, his chosen people, at Mount Sinai around 1440 BC after God brought his people out of bondage in Egypt. When Jesus Christ came to earth as the prophesied Messiah the Jews rejected him and crucified him. God then turned to the Gentiles to build his church based on the new covenant of the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven. For the last 2000 years of the church age the Gentiles have spread the gospel of Christ. One day Jesus will come in the air to rapture all Christians to the clouds to join Jesus in the air before taking all believers back to heaven with him. In the meantime, all Jews who die without Christ are condemned to hell. On the last Day God will save a Jewish remnant that will enter heaven along with the Gentile believers.

SIKHISM

Sikhism is a religion that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century. Sikhs believe in reincarnation like the other Indian religions but they differ from the other religions in their belief about god. The Hindus believe in a thousand gods and the Buddhists believe in no god. The Sikhs fall in the middle because they are monotheistic, believing in one god who is shapeless, timeless, incomprehensible and invisible. Sikhism is one of the youngest of the major religions and the fifth largest religion in the world with 28 million followers. The word Sikh means “student” or “disciple” of the guru (teacher).

Psalm 145:20 – The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.

Isaiah 42:8 – I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.

Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other gods before Me.

Sikhism developed from the teachings of the first guru, Guru Nanak (1469-1539 AD). He was succeeded by ten other gurus and the last one, Gobind Sing (1666-1708 AD) named the Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, as his successor, bringing to a close the line of human gurus and establishing the scripture as the eternal religious spiritual guide for all Sikhs. The first guru taught that living an active, creative and practical life of truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity is above the metaphysical truth. Sikhs believe the ideal man established union with god, knows his will and carries out that will. Sikh ethics emphasize the congruence between spiritual development and everyday conduct.

John 1:1,14 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Romans 5:1 – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:7 – (Jesus speaking) – And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think they will be heard for their many words.

The core beliefs of Sikhism include faith and meditation on the name of Vaheguru, the one creator; divine unity and equality of all humankind; engaging in selfless service; striving for justice for the benefit and prosperity of all; and honest conduct and livelihood while living a householder’s life. Sikhs reject the claims of any particular religious tradition having a monopoly on absolute truth. Most of the early converts to Sikhism came for disgruntled Hindus and Muslims living in northwest India. Mughal rulers of India felt threatened by the new religion so they tortured and executed two of the gurus after they refused to convert to Islam. In 1699 Guru Gobind Sing created a warrior class of Sikhs to protect their religious freedom against outsiders.

Romans 10:9 – That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:13 – For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other.

In Sikh scripture god is “ik onkar”, the formless one. Sikhs say god was never incarnated and he has created life on many worlds. Like the other Indian religions Sikhs believe our physical world is an illusion and the term for the illusion of this world is “maga.” Sikhs believe the world is in a state of spiritual darkness because of man’s love of and attachment to “maga.” Sikhs believe the influences of ego, anger, greed, attachment and lust in our lives are distracting and hurtful and keeps us in “maga”. To the Sikhs the supreme purpose of human life is to reconnect with god (Vaheguru) by the accumulation of the selfless search for truth. The human body is just a means to achieve this reunion with god through our consciousness.

Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Romans 3:28 – Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart form the deeds of the law.

Joshua 24:23 – Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.

Once truth starts to shine in a person’s heart, the essence of current and past holy books of all religions is understood by the person. Sikh teaching are not founded on a final destination of heaven or hell but on a spiritual reunion with god, which results in salvation, which to Sikhs mean enlightenment and liberation within one’s lifetime. This concept is also found in Hinduism. Although the Sikhs believe in reincarnation they also believe in salvation by god’s grace. The goal of all Sikhs is to get closer to god and avoid “maga” while associating mostly with others of their faith.

Psalm 46:10 – Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Isaiah 45:5 – I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.

Psalm 14:1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

Sikhs are big on reciting scriptures from their holy book and singing hymns during the prayers held morning, evening and at night. Sikhs are very inclusive by accepting the gods of Hinduism and Islam because they consider them to be just alternative names for their god. Sikh temples are called gurdwaras and Sikhs have their own particular festivals, ceremonies and customs. The Sikhs mantra is live and let live. We’ve all seen the Sikhs and wondered what they believe. They always looked menacing to me because they never smiled. They always look immaculately dressed with manicured beards and massive turbans. What I’ve learned from my study is Sikhs are not to be feared. They are friendly but reserved. They just want to be left alone which is fine with me.

Isaiah 32:11 – I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.

Hosea 13:4 – Yet I am the Lord your God…there is no Savior besides Me.

John 11:25-26 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

At the end of the day Sikhism is still a fake religion and they worship a formless god that is a false god. Sikhs do not know the true God Jehovah and they don’t believe God came down to earth from heaven in the incarnation of Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the sins of man so we could inherit eternal life in a physical heaven. Sikhs don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father. Sikhs don’t believe in the Trinity. When Sikhs die they will face the wrath of God on the last Day for not believing in Jehovah and the gospel of Christ. All sikhs will end up in the lake of fire for eternity.

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

ISLAM

The followers of Islam are referred to as Muslims. Islam is the second largest religion in the world with two billion followers and also the fastest growing religion. Islam is the majority religion of 51 countries in the world. The prophet Mohammed (570-632 AD) started Islam in the early seventh century on the Arabian peninsula. In 610 AD Mohammed claimed he had received “revelations” from god and began preaching in Mecca. The local authorities ran Mohammed out of town so he then went to nearby Medina where people were more receptive to his religious message. Islam officially began in Medina in 622 AD. The Islamic message of brotherhood, equality and exclusivity under one god appealed to the Arabian tribesmen and they flocked to his banner. Those who did not willingly convert to Islam were converted by the sword. Within 200 years Islam had spread from Iberia in the west (modern day Spain) to the Indus River in the east (modern day Pakistan).

The most populous Muslim majority country today is Indonesia with 12% of all Muslims. 31% of all Muslims live is south Asia, 20% live in the Middle East and North Africa and 15% live in sub-Saharan Africa. There are also sizable Muslim communities in China, Europe and America. There are two denominations in Islam; Sunni (85-90%) and Shia (10-15%). The two denominations have a difference of opinion on the succession to Muhammed plus there are other minor differences in some of their religious practices. Islam has borrowed from Jewish history by claiming the angel Gabriel was sent to Muhammad from Allah and that Jewish patriarchs are actually all prophets of Islam.

According to Islam, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus were all prophets of their god Allah. According to Islam, the final and most important prophet of Allah was Muhammed, who reconciled and corrected all the misconceptions of previous prophets and gave us the final revelation of god. Islam had to accept that Jesus lived because it’s a historical fact but they’ve twisted it around by saying god (Allah) saved Jesus from crucifixion by the Jews and he died a natural death. Jewish and Roman historical records say otherwise. Satan knows if he can get rid of Jesus Christ as the resurrected Son of God in the eyes of man he can get rid of Christianity itself. If there’s no resurrected Jesus that means we can’t be resurrected either and we won’t spend eternity in heaven. Satan is intent on leading us all straight to hell if we let him.

John 14:9 – (Jesus speaking) – He who has seen Me has seen the Father.

John 10:30 – (Jesus speaking) – I and My Father are one.

God is perfect. God doesn’t make mistakes. For Islam to claim the prophet Muhammed had to correct and clarify mistakes made by earlier prophets doesn’t ring true. A prophet of the true God doesn’t need correction. Islam is referring to Jesus as the prophet who needs to be clarified and corrected. We are left with two prophets saying different things (Jesus and Muhammed). They can’t both be true so one must be a false prophet. Who is true and who is false? Let’s look at the evidence. We have Jesus Christ who fulfilled over sixty prophecies in the Bible. We have Jesus Christ with the personal testimony of the many millions of people who have testified that a personal relationship with Jesus has changed their lives for the better.

Then we have Muhammed with no fulfilled prophecies and no personal testimonies to back him up. All we are left with is the testimony of one man, Muhammed himself, on which to base our decision whether he is a self-proclaimed prophet of god or not. The evidence is clear that Islam is a fake religion and Muhammed is a false prophet. The evidence is also clear the Jesus Christ is a prophet of the true God Jehovah. Jesus is not only the last prophet of God, he is who he says he is, the Son of the living God and our Lord and Savior.

John 6:47 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

John 11:25-26 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

Christianity is Christ. The reason for our very existence and the purpose of human history is God coming to earth in the flesh in the incarnation of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins and eternal damnation. God’s Word begins and ends with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the author of our faith and the high priest of Christianity who sits at the right hand of God in heaven. Without faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we cannot please God and we cannot have our sins forgiven. Without God’s forgiveness we cannot enter heaven but are condemned to hell for eternity. Satan’s tactics usually include lies that contain just a shred of the truth but just enough to be plausible while ensuring our destruction. Satan is not an original thinker but he likes to mimic what God does and he twists the truth of God just enough to fool us into following the path to hell. Islam does not acknowledge the Trinity.

Isaiah 42:8 – I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.

Psalm 145:20 – The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.

Islam is a religion that seeks to regulate both the spiritual and temporal aspects of life into one by following a set of rules known as Islamic law, or Sharia. A Muslim cannot separate the two aspects of life if they want to go to heaven. In Islam Allah has all the attributes we ascribe to Jehovah. There is heaven and hell and eternal judgment by god. According to Islam the angel Gabriel gave Allah’s revelation to Muhammad who recorded it in the Koran as the direct word of god. According to Muslims, Allah has commissioned them to convert the entire world to Islam through the jihad (holy war). Islam discriminates against other religions by making them convert to Islam or pay a special tax levied against all infidels.

According to Islamic religious concepts and practices there are, “five pillars of Islam.” These five pillars of the faith are obligatory and all are required for the Muslim to enter heaven:

1. Shahada (profession of faith) – There are two shahadas which must be recited verbally for one to become a convert to Islam and be considered a Muslim:

A. There is no god but God (Allah)
B. Muhammad is the messenger of God

This profession of faith is what Muslims say when they are at prayer five times a day at the prescribed times. The shahadas are the first things said to a newborn and the last thing said to a person who is dying.

2. Salah (prayer) – Muslim prayers are required five times a day. Muslims are required to wash their hands, face and feet and face toward the holy Kaaba shrine in Meccas. Muslims go through a series of positions as they recite scripture from the Koran. Prayers times are announced loudly for all to hear at dawn, noon, afternoon, evening and at night.

3. Zakat (almsgiving) – Well to do Muslims are expected to give 2.5% of their income to support the Islamic community which is used for the upkeep of mosques and holy places as well as helping the needy. Givers must declare their gift to god and distribute it in the local community. The giver must not exaggerate how much they give. While the wealthy pay a portion of their income to support Islam those who are without financial means are required to do good deeds and exhibit good behavior toward other Muslims.

4. Sawm (fasting) – Muslims are required to fast during the holy month of Ramadan from dawn to sunset. No food, water, sex, or cigarettes are permitted during the day but there are no prohibitions at night.

5. Hajj (pilgrimage) – This is the only pillar of Islam actually mentioned in the Koran. All the other pillars of the Islamic faith have evolved through the combined efforts of Islamic leaders over the years. During their lifetimes all Muslims are required to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca. Once there all Muslims dress identically in white. Once in the sanctuary of the mosque pilgrims walk seven times around the Kaaba, the large square black stone (box) in the center of the sanctuary. Pilgrims also throw seven stones at stone pillars representing Satan to express their hatred of Satan. Pilgrims then have to travel seven times between to small hills outside the Kaaba that are 300 meters apart. Pilgrims go back and circle the Kaaba seven more times and they have completed their required pilgrimage to Mecca. Walking represents travelling the path of Muhammed.

According to the Koran there are four sources of Islamic law and thinking;

1. Summah (tradition) – This is tribal law, some of which even predates the Koran and includes the Hadith, the recorded words and deeds of Muhammad.

2. Ijma (consensus) – To overcome individual and regional differences by creating one consistent spiritual truth. The canon of the faith is set and no further questions or opinions are allowed.

3. Ijtihad (individual thought) – Religious leaders can add revelations to the body of Islamic law.

4. Paradise (heaven) – In Islam heaven is a pleasure garden of sensual delights and the satisfaction of all bodily desires. In Islam we have all the wonderful food to eat and each man in heaven gets 72 virgins to pleasure him forever. My question is what do the poor women in heaven get? Heaven sounds like the ultimate “man cave” and women are only chattel. This version of heaven was obviously made up by a man to fill his wildest dreams. In no way is this version of heaven a product of the true God. In Islam women are clearly second class citizens and chattel. Where is Islamic equality for women? I find it hard to keep up with one woman and I’d be terrified at the prospect of trying to continually satisfy 72 women. What were they thinking when they made all this stuff up!

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

Isaiah 45:5 – I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.

In summary, Islam is a fake religion and Allah is a false god. Allah was originally the name of the moon god for one of the desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula and Muhammed simply borrowed it for his new religion. Satan has cleverly designed Islam to compete with Christianity for the souls of mankind by coming up with his own fake version of god, heaven and hell. Satan got a good look at Christianity for a few hundred years before he came up with Islam. Satan is a good mimic and he gives the appearance of reason most of the time but his version of heaven is way over the top and any rational human being should be able to see it as a fake version of heaven. Faith in God as the only prerequisite for heaven rings true in our souls whereas following a set of prescribed actions to get into heaven rings false to everyone who will take the time to stop and think about it both spiritually and logically.

Joshua 24:23 – Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.

Isaiah 32:11 – I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.

In the end times we know there’ll be one world religion that worships one god. That world religion will persecute the Christian faithful by requiring them to renounce their faith and take the mark of the Beast or be beheaded. There will literally be millions of Christians executed for keeping Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and not renouncing him. We’re in the end times now and it usually takes hundreds of years to start and spread a new religion worldwide so the one world religion has to come from what already exists. Even with the speed with which society is changing today there’s simply not enough time for any new world religion to take hold.

Of the top four religions Hinduism, at number three with 1.3 billion followers, is the paganistic worship of a thousand gods so they don’t qualify as the one world religion. Buddhism, the number four religion with 500 million followers, worships no god so they are out of the running as the one world religion. The only two religions left standing as candidates to become the one world religion are the top two, Christianity with 2.5 billion followers and Islam with 2.0 billion followers.

Hosea 13:4 – Yet I am the Lord your God…there is no Savior besides Me.

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other.

Even though the Catholic Pope is indeed a false prophet of God I don’t believe he’s the false prophet mentioned in the book of Revelation. Since the saints martyred in the end times are Christians it is highly unlikely Christians would kill their own people for worshipping the God they all represent. That is a bridge too far to contemplate. That leaves Islam as the only possible candidate for the one world religion foretold in the book of Revelation which will partnership with the antichrist. Currently Islam does not have one supreme religious leader but that could all change if someone appears on the scene who proves he is a direct descendant of Muhammed or if the lost Mahdi shows up, according to legend, to lead Islam to world domination.

Either of those two would qualify as the false prophet of Revelation. Muslims execute by beheading and the fact the one world religion will use that same method of execution just confirms my conclusion that Islam is the one world religion of the end times. Islam is not the peaceful religion they claim to be. The Koran is clear that everyone in the world will ultimately be required to worship their god Allah and convert to Islam or face the blade. All Muslims are aware that they’re to participate in this jihad (holy war). We Christians need to know Islam for the dangerous and fake religion it is and keep a close eye on it. Christians need to understand Allah is a false god and not just another name for our God Jehovah.

Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other gods before Me.

Matthew 6:7- (Jesus speaking) – And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

BUDDHISM

In the dictionary the definition of religion is, “the belief in and worship of a God or gods,” with the key element being worship. If you believe in God and do nothing about it you don’t have a religion. When you believe in and obey your God and glorify him by giving him honor and the praise of your lips then you can say you have a “religion.” Buddhism is called a world religion but technically its not because Buddhists don’t believe in a supreme being we refer to as God. You could say Buddhists worship man as their god because they glorify themselves as the way to heaven. In the Buddhist system of faith each individual is to attain enlightenment on their own, which will result in their achieving eternal bliss.

Buddhism is an Indian religion based on the original teachings of Guatama Buddha, who lived between 600-400 BC. According to legend, Buddha sat under a Ficus tree meditating on the spiritual workings of the world when suddenly he attained the “Awakening” thereby gaining insight into the spiritual workings of all things. The beliefs, traditions and spiritual practices of Buddhism all originate from the Buddha, the “enlightened” one. Buddhism spread through much of Asia. Today Buddhism is worldwide with over 500 million followers which makes it the fourth largest religion in the world.

Buddhism is the dominant religion in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, Bhutan, Mongolia, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. Large Buddhist populations also live in China, India, Nepal, Australia, North and South Korea and the United States. Half of all Buddhists live in China and the U. S. has three and a half million Buddhists and the number is growing rapidly. The secular humanists are drawn to Buddhism because it reinforces their belief that man is the supreme being in the universe and there is no God.

Buddhism has three main branches: Theravada (The School of the Elders), Mahayana (The Great Vehicle) and Tibetan Buddhism. The goal of Buddhism is to overcome the suffering caused by the desire for and ignorance of reality’s true nature, including impermanence and the non-existence of self. Buddhists want you to believe this physical world isn’t real, it’s an illusion. Only the spiritual world is real. Buddhists want you to believe not only is there no God, but man doesn’t have a soul or eternal spirit that lives on. Buddhist traditions emphasize transcending the individual self through the attainment of Nirvana by following the path of Buddhahood thereby ending the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Nirvana is that state of total awareness of all spiritual truths that result in happiness and eternal bliss.

Through Buddha’s enlightenment he discovered four noble truths:

1.Dukkka – We cling to impermanent states and things. This causes dissatisfaction in our lives and leads to pain and suffering, which keeps us in Samsara, the reincarnation cycle, unless we achieve Nirvana (total happiness). The three marks of existence are “dukka”, impermanence and the non-self.” Buddhism, like other Indian religions, asserts that everything is impermanent, but, unlike the other Indian religions, Buddhism asserts there is no permanent self or soul in living beings.

Later Buddhists texts claim rebirth can occur in one of six realms, three good and three bad. The three good realms are heavenly, demi-god and human. The three bad realms are animal, hungry ghost and hellish. Which realm you go to for rebirth depends on your Karma, which simply means the actions or works you did during your lifetime, such as doing good deeds. My question is, if man has no soul or spirit what is it about us that is transferrable from one life to another? How can we be reborn from nothing? Buddhists solve that puzzle by saying it’s our consciousness that undergoes rebirth. That sounds a whole lot like an eternal soul or spirit to me.

2. Samudaya – Human misery originates within us because of our the inner craving for pleasure and our longing for being or non-being.

3. Niradhu – Man’s inner cravings and desires, which are causing so much misery in our lives, can be eliminated.

4. Magga – Eliminating man’s cravings and desires is the result of following a methodical way or path which will result in Nirvana, the state of restraint and self-control that ends the birth, death, and rebirth cycle of our lives (reincarnation). Nirvana is the state of spiritual release marked by our “emptiness” and the realization of the non-self. This “liberation” is supposed to bring the highest happiness and the state of eternal bliss. This is the Buddhist’s idea of heaven and it’s something they believe people can achieve on their own. Buddhists essentially believe that people are their own gods and can make their own happiness. There is no need for an external god when we can find heaven on our own. Buddhists can seek Buddhahood on their own or they can join a monastic community and become a monk and seek Nirvana that way.

Buddha’s teachings are called “dharma” and Buddha came up with five moral precepts that the faithful are to follow. Buddhists are prohibited from doing the following:

1.Killing living things.

2.Taking what is not given.

3.Sexual misconduct.

4.Lying.

5.Using drugs or alcohol.

Buddhists also follow the eightfold path to enlightenment:

1.Right view – wisdom

2.Right intention – wisdom

3.Right speech – moral virtues

4.Right action – moral virtues

5.Right livelihood – moral virtues

6.Right effort – meditation

7.Right mindfulness – meditation

8.Right concentration – meditation

If you look back at human history from the Garden of Eden to today one thing is obvious. Man cannot save himself. Throughout history man has been the cause of worldwide carnage, destruction and the slaughter of mankind through their endless wars. God had it right in the Bible when he said man would destroy themselves were it not for the Second Coming of Christ to save us. God put eternity in the hearts of men so that they would seek him out. God lets all men know there is something missing inside them, a void, that only God can fill. We all know it. We all feel it, whether we admit it or not. We can fool ourselves but we can’t fool God. Some will seek the true God and they’ll know it when they find him while most will deny God exists or they’ll go down a wrong path that seems good in their eyes but ultimately leads to hell.

No worldwide religion can flourish without supernatural help. The two supernatural beings at work in our world are God and Satan. All religions on earth are sponsored by one or the other. We know God is the author of Judaism and Christianity. Therefore all other religions are sponsored and nurtured by Satan in an effort to lead man away from the truth of God. Satan has put spiritual blinders on the nonbeliever so that the Bible is foolishness to them. Guatama Buddha was not a god or a prophet. Buddha was simply a man sitting under a tree until Satan whispered his lies in his ear an urged him to start a new religion.

Buddha died and was buried in a grave somewhere whereas Jesus Christ, the author of Christianity, is not in his grave. It is empty because he is risen, proving he is God. Jesus Christ ascended back to heaven where he now sits at the right hand of God the Father. Buddha claimed he was “enlightened” and for 2500 years others have been searching for this state of Nirvana but to my knowledge nobody else has found it. Everyone else is still searching for it and we’re supposed to take one man’s word for it that Nirvana exists. Have you ever heard of anyone achieving Nirvana? Is there any proof that any person has ever achieved Nirvana? I think not. There are no best selling books by Buddhists claiming what great things Buddhism has done for them. There are no proofs out there to support the Buddhist doctrines; no prophecies; no personal testimonies of the faith. Buddhism is a fake religion.

Psalm 14:1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

Psalm 14:3 – They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Psalm 46:10 – Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

The business elites and Hollywood celebrities find it chic to flaunt their Buddhist religion before Jehovah, the one true God who made America great. Buddhism feeds their egos and lets them avoid any guilt for their sinful actions. They need to pull their head out of their rear end before it’s too late and seek God while he may be found or face the wrath of God on the last Day. Here is a partial list of celebrity Buddhists:

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Orlando Bloom, Jennifer Aniston, Goldie Hawn, and Jeff Bridges.

Bill Clinton, Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Ma, Steve Jobs, William Ford, and Steve & Elaine Wynn.

Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Lopez, Sara Jessica Parker, Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, and Sting.

Uma Thurman, Steven Segal, Kate Hudson, Kate Bosworth, Jackie Chan, and Patrick Duffy.

Tina Turner, K D Lang, Alanis Morissette, Herbie Hancock, Boy George, and David Bowie.

John Cleese, Penelope Cruz, George Takei, Dennis Weaver, Naomi Watts, and Jet Li.

George Lucas, Oliver Stone, Tiger Woods, Jack Dorsey, Alez Rodriguez, and Ron Reagan.