Friday, August 25, 2006

False Religions

Confucianism Is False

Confucianism is false. It is theologically inadequate as it is nontheistic. It wrongly teaches that humanity is completely autonomous, when in fact we need salvation through Christ. Humans are inherently sinful from birth and cannot be acceptable to the perfectly holy and righteous God through good works alone [Romans 3:20].

Sikhism Is False

Sikhism is false. It posits reincarnation [1] and is unitarian. Nanak's claims to be a prophet were not verified by miracles.

Scientology Is False

Scientology is false. It is a patchwork of science fiction and Eastern mythology and is a money-making scam. Scientology wrongly denies the existence of the God of the Bible, [1] Heaven, and Hell, [2] and rejects the deity of Jesus Christ. [3] Scientology is polytheistic, and polytheism is false. [4] Scientology wrongly denies humanity's sinful nature and the need for salvation through Jesus Christ. Scientologists believe in religious pluralism, but religious pluralism cannot be true. Scientology posits reincarnation, which is false. [5]

Jehovah's Witness Movement (Watchtower Society) Is False

The Jehovah's Witnesses movement is not Christian and is a false religion. Jehovah's Witnesses deny the Trinity [1], the deity of Christ [2], Christ's physical resurrection [3], the personhood of the Holy Spirit, and salvation from sin by grace through faith. Jehovah's Witnesses add to God's Word, take Scripture out of context, read the Bible based on their false theological presuppositions, and label verses as figurative when the verses contradict the JW doctrines. Jehovah's Witnesses deny Hell [4], falsely teaching annihilationism instead [5], and refuse blood transfusions (even when lives are in danger), and claim that Christ died on a stake rather than a cross. They say that Jesus was Michael the Archangel. JW's refuse to celebrate Christsmas (Jesus' birth), Easter (Jesus' resurrection), birthdays, and other holidays. They don't salute the flag or say the Pledge of Allegiance. Jehovah's Witnesses are not witnessing to Yahweh. The Watchtower Society incorrectly predicted that the end would occur in 1925, and again in 1975. JW's, like Mormons, are incorrect in their allegations of corruption of the Bible. JW's falsely claim that the soul does not survive death. [6] JW's oftentimes wrongly discourage independent thinking.

Mormonism Is False

Mormonism is false. It is not a "Church of Jesus Christ ... " at all. It canonizes the Book of Mormon, exalting it above the Bible. The Book of Mormon did not come from God, and one has to wonder if Joseph Smith ever laughed at those who believed his made-up bull (there's a good South Park episode about this). Mormonism incorrectly teaches that Jesus and Lucifer (the angel who rebelled, a.k.a. Satan) are brothers, that God had sexual intercourse with Mary, God the Father had a Father (?!), and God the Father has a physical, anthropomorphic body. Mormonism teaches that there is a goddess in addition to God, that there are many Gods (impossible [1]), and that we can become Gods (impossible), and teaches the pre-existence of the soul like Origen [2], etc. Mormonism is not Christian; it denies the Christian teachings about the Bible, God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), Satan, baptism, Heaven, atonement, etc. Mormonism wrongly teaches polygamy.

Rastafarianism Is False

Rastafarianism is false. Messianic Rastafarianism is false because Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I is not the Messiah; Jesus Christ is. Pantheistic Rastafarianism is false because Jews, not Rastas, are God's chosen people and pantheism is false.
Buddhism is false. It is theologically inadequate as a pantheist system [1], and encourages one to abandon logic and analysis in favor of mysticism and illusionism. Mysticism is problematic because mystical experiences are subjective, not testable, self-canceling, and can easily be misinterpreted. The lack of positive knowledge in a mystical worldview leads to agnosticism. Unlike Jesus, Buddha failed to leave clear teachings. Buddha gave no specific directives with respect to achieving Nirvana. Buddha did not answer the question of who created the universe. Buddhism reduces life to suffering and dying, but life is much more than that. Buddhism incorrectly denies the existence of souls.

Jesus Christ, as God the Son, is superior to Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), and He fills life with more hope, offers a better way of salvation, and is a better Christ. [2]

Nonmessianic Judaism Is False

Since Christ has shown Himself to be the Messiah, Judaism denying Christ's Deity is false. Nonmessianic Judaism is wrongly anti-trinitarian and denies that Jesus is the Messiah and God the Son whom we must trust in for salvation. Jews worship the true God Yahweh, but an incomplete version of Him. Judaism wrongly denies original sin. Jesus fulfilled over 300 Messianic prophecies [1]. Jesus, a descendant of David [2 Samuel 7:12, cf. Matthew 1:1] and a member of the tribe of Judah [Genesis 49:10, cf. Luke 3:23, 33 and Hebrews 7:14], was born of a virgin [Isaiah 7:14, cf. Matthew 1:21] in Bethlehem [Micah 5:2, cf. Matthew 2:1 and Luke 2:4-7] and was anointed by the Holy Spirit [Isaiah 11:2, cf. Matthew 3:16-17]. Jesus worked miracles [Isaiah 35:5-6, cf. Matthew 9:35, etc.] and cleansed the temple [Malachi 3:1, cf. Matthew 21:12]. 483 years after the declaration to rebuild the temple in 444 B.C. [Daniel 9:24], Jesus died a humiliating death [Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53, cf. Matthew 27:31] involving standing in silence before his accusers [Isaiah 53:7, cf. Matthew 27:12-19], being mocked [Psalms 22:7-8, cf. Matthew 27:31], enduring rejection by His own people [Isaiah 53:3, cf. John 1:10-11; John 7:5; John 48], the piercing of his side [Zechariah 12:10, cf. John 19:34] and hands and feet [Psalms 22:16, cf. Luke 23:33], being crucified with thieves [Isaiah 53:12, cf. Mark 15:27-28], and praying for His persecutors [Isaiah 53:12, cf. Luke 23:34]. After His burial in a rich man’s tomb [Isaiah 53:9, cf. Matt 27:57-60] and the casting of lots for His garments [Psalms 22:18, cf. John 19:23-24], He was raised from the dead [Psalms 2:7 and 16:10, cf. Acts 2:31 and Mark 16:6] after three days, ascended into Heaven [Psalms 68:18, cf. Acts 1:9] and sat at the right hand of God [Psalms 110:1, cf. Hebrews 1:3]. Jesus Christ lived a miraculous and sinless life. The Old Testament and Christ Himself predicted His resurrection. Jesus claimed to be the Messiah-God and proved it.

Rosicrucianism Is False

Rosicrucianism is false because it rejects the divine inspiration of the Bible and rejects the fact that Jesus is the one and only Savior. It also contradicts history by claiming that Jesus was born of Gentile parents and did not die on the cross, resurrect from the dead, and ascend into Heaven.

Islam Is False

Islam is false. Muhammad's character was poor and he was not divinely inspired. Islam says that Judas, not Jesus, died on the cross. Islam wrongly denies the Trinity. The Bible is the Word of God, the Bible teaches the Trinity, and whatever is opposed to Biblical teaching is false; therefore, Islam's unitarian view of God is false. Islam falsely teaches that Gabriel is the Holy Spirit, and that man was not made in the image of God. Islam wrongly denies original sin. Muslims' claim of New Testament corruption is unsubstantiated. Muhammad did not perform miracles. Islam wrongly teaches polygamy. Allah, the God of Islam, is unholy. There are no prophecies in the Quran. Islam wrongly denies the deity, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Many of the stories in the Quran come from the Jewish Talmud (Sura 2:55, 56, 67), Midrash (Sura 2:102; Suras 21:51-71; 29:16, 17; 37:97,98), Gnostic gospels (Sura 3:49), Sabean stories, Hindu and Zoroastrian myths, and the Testament of Abraham (Sura 87:19; Suras 42:17; 101:6-9). The Quran errs in saying that Mary is that Christians think Mary is 3rd person in the Trinity (4:171; 5:116). The Gospel of Barnabas was written ca. A.D. 1585 by Muslims. The hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) had pagan origins and Allah was worshipped as a moon god in Arabia in pre-Islamic times. Islamic belief in jinn is superstitious paganism. The story of the she-camel that was birthed from a rock (Suras 7:73-77,85; 91:14; 54:29) was taken from Arabian fables.

Muhammad was not morally perfect as many Muslims claim, and actually far from being so. He was inconsistent with his own law regarding polygamy, having 15 wives instead of the four he made as a rule. Polygamy is itself wrong. Muslim men can have several wives but a Muslim woman cannot have several husbands. Muhammad cannot be a perfect moral example because he disobeyed the basic laws he laid down for others as from God. Muhammad approved of the beating of a female servant to make her tell the truth. Muslim women must wear veils, stand behind their husbands, and kneel behind them in prayer. Women's testimony have half the weight of men's testimony. Muhammad was a sinner, while Jesus Christ was sinless. Muhammad sanctioned the murder of non-Muslims in jihad, or holy war, stating such punishment as execution, crucifixion, cutting off hands and feed from opposite sides, and banishment. Muhammad endorsed politically expedient assassinations, broke promises, encouraged retaliation, and was merciless in that he murdered and enslaved the last Jewish tribe of Medina. Muhammad was not morally superior to the average person, and may have been morally inferior.

The Quran was not inspired by God. The Quran is fallible, lacks unity, and was poorly preserved. Muhammad was not illiterate, and eloquence is not a test for divine inspiration. Muhammad used only human sources. [1] Muhammad acknowledged some Satanic inspiration (the "Satanic verses").