What does Christian Science Teach?

The following doctrines are referenced out of the primary Christian Science work, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (S&H), by Mary Baker Eddy. It is supposed to be a companion to the Bible. Science and Health together with the Bible are called the Pastor of Christian Science.

1. God is infinite...and there is no other power or source, S&H 471:18.
2. God is Universal Principle, S&H 331:18-19
3. God cannot indwell a person, S&H 336:19-20
4. God is the only intelligence in the universe, including man S&H 330:11-12
5. God is Mind, S&H 330:20-21; 469:13
6. God is the Father-Mother, S&H 331:30; 332:4
7. The Trinity is Life, Truth, and Love, S&H 331:26
8. Belief in the traditional doctrine of the Trinity is polytheism, S&H 256:9-11
9. Christ is the spiritual idea of sonship S&H 331:30-31
10. Jesus was not the Christ, S&H 333:3-15; 334:3
11. "Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself declared..." S&H 361:12-13
12. Jesus did not reflect the fullness of God, S&H 336:20-21
13. Jesus did not die, S&H 45:32-46:3
14. The Holy Spirit is divine science, S&H 331:31
15. There is no devil, S&H 469:13-17
16. There is no sin, S&H 447:24
17. Evil and good are not real, S&H 330:25-27; 470:9-14
18. Matter, sin, and sickness are not real, but only illusions," S&H 335:7-15; 447:27-28.
19. Life is not material or organic, " S&H 83:21
20. The sacrifice of Jesus was not sufficient to cleanse from sin," S&H 25:6.
21. True healings are the result of true belief, " S&H 194:6"

• Additionally, Christian Scientists prefer not to use doctors, medicine, or immunizations. Christian Science Practitioners are used to help people through the false reality of illness.
• Proper prayer and training are employed to battle the "non-reality" of illness.
• They have no ordinances like the Lord's Supper or baptism.
• Church services are interspersed with Bible reading and readings from Science and Health.
• Mary Baker Eddy is highly regarded as a revelator of God's word.

What is the New Age Movement?

1. What is the New Age Movement?
   1. The New Age (NAM) movement has many sub-divisions, but it is generally a collection of Eastern-influenced metaphysical thought systems, a conglomeration of theologies, hopes, and expectations held together with an eclectic teaching of salvation, of "correct thinking," and "correct knowledge." It is a theology of "feel-goodism," "universal tolerance," and "moral relativism."
   2. In the NAM Man is central. He is viewed as divine, as co-creator, as the hope for future peace and harmony. A representative quote might be: "I am affected only by my thoughts. It needs but this to let salvation come to all the world. For in this single thought is everyone released at last from fear." (A course in Miracles, The Foundation for Inner Peace, Huntington Station, N.Y. Lesson 228, p. 461.)
   3. Unfortunately for the NAM, the fear they want to be released from might very well be the fear of damnation, of conviction of sin, and it is even, sometimes, fear of Christianity and Christians. Though the NAM is tolerant of almost any theological position, it is opposed to the "narrow-mindedness" of Christianity that teaches Jesus is the only way and that there are moral absolutes.
   4. The NAM is difficult to define because "there is no hierarchy, dogma, doctrine, collection plate, or membership." It is a collection, an assortment of different theologies with the common threads of toleration and divergence weaving through its tapestry of "universal truth."
   5. The term "New Age" refers to the "Aquarian Age" which, according to New Age followers, is dawning. It is supposed to bring in peace and enlightenment and reunite man with God. Man is presently considered separated from God not because of sin (Isaiah 59:2), but because of lack of understanding and knowledge concerning the true nature of God and reality.
2. The New Age Movement is a religious system with two basic beliefs: Evolutionary Godhood and Global Unity.
   1. What is Evolutionary Godhood?
      1. It is the next step in evolution. It will not be physical, but spiritual:
         1. For the most part, the NAM espouses evolution, both of body and spirit. Man is developing and will soon leap forward into new spiritual horizons. Many New Age practices are designed to push one ahead into that horizon. Some of them are astral projection which is training your soul to leave your body and travel around; contacting spirits so they may speak through you or guide you; using crystals to purify your body's and mind's energy systems; visualization where you use mental imagery to imagine yourself as an animal, in the presence of a divine being, or being healed of sickness, etc.
      2. Evolutionary Godhood also means that mankind will soon see itself as god, as the "Christ principle."
         1. The NAM teaches that Man's basic nature is good and divine. This opposes God's Word which says...
            1. that we are sinners: "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" (Rom. 5:12, NIV).
            2. and that our nature is corrupt: "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath" (Eph. 2:3, NIV).
         2. It teaches that since man is divine by nature, he then has divine qualities.
            1. This is an important part of NAM thinking. Because the average New Ager believes himself to be divine, he can then create his own reality. If, for example, a person believes that reincarnation is true, that's fine because that is his reality. If someone he knows doesn't believe in it, that is alright too because that is someone else's reality. They can each have a reality for themselves that "follows a different path."
         3. In contrast to this, the Bible says that God alone is the creator: "This is what the LORD says -- your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself" (Isa. 44:24, NIV).
         4. The New Ager who believes in his own divinity and ability to create, usurps the authority and position of God. He also is still listening to the lie of the devil who spoke to Eve and said she would be like God (Gen. 3:5).
      3. Reincarnation
         1. Though not all New Agers adhere to reincarnation, most believe in some form or another. And, many believe the Bible was changed to remove any verses that might have taught reincarnation. But this accusation only shows the limitation of their knowledge. The Bible never had any references to reincarnation.
         2. Reincarnation opposes the Word of God which says that it is appointed for man to die once, and after this comes judgment (Heb. 9:27).
   2. The second major element of the New Age Movement is Global Unity which consists of three major divisions: Man with Man; Man with Nature; and Man with God.
      1. Man with man.
         1. The NAM teaches that we will all learn our proper divine relationship with one another and achieve harmony and mutual love and acceptance through the realization and acceptance of this divine proper knowledge.
            1. Within this hoped harmony is economic unity. The average New Ager is looking for a single world leader who, with New Age principles, will guide the world into a single harmonious economic whole.
            2. It is also hoped that this leader will unite the world into a spiritual unity; that is, a one world religion.
         2. The New Age hope is reminiscent of the Scriptures that speak of the coming Antichrist:
            1. 2 Thess. 2:3-4, "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." See also Rev. 13:17,14:9,11; 16:2; 19:20.
      2. Man with nature
         1. Since the NAM says that God is all, and all is God, then nature is also part of God. Man must then get in tune with nature and learn to nurture it and be nurtured by it. In this, all people can unite.
         2. American Indian philosophies are popular among New Agers because they focus on the earth, on nature, and man's relationship to them.
         3. New Age philosophy generally seeks to merge with those philosophies that put man and nature on an equal level. We are no more or less important or different than our cousin the animal, bird, or fish. We must live in harmony with them, understand them, and learn from them, is the general philosophy of the New Age.
            1. This is opposed to the Scriptural teaching of man's superiority over animals (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:19). This does not mean that Man must abuse what he is over, but Man is given the responsibility of caring for and being stewards of God's creation (Gen. 2:15). God will hold Christians responsible for the stewardship that has been entrusted to them.
         4. The New Agers have a name for the earth. It is Gaia. Gaia is to be revered and respected. Some New Agers even worship the earth and nature.
            1. This opposes the Scripture that says we are not to have any other Gods before God (Ex. 20:3).
      3. Man with God
         1. Since the NAM teaches that man is divine by nature, all people, once they see themselves as such, will be helped in their unity of purpose, love, and development. The goal is to fully realize our own goodness. It is obvious that this contradicts Scriptures, c.f., Rom. 3:10-12: "As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
   3. Additional beliefs of the NAM view of God are:
      1. He (it) is impersonal, omnipresent, and benevolent -- therefore he (it) won't condemn anyone.
         1. The New Age god is impersonal. An impersonal God will not reveal himself nor will he have specific requirements as to morality, belief, and behavior. This is why reincarnation appeals so much to them. With it, there is no judgment, there is a second chance, a third chance, and fourth, etc.
         2. It should be noted that because the New Ager seeks to elevate himself to godhood, he must lower the majesty and personhood of the true God. In other words, the universe isn't big enough for one true God, but it is big enough for a bunch of little ones.
      2. There are no moral absolutes in the New Age. Therefore, they claim to have a spiritual tolerance for all "truth systems." They call this "harmonization."
         1. There is an obvious problem here. To say that there are no moral absolutes is an absolute in itself which is self contradictory. Also, if morality is relative, then stealing may be right sometimes, along with lying, adultery, cheating, etc. Living in a world of moral relativism would not bring a promising future.
         2. It would follow that if reality is relative and truth is too, then driving a car would be difficult. After all, if one New Ager thinks the light is red and another thinks its green, when they collide, their different realities will come crashing down on them. That is something most interesting about New Agers, they don't live what they believe. That is because in reality, New Age thinking doesn't work.
         3. The New Age movement does espouse honesty, integrity, love, peace, etc. It just wants to do it without the true God. It wants to do it not on His terms, but on its own.

More on the New Age Movement

1. What the New Age Movement does.
   1. It is a sponge that attempts to absorb all religions, cultures, and governments.
   2. It seeks to unify all systems into one spiritual, socio-economic unity.
   3. It uses various means to have mystical experiences with God and/or nature and/or self. Some of the methods were described in Omni Magazine (How to Have a Mystical Experience. Dec. 1988, p. 137-145) as imagining, where you are told to imagine your own reality; transcendence, going beyond the limits of time; sleep deprivation, with the purpose of inducing a mystical experience; focusing, "to experience all of reality as unified and not as a collection of disparate objects"; avoidance, where communication with the outside world is stopped in order to reinterpret the world without its influence on you; identification, "To trade places mentally with a dog or a cat, canary, or animal in the zoo"; reflection, an exercise designed to help you to view the year to come, differently; and star-gazing, "to induce a sense of objectivity about your life and a feeling of connectedness to the rest of cosmos."
2. What the New Age Movement does not do.
   1. It does not teach that man is a sinner - Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:3.
   2. It does not teach that man is dependent upon God for all things - Isaiah 43:7; James 1:17.
   3. It does not teach that punishment is eternal - Rev. 14:11.
   4. It does not teach that the wages of sin is eternal separation from God - Rom. 6:23; Isaiah 59:2.
   5. It does not teach that Jesus is the only way to God - Matt. 11:27; John 14:6.
   6. It does not accept Christianity as the truth - 2 Tim. 3:16.
3. New Age Terminology
   1. According to the Bible, Man is the image bearer of God (Gen. 1:26), and as such, is a creature of speech. Remember, God said, "...Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3).
   2. In the New Age, words are very important. In fact, the New Age has some of its own special words. Some of them are: Holistic, holographic, synergistic, unity, oneness, harmony, at-one-ment, transformation, personal growth, human potential, awakening, networking, energy, and consciousness. These words are prevalent in New Age conversations and writings.
   3. In fact, if you were to go to a New Age Bookstore and read the titles or their books, you would see a disproportionate amount of them containing the word "self."
4. The New Age Interpretation of Christianity
   1. God is not a personal heavenly Father but an impersonal force.
   2. God is all and all is God. God is not the "wholly other" creator of all, but part of all that exists.
   3. There is nothing that is not God. (This is pantheism.)
   4. There is no sin, only incorrect understanding of truth. Knowledge is what saves, not Jesus.
   5. Hell is not a place but an experience here on Earth; it is a state of mind.
   6. Jesus was just one of many way showers of divine truth. He exemplified the Christ consciousness probably better than anyone else.
   7. Christ is a consciousness, a form of the higher self. It is possessed by all because everyone is divine. "It is not Christ that can be crucified" (Miracles, Lesson 303, p. 441).
   8. "A miracle is a correction...It merely looks on devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes error" (Miracles, p. 164). A miracle to a New Ager is not God's intervention into this world to perform His will but the realization of the true reality that God is all and that you are God.
5. The New Age View of Man
   1. Since all is God, and man is part of all, then man is God. This is pantheism.
      1. This is an eastern mystical belief system that has crept into mainstream America.
      2. God is not part of creation. He is separate from it and made it (Isaiah 44:24).
      3. Man is not God, he is a creation (Gen. 1:26).
   2. Therefore, man is good by nature.
      1. Man is not good by nature (Eph. 2:3).
   3. Man has infinite potential.
      1. This arrogant conclusion based upon false concepts of grandiose self worth, is a deceptive, self-satisfying indulgence into pride. As Satan wanted to be like God (Isaiah 14:12-17) and encouraged Adam and Eve to be like God also (Gen. 3:1-5), the New Ager listens to the echo of that Edenic lie and yields to it willingly.
   4. Man is one with the universe.
      1. Again the difference between man and creation is blurred. Man is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). The universe is not. Man is different than creation.
6. The New Age View of Salvation
   1. Salvation in the NAM. means to be in tune with the divine consciousness.
      1. In tune means to be in harmony with reality and whatever is perceived to be true.
   2. Since the NAM. doesn't acknowledge sin or sinfulness, there is no need for a redeemer like Jesus. Salvation, to them, is simply the realization of our divine nature. "I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me. Salvation of the world depends on me" (Miracles, Lesson 206, p. 380). Such arrogance is mind-boggling.
   3. It is a form of knowledge, of achieving correct thought. Therefore we need to be saved from ignorance, not sin.
   4. Salvation, in the New Age sense, is self achieved through understanding your natural godlikeness and goodness, combined with proper knowledge.

As you can see, the New Age Movement is not a biblical teaching by any means. It is a false religious system authored by the evil one. It contradicts Christianity in almost all of its main tenets. It is to be avoided, to be guarded against, and to be destroyed. And so it will on that glorious day when the Lord Jesus returns.

Biblical Responses to the New Age Movement

1. God is personal. If God were impersonal, then the following qualities could not be His:
   1. God speaks and has a self given name: "I AM" (Exodus 3:14).
   2. God is long suffering, (Psalm 86:15; 2 Peter 3:15).
   3. God is forgiving (Daniel 9:9; Ephesians 1:7; Psalm 86:5).
   4. God hates sin (Psalm 5:5-6; Habakkuk 1:13).
2. Man is not divine, but a sinner (Romans 3:23).
   1. He is deceitful and desperately sick (Jer. 17:9).
   2. He is full of evil (Mark 7:21-23).
   3. He loves darkness rather than light (John 3:19).
   4. He is unrighteous, does not understand, does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12).
   5. He is helpless and ungodly (Rom. 5:6).
   6. He is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).
   7. He is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3).
   8. He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14).
3. Salvation is not correct thought, but deliverance from the consequence of our sin (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9).
   1. Salvation is God's deliverance from damnation (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 1:18; 2:5; 5:9).
   2. This salvation is found in no one but Jesus alone (Acts 4:12).
4. Miracles are from God not from the mind of man (Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 17:12-19; John 2:1-11).
   1. Miracles imply an action by someone that is greater than ourselves. If God is impersonal, miracles cannot occur. But they do occur today as well as in Bible times and are not simply proper thoughts or understanding.
5. Christ means "anointed." Jesus was the Christ, the anointed one. It does not mean a consciousness or quality of people. Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Deliverer from sin.
   1. Jesus is the Christ (Matt. 16:16,20; Luke 9:20).
   2. "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory" (Luke 24:26).
   3. "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day" (Luke 24:46 ).
   4. "...we have found the Messiah (which translated means Christ)" (John 1:41).
   5. "He [David] looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ..." (Acts 2:31).
   6. "...God has made Him both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36).
   7. "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6).
   8. "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4).
   9. Christ is crucified (1 Cor. 1:23).
   10. You sin against Christ (1 Cor. 8:12).
   11. The blood of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16).
6. Only the Bible has the message of Grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God upon His people. Grace is the undeserved kindness of God. Grace is getting the blessings we do not deserve. At the death of Christ we are blessed; we are given grace; we are given eternal life and forgiveness of sins. Only Christianity has the message of free forgiveness given. Every other religious system on earth has some form of salvation dependent totally or in part on what the adherents do. Not so with Christianity.
7. Humanity is not unlimited, but just the opposite: it is under bondage (Romans 5:12). Sin is its master --a deadly and deceitful one at that.
8. True morality is that which is revealed by God in the Bible (Exodus 20). Anything else is only an imitation, a set of ideas laid down by man that originate from the mind of sinful man.
9. The Bible opposes almost all the tenets of the New Age Movement. As Christians, we should be watchful to recognize what is false and teach what is true. We should be wary because the Edenic lie still rings strong in the hearts of the deceived -- and they want us to believe as they.

Witnessing to New Agers

1. Ask questions
   1. If we are all God, then why do we act so badly?
      1. They might say it is because we all have not come to a full realization of our true divine potentials. It is ignorance that leads to bad deeds.
      2. Then ask them how, if we are divine, our mere ignorant self could so easily override our divine goodness.
   2. Why do our "realities" contradict each other?
      1. They might say that they don't contradict each other. They are simply different shades of light on the same picture (or something vague like that).
      2. Then ask if truth contradicts itself. It does not. The logic is that if we are all in different forms of truth, then these different truths can't ultimately contradict each other--or they wouldn't be true. However,...
         1. The NAM says that Jesus is only one of many ways to God. But Jesus said He was the only way to God (John 14:6). They can't both be right; therefore, the NAM teaching that we can create our own truths can't be true.
2. Don't let them take Christian words and use them out of the context of biblical meaning.
   1. New Agers recognize the tremendous influence and spotless reputation of Jesus. They want Him to be associated with their beliefs. As a result, you might find yourself facing a New Ager who uses Christian words--but with non-Christian definitions. Listen carefully, and don't let them steal what is Christian and transplant it into their system.
   2. You must question the terms they use. You need to make sure that what they mean by Christian terms is the same thing that you mean by them.
3. Listen for internal contradictions.
   1. As mentioned above, truth does not contradict itself. You must listen to what they are saying and ask questions. Sooner or later you catch on to inconsistencies.
   2. Inconsistencies usually arise when discussing the relationship between reality and belief.
      1. For example, a New Ager might say that you can create your own reality. I might reply, "Good. Then if I believe red lights are really green, would you want to go driving with me?"
4. Tell them that God is personal, that he loves them, and that Jesus died for sin.
   1. The Word of God will not come back empty without accomplishing what God wishes it to (Isaiah 55:11). If you focus on Jesus, tell them the truth about sin and salvation, and use Scripture, then, at least, they will have heard the truth. Praise be to Jesus the Christ.
   2. Remember, God's word is powerful. Whether or not they accept it isn't the issue. You simply need to present the truth in an accurate and loving manner (Col. 4:5-6; 1 Tim. 1:5).

What is Wicca?

Wicca is an eclectic religious belief system centering around gods, goddesses, and nature worship. Gary Cantrell, a well known Wiccan author says Wicca is based on "harmony with nature and all aspects of the god and goddess divinity."1 Wiccan practice involves the manipulation of nature through various rituals in attempts to gain power, prestige, love, or whatever else a Wiccan wants. It uses symbols in its ceremonies and follows the calendar in reference to Wiccan festivals. Its roots are in ancient agrarian Celtic Society. It is considered Neo Pagan (based on old European and pre-Christian belief systems). Wicca does not have a structure of clergy and/or congregations. But it does have priests and priestesses which are in leadership positions within covens that have witches. The varying traditions of Wicca have different requirements for attaining the level of priest and priestess. Some of the more common varieties of Wicca are 1734, Alexandrian, Celtic, Dianic, Dicordian, Eclectic, Gardnerian, and Georgian. Wicca is even recognized as a religion in the military.

One of the most common aspects of working theology is the teaching of reincarnation and karma. The purpose of reincarnation is to learn lessons through the various lives. “This process of reincarnation is repeated for numerous lifetimes until a development of the Spirit is reached where the spirit can truly merge with the male and female balanced creator/creatrix entity. We returned to the God and to the Goddess.”[Ibid., p. 27.] Karma is the law of cause and effect that "does not punish nor reward. It is simply a universal law that reacts to causation until disharmony is illuminated."2

Wicca does not claim to be the only way but says that all spiritual traditions and paths are valid to those who practice them.3 It accepts "the fact that all life is sacred, including plant, animal, and human.^"4

Generally, Wiccans do not believe in the existence of a devil (they are not Satan worshippers). They have no orgies or public displays of sexuality in their rituals (though some Wiccan traditions practice nudity and sexuality not open to the public), no bestiality, and no blood sacrifices. They do not practice spells with the intention to harm people. They deny that there are moral absolutes, believe that nature is divine, and seek to be in harmony with the earth/nature.

Is it recognized as a religion by the government? Absolutely.

"Wicca is a bona fide religion, Mr. Barr. It has been recognized by the courts, and legal Wiccan clergy can be found in every state in the United States. We have chaplains in many American and Canadian prisons. Our guiding principle, the Wiccan Rede, admonishes us to harm none."5

The Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law

There are two basic codes that the Wiccans live by. First is the Wiccan Rede which states, "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will". This means that a Wiccan is free to use his or her magic as long as it doesn't harm anyone. The second is the Threefold Law which says that all the good you do will return to threefold in this life. Likewise, all the harm you do will return to threefold as well.

The God and Goddess

There is an ultimate life force called "The One," or "The All" from which the male and female aspects of life emerged, i.e., the god and goddess. The Divine, god or goddess, depending on who you are talking to, can have different names. There can even be references to different gods from other theological systems: Hinduism, Egyptian, Buddhism, ancient Greece, Sumerian, Christian, etc. In Wicca it doesn’t really matter what name is given to a person’s concept of God as long as you have one, or two, or more.

One Wiccan might consider God to be self-aware, another may not. It all depends on the angle that an individual Wiccan takes in his or her theological construction of what best works. It is a religion of self design. In Wiccan theology, because god can show different characteristics in different ways to different people, Wiccans can have different and even contradictory conceptions of God. This is not a problem to them because they maintain that it is only the limited aspects of individual perceptions of god that appear contradictory.

“as Wiccans, we acknowledge and worshiped the old gods and goddesses in the form both pleasing to Them and meaningful to us…”6

Why is Wicca attractive?

Wicca is attractive for many people who do not desire or appreciate absolute truths. In Wicca, a person is free to discover his or her own "path." In other words, he or she is free to invent a religious system that suits his or her desires.

“If you are just beginning a study of paganism, you may need to evaluate many different traditions or paths before finding the one for which you are looking. Your chosen path in the old religion must be one that is uniquely suited to you as an individual and one that lets you speak to the Lord and Lady in your own fashion.”7

It should be obvious that Wicca is a religion of personal preference. In other words, you are free to invent, devise, and develop a religion that suits your personal wants and interests. Furthermore, in Wicca you may attempt to manipulate your surroundings and other individuals through spells and incantations. This combination of developing a religion that suits your personal preferences and trying to influence others is very appealing to a lot of people.

Beliefs in Wicca

The following list of affirmations and denials are held by most Wiccans. But because there are differences among Wiccan traditions, not every we can will affirm or deny every statement listed here. Nevertheless, the list is accepted by almost all Wiccans

1. Affirms
   1. The existence of a supreme divine power known as "The One," or "The All"
   2. "The All" is not separate from the universe, but part of it.
   3. That from "The All" came the god and goddess.
   4. That the god and goddess are manifested in various forms in the universe.
   5. Nature worship and, therefore, environmental concerns are high.
   6. Divinity is within
   7. Biological evolution.
   8. That there are different and valid paths to finding the truth about God.
   9. That all creatures have a life force, a soul.
   10. The male and female principles are in balance throughout the universe.
   11. The equality of the sexes.
   12. That each person has male and female aspects that need to be balanced.
   13. Multiple reincarnations
   14. The teaching of karma
   15. The practice of rituals designed to attune Wiccans to the natural life forces.
   16. That upon death a person is released back to a place called Summerland
   17. That different paths to spirituality are acceptable as long as they don't hurt anyone
   18. Personal responsibility for one's actions
2. Denies
   1. The concept of Heaven and Hell (Matt. 25:46)
   2. The existence of the Devil and the worship of the devil, Lucifer, etc. (Matt. 4:1ff)
   3. The existence of absolute evil (Psalm 34:14; 35:10)
   4. The inspiration and authority of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16)
   5. A need for salvation (Rom. 3:23)
   6. Moral absolutes (Exodus 20)
   7. That Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6).
   8. The male headship presented by Christianity (Eph. 4:11; Eph. 5)
   9. A religious authoritative hierarchy (Eph. 4:11; Eph. 5)
   10. The concept that humanity is to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28).

What are the doctrines of Islam?

God

1. There is only one God (5:73; 112:1-4).
2. God is called Allah by Muslims (5:73)
3. Allah sees all things (40:20), is present everywhere (2:115; 7:7).
4. Allah is the sole creator and sustainer of the universe (3:191).
5. Allah is not a Trinity, but is one (5:73).
6. Allah is all-knowing (2:268; 10:61) and all powerful (6:61-62).
7. Allah created the heaven and earth (2:29; 6:1, 73; 25:61-62; 36:81; 46:33).

Salvation and Judgment

1. Allah will judge all people on the day of judgment (3:30; 35:33-37; 99:6-8).
2. If your good deeds exceed your bad deeds, and you believe in Allah, and sincerely repent of sins, you may go to heaven (3:135; 7:8-9; 21:47; 49:14; 66:8-9).
3. There is an eternal hell for those who are not Muslims, not practicing and of the truth faith (3:77).
4. Hell is a place of unlimited capacity (50:30) eternal torment (2:39; 14:17; 25:65; 39:26), fire (9:63; 11:16; 25:11-12; 104:6-7), with boiling water (38:55-58; 55:43-44), where skin is burned and renewed (4:56), for unbelievers (3:13; 19:49) and Jinn (11:119), with faces covered with fire (14:49-50).
5. There is a tree in hell, named Tree of Zaqqum, from which bad fruit is given and the damned are forced to eat (37:62-67; 44:43-48; 56:52-55).
6. Heaven (Paradise), a Garden (79:41) of bliss and fruit (69:21-24), has rivers (3:198), with maidens pure and holy (4:57), and carpets and cushions, (88:8-16).
7. There will be a physical resurrection of all people (19:93-95) on the day of judgment (3:77; 15:25; 16:38; 42:29).
8. Judgment is based on a person's sincere repentance (66:8-9) and righteous deeds (5:9; 24:26; 45:21-22; 64:7).

Other

1. There is an afterlife (2:154;75:12).
2. There are such things as angels, created by Allah, that are created from light. Angels are obedient slaves incapable of refusing to do Allahï's will. The angel Gabriel brought the revelation of the Koran to Muhammad (2:97).
3. The Holy Spirit is the angel Gabriel (2:97; 16:102).
   
   1. There is no actual verse where the Holy Spirit is said to be Gabriel or is identified as Gabriel. These verses show that both the Holy Spirit and Gabriel brought down the revelation.
4. Jinn are unseen beings, created (51:56) from fire (15:27; 55:15), but are not angels. They have communities. There are good and bad Jinn.
5. The Devil, called Iblis, (2:34) is a bad Jinn.
6. Jesus was a great prophet but not the son of God (9:30), is not divine (5:17, 75), was not crucified (4:157).
7. Muhammad is Allahï's greatest and last prophet and his message supercedes all other past prophets including Jesus.
8. The Koran is Allahï's word. He literally spoke it to Gabriel who gave it to Muhammad.
9. There are other holy writings but they are superceded by the Koran.
   1. The other works are
      
      1. Torah - the First Five books of Moses
      2. Injeel - the message that Jesus gave, written down, but no longer exists. The writings have been altered by scholars. Whatever agrees with the Koran is true.
      3. Zaboor - the Psalms
10. Pre-ordainment (Qadar) is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
11. Fasting is to be observed during the month of Ramadan (2:185).
12. Drinking alcohol is forbidden (2:219; 4;43; 5:93-94; 16:67)
13. Gambling is forbidden (2:219; 5:90-94).
14. Man is made from the dust of the earth (23:12).
15. There is no last minute repentance (4:18).

What does Kabbalah teach?

1. God has 10 aspects through which creation was realized.
2. The the truths of Kabbalah were given to the angels first, then to Adam, then Abraham, and finally to Moses.
3. The human soul preexisted before coming to earth.1
4. Reincarnation of the soul.
5. Higher realms of consciousness
6. Multiple universes
7. The interconnectedness of all levels of consciousness, angels, demons, thoughts, incarnations, etc.
8. "There are four primary archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael.2
   1. "Liliel is the Angel of the Night...Lilith is considered to be the arch she-devil." Sandalphon is the angel of prayer as is Michael.3
9. There are two Messiahs, one from the lineage of Joseph and the other from David.4
10. The fall of Adam and Eve was because they failed to make a rectification that would bring "the universe to a new level of consciousness."5
11. It is possible to have a direct experience with God without the need of a mediator such as Jesus.

What Does Mormonism Teach?

The doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are very interesting. Most of the 'odd' ones are not initially taught to potential converts. But they should be. Instead, "they are revealed later as one matures and gains the ability to accept them." The LDS Church tries to make its official doctrines appear Christian but what underlies those Christian sounding terms is far from Christian in meaning.

Following are the teachings of its officials throughout the years. Please note that these teachings are documented from Mormon writers, not anti-Mormon writers.

Finally, many Mormons respond that most of the citations below are not from official Mormon writings, as if that disproves the doctrines they teach. If they are not official, fine. But, if not, then why have the Mormon apostles and high officials taught them, written them, and why are their books sold in Mormon bookstores? The truth is, the following is what Mormons are taught.

1. Atonement
   1. "Jesus paid for all our sins when He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane," (Laurel Rohlfing, “Sharing Time: The Atonement,” Friend, Mar. 1989, p. 39.).
   2. "We accept Christ's atonement by repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obeying all of the commandments," (Gospel Principles, Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979, p. 68.).
2. Baptism
   1. Baptism for the dead, (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. II, p. 141). This is a practice of baptizing each other in place of non-Mormons who are now dead. Their belief is that in the afterlife, the "newly baptized" person will be able to enter into a higher level of Mormon heaven.
3. Bible
   1. "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. . ." (8th Article of Faith of the Mormon Church).
   2. "Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God," (1 Nephi 13:28).
4. Book of Mormon
   1. The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, 4:461).
5. Devil, the
   1. The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus "in the morning of pre-existence," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 192).
   2. Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163).
   3. A plan of salvation was needed for the people of earth so Jesus offered a plan to the Father and Satan offered a plan to the father but Jesus' plan was accepted. In effect the Devil wanted to be the Savior of all Mankind and to "deny men their agency and to dethrone god," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 193; Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 8).
6. God
   
   1. God used to be a man on another planet, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321; Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 613-614; Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 345; Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 333).
   2. "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s..." (D&C 130:22).
   3. God is in the form of a man, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 3).
   4. "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!!! . . . We have imagined that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you may see," (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345).
   5. God the Father had a Father, (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 476; Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 19; Milton Hunter, First Council of the Seventy, Gospel through the Ages, p. 104-105).
   6. God resides near a star called Kolob, (Pearl of Great Price, p. 34-35; Mormon Doctrine, p. 428).
   7. God had sexual relations with Mary to make the body of Jesus, (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, 1857, p. 218; vol. 8, p. 115). - This one is disputed among many Mormons and not always 'officially' taught and believed. Nevertheless, Young, the 2nd prophet of the Mormon church taught it.
   8. "Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body . . . of flesh and bones." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 38).
7. God, becoming a god
   1. After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345-347, 354.)
   2. "Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them," (D&C 132:20).
8. God, many gods
   
   1. There are many gods, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163).
   2. "And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light: and there was light," (Book of Abraham 4:3).
9. God, mother goddess
   
   1. There is a mother god, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 443).
   2. God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 516).
10. God, Trinity
    
    1. The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man," (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35).
11. Gospel, the
    1. The true gospel was lost from the earth. Mormonism is its restoration, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 182-185.)
    2. Consists of laws and ordinances: "As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements -- 'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,'" (Articles of Faith, p. 79)
12. Heaven
    1. There are three levels of heaven: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 348).
13. Holy Ghost, the
    1. The Holy Ghost is a male personage, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, (Le Grand Richards, Salt Lake City, 1956, p. 118; Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 179).
14. Jesus
    
    1. The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 129).
    2. Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163; Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15).
    3. Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, 1856, p. 247).
    4. "Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body . . . of flesh and bones," (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 38).
    5. "The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood - was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers," (Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 115).
    6. "Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers," (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce McConkie, p. 547).
    7. "Christ Not Begotten of Holy Ghost ...Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was God!" (Doctrines of Salvation, by Joseph Fielding Smith, 1954, 1:18).
    8. "Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh..." (First Presidency and Council of the Twelve, 1916, "God the Father," compiled by Gordon Allred, p. 150).
15. Joseph Smith
    1. If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation [the context is the full gospel including exaltation to Godhood] outside the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 670).
16. Pre-existence
    
    1. We were first begotten as spirit children in heaven and then born naturally on earth, (Journal of Discourse, vol. 4, p. 218).
    2. The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 129).
    3. The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus "in the morning of pre-existence," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 192).
17. Prophets
    1. We need prophets today, the same as in the Old Testament, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 444-445).
18. Salvation
    
    1. "One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation," (Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206).
    2. A plan of salvation was needed for the people of earth so Jesus offered a plan to the Father and Satan offered a plan to the father but Jesus' plan was accepted. In effect the Devil wanted to be the Savior of all Mankind and to "deny men their agency and to dethrone god," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 193; Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 8).
    3. Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, 1856, p. 247).
    4. Good works are necessary for salvation (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 92).
    5. There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 188).
    6. "The first effect [of the atonement] is to secure to all mankind alike, exemption from the penalty of the fall, thus providing a plan of General Salvation. The second effect is to open a way for Individual Salvation whereby mankind may secure remission of personal sins (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 78-79).
    7. "As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements -- 'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,'" (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 79).
    8. "This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts," (LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697).
    9. "We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do," (2 Nephi 25:23).
19. Trinity, the
    
    1. The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man," (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35.).
    2. "Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God. I say that is a strange God [anyhow]--three in one and one in three. . .It is curious organization… All are crammed into one God according to sectarianism (Christian faith). It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God--he would be a giant or a monster," (Joseph Smith, Teachings, p. 372).

What do the Jehovah's Witnesses Teach?

1. There is one God in one person, Make Sure of All Things, p 188.
2. There is no Trinity, Let God be True, p. 100-101; Make Sure of All Things, p.386.
3. The Holy Spirit is a force, not alive, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p.
   406-407.
4. The Holy Spirit is God's impersonal active force, The Watchtower, June 1, 1952,
   p. 24.
5. Jehovah's first creation was his 'only-begotten Son'. . . was used by Jehovah in
   creating all other things", Aid to Bible Understanding, p. 390-391.
6. Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man, The Watchtower, May 15,
   1963, p. 307; The New World, 284.
7. Jesus was only a perfect man, not God in flesh, Reasoning from the Scriptures,
   1985, p. 306.
8. Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body, Awake! July 22, 1973, p. 4.
9. Jesus was raised "not a human creature, but a spirit." Let God be True, p. 276.
10. Jesus was born again, The Watchtower, Nov. 15, 1954, p. 682.
11. Jesus did not die on a cross but on a stake, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985,
    p. 89-90.
12. Jesus began his invisible rule over the earth in 1914, The Truth Shall Make You Free,
    p. 300.
13. Jesus' ransom sacrifice did not include Adam, Let God be True, p. 119.
14. Their church is the self-proclaimed prophet of God, The Watchtower, April 1,
    1972, p. 197.
15. They claim to be the only channel of God's truth, The Watchtower, Feb. 15,
    1981, p. 19.
16. Only their church members will be saved, The Watchtower, Feb, 15, 1979, p. 30.
17. Good works are necessary for salvation, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1,
    p. 150, 152.
18. The soul ceases to exist after death, Let God be True, p. 59, 60, 67.
19. There is no hell of fire where the wicked are punished, Let God be True, p. 79, 80.
20. Only 144,000 Jehovah's Witness go to heaven, Reasoning from the Scriptures,
    1985, pp. 166-167, 361; Let God be True, p. 121.
21. Only the 144,000 Jehovah's Witness are born again. Reasoning from the
    Scriptures, 1985, p. 76.; Watchtower 11/15/54, p. 681.
22. Only the 144,000 may take communion.
23. Blood transfusions are a sin, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 72-73.
24. The Cross is a pagan symbol and should not be used, Reasoning from the
    Scriptures, 1985, p. 90-92.
25. Salvation is by faith and what you do, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, p.
    150,152.
26. It is possible to lose your salvation, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p.
    358-359.
27. The universe is billions of years old, Your will Be Done on Earth, p. 43.
28. Each of the 6 creative days of God in Genesis 1, was 7000 years long.
    Therefore, Man was created toward the end of 42,000 years of earth's
    preparation, Let God be True, p. 168.
29. They also refuse to vote, salute the flag, sing the "Star Spangled Banner," or
    celebrate Christmas or birthdays. They are not allowed to serve in the armed
    forces.
30. Satan was entrusted with the obligation and charged with the duty of
    overseeing the creation of the earth, Children, p. 55

Rencana Iblis (Lucifer) VS Kehendak ALLAH

Oleh karena iblis sangat membenci Allah dan manusia, maka iblis selalu berusaha keras untuk menghancurkan rencana Allah, yakni rencana yang agung dan indah untuk mempermuliakan kehidupan manusia. Iblis selalu berusaha dengan tidak mengenal lelah agar manusia itu selalu menyakiti hati Allah. Cara iblis itu adalah selalu mempengaruhi hati/pikiran manusia, agar manusia itu mengeluarkan dan melakukan segala karakter jahatnya atau atau hawa nafsu dagingnya. Karakter/perbuatan manusia daging itu adalah:

1. Perzinahan
2. Percabulan
3. Kecemaran
4. Hawa Nafsu
5. Penyembahan Berhala
   
6. Sihir
7. Permusuhan
8. Perselisihan/cekcok
9. Cemburu
10. Marah
11. Mementingkan diri sendiri
12. Memisahkan
13. Memecah-belah
14. Pembunuhan
15. Iri hati
16. Kemabukan
17. Pesta Pora / Pesta minum sampai mabuk/Pesta Liar
    
18. Hal-hal lain yang jahat/najis
    

Sebaliknya, Allah selalu berusaha sangat keras dengan kasih sayangNya yang besar, supaya hati manusia itu dipenuhi dengan Roh Qudus-Nya, sehingga manusia itu bisa mengeluarkan dan melakukan segala karakter ilahi/rohani seperti yang ada pada Yesus Kristus:

1. Kasih (Kasih Allah/Kasih yang sejati)
2. Sukacita
3. Damai Sejahtera
4. Kesabaran
5. Kemurahan
6. Kebaikan
7. Kesetiaan
8. Kelembutan
9. Pengendalian diri
   

(Galatia 5:16-26)