Why Are These Not Christian Religions?

Theology
1

Religions That Sound Christian, But Are Not, and Why.

I’m going to do something that I may get in trouble for, but I really think it needs to be done. Let me start by saying this: this is a “Christian” site. The purpose of this site is to share the Gospel, teach others, learn from others, and grow in faith. We discuss and even debate what is Biblical and what is not, and we welcome all here, within reason, to learn and grow with us.

I, nor anyone else here, is going to tell you, hey, you are a Mormon, or JW, or anything other than “Christian,” you are not welcome here. Of course you are. I love learning about other faiths. This is how we grow. I enjoy a good debate as well. However, there is a line. Be respectful, and if you get to a point where you do not feel you can be, then simply move on.

As of late, there have been some pretty interesting discussions, and people of other faiths have been participating. That is great. However, some are honestly asking, " Why is JW not a Christian Organization? What is Mormonism? What about the Pentecostal or Charismatic movement? Catholicism? What is “The Local Church”

So I am going to start a new topic, discussing this question. If you are a (insert religion here) and you disagree with something I say, please, join in. We will start today with the obvious. LDS

Mormonism. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS)

While members of the LDS church identify as Christians and center their faith on Jesus Christ, LDS doctrines deviate so significantly from historic Christianity that they constitute a different religion entirely.

There are four primary areas where LDS teaching contradicts the historic Creeds (like the Nicene Creed) that have defined Christianity for nearly 2,000 years.

The Nature of God (The Trinity) They deny that Traditional Christianity is monotheistic, believing in one God who exists eternally in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The LDS View: They teach “Social Trinitarianism”—that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct Gods who are one only in purpose and heart. LDS doctrine teaches that God the Father has a physical body of flesh and bone and was once a mortal man who progressed to godhood. This is completely false since we know that “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) and that there is only one God.

Christianity holds to Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) or at least believes the biblical canon is closed and sufficient for salvation. The LDS View: They believe the Bible is the word of God “as far as it is translated correctly,” but they also rely on “The Four Standard Works”: The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.

Adding to the Bible violates scriptural warnings (such as in Revelation), and the belief in modern-day prophets who can receive “new revelation” makes the historic Christian faith unstable and subject to change.

We know that there is an infinite gap between the Creator and the created. Humans are saved by grace from a state of total separation from God. The LDS View: They teach a concept called Eternal Progression. “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.” They believe humans are the literal “spirit children” of Heavenly Parents and have the potential to become gods themselves.

Obviously, this view is the ultimate “anti-Christian” heresy—the “serpent’s lie” from Genesis that humans can become like God. They also argue that the LDS focus on “keeping the commandments” as a requirement for the highest level of heaven (Exaltation) contradicts the “Grace alone” message of the New Testament.

The “Great Apostasy” LDS theology is built on the premise that shortly after the original Apostles died, the true Christian church and its authority were completely lost from the earth. The LDS View: They believe Joseph Smith was called to “restore” the true church in 1830 because all other Christian sects were “wrong” and their creeds were “an abomination.” Of course, this is offensive and “anti-Christian” because it implies that Jesus failed to keep his promise that “the gates of hell shall not prevail” against his Church (Matthew 16:18).

Because of these differences, we cannot recognize LDS baptisms as valid and should categorize Mormonism as a separate faith system rather than a branch of Christianity. If you care to, let’s talk about it. Tomorrow I will add the JW.

May God be with you all.
Peter

5 Likes
2

Sounds Interesting Peter. I know a little about other faiths, but not much and I’m interested in hearing about it. One thing I read is that with other religions like this one and Islam, a human being received a revelation from an other worldly source and based their religion on what they found. Christianity is the only religion where God came down to walk among us, show us, teach us, and fully redeem us by faith in Him. God came to us and what we believe is founded on what our God did and said.

3 Likes
3

This is an interesting topic, and I can see why people ask these questions.

I think part of the challenge is that from the outside, a lot of these groups use similar language, talk about Jesus, and even use the Bible, so it’s not always obvious where the differences are.

At the same time, I’ve found it helpful to approach these conversations with a mix of clarity and humility. It’s good to understand what we believe and why, but also to remember that people often come to their beliefs through very personal paths.

3 Likes
4

I appreciate the information, I had no idea that this was the case, my ex was mormon and showed me where she went to church growing up etc.There are a lot of mormons and LDS churches in my area, so genuinely thank you because I may have been led astray eventually by these people (I personally know alot and have been invited to services) without realizing this. I was under the impression it was just another denomination.

5

I know little about other “Christian” religions, and always thought we all relate to the same God, the same scripture and teachings. I find the language that JW and Mormons use - almost the same as my belief, but not quite. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to understand other Christian points of view or belief systems. I had a client who was Muslim and we discussed Abramic religions quite a bit. She even asked me once why I’m not Muslim. I told her that I’m a lousy Christian and would make a worse Muslim lol. I didn’t want to tell her that I believe Jesus is the Son of God, that He came, died and was resurrected only because I was still early in my walk with Christ, and didn’t have the conviction I do now. She “died suddenly”. She was a lovely, intelligent, compassionate and caring human being..and I miss our conversations.

Great topic @PeterC I hope others will join in and open the doors to their beliefs, and hopefully we’ll all learn to break bread with one another.

Peace

Joanne

1 Like
6

Jehovah’s Witnesses

We have already talked about this one. They teach that Jesus is a created being—specifically, that he was the Archangel Michael before coming to Earth. In their view, he is “a god” but not “Jehovah God.”

As others and I have pointed out, in John 1:1, they added an A. The New World Translation renders it as “the Word was a god.” Almost all other Greek scholars and translations render it “the Word was God.” Denying the full divinity of Jesus is considered the hallmark of a non-Christian sect by orthodox standards.

Jehovah’s Witnesses use their own specific translation: the New World Translation (NWT). Greek and Hebrew scholars frequently criticize the NWT for “inserting” words into the text to support JW doctrine. For example, they insert the name “Jehovah” into the New Testament hundreds of times, even though it does not appear in any known Greek manuscript.

In Colossians 1:16-17, the NWT adds the word “[other]” four times (e.g., “by means of him all [other] things were created”) to make it seem like Jesus is part of creation rather than the Creator. The word “other” is not in the original Greek.

The Watchtower Society claims to be the “faithful and discreet slave” (the sole channel of God’s truth on earth). Throughout the 20th century, the organization made several explicit predictions about the end of the world (Armageddon), most notably for the years 1914, 1925, and 1975.

According to Deuteronomy 18:22, which states that if a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and the thing does not happen, that prophet has spoken presumptuously and is not from God. Because their prophecies failed, the organization loses its claim to divine authority.

Salvation is a gift of grace received through faith in Christ. The JW View: They teach that salvation is only possible for those who are part of the “earthly organization” and are “active” in its works (such as door-to-door preaching). They believe only 144,000 people go to heaven, while the rest of the faithful live on a paradise earth. This clearly contradicts the traditional Christian view that all believers share the same hope of being with Christ.

Oh, and you might find it fascinating to look at how the JWs handle the “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. In John 8:58, where Jesus says “Before Abraham was, I am” (referencing the divine name in Exodus 3:14), the NWT changes this to “I have been” to avoid the implication that Jesus is claiming to be Jehovah.

Tomorrow, Pentecostal and the Charismatic movement.

2 Likes
7

Yes. That is the whole point. They SOUND right. They SOUND true. They may even FEEL, (see tomorrow) right and good. But in reality, they are not Christian. We, as children of God, must be careful.
Peter

2 Likes
8

Pentecostal

Yeah, I know. The argument that Pentecostalism (and by extension, the Charismatic movement) is not “true” Christianity typically comes from more traditional or cessationist wings of the church (such as Reformed, Baptist, or conservative Lutheran circles).While most critics recognize Pentecostals as brothers and sisters in the faith, the “not true Christianity” argument usually centers on what they see as a dangerous shift in the foundation of authority—moving from the Bible to personal experience.

This is the most significant theological divide. They believe that the “sign gifts” (tongues, prophecy, healing) were intended only for the Apostolic age to authenticate the early message of the Gospel. Once the Bible was completed, these gifts “ceased.” Claiming to speak in tongues or receive new prophecies today is “anti-Christian” because it implies the Bible is not sufficient. Whenever someone says “new words from God,” they are effectively adding to the closed canon of Scripture.

Pentecostalism places a high value on Baptism in the Holy Spirit as an experience following salvation, often evidenced by speaking in tongues. This creates a “two-tier” system of Christians: those who have the Spirit (the “haves”) and those who don’t (the “have-nots”). They contend that “true” Christianity teaches that every believer receives the fullness of the Spirit at the moment of faith (1 Corinthians 12:13). By emphasizing an emotional or physical experience, the movement replaces objective biblical truth with subjective feelings.

The “Prosperity Gospel.” While not all Pentecostals believe in the “Word of Faith” or “Prosperity Gospel,” the movement is often linked to it. This teaching suggests that God’s primary will is for believers to be wealthy and healthy, and that faith is a “force” used to get results from God. This is clearly a “different gospel” (Galatians 1:8). The true Christian message is about the Cross, suffering, and sanctification, not material gain.

Pentecostals often read the Book of Acts as a “template” for how the church should always function. Acts are descriptive (telling us what happened once) rather than prescriptive (telling us what must happen every time). Building a whole denomination on the unique, miraculous events of the early church leads to “emotionalism” and a neglect of deep, systematic theology.

Most critics wouldn’t say Pentecostalism is a “false religion” in the same way they might view Mormonism (because Pentecostals still hold to the Trinity and the Deity of Christ). Instead, they argue it is a “distorted” form of Christianity that risks falling into heresy by prioritizing supernatural experiences over the written Word.
Peter

2 Likes
9

There is a movement commonly referred to as “The Local Church” (or simply “the local churches”).

It is a global Christian movement that originated in China in the early 20th century under the leadership of Watchman Nee and was later brought to the United States and expanded by Witness Lee.

Rather than seeing themselves as a “denomination,” they believe they are recovering the New Testament pattern of church life. Here is a breakdown of their core identity.

“One City, One Church.” The movement’s name comes from their belief in the “ground of locality.” They teach that there should only be one church in any given city—for example, “The Church in Dallas” or “The Church in London.”

They reject denominational names (like Baptist, Methodist, or Catholic), arguing that these names divide the “Body of Christ.” They believe that all believers living in a specific city automatically belong to the “local church” of that city.

The movement is distinguished by several unique practices and terms. One of these is calling on the name of the Lord, where believers audibly proclaim “O Lord Jesus!” as a way to “drink” in the Spirit. Additionally, they have a practice of transforming scripture into prayer, often repeating phrases from the Bible out loud to “nourish” their spirits.

They focus heavily on the idea that God is not looking for individuals to go to heaven, but for a “corporate expression” of Himself on earth.

Many denominations find their claim to be the only legitimate expression of the church in a city to be exclusive or “cult-like.” Witness Lee taught that “God became man so that man might become God in life and nature, but not in the Godhead.” Critics often misinterpret this as teaching that humans become “gods” (like Mormonism), whereas the movement argues they are teaching the ancient Orthodox concept of Theosis.

In the 1980s and 2000s, the movement was involved in high-profile defamation lawsuits against Christian publishers who labeled them a “cult.” Most of these were eventually settled, and many apologetics groups (like the Christian Research Institute) retracted their “cult” label, though they remain controversial to many.

We have had people on this very forum who have made idiotic statements in the past that their Church is the only true church and the only way you can go to heaven. Of course, we know the truth is that the only way to heaven is Jesus.

If you have any other “religions” you would like to discuss, let me know. Please be careful, child of God, do not be misled.
Peter

1 Like
10

Historically the consensus among almost all Christians has been that there is a clear boundary–what is and is not genuinely Christian–and we can find that boundary in the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed is not exhaustive, there are other things that matter that aren’t mentioned in the Creed. But the Nicene Creed is something of a bare minimum litmus test. Is it contrary to the Creed? It’s not Christian, at least not recognizably and authentically Christian. Does it affirm the Creed? At least implicitly if not explicitly? Well then we at least have a starting location to talk, and more than likely recognize each other as brethren.

A religious organization or teaching which, for example, would say there is or could be many gods cannot be Christian. Christianity affirms, in the words of the Nicene Creed, belief “in one God” who is “Almighty” and “Maker of heaven and earth, of all things seen and unseen”–a belief in many gods, or a non-almighty god, or a god that did not create everything is simply non-Christian. Mormonism, then, would immediately fail the test right away.

Mormonism: the god worshiped by Mormons is not the almighty creator of the heavens and the earth but an exalted man who followed the eternal law which has always existed which results in exaltation for any man who obeys it, as such there is an infinite regress of gods going backward in time. God had a God, who had a God, who had a God, who had a God, who had a God, etc, infinitely. And so “God” is simply a term to describe a particular condition of man, as there is no ontological difference between “gods” and “humans”, they are the same thing ontologically, the only difference is degree of “glory”.

We haven’t even barely begun before we see how this is a problem.

When we look at, for example, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, they get further. They certainly do believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. It’s when we get, in the Creed, to what it says about Jesus that we find the JWs having a problem.

“We believe …
in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, of the same being as the Father.”

This is the heart of the Nicene Creed in the context of the Arian controversy of the 4th century. The Arians taught that Jesus was divine, but a lesser divinity than the Father. There was God the Father, and then there was The Logos, God’s Son (Jesus), but the Father created Jesus (according to the Arians) and even though Jesus is still divine he is something different than the Father. The Father is God with a huge capital ‘G’, Jesus is god, with a lesser ‘g’. In the ancient world where Greek philosophy dominated, this sort of thinking made sense to the Arians; after all God needed a junior power to create the “lesser” world of matter, and that’s where the Logos comes in (in Arian thinking). In response to this at the Council of Nicea it was emphatically declared that Arius and the Arians were wrong, Jesus is not a second-rate god created by God the Father, Jesus is fully, truly, actually God in the exact same way the Father is God. That is why the Creed says “begotten not made” and “begotten before all ages” (there was never a time Jesus came into existence, He always has existed), and “God of God … of the same being as the Father” meaning Jesus is truly God because His Father is God, because the Father and the Son are the same essence, the same Being–capital ‘G’ God.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, while not being entirely Arian, basically fall back into Arian tropes. Arguing that Jesus is “a god” but not “THE God”, that Jesus is a creature made by God. Here the Jehovah’s Witnesses violate the core Christological argument of the Nicene Creed: Jesus Christ is truly God. And thus fall outside the boundary of what is acceptably Christian.

As we examine different groups, we can actually use the Nicene Creed as a litmus test, if a group flagrantly rejects the Creed, denying there is only one God, denying that Jesus Christ is God, denying the Trinity more generally, denying the resurrection of the dead, denying that Jesus Christ rose from the dead bodily, that He will come again, etc. We can see all these central Christian doctrines in the Creed which form a hard line, a boundary, and falling outside that boundary means such a group cannot be called recognizably Christian.

This is also why, in spite of the myriad of difference between Catholics, Orthodox, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, etc all of these groups still adhere to the Nicene Creed, these are all recognizably Christian groups. And while our differences still matter, there are still hugely important topics, I (a Lutheran) can still look at a Baptist, a Catholic, or a Methodist and call them brother or sister.

3 Likes
11

Amen. There are many. Someone brought up the next one. But @TheologyNerd is not wrong. If whatever religion does not claim Jesus to be God, and is at the center of their faith, it is a false religion. Just like our next one.

Christian Science. Despite the name, this movement aligns more closely with New Age or Gnostic thought than biblical Christianity. They teach that the physical world, sickness, and sin are “illusions” of the mortal mind. While the truth is that death is a real consequence of the fall.

They distinguish between Jesus (the man) and “the Christ” (a divine idea or principle), whereas the Bible presents Jesus as the Christ in one indivisible person. They prioritize “spiritual healing” over medical intervention, based on the belief that illness is a mental error.

Any more? Anyone else care to join in?
Peter

2 Likes
12

It’s more than simply “Jesus is God”.

Oneness Pentecostalism freely admits that Jesus Christ is truly God. But it stands firmly outside the boundaries of the Nicene Creed by asserting that God is a singular Hypostasis and Person. God is Jesus. This flagrant rejection of the Trinity results in a cascade of further errors.

Oneness Pentecostal Christology ends up asserting a Nestorian Christology, or perhaps put more accurately, a Hyper-Nestorian Christology.

Without getting into all the weeds of the Nestorian Controversy, the core idea of Nestorianism is a radical division of Jesus Christ.

For example here is a statement Nestorius made:

“Therefore, Mary did not give birth to the incarnate Word of God, only to Jesus, the temple or vessel of God”

For Nestorius the Logos, God the Son, indwelt a human–Jesus–and so when Nestorius insisted that Mary could only be called Christotokos (“Christ-bearer”) but not Theotokos (“God-bearer”) it was because Mary only gave birth to a human person, Jesus; that human person also had God inside of Him. This was a radical division of Jesus between the Divinity and the humanity; and it resulted in the Council of Ephesus which asserted that Jesus is truly an indivisible Person: Fully God and fully human.

Oneness Pentecostalism, I argue, is Hyper-Nestorian because it asserts that the one Divine Person/Hypostasis took on a role as a human born of Mary, this role was that of “Son”. “Son” here refers specifically to the humanity of Jesus; and so when Jesus prays in the Garden this is not one Divine Person to another Divine Person, this is Jesus’ humanity speaking to Jesus’ divinity. In this way Jesus’s Godhead is the Father, but Jesus’ manhood is the Son.

All of the errors which come from the Nestorian perspective are dialed up to 11 in Oneness Pentecostalism.

Resulting, ultimately, in a fundamental rejection of our salvation, and of the Gospel itself–thus preaching a completely different Gospel, another Jesus, and ultimately denying God’s redemption of the world through His only-begotten and beloved Son.

As such Oneness Pentecostalism, though affirming the statement “Jesus is God” is not recognizably Christian. But is just as false as Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Science.

Indeed, one could make the case that Oneness Pentecostalism is an example of how sometimes the poison the devil uses can look very attractive and smell quite sweet. It is the sweet and aromatic poisons that are the most deadly–for they fool the senses of even, sometimes, the discerning.

2 Likes
13

I’m following this thread to learn things. I know literally nothing about the core ideologies of these religions so it’s interesting to me.

I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions though.

:grin:

2 Likes
14

Unitarian Universalism

Unitarian Universalism (UU) is a liberal religion characterized by a “free and responsible search for truth and meaning” rather than a shared creed or specific requirements to believe in the Bible. While the movement has historical roots in Christian denominations, it has evolved into a pluralistic faith that draws from a wide variety of sources.

The religion draws from all world religions, including humanism and paganism. There is no official shared doctrine; instead, members are encouraged to develop their own spiritual paths. Truth is found through reason, personal experience, and science.

Of course, the Bible presents itself as the final, inspired authority (2 Timothy 3:16). By placing human reason on par with or above Scripture, the movement moves away from the biblical mandate to “not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

They denounce Jesus as Lord and the Trinity. Jesus is generally viewed as a great moral teacher or a “way-shower,” but his divinity and the necessity of his sacrifice for sins are typically rejected. They emphasize the “unity” of God, viewing God as a single person or a universal spirit.

They do not believe in the Bible; rather, individual experience, reason, and conscience are prioritized over the final authority of a single scripture like the Bible.

Unitarian Universalism was formed in 1961 through the consolidation of two separate denominations: the Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association. Historically emphasized the unity of God, rejecting the Trinitarian view of God in three persons.

Universalism emphasized “universal salvation,” the belief that a loving God would not condemn any person to eternal punishment. This disregards numerous warnings from Jesus regarding judgment and the “narrow gate,” as well as passages like Revelation 21:8, which describe the finality of spiritual separation.

They reject the fall and original sin. UU theology generally views human nature as inherently good or evolving. They focus on the “inherent worth and dignity of every person” as a starting point.

Of course, we know that the Bible begins with the “Fall of Man,” stating that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Without the reality of sin, the biblical necessity of a Savior (Substitutionary Atonement) becomes unnecessary. Today, UU congregations often focus heavily on social justice, environmental stewardship, and the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Today, UU congregations often focus heavily on social justice, environmental stewardship, and the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Does that not sound loving and compassionate, and good? This is why I’m sharing these.
Peter

15

I’m glad to hear it. This is why I’m sharing this. If there nare any that sucribe to one of these, please feel free to jump in and tell us why I’m wrong. I would not wish to mislead anyone.
Peter

1 Like
16

For those who may not know, here you go. The Nicene Creed is a foundational statement of belief used by the majority of Christian denominations. It was originally drafted to define orthodox Christian belief and specifically to guard against teachings that were seen as deviating from biblical truth.

The creed was first adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and later expanded at the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. Its primary purpose was to address the “Arian controversy,” which questioned the nature of Jesus Christ. By creating a standardized confession, the early church sought to ensure that all believers were “staying away” from what they defined as heresy—specifically the idea that Jesus was a created being rather than divine.

The Nicene Creed (381 AD Version)

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made…

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

I’ good until the last paragraph, as we have already discussed. I think.
Peter

17

A note on the word “catholic”. This shouldn’t be controversial for any Christian. The earliest use of the word “catholic” is from the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch (107 AD).

Katholikos is the Greek, and literally means “according to the whole”, and can mean “entire”. So when the ancient Church spoke of the Church being “catholic” it refers to the whole Christian Church, in contrast to the Church in Corinth, or the Church in Rome, etc.

The Church is, indeed, catholic; as the Church is the universal Body of all believers.

1 Like
18

Here is one I have only vaguely heard of. However, it seems to be one that some have questions about, so here you go.

The Unification Church

The Unification Church (formally the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), founded by Sun Myung Moon, is frequently distinguished from mainstream Christianity because of several of its core tenets.

From an orthodox Christian perspective, the “evidence” that the movement falls outside of Christianity often centers on the following biblical arguments:

The Sufficiency of Christ’s Mission. A central tenet of Unificationism is that Jesus failed his primary mission. It teaches that while Jesus provided “spiritual” salvation through the cross, he failed to provide “physical” salvation because he was killed before he could marry and start a perfect family.

Of course, we know that Jesus’ mission was complete and successful.

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30

We know that was final.

“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:12-14

The Identity of the Messiah? Unificationism suggests the need for a “Lord of the Second Advent” (a person born in the early 20th century, identified as Sun Myung Moon) to complete the physical work Jesus could not.

Remember, scripture warns against looking for a new or “physical” Messiah born on earth after Jesus.

“And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11

Jesus Himself warned us.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.” Matthew 24:23-26

The Nature of God and the Trinity. The Divine Principle teaches a concept of “Give and Take Action” and a dual nature of God (masculine and feminine) that often replaces the traditional doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19

Remember, God Himself told us plainly.

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
and my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me." Isaiah 43:10

The Unification Church views the Divine Principle as a “New Truth” that clarifies or supersedes the Bible, which it views as partially obscured by "parables and symbols."This right there is a big red wavy flag.

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8-9

Why?

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

No, Jesus was fully God and fully man, and His mission was a total success. Not a man who achieved spiritual, but not physical, salvation. The victory means total redemption. A secondary “plan B” resulting from the failure of the people. Marriage is a holy institution, but not required for salvation. They require “physical salvation” and removal of original sin. Oh, and the Holy Spirit? That is a woman. I kid you not. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is viewed as the feminine aspect of God or a “True Mother.”
Peter

1 Like
19

That is straight up paganism. First hand experience. It’s part of my past..that is dead..but I’m raised to life! Amen!

Sorry. Sometimes I get so grateful that I am alive in Christ, truly alive, that I break out in praise!

2 Likes
20

One of the few Christian books I had access to here in Satan’s playground was a collection of works by Watchman Nee. I read many of his works two or three times and found them brilliant. I elected to discard some of his interpretations for two reasons:

  1. He died after 27 years of torture in a Chinese prison. (depressing given my situation)

  2. He does not believe Christians should pray for themselves.

2 Likes