Who Cares?

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

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Not long ago, I posted an article about Christians and the use of marijuana. In response to my article, I received one comment in particular that disturbed me and left me disheartened. A man by the name of Russell claimed to be a Christian and essentially told me he didn’t like my article. I’m not bothered by the fact that someone didn’t like my message – many people are going to reject the message I bring. In fact, GOD’s Word tells us that we will be rejected and possibly persecuted on His behalf just as He had been (Matthew 24:9-13; Philippians 1:20-21,29-30; 1Thessalonians 3:3-4). What upset me was that this man claimed to be a Christian yet opposed my Christian message. I will first share his comment regarding my article so his argument can be known in his own words and then I will respond to that comment.

“Let me give you a better Christian perspective… Who cares? Let’s focus on loving our neighbors and spreading the good word. Marijuana is a very non-essential issue and I respect that you said that, even though I disagree with your prospective. I am a Christian and I do not see any difference between marijuana and alcohol. We obviously know there is nothing unbiblical about alcohol since Jesus drank wine at virtually every meal he partook in and turned water into wine. It is very hypocritical to not apply the same rules to marijuana. The key to both is moderation and both can be used in moderation. Here is an example, 2 puffs is like 1 glass of wine, 5 puffs is like 2 glasses of wine, etc. That is not a perfect example since the effects of marijuana are not nearly as strong as alcohol, but it illustrates how both can be used in controlled moderation. And there is a large % of people that can use alcohol and marijuana responsibly. Last, you are way over exaggerating the effects of marijuana. It is not mind altering like your portraying. A few puffs simply gives a relaxing feeling for 15-20min similar to the way drinking a Red Bull gives you a jolt for 15-20. I still have never heard a good argument that responsible use of alcohol or marijuana is any more unbiblical then going to an ice cream parlor and devouring a brownie sundae or going to Starbucks and downing a double espresso latte.”

I want to respond to that comment, but I don’t want to confine this response to Russell alone. Though this response is specifically for Russell, this response is also for all Christians in general.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank you for watching my video, “Christians + Marijuana = ?” (assuming that you watched the entire video and didn’t comment without first watching the entire video). Second, though your comment left me disheartened, I do appreciate the fact that you took the time to write a comment to me. 

Now, you claim that you are a Christian and so I must take you at your word on the matter. However, if you feel led to challenge your own claim and see if you are in fact in alignment with your claim of being a Christ-follower, see my other article, “What Does It Mean To Be A Christian.”

Before I reply to specific points of your comment, I’d like to remind you that anger and argument amongst Christian brothers will not destroy the Gospel, but it can destroy each individual’s testimony and effectiveness in sharing it. With that said, may it be known that I am going to do my best to speak Truth in love (just as we are instructed to do in Ephesians 4:15) and I hope that if you respond to this, you will also do the same.

If I am doing GOD’s will, why would you – as a Christian – oppose my work? However, if I am not doing GOD’s will, then by all means rebuke me and then correct me. Rebuking and correcting another Christian for false teaching is biblical and right (Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1-2). However, unless you are rebuking me for false teaching, then you’re wasting time and effort to oppose another Christian. In fact, because you have made the claim that you are a Christian and opposed my message on a public platform via social media, I am now compelled to defend what it means to be a Christian on this public platform. I now have to use my valuable time in order to clear up the confusion your comment may cause for unbelievers. I now have to redirect your misguided missile of ‘meh’ that can be seen by the masses. If your comment to me was an attempt to rebuke and correct me, then consider this response your rebuke and my defense as to why your rebuke is without warrant. Had you not made your comment public, I would not have needed to post my response for the public. If you would have written to me privately, I could have responded privately. But as it is, I now must post a public response just in case someone is confused by your comment. 

You stated that a “better Christian perspective” is “who cares?” Who cares?! I now need to rebuke you for that careless comment that is often the center of complacency. Perhaps it is because you do not care that you do not understand the importance of this message. We – Christians – are to live by example (Titus 2:6-8). You stated correctly that Christians are to love others and share the Gospel. However, I exhort you to watch my other video, “Superhero: What Is Love?“, which clearly explains that we are to never cause anyone else to stumble.

Like it or not, believe it or not, small things tend to build up and become bigger issues. And because the small things matter, even this seemingly insignificant topic of marijuana matters. Everything matters! You also stated that there is no difference between marijuana and alcohol because they’re both acceptable in moderation. As I explained in my other article, “Should Christians Drink Alcohol?“, the key is not moderation; rather, the key is love for others and an unwillingness to ever cause someone else to stumble.

I’m not saying that marijuana and alcohol is literally sin being consumed; rather, I’m saying that a loving Christian should be willing to let go of worldly desires (that we won’t need in Heaven anyway) in order to direct others to healthier lifestyles here on Earth, but more importantly, to their eternal salvation in Christ.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but by the context clues of your comment, it seems evident that you are simply unwilling to let go of worldly desires that bring you mere moments of pleasure. Are you willing to let go of your worldly desires in order to ensure that you will never cause someone to stumble? Or are you more concerned with pleasure than purpose, for self-satisfaction than others’ salvation? Are you a slave to your desires? I challenge you to see my other article, “Break Every Chain” and test yourself to see if you are a slave to your desires.

If you are a Christian, I admonish you to get rid of your “who cares” attitude and start caring more than you currently do. Again, you were correct to say that we need to love others and share the Gospel, but we need to care more for others than for self if we are to be an accurate reflection of the love of Christ. I also challenge you to see my other article, “Reflection And Direction“ – what we reflect determines our projected path. You need to take into consideration that our actions determine how others perceive Christians and Christianity and how our actions play a vital role as to whether or not unbelievers will receive the Gospel we are called to share. What do unbelievers think when they see Christians acting just like everyone else in the world? There is an absolute moral standard and Christians are called to be set apart to live righteous lives.

Now, a common substitute for true righteousness is self-righteousness. And I can understand how one might perceive that I am being self-righteous. I get it. But that’s simply not the case. Hear me out… Self-righteousness is the opposite of what GOD desires. Self-righteousness makes a list of rules and checks them off, and then congratulates self on how ‘good’ he/she is doing compared to others. That’s pride, not righteousness. The Pharisees were masters of self-righteousness, but Jesus had harsh words for them:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
(Matthew 23:27–28) -ESV

To pursue righteousness means we must recognize that we cannot please GOD in our sinful state (Romans 8:8). We turn from trying to justify ourselves by our good deeds and instead seek the mercy of GOD. We desire that He transform our minds (Romans 12:2) and conform us “to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). In the Old Testament, men were declared righteous when they believed GOD and acted on it (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Before Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), people pursued righteousness by keeping GOD’s Law, seeking holiness, and “walking humbly with GOD” (Micah 6:8). No one was justified by rule-keeping but by the faith that enabled them to obey GOD (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Likewise, today we are justified by the faith that leads us to Jesus (Romans 3:27-28; 5:1; 10:10). Those who are in Christ continue seeking GOD in order to please Him (Colossians 3:1-17). When we come to faith in Christ, He gives us the Holy Spirit who empowers us to pursue righteousness for its own sake (Acts 2:38). He commands us to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25). Walking in the Spirit means we live a lifestyle of total surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We cultivate the ability to hear GOD and the habit of obeying His voice in everything.

We pursue righteousness when we pursue the character of Christ and desire holiness more than fleshly indulgence. We avoid the temptation to become self-righteous when we understand that true righteousness begins with godly humility (Psalm 25:9). We remember that Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). When we spend time in the presence of the Holy and perfect GOD, we become more aware of our own sin and shortcomings. Teeth can be perceived to be white, but a white-strip test comparison will soon reveal the discoloration and impurities that are present and we will see that we’re not so perfect. Pride and self-righteousness cannot remain in the presence of a holy GOD. Pursuing righteousness begins when a humble heart seeks the continual presence of GOD (James 4:10; 1Peter 5:6). The humble and believing heart leads to a lifestyle of righteous action acceptable to GOD (Psalm 51:10). It all boils down to this one question: Are you willing to put others before yourself? In other words, are you willing to let go of your pursuit for pleasure in order to pursue purpose?

I challenge you to set aside time right now to read Romans 14 and 1Corinthians 8. Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in another person’s way. You possess free will and you have freedom in Christ. However, with that freedom, comes responsibility to do right by others. 

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
(Galatians 5:13) -NIV

In order to serve others in love, sacrifice will be required. Sometimes we must let go of things that we want so that others may get what they need. 

Conclusion:

I rebuke you for your careless comment, “who cares?” I care! And if you’re upset because I care, you need to ask yourself if you care enough. What does that say about you? You care that I care because you don’t want to care yet you care enough not to care to come at me because I care. Do you see me wearing a shirt that says, “Come at me, bruh!”? No. I’m not the enemy, bro. He who receives me receives the One who sent me. You may not care about the small things, but I care about everything that possesses the potential to affect everyone. I had once lived on the other side and dwelled in darkness, but I came out of the cave of darkness as a more-than conquerer in Christ. As someone who used to be a darkness dweller, I am able to tell you from experience that Satan is subtle; evil is deliberate. All the small things matter because everything matters. Satan doesn’t care about the majority of your collective decisions throughout your lifespan; Satan only cares about the final deciding moment that will determine your eternity. But many people end up sliding down the slippery slope into Hell because compromise slowly led them beyond the boundary of righteousness to the point of no return. But the closer we grow and come to Christ, the farther away we will be from Satan’s slide. Satan always sells his slide as a fun ride. Understand this: ‘fun’ is subjective and needs to be placed in proper perspective. The danger in disregarding the small things is that subtle shifts can create a big gap over time. And if you happen to be on the wrong side of the great chasm that is fixed for all eternity, you will be like the rich man of Luke 16:19-31.

You told me it is “very hypocritical” not to apply the same rules to marijuana as we do for alcohol. I agree. I do, however, apply the same standards – I abstain. I don’t do this because I believe I’m better than everyone else. I do this because if I am able, I should also be available. What I find to be hypocritical is when those who claim to be Christians proclaim they love people and want others to be saved yet they are unwilling to die daily to themselves, take up their crosses, set aside their desires, and willingly sacrifice for those they claim they love (Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 14:27; Galatians 2:20; 5:24). Too many people attempt to justify their selfish decisions because they don’t want to let go of mere moments of pleasure that will soon pass and never satisfy the soul. Understand this: we do not live righteous lives in order to show off how ‘good’ we are and glorify ourselves; rather, we strive to be righteous through love and obedience to GOD and out of love for others. I know who I am because I know who GOD is.  I do what I do because it is our call of duty. Who cares? GOD cares. I care. And you should too. Christians should care; in fact, Christians should care more than those in the secular society. In my mission as a messenger of GOD, I refuse to willingly place a stumbling block in front of those who are lost in the darkness yet seeking the Light. And that should be your mission as well. We should be doing everything possible to help the lost enter by the narrow gate:

“Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He replied, ^‘Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, “Lord, open the door for us!” But he will reply, “I don’t know you or where you come from.” Then you will say, “But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” And he will reply, “I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.” There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.’ ”
(Luke 13:23-30; see also Matthew 7:13-14) -NLT

You have free will. If, by your free will, you place a stumbling block in front of others and they live a life of sin because of your actions, you’ll be held accountable. We’re all going to be accountable to GOD. I’m going to be held accountable for my sins. But I do not ever want to hear that I caused someone to live a life of sin because I made sin seem satisfying and somehow acceptable. I’m not even going to gamble with money, let alone with peoples’ lives or eternities. The entrance is narrow. What are you willing to risk for the sake of mere moments of pleasure? This is all about love for others. I implore you to seek GOD and to stay in alignment with His will. 

Superhero: Solution Seekers

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below:

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This is Part 5 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love.

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In this message (Part 5), I’m going to examine another defining characteristic of superheroes: they are solution seekers!

Solution seeker! Yes! Being a solution-seeker is a great concept and a wonderful thing to write on a resume! But there’s one problem: we often worry about what’s wrong. Many people are prone to pointing out problems. In fact, I just pointed out a problem by pointing out that problem. (Oh no! That’s a problem!) But wait – there’s more! I have good news to share! Where there are problems, there can be solutions! In fact, here is a solution to problems: Never point out a problem unless you’re also willing to seek a solution. At the very least, you must be willing to seek a solution to a problem or else you become the problem. For the one who refuses to seek a solution accepts the problem as a permanent pain.

If seeking solutions is such an easy answer to pesky and persistent problems, why are there so many people who are depressed and/or filled with anxiety or worry? Why do so many people consider suicide? Well, there exists two major evil villains that prevent people from seeking solutions: Fear and Doubt – they are the fork in the tongue of the serpent. Many people often allow problems to paralyze them from going forward due to fear of failure; many people also what-if themselves into indecisiveness and doubt themselves into idleness.

Fear and Doubt:

Fear paralyzes people and prevents possibility. Even if you do not fear anything, you can still be denied possibility due to Doubt. If Doubt becomes a barrier between you and Belief, it becomes equal to fear in the sense that it still prevents you from possibility. The person who allows Fear and Doubt to take control becomes his/her own problem because he/she is imprisoned within his/her own mind. In the prison of problems, your only cellmate is stagnation.

There Is Hope:

I’m going to let you in on a secret in the hope that you’re going to tell everyone and it will no longer be a secret: Doubt fears Belief, and Fear doubts Belief. Even with as much hatred and evil as Fear and Doubt have within themselves, they still understand the concept of teamwork; together, they can imprison you! However, Doubt fears Belief. Doubt fears Belief because Belief banishes Doubt away. Where is your concept of teamwork? You cannot have teamwork with Fear or Doubt while seeking Possibility. Fear and Doubt already work together with plans of destruction and their target is you! You can only pair up with Belief and Vision in order to find Possibility. Belief banishes Doubt from you when you and Belief join together to create a team. Together, you can then overcome Fear because you would believe that you can do so. However, because Fear doubts Belief, Fear will follow you, doubting that Belief will remain within you. Since Belief banishes doubt from you when you team up with Belief, Doubt will live inside of Fear (who is following you), motivating Fear to follow you. However, the pursuit will be in vain because Belief is eternal so long as you never have an about-face of doubt. That means you will always be able to find Possibility so long as you team up with Belief. But belief in what? Not what, but who! Belief in the Savior, Christ Jesus! The Savior is the Solution – we simply need to seek the Solution to all problems if we are to find the specific solutions for specific problems!

Resist and Receive:

“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
(James 4:7-8) -NLT

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
(Matthew 7:7-11) -NLT

The special stipulation to this promise is found in James 4:2-3; our desires need to be in alignment with GOD’s will. Ask yourself three important questions:

1. For what are you asking?
2. Why are you asking for that specific request?
3. Will it benefit the Kingdom of GOD?

Knowing GOD takes faith, focus, and follow-through. Jesus promises a reward for the passionate pursuit of seeking GOD’s will.

What Does GOD Say About Fear?

There are over 300 instances in the Bible in which we are instructed not to fear. There are two major reasons why we should not fear:

1. Trust in GOD;
2. love for others.

(1) There should be no fear in this limited lifetime because we know our eternal destiny:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”
(Matthew 10:28-31) -NLT

(2) Why would we fear the outcome of choosing to love?:

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”
(1John 4:17-18) -NLT

Therefore, we do not fear people nor do we fear punishment. Perfect love casts out all fear. And since we trust in GOD – who is love (1John 4:8,16) – and we choose to love GOD and others, we have no reason to fear.

What Does GOD Say About Doubt?

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
(Psalm 94:19) -NLT

Do you see how this works? Belief banishes doubt. Faith (trust) in GOD creates hope. With hope, one has reason to seek solutions. While seeking the Solution, the Holy Spirit gives the seeker wisdom and vision. Wisdom and vision plan out and produce possibilities.

“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ ”
(Matthew 14:28-33) -ESV

Peter had faith and so he walked on water. However, he allowed doubt within and he started to sink. But remember: doubt was living inside of fear and fear is faithful to follow. Doubt and fear joined forces and caused Peter to sink. But in seeking the Savior, the Solution was found: trust in the Lord is the solution. Faith creates hope and hope gives birth to possibilities.

“Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.’ ”
(Matthew 21:21) -NLT

So, faith is foundational and prayer is powerful. But in order to pray we must first be seeking GOD. If prayer, however, is one of the keys to being a solution seeker, then prayer needs to be properly understood.

Faith-filled Purposeful Prayer:

Prayer needs to be purposeful if it is to be powerful (I’ll expound upon prayer in parts 21-22). Prayer is not a means of merely asking for what we want. GOD is not a magic genie and prayer is not the magic lamp by which to summon GOD. Prayer is a connection between us and GOD. A healthy relationship requires constant communication. So, talk. Prayer is also a way to love others. We should pray for others (Ephesians 6:18-19). But we should also pray that GOD’s will be done and not our own (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44). In the connection of prayer, the goal is to come into alignment with GOD’s will. Regarding prayer, it is important to remember that GOD always answers our prayers in one of three possible ways: yes, no, or not yet. And it is important to thank GOD for all the “no” answers. All the “no” answers eventually lead to the “yes” moment. When we pray, we must pray for the right reasons. Motive matters. We don’t need a mantra, we need a meaningful connection with the Maker. Prayers need to be genuine and purposeful. But remember: you don’t always need to know exactly what to say (Romans 8:26-28). Just be honest.

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
(James 1: 6-8) –NIV

Doubts are sometimes unavoidable and seem inevitable. Whether intellectually based or emotionally charged, all doubts need to be doubted and examined. If you find yourself doubting, you’re certainly not alone in your struggle. In Mark 9:24, the father of the possessed son asked Jesus to help his unbelief. Having the courage to doubt your doubts and investigate their causes leads to greater confidence in your relationship with Jesus. In seeking the Savior, He can help work through your doubts to increase your faith. Therefore, investigate your doubts. Seek Truth. Be specific about what your doubts are – write them out and list reasons for and against them. Also, pray! And never stop praying (1Thessalonians 5:17)! Like the father of the possessed son, we too can ask GOD to help with unbelief. Be a Solution seeker! This is important because belief casts out doubt and love casts out fear. The faith-filled become the faith-full! The faithful and loving solution-seeker is stable and also able to pursue possibilities.

Beyond, Through, and To:

“Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.”
(1Peter 5:7) –NCV

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6-7) -NLT

Though the Bible does not explicitly say that worry is a sin, we can still logically conclude that it is a sin by examining all the available evidence. One simply cannot trust GOD to provide if one worries about provision. Likewise, one cannot trust GOD about wellbeing if one worries about wellbeing. Faith is trust. There’s no trust in worrying because worrying comes from doubting GOD.

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6) -NLT

Know this: GOD already told us He will take care of all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34).

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
(Philippians 4:8-9) -NLT

Pray Your Way To Peace:

Prayer is not our last resort; rather, it is our first line of defense! And that is why prayer is being discussed here in addition to the end of this book. How do we get GOD’s peace? By putting into practice what we learned. We have learned that we need to put our trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). So, let us put into practice our faith by living confidently in Christ. We can pray our way into peace! Look beyond the problem, through the potential and to the possibilities by seeking the power of GOD in prayer. If we focus on all that is good and right, our focus won’t be on what is bad and wrong. That’s easier said than done – I know. But no one ever said that what is simple is also easy. If we fill our minds with GOD’s Word, we won’t have enough room to fill our minds with the Satan’s lies and the world’s ways. Christians must think about what they’re thinking about and not allow their minds to wander into the chaotic circus of sin. In our spiritual warfare, we need to wear the helmet of salvation (explain in Part 19) because it is spiritual armor for the mind. Negative thoughts can be replaced with positive ones, and the more that godly substitution takes place, the more peace and joy we can experience. Many times we are asking GOD to change our situation when GOD desires to change our stinkin’ thinkin’! GOD’s peace is promised to guard those who pray – with thanksgiving – about everything.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
(Romans 8:28) -NLT

Stay Focused:

We already know the ending of the story! Christ returns, evil is banished to Hell, and all believers will live happily ever after with Jesus for eternity (Revelation 19-21). Knowing this, our focus should simply be on how to continually make things better until Christ returns. GOD gave people the great gift of free will. Where free will exists, evil is always possible; in fact, bad things are inevitable in this sinful fallen world. But GOD created us to create good while we choose to live a life of love. So, what are you creating? In order to be a solution seeker, we must trust in GOD and love others. Belief banishes doubt and love expels fear. Without fear and doubt, GOD’s peace will be with you and GOD’s power will enable you to be more than a conquerer in Christ (Romans 8:37).

Conclusion:

“Show mercy to those who have doubts. Save others by snatching them from the fire of hell.”
(Jude 1: 22-23) –GW

You can be a superhero! You can be a superhero by simply being a consistent solution seeker! In the name of Jesus, go be a defender of the faith by helping others battle fear and doubt. Peter was saved while sinking in the sea of doubt because he reached out to Jesus. All people can find salvation by doing exactly what Peter did – by reaching out to Jesus and trusting Him to save. In fact, I did the same thing when I once found myself sinking and Jesus saved me too! To read my testimony, see my other article, “My Testimony: From Agnosticism, To Atheism, To Christianity“.

Here’s the bottom line: When a problem comes along, you must whip it! Whip it good… in the name of Jesus!

 

Church History (Introduction)

What does church history look like? When reading and studying the entire history of the church, we must keep our focus on the bigger picture and compare what GOD’s Word actually teaches to what GOD’s people actually did or did not do. There has always been and will always be deviation from Truth and lights that get extinguished from the church, leaving only darkness in some areas and at some times. This all is from the Fall. From Cain murdering his brother, Abel, to the Day of Christ’s return and the battle of Armageddon, GOD’s people and the church will always be forced to shine light through the darkness of this world. Sadly, when evil infiltrates and contaminates GOD’s people, the world is left with doubt about GOD and His Word. And when they look at the stained glass in the church window, they are uncertain if the color red should represent the claim of Christ’s sacrificial blood or the notorious fame of a blood-thirsty mass of supercilious saints who masquerade about with malicious motives and pious performances. GOD’s people must live out a delicate balance of love and Truth. Even the slightest ‘one-degree’ deviation demonstrates demonic deeds that make the world believe blood-saturated saints to be devils in disguise and Christ a mere guise.

This is what church history looks like — it is one long war with many battles of GOD’s people trying to keep the faith, defend Truth, yet all the while correct the mistakes that have tarnished the perfect name of GOD. As representatives of GOD, Christians, with wrong actions, are capable of driving people away from right belief. I recently encountered the trending hashtag on Twitter, “ChurchToo”, which essentially was used for people to share their horrible stories of how church members or church leaders abused their position and power in order to sexually assault people, or mentally or physically abuse people. Are all the accusations true? Probably not. This hashtag popped up only after sexual allegations against celebrities became popular news headlines and Hollywood started devouring itself like a king snake swallowing another snake. Many unbelievers probably took advantage of the situation in order to throw mud on the church. However, many of the “ChurchToo” accusations are undoubtedly true, coming from victims who had once been afraid to speak up but now emboldened to do so because of what’s happening in Hollywood. It is all a sobering reminder of the real problem of sin in this world and humanity’s inability to save themselves. While reading and studying church history, it is important to keep in mind the bigger picture of the Creator’s original design and intent, the Fall, and the purpose of Christ to reunite the creation with Creator. Keep these following points in mind while reading and studying church history:

• Humanity’s inability and often refusal to abide by the absolute moral standard does not prove GOD’s standard to be wrong, it only reveals that the Law is good and necessary (read Romans 7).
• Purity is good & commendable, which is highlighted by the uproar against immorality. The Law is good and necessary, which is highlighted by the uproar against injustice.
• The church is not a country club for saints but a hospital for sinners (read Matthew 9:11-13). The church is not a place for perfect people, but for finite and fallible fallen people who need a perfect GOD.
• Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone needs Jesus, all the time, even those in the church — especially those in the church.
• The church is not above correction; in fact, all Christians should be held to a higher standard because they should know better (read James 3:1; 4:17).
• We should not confuse the problem of sin with the only solution of Jesus and the absolute moral standard as being the problem. The mistakes of humanity are not accurate reflections of the character quality of the perfect GOD.
• To purge the church of sin is to restore the church to righteousness; restored churches will help victims heal from pseudo-saints.
• Sin is the problem, not the church, unless sin is in the church, then the church becomes a problem, but not the problem.

It all leads back to the beginning and we must keep our focus on the bigger picture and compare what GOD’s Word actually teaches to what GOD’s people actually did or did not do. For it is GOD’s Word and only GOD’s Word that should define how the church is to be both operated and viewed. And with that said, may GOD’s light of Truth shine as you read and study even the darkest periods of the church and remember that the church is the purified Bride of Christ at the end of days. View the church as a total makeover transformation, much like we have seen on reality television shows. The church is to be viewed as a whole and seen as Christ will see her at the end of days — she’s beautiful! Just as individual humans have had bad pasts before becoming good later in life, the church is the same. Just as individual humans have seemed ugly prior to receiving a total makeover transformation and then looking marvelous, the church is the same. Don’t judge the church by her past, judge the church by who she strives to become and who Jesus tells us she will be. Church history reveals the growth of the church. Just as Abraham’s descendants are beyond counting (Genesis 15:5), the church started out with a dozen disciples and it will end with a countless number (Revelation 7:9). Don’t judge a sequoia tree by the sprout or seed — only in its final stage will you know what its glorious state will be.

If you are already a Christian, then church history is your family history. Studying church history is like opening a photo album with commentary and exploring family heritage. If you are a Christian and do not know church history, it is imperative that you take the journey to learn the past. Our past history will help mature us for the future by rooting us in reality, replacing ignorance with Truth, and opening us up to understanding of what actually happened rather than us assuming what might have happened or what we wished would have happened. The beauty of church history is that it enables us to learn from past mistakes, which will help us to grow in righteousness and help us to stay in alignment. Church history provides us with perspective and helps us plan for our purpose. As you learn church history, may you be in awe of GOD’s faithfulness despite humanity’s unfaithfulness. Though church history is the study of the works of men and women, it is ultimately the study of the work of GOD.

[ Read: Church History – Part 1 ]

Sikhism

[ To read the previous post of the Quest for Truth, CLICK HERE! ]

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The name Sikhism comes from the Punjabi word Sikh, which means a “disciple;” thus, a Sikh is literally a disciple of Guru Nanak, the founder of the religion, who lived from AD 1469-1538. Guru means a dispeller of ignorance or darkness (gu) and bringer of enlightenment (ru).

Sikhism has two unique symbols: khanda and Ekankar. The most prevalent symbol is the khanda, which represents the Sikh faith to the outside world. At the center is the actual khanda, which means “double-edged sword.” Together with the circular throwing weapon, the chakkar, it stands for the unity of God and his all-pervasive presence. On each side are the two ceremonial swords, kirpans, that refer to the spiritual and political dimensions of the Sikh community. Within the Sikh community – for example, in a Sikh temple – one often sees the second symbol. It refers to the unity of God. The little symbol to the left that looks like the Western numeral 9 is actually the numeral 1, and the other part means “the only one.” So this symbol means that God is the “one and only one.” In Punjabi, it is “Ekankar.”

Sikhism began as an attempt to heal the division between Muslims and Hindus that was causing problems in India during the sixteenth century AD. Thus, to understand Sikhism, you must first understand Islam and Hinduism. Most of India was ruled by the Moguls, who had conquered India and brought Islam with them. Guru Nanak had a Hindu father and a Muslim mother. Nanak was born into the kshatriya caste that was under Muslim domination. It is said that at around age 30, Nanak mysteriously disappeared for three days. When he emerged three days later, he taught that there is no Hindu and there is no Muslim.

Guru Nanak sought to combine important elements of both Hinduism and Islam. From Hinduism, he maintained the belief of reincarnation from the law of karma. From Islam, he maintained the belief that God is one and is not to be represented with idols; consequently, Hindu avatars are rejected. His message was that by living a life in keeping with divine virtues a person would eventually become one with God and escape the cycle of reincarnation. Nanak was adamant that our thoughts of God should not be limited by what just one religion teaches. God is not just Allah and not just Krishna, but that God is a reality greater than any human words or concepts could encompass. In this present day, when Sikhs talk about God, they typically use the term “one and only one,” or “Ekankar” in the Punjabi language. Sikhism also teaches that physical self-denial encourages a false piety, which may impress others but does not contribute to one’s spiritual development. Consequently, it forbids fasting as a spiritual exercise and frowns on any other way of using the deprivation of food in the name of religion. World renunciation does not figure in this faith. The Sikhs have no tradition of renunciation, asceticism, celibacy, or mendicancy.

There were ten gurus of Sikhism. Guru Nanak was the first. The fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev (A.K.A., Arjun Mal), collected the hymns and chants written by all the gurus, including himself, as well as the works of some of the writers who had influenced Nanak, and issued this “exalted book,” the Granth Sahib, which has been the holy book for Sikhism ever after. This exalted book is also known as Adi Granth, meaning the true Granth. There are a few names for this exalted book because granth literally means “book;” therefore, it needs to be distinguished from other books.

The tenth and final guru, Gobind Rai (Gobind Singh) declared that he was the last of the human gurus and that from that point on only the holy book, the Adi Granth, would be the guru for Sikhs. The Adi Granth, like all the human gurus before, became the embodiment of God. Consequently, Sikhs find themselves worshipping this exalted book. The Adi Granth’s most important significance is not so much in its content as in its presence. As the divine guru, it is the focus of worship and veneration as an object, apart from its message. A typical Sikh temple has a copy of the Adi Granth (the original is in Amritsar), and during the day it is displayed on an altar, where people bow before it. In the evening it is literally laid to rest in a bed, complete with sheets and bed curtains, and in the morning it is awakened and placed on the altar again – both times with special ceremonies.

As for worship practices, they seem to be centered on community and gathering for meals. The “common kitchen,” or langar, may be the most distinctive aspect of Sikh community gatherings. All people, regardless of social or economic standing, sit side by side on the floor, eating the same food together. Thus, Sikhism continues to extol the equality of all human beings and to repudiate the caste system.

However, over 200 years following Guru Nanak, a number of developments took place. There was increased conflict between the Muslim rulers and the Sikhs, culminating in armed combat. As a result, Sikhism changed from being a community intended to bring peace and unity to becoming a virtual army, ready to defend itself at a moment’s notice. But that is bound to happen if someone attempts to claim one Truth while combining or uniting the pantheistic, polytheistic, and pluralistic beliefs of Hinduism with the monotheistic religion of Islam.

When Guru Gobind Singh established the order of the khalsa, a part of its requirements were certain unmistakable items of apparel. They are commonly referred to as the five K’s, based on the words for them in the Punjabi language:

1. Long, uncut hair and beard, covered with a turban (kesh).
2. A wooden comb, inserted into the hair (kanga). Together with the comb, uncut hair (gathered in a turban) shielded the skull while tying in with the yogic belief that uncut hair conserves vitality and draws it upward. The comb symbolized cleanliness and good order.
3. An iron bracelet (kara). This provided a small shield while at the same time “shackling” its wearer to God as a reminder that hands should always be in God’s service.
4. Shorts (kachara). The shorts replaced the Indian dhoti and symbolized that one was always dressed for action.
5. A sword or dagger (kirpan). Now largely symbolic, it was originally needed for self-defense.

My Final Thoughts:

Sikhs are forbidden to worship idols yet they worship the Guru Granth Sahib (a book). This religion was formed very late in our history thereby making it one of the youngest world religions. Because Sikhism is one of the youngest religions, it would need to possess a uniqueness about its core beliefs in order for it to stand apart from all others that have already been in existence for centuries. Unfortunately, Guru Nanak’s disappearance and reappearance after three days is all too similar to Jesus of the Christian faith. But that is to be expected because Islam branched off from Christianity. Furthermore, Sikhism was formed in an attempt to unite two contradicting religions in order to create peace. This religion compromises and settles for relativism rather than demanding absolute Truth.

Conclusion:

Though Sikhism rejected polytheism, it found itself in pantheism due to its keeping of the law of karma and the belief that a life lived with divine virtues would eventually lead the believer to become one with God and escape the cycle of reincarnation. Pantheism has already been rejected. However, Sikhism also attempts to claim monotheism by asserting that there is only one God. But the monotheistic God of Islam and the pantheism of Hinduism contradict each other and cannot combine. It is quite obvious that this religion was produced by human effort in order to put an end to the violence that had been experienced at that time.  And because Guru Nanak had a Hindu father and a Muslim mother, it seems as if Nanak invented an irrational religion in order to justify the contradiction between his parents and make sense of his own life. Sikhism is nothing more than a plea for peace without regard for maintaining integrity of Truth. Sikhism must be rejected as Truth and eliminated as a choice.

[ Continue the Quest: Islam ]

Hinduism

Hinduism is a word created by Westerners to encompass the dominant religious and social system of India. Traditionally, those we call Hindus refer to their religion as the dharma, which means “the way” or “the religion.”

Symbols play an important role in Hinduism, but if we were to take just one as standing for the entire religion, it would have to be the graphic representation of the sacred symbol, Om. Om is a sound that has no literal meaning but that is supposed to represent the totality of the spiritual universe. Also, the swastika can be seen in many places where Hinduism is practiced (see: Buddhism).

There are approximately 900 million Hindus in the world; however, the total number of Hindus in India is subject to controversy because it includes up to 300 million “untouchables” (dalits), who are officially counted as a part of the Hindu social structure but who are prevented from fully participating in their religion.

Hinduism began as the religion of a group of people migrating into the Indian subcontinent from Central Asia. These people were called the Aryans, but one should not confuse them with the figments of racist ideologies in the West. When the Aryans entered India around 1500 B.C., they worshipped a number of gods with animal sacrifices. The prerogative to perform the rituals belonged to the priests, called Brahmins, who recorded their prayers and sacrificial formulas in books called Vedas.

The religion of the Aryans underwent some drastic changes. One direction of change was an increase in rules and regulations propagated by the Brahmins. Eventually, a caste system developed and belief in reincarnation became an integral part of Hinduism. This early form of Hinduism is sometimes referred to as “the way of works” because it emphasized the rules and rituals demanded by the Brahmins.

Around sixth century B.C., a reaction against the all-pervasive rituals demanded by the priests led to the formation of the religions of Buddhism and Jainism, but it also led to a new understanding of Hinduism called “the way of knowledge.” The point of the religion was not to amass as many works as possible but instead to find God deep within oneself. The way of works and the way of knowledge continued to exist side by side and influenced each other.

By the eighth century A.D., a third way of practicing Hinduism came about: “the way of devotion.” The distinctive feature of this form of Hinduism is that a person focuses on one particular god or goddess, and this deity provides for the needs of the person, whether it be salvation or worldly needs. The way of devotion blended into the other two ways, and modern Hinduism combines all three.

Way of Works (Brahmanism or Vedic): Based on sacrifices and rituals

Way of Knowledge (Vedantic): Based on finding God within oneself

Way of Devotion (Bhakti): Based on a person’s relationship with a single deity

Hinduism has a large and complex set of writings that are traditionally organized into two main categories: the shruti and the smriti. The shruti are those that were ‘heard’ from the gods by holy men, called rishis, a long time ago and recorded by them. These are supposed to be the main scriptures. The smriti are supposedly of lesser importance since they are only ‘received,’ which is to say, handed down by tradition. However, because the smriti [for the most part] contains stories, they receive the greater amount of attention from most Hindus, whereas knowledge of the shruti tends to be confined to priests and scholars. Nowadays, many scholars believe that Hindu scriptures were not written down until a few hundred years ago.

The shruti contains the writings of:

• Vedas: four major works, containing hymns and sacrificial formulas
• Brahmanas: instructions for priests
• Sutras: instructions for all people
• Law of Manu: specific instructions for all Hindus
• Upanishads: philosophical meditations and mystical interpretations of the Vedas

The smriti contains the writings of:

• Mahabharata: epic describing the war between two sets of cousins
• Bhagavad-Gita: one section of the Mahabharata; a discourse by the god Krishna
• Ramayana: epic describing the efforts by the god Rama to liberate his wife Sita from an evil demon
• Puranas: stories concerning the lives and exploits of various gods

Most Hindus agree on certain concepts; however, Hinduism has no mandatory set of beliefs. I’m going to list what most Hindus agree on; however, in theory, one could be considered a good Hindu and not believe any of the following points. What people initially want is pleasure and worldly success (Path of Desire), but ultimately they will desire to travel down the Path of Renunciation and what they want then is being, knowledge, joy, and [finally] liberation (moksha) – release from the finitude that restricts us from the limitless being, consciousness, and bliss our hearts desire. Most Hindus would agree that life is hard and full of suffering and, what’s worse, when someone is done with one life of suffering, that person will have another one and another one, etc. As soon as someone is done with one life, that person is reincarnated into the next life. It does not necessarily have to be a human life either. One could come back as a bird or a worm or an insect. As a doctrine, karma means the moral law of cause and effect. The law of karma states that what you did in your previous lives has brought you to where you are in your present life; furthermore, what you do in your present life will determine your next life. Thus, Hinduism in all its forms attempts to find a way out of the seemingly never-ending cycle of reincarnation and to break the bondage of karma.

Vedantic Hinduism: The way of knowledge asserts that all human beings are living in an unreal world. There is only one true reality, which is Brahman, the spiritual being that is ultimately beyond our understanding or descriptive ability. As long as we treat the world of our experience (maya) as though it were real, we will remain hung up in this illusory cosmos and continue through the cycle of reincarnations. However, if we come to the point of realizing that deep within ourselves, deeper than our feelings and our thoughts, there is Self (atman) that is identical with Brahman, we are on our way to escaping from the bondage of the world once and for all.

Bhakti Hinduism: The way of devotion has led many Hindus to commit themselves in a special way to one particular god or goddess. Some Hindus believe that all gods are manifestations of the impersonal, ultimate Brahman, while others consider their personal god or goddess to be the supreme being. For the devotee of a specific god, the goal is to do all you can to honor and worship the god in the hopes that this deity will reciprocate with blessings. It is said that there are an estimated 300 million gods in Hinduism, but not all gods are considered to be of equal importance. The traditional three main gods of Hinduism are the following: Brahma (creator of the universe), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer). Each of the gods has a female counterpart, his shakti, who brings out his power. Vishnu is important because from time to time he incarnates himself in the world in order to restore order. His most prominent past incarnations (avatars) include Krishna and Rama.

It is Hinduism’s general conviction that the various major religions are merely alternate paths to the same goal. Many say that it is possible to climb life’s mountain from any side, but when the top is reached the trails converge. Ramakrishna said all that follows: God has made different religions. One Everlasting-Intelligent-Bliss is invoked by some as God, by some as Allah, by some as Jehovah, and by others as Brahman. Whenever there is a decline of religion in any part of the world, God sends his Saviour there. It is one and the same Saviour that, having plunged into the ocean of life, rises up in one place and is known as Krishna, and diving down again rises in another place and is known as Christ. All gods and goddesses are but various aspects of the one Absolute Brahman.

Although there is the potential for endless varieties of subgroups, there are three main schools of devotion: those who follow Vishnu as their highest god, those who are devoted to Shiva, and those whose highest deity is a goddess (A.K.A. Shaktites).

Another important means of grouping within Hinduism is the caste system. On no other score is Hinduism better known or more roundly denounced by the outside world. Primarily a set of social divisions, it also has a profound impact on the religion and is in fact enjoined by Hindu scriptures. It is said that unless unequals are separated in some way, the weak would be forced to compete against the strong across the board and would stand no chance of winning anywhere. The reasoning behind the castes is that within each caste the individual’s right are considered safer than if he/she is forced to compete against the strong. There is said to be four main castes, with some believing that there are five. The following are the four main castes along with the additional fifth caste (that is often disputed):

1. Brahmins = priests, religious leaders, teachers
2. Kshatriyas = warriors, rulers, administrators
3. Vaishyas = merchants, landowners
4. Shudras = workers, followers, unskilled laborers
5. Dalits = outcastes, untouchables

A Hindu who lives in India once explained it to me in this way: “Humans by nature are inclined (favor) to one of the four tendencies, The first is desire for knowledge that makes us become scientists, professors, researchers, etc. Such humans are called brahman. The second nature is protective, those sattvic are always ready to fight to save others like police and army, etc. They are kshatriya. The third is materialistic or business minded, that is merchants, etc. It also includes farmers. They are the vaisya. The fourth have a talent for music, plays, dance, etc. They are the one most loved by the holy father because they are most devoted to him and carry the human society forward. They are the shudras. This is the caste system and no human is outside it. Everything else you have heard of is either British lies or the mixing of class and caste, there are no dalits in this system. They are an outcome of something else and now have equal rights in society in fact more rights than others under the constitution.”

Hinduism’s specific directions for actualizing the human potential come under the heading of yoga. The word yoga derives from the same root as does the English word yoke, and yoke carries a double connotation: to unite (yoke together), and to place under disciplined training (to bring under the yoke). Both connotations are present in the Sanskrit word. Defined generally, then, yoga is a method of training designed to lead to integration, to unite the human spirit with the God who lies concealed in its deepest recesses. What is distinctive in Hinduism is the amount of attention it has devoted to identifying basic spiritual personality types and the disciplines that are most likely to work for each individual. The result is a recognition, pervading the entire religion, that there are multiple paths to God, each calling for its distinctive mode of travel. There are four basic spirituality types:

• Jnana yoga – the way through knowledge
• Bhakti yoga – the way through love
• Karma yoga – the way through work
• Raja yoga – the way through psychophysical exercises

Jnana yoga is said to be the shortest path to divine realization yet also the steepest. Because it requires a rare combination of rationality and spirituality, it is for a select few. Essential being is Being itself. The Atman (God within) must change from concept to realization. A person needs to drive a wedge between his/her skin-encapsulated ego and his/her Atman, and an aid in doing so is to think of the former in the third person.

Bhakti yoga is the most popular of the four basic paths. By and large, life is powered more by emotion and less by reason. This path seems to be opposite and contradictory to Jnana yoga’s way of knowledge. Because healthy love is out-going, the bhakta will reject all suggestions that the God one loves is oneself, even one’s deepest Self, and insist on God’s otherness. The goal is not to strive to identify with God, but to adore God with every element of his/her being.

Karma yoga is the way to God through works. You can find God in the world of everyday affairs as readily as anywhere. Throw yourself into your work with everything you have. According to Hindu doctrine, every action performed upon the external world reacts on the doer. Everything a person does for him/her private wellbeing adds another layer to the ego, only thickening and insulating that person more from God. Selfish works create callousness to the divine. The Bhagavad-Gita says, “Do without attachment the work you have to do. Surrendering all action to Me, freeing yourself from longing and selfishness, fight – unperturbed by grief.”

Raja yoga has been known in India as “the royal (raj) road to reintegration” because of the dazzling heights to which it leads. The purpose is to reach the beyond that is within. One by one, meditation will eliminate the intrusions of cravings, a troubled conscience, body, breath, and even the senses. The goal is accomplished when the subject and the object are completely merged so that the self-consciousness of the individual subject has disappeared altogether. The final climactic state occurs when samadhi is achieved. Samadhi names the state in which the human mind is completely absorbed in God. The distinctive feature of samadhi is that all of the object’s forms fall away. For forms are limiting boundaries; to be one form others must be excluded, and what is to be known in raja yoga’s final stage is without limits.

The central act of worship in Hinduism is service performed for the statues of deities both at home and in the temple. Hindus believe that the god or goddess lives inside the statue so long as it is properly cared for. This means that it has to be washed and clothed regularly and be given proper worship (puja). Also, marks on the face or the forehead can be of great significance. For one thing, frequently after a person has participated in puja at a temple, some of the crushed flower petals and ashes used in the ceremony are applied to the forehead in disk shape. Many times a devotee of a particular deity will mark his/her forehead with ashes, using the sign specific for that god. For example, devotees of Shiva mark their foreheads with three horizontal stripes, while devotees of Vishnu make two vertical lines that converge on the bridge of the nose. The common red dot seen on the forehead of female Hindus is called the bindi, which means “little drop.” Even though it can carry multiple connotations in different regions of India, most of the time the bindi tells the world, “I am Hindu, and I am a married woman.” However, for unmarried girls, the dot is black most of the time and it is intended to protect against the “evil eye.”

A Hindu temple is usually a highly decorated building dedicated to one particular deity. Regardless of who the main deity may be, many larger temples have a statue of the elephant-headed Ganesha, the “remover of obstacles,” to the right of the main deity (your left side if facing the statues). Every puja will begin by worshipping Ganesha first.

My Final Thoughts:

One thing I can certainly commend Hinduism for is that it is peaceful and nonviolent. However, Hinduism represents a broad category of religious beliefs. Hinduism is sharply separated into three schools: pantheism, polytheism, and pluralism. Some Hindus believe they need to meditate their way into total absorption with God, some Hindus believe in multiple different gods yet devote themselves to only one particular deity, and some Hindus believe that all beliefs lead to the same goal.

Pantheism is found in the last section of the Vedas, the Hindu scriptures. This final section is called the Upanishads. Because the Upanishads came at the end of each of the four Vedas, the Upanishads came to be spoken of as the Vedanta, meaning end or goal of the Vedas. The Upanishads, along with the Bhagavad-Gita, laid the foundation for Vedanta Hinduism, which is a classic example of pantheism.

There is said to be four basic paths to God in the four different ways of yoga; however, examination of the four yoga types boils the four down to only two: knowledge and love. Jnana yoga and raja yoga ultimately join together in a desire to become God whereas bhakti yoga and karma yoga ultimately join together in a desire to love others while realizing that we are not God.

Why worship Krishna or Rama if they are just avatars of Vishnu? Why not just worship Vishnu? Why worship Vishnu if he is only a preserver and not the creator? Why not just worship Brahma if he is the creator? Ganesha is the son of Shiva. So why not just worship Shiva? Why worship Ganesha at all? But if you are going to choose any one god, why wouldn’t you worship the Ultimate from which all other gods originated? The many gods worshipped is a classic example of polytheism. And because Hinduism encourages the worship of many gods, it veers them into a position where all gods would then need to be accepted. This is pluralism.

Karma plays a major role in Hinduism and therefore must be investigated thoroughly. One of the biggest reasons that people hold the belief of karma is because they believe it is just. To many people, the idea of having more than one chance at life seems to be the most equitable solution. Suffering in this life can be justified if it is really an outworking of karma from past lives. This explanation eliminates the need to make God responsible for suffering. All suffering can be explained as the just outworking of bad deeds done in former incarnations. Clearly, the most attractive aspect of reincarnation is that everyone would eventually get saved due to the many chances to live life the right way.

Reincarnation, however, is not justice. No – not at all. The innocent are not really innocent because the karma of their past lives is causing the suffering. Reincarnation doesn’t deal with justice, it simply dismisses the injustice. There is no need to take personal responsibility because one would always have another chance. But what good is another chance if one doesn’t even realize that it is another chance? Why don’t we remember any of our past mistakes if we are supposed to correct them? Is it really fair for God to punish people for the sins they don’t even remember committing?

Karma is not a moral prescription. It is a system of retribution only; it has no content to tell us what to do. It is an impersonal, amoral law of act-consequence relations. Unless something is absolutely right, nothing can be actually right; and if nothing is right (or wrong), then karma has no business punishing anyone for it. And in a pantheistic, polytheistic, and pluralistic religion such as Hinduism, there cannot be absolute Truth nor can there exist an absolute moral standard. So why punish people for some wrong if there is no moral standard of right and wrong?

Reincarnation is ultimately anti-humanitarian. Philanthropy ends up contradicting the purpose of karma. According to traditional Hindu belief, anyone who helps those who suffer is not increasing the karma of those being helped – it only increases the karma of the people who are doing the act of helping. People suffer to work off their karmic debt, and if you help them, then they will have to come back again and suffer even more to work off that debt.

Also, if reincarnation were correct, society should be improving; however, there is no evidence that such moral progress is being made. All we have improved is the means by which we can manifest hate, cruelty, racism, and barbarism toward other human beings. Reincarnation has failed as a solution to the problem of evil.

Conclusion:

Hinduism is pantheistic and lacks an objective moral standard. Hinduism is polytheistic and it does not account for either ultimate causality or ultimate unity, which is needed to explain a diverse, changing universe. Hinduism is pluralistic and allows multiple contradictory beliefs in order to obtain its truth. Pantheism, polytheism, and pluralism have all been rejected and eliminated; therefore, it simply follows that Hinduism must be rejected as Truth and eliminated as a choice.

However, in my investigation, I have concluded Christianity to be Truth. Click here to see why: Why I Am A Christian.