Is the Bible the Inspired Word of God?

By Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson

During a question and answer session at a recent speaking engagement, a university student asked me, “Why do you believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God?” Now this is a very interesting question; and probably one of the most important questions any Christian could ask themselves. What is so special, so unique about the Bible that Christians believe it is literally the inspired word of God?

In answering this student’s question, I encouraged him to consider the following facts about the Bible:

First, the Bible is not just one single book. This is a more common misconception than many people realize, especially with people who do not come from a Judeo-Christian background. Rather than being a single book, the Bible is actually a collection of 66 books, which is called the canon of scriptures. These 66 books contain a variety of genres: history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, letters, and apocalyptic just to name a few.

Second, these 66 books were written by 40 different authors. These authors came from a variety of backgrounds: shepherds, fishermen, doctors, kings, prophets, and others. And most of these authors never knew one another personally.

Third, these 66 books were written over a period of 1500 years. Yet again, this is another reminder that many of these authors never knew or collaborated with one another in writing these books.

Fourth, the 66 books of the Bible were written in 3 different languages. In the Bible we have books that were written in the ancient languages of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic; a reflection of the historical and cultural circumstances in which each of these books were written.

And finally, these 66 books were written on 3 different continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Once again, this is a testament to the varied historical and cultural circumstances of God’s people.

Think about the above realities: 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents. What’s more, this collection of books shares a common storyline- the creation, fall, and redemption of God’s people; a common theme- God’s universal love for all of humanity; and a common message- salvation is available to all who repent of their sins and commit to following God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength. In addition to sharing these commonalities, these 66 books contain no historical errors or contradictions. God’s word truly is an amazing collection of writings!

After I had shared the above facts with this student, I offered him the following challenge: I said to him, “If you do not believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, if you do not believe that the Bible is of a supernatural origin, than I challenge you to a test.” I said to the student, “I challenge you to go to any library in the world, you can choose any library you like, and find 66 books which match the characteristics of the 66 books in the Bible. You must choose 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, written on 3 different continents. However, they must share a common storyline, a common theme, and a common message, with no historical errors or contradictions.” I went on to say, “If you can produce such a collection of books, I will admit that the Bible is not the inspired word of God.” The student’s reply was almost instantaneous, he emphatically stated, “But that’s impossible!”

“But that’s impossible!” It truly is impossible, for any collection of human writings. However, the Bible passes this test. The Bible contains 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents, with no historical errors or contradictions. The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, bears the mark of Divine inspiration.

The next time you encounter someone who asks you why you believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, try sharing this challenge with them. Better yet, don’t wait until you’re asked, just go ahead and share this challenge with a friend today. You don’t even have to mention the Bible up front, just ask them if they think it would be realistic to assemble such a collection of books. After they say, “But that’s impossible!” you’ve got a ready-made opportunity for sharing the truth of God’s word with somebody!

What Do Hindus Believe?

By Jason Carlson

Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world and its influence is far reaching. Today there are close to one billion Hindus in the world with most of them being found in Hinduism’s mother country of India. However, in recent years Hinduism’s influence has spread far beyond India and the Hindu worldview is now widely embraced by many people in Western Europe and America.

The basic philosophy of Hinduism is what is known as monism and pantheism. Monism is the belief that all is one and everything is spiritually interconnected. Pantheism is the belief that all is god and god is an impersonal universal force. So, in the Hindu worldview for example, the stars are god, the moon is god, the clouds are god, the trees are god, the rivers are god, the animals are god, the dirt is god, you are god, I am god and all of these things are one, equally connected to the impersonal universe that Hinduism calls god.

Now, think about this worldview for a moment: If everything is god and everything is one, what does this do to the value of human life? For example, if the pigs are god, the worms are god, the dirt is god, and you are god, what do you become equal with? The obvious answer is that you are equal to the pigs, the worms, and the dirt. As Hinduism says, all is god and all is one.

Now, instead of this philosophy raising the level of nature to the level of men and women, what has historically happened in the Hindu religion is that humanity often ends up being devalued to the lowest levels of nature. This is one of the major reasons why the nation of India has historically experienced such devastating poverty. The spiritual worldview of the majority of the people in that country does not provide a foundation for viewing men and women as special and unique amongst the rest of creation. Therefore, there is then no spiritual basis for attempting to elevate the status of men and women in this world.

What you find as you travel around the world is that the majority of the world’s problems are not simply economical or technological. Rather, the majority of the world’s problems are basic spiritual problems, based on what a person thinks and believes about God. You see, what a person thinks and believes about God will affect every area of their life. What a person thinks about God will determine their value for human life, their basis for morality, and even their standard of living.

This is one of the primary reasons why Christianity is so unique. As opposed to Hinduism, Christianity declares that men and women are created in the very image of God, unique amongst all of creation. And because of this truth, men and women are inherently valuable and of great worth to God. No other worldview comes close to providing this kind of basis for valuing human life.

What Do Buddhists Believe?

By Jason Carlson

Buddhism is one of the most influential religions in the world. Originating in Southeast Asia, Buddhism today is rapidly growing in popularity here in the United States. Many people are drawn towards Buddhism due to the perception that it is a uniquely peaceful and tolerant religion. Others are attracted to the supposed inner-peace that various Buddhist meditation techniques offer. However, the truth is that Buddhism, at its core, is a philosophy that offers men and women nothing more than a system of human works and effort that cannot save anybody.

There are a number of schools of Buddhist thought in the world today, the most prominent being Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantric Buddhism, and there are vast differences between them. However, in-spite of the diversity within Buddhism, all Buddhists will adhere to a basic core of beliefs.

Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism and the original Buddha (meaning “enlightened one”), explained basic Buddhist philosophy through his teaching of the “Four Noble Truths”: 1) Life is suffering; 2) Suffering is caused by desire- our attachment to a world of illusion; 3) Freedom from suffering comes by eliminating our desire; 4) Desire can be eliminated by following the “Eightfold Path”- eight ways of living (attitudes and actions) which would help a person eliminate suffering and ultimately find freedom from the cycle of reincarnation that traps us in a world of illusion.

While millions of people have attempted to find peace by following the teachings of the Buddha, the reality is that right attitudes and actions cannot save us from the real source of human suffering, sin. Apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ true peace and salvation cannot be found (Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; John 14:6). This truth is probably best summed-up in the testimony of my friend Lou.

Lou grew up in the nation of Thailand and he was a Buddhist for the first 20 years of his life until he became a follower of Jesus. When Lou shares his testimony he tells the following story about the real peace he’s found in Jesus Christ:

“When I was a Buddhist I felt like I was in the middle of a large lake. I was drowning and I didn’t know how to swim. As I struggled to keep my head above water, I looked out towards the shore and saw Buddha walk up to the edge of the lake. Buddha began shouting out instructions to me, teaching me how to swim. Buddha shouted, ‘Kick your legs and paddle your arms.’ But then Buddha said, ‘Lou, you must make it to shore by yourself.’

As I desperately struggled to follow the Buddha’s instructions, I looked out towards the shore again, but this time I saw Jesus Christ walk up to the lake. However, Jesus didn’t stop at the edge of the lake. Jesus dove into the lake and he swam out and rescued me! And once Jesus had brought me safely back to shore, then he taught me how to swim, so that I could go back and rescue others!”

Warning: Christianity and Yoga Do Not Mix!

by Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson

“Yoga purists are bent out of shape”. This was the headline of a recent article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper.1 The article explained that traditional yoga “experts contend that Hindu religious elements are being profaned by fad versions of the ancient practice.”

So, what are these “fad versions” of yoga that are upsetting the Hindu yogis? The article cites as an example the “millions of Americans… practicing yoga to improve flexibility, strengthen muscles and relieve stress.” These 16.5 million American yoga enthusiasts “spend nearly $3 billion annually on classes and products”. The problem with this, according to the Hindu yogis quoted in the article, is that yoga was never designed to be an exercise, yet alone an exercise “fad”. Rather, yoga is an ancient Hindu religious practice intended to unite a person’s soul with the impersonal, universal force Hindus call “god”.

The Hindu Sanskrit word “yoga” literally means to be yoked or joined in union. And the goal of every Hindu yogi is to use the religious practice of yoga to lose their personality and individuality and to become one with the monistic-pantheistic spiritual force of Hinduism. This is done through Hatha yoga (the physical postures), where one seeks to tap into what Hindus call the Kundalini, a spiritual force described as a “coiled white serpent of light” which lies at the base of the spine. Hindus believe the Kundalini can aid them in their transcendence to impersonal spiritual monism. Thus, for the Hindu, the physical postures of yoga are essentially keys that unlock the spiritual realm for the purpose of losing all attachment to the physical, material world, which they believe is an illusion. There should be no doubt about it; yoga is completely antithetical to a biblical worldview. It is a 2,000-year-old Hindu religious practice designed for very specific spiritual and occult purposes.

This Star Tribune article should be a wake-up call to every Christian who is currently practicing yoga. And it should be a wake-up call to every church currently hosting yoga classes or embracing yoga as a part of their weekly worship. Too many Christians have erroneously strayed into participating in this Hindu religious practice, which is in total opposition to the biblical worldview.

The common excuse for many Christian yoga enthusiasts is that they’re only doing yoga for its “exercise benefits”. However, the fact of the matter is this, God strictly forbids His people from dabbling in pagan, occult practices; and yoga should not be viewed as an exception, even if it has physical benefits. There are countless other ways to exercise that have nothing to do with pagan religious practices.

Others, aware of the Hindu origins of yoga, claim that their yoga meditation is “directed towards Jesus Christ and not the gods of Hinduism”. However, where in Scripture do we find any precedent for co-opting pagan, occult practices and incorporating them into our worship as believers? We find none. Rather, God has revealed to us in Scripture everything we need to know to have a vibrant and growing relationship with Him.

If you’re a Christian who has mistakenly gotten involved in the practice of yoga, we strongly encourage you to stop now. There is no excuse for staying involved in a pagan religious activity created to tap into demonic spiritual forces. The practice of yoga is contrary to our calling to honor God with our bodies; and it runs counter to our admonition to be salt and light to the world. Christianity and yoga do not mix!

Minneapolis Star Tribune “Faith & Values” July 30, 2005, p. B5

The Nature and Challenge of Islam

By Jason Carlson

A few years ago my father and I had the privilege of holding a week of apologetic seminars in Tokyo, Japan. During our time there we were introduced to one of the leaders of the Japanese Muslim community. He was a middle-aged man from a Muslim country in Asia. He had been a Muslim his entire life, and for the past decade he had lived in Japan working to spread Islam’s influence in that country. My father and I had the unique opportunity to spend over an hour inside the heart of the Tokyo mosque, sharing the truth of Christianity with this leader of the Muslim community.

During the course of our conversation, this Muslim authority repeatedly declared, “Islam is a beautiful and peaceful religion”. Have you ever heard this claim before? If you’ve watched any news commentary shows or read any editorials in your local newspaper recently, I’d be willing to bet you have. Ever since the tragic events of 9/11, the Islamic propaganda machine and the secular media have been doing everything they can to convince the American public that in-spite of what we see on the news virtually every night, Islam really is a “beautiful and peaceful religion”. Unfortunately though, this claim is simply not reflective of the truth of Islam’s history and teachings, nor of its present day fruit.

When considering whether or not Islam is an inherently beautiful and peaceful religion, one must ask some basic questions. For example, where in the world is the beautiful and peaceful Muslim country that millions of people are trying to immigrate to? Where in the world is that beautiful and peaceful Muslim culture that other nations so strongly admire? Where in the world has the beautiful and peaceful religion of Islam created a society characterized by freedom, justice, and human rights for all?

The sad truth to the above questions is that there is no such beautiful and peaceful Muslim country anywhere in the world. Rather, when we look at the fruit of Islam around the world we find societies characterized by the limitation of basic freedoms, the suppression of basic human rights, and the widespread oppression of dissenting voices.

What makes this reality even more indicting is that Islam has had every opportunity and advantage necessary to produce a so-called “beautiful and peaceful” religion and culture. Islam has had the time- this religion has been around for roughly 1400 years. Islam has had the geographical territory- much of Africa, the entire Middle East, and many parts of Europe and Asia are predominantly Muslim. Islam has also had the financial resources- many of the most influential Muslim countries sit on the world’s richest oil reserves and are wealthy beyond imagination.

And yet, in spite of all of these favorable circumstances, what has the religion of Islam truly produced in the lives and societies of its adherents? Terrorism, human rights abuses, repression, slavery, warfare, subjugation, hatred of Jews, Christians, and other non-Islamic cultures… these are the actual fruit of this religion.

Now, admittedly, highlighting the above realities is certainly not politically correct today; and doing so is definitely not going to fit our culture’s prevailing ethos of uncritical tolerance. However, we cannot ignore the consequences of the foundational history and teachings of Islam for fear of being offensive.

We cannot brush over the fact that there are over 100 verses in the Koran directing Muslims to fight and kill Jews, Christians, and other Infidels. We cannot ignore the history of the life of Mohammed, the founder and prophet of Islam, in whom we see an example of conquest, subjugation, and the elimination of those who stood in his way. We cannot pretend that Islam doesn’t clearly segregate the world into two distinct camps: the Dar al Islam (house of Islam) vs. the Dar al Harb (house of war). How can these realities be viewed as anything but the motivation and justification for the jihad we see being waged by Islamic radicals today? Especially when the Muslim terrorists themselves tell us that these are the source of their inspiration.

Now to be fair, it is important to understand and state emphatically that not every Muslim is a terrorist. Our ministry has worked throughout the Islamic world and we have known many good and kind Muslim people. Most Muslims are not the radical terrorists that we see on the nightly news. In our experience, the vast majority of Muslims are simply cultural Muslims whose basic interests are the same as those of most people in the world- making a living, raising a family, and trying to live a positive and productive life. Unfortunately though, Islam has enslaved these people into a false religious system that cannot ultimately save them and does nothing to truly empower them. In fact, as was true in the time of Mohammed, the only people who truly benefit from the religion of Islam today are the ruling autocratic authorities. Everyone else must simply submit.

Truly beautiful and peaceful religions produce societies characterized by freedom, human rights, morality, justice, and prosperity; and they strive to share these characteristics with others, even those outside of their faith tradition. We do not find these values or the desire to advance them in the foundational history or tenets of Islam. We do not see them in the present day fruit of Islam. It is simply misleading to describe Islam as an inherently beautiful and peaceful religion.

While there are many beautiful and peaceful people within the Muslim world, Islam itself is a veil of deception. Satan has used this religion to blind the eyes of millions of people for the purpose of leading them away from the truth and the fullness of life that God wants for them (John 10:10). As a result of this spiritual deception, Islam poses a genuine challenge to the world today; it is the source of much global and inter-personal conflict. However, we must remember to distinguish those caught up in Islam from the religious system itself. The fact is, God loves Muslims very much (John 3:16); and as Christians we must love them too. And we need to pray that the Holy Spirit would bring revival to the Muslim world so that they too might know the joy and peace that comes from knowing that you are a “child of God” (John 1:12).

Religion vs. Christianity: What’s the Difference?

“Why are you Christians always sending missionaries overseas? People have their own culture, their own religion, why don’t you just leave them alone?!” This is one of the most common statements we hear as we lecture on college and university campuses throughout the United States and around the world. Students and faculty often jeeringly ask us, “What is so special about Christianity, different from every religion in the world?” To be sure, this is a very significant question; and probably one of the most significant questions that any Christian could ask themselves: what is so special about Jesus Christ?

Our family has a close friend named Lou. Lou grew up in the nation of Thailand and he was a Buddhist for the first 20 years of his life until he met some Christian missionaries who introduced him to Jesus Christ. If you were to ask Lou today, “What is so special about Jesus Christ and Christianity different from every other religion in the world?” Lou would share with you the following story:

“When I was a Buddhist I felt like I was in the middle of a large lake. I was drowning and I didn’t know how to swim. As I struggled to keep my head above water, I looked out towards the shore and saw Buddha walking up to the edge of the lake. I was going under for the third time, when suddenly Buddha began shouting out instructions to me, teaching me how to swim. Buddha shouted, ‘Kick your legs and paddle your arms.’ But then Buddha said, ‘Lou, you must make it to shore by yourself.’ As I desperately struggled to follow the instructions of Buddha, I looked out towards the shore again, but this time I saw Jesus Christ walking towards the edge of the lake. However, Jesus did not stop at the edge of the lake. Jesus dove into the lake and he swam out and rescued me! And once Jesus had brought me safely back to shore, then he taught me how to swim, so that I could go back and rescue others!”

You see, this is the key difference between Christianity and every other religion in the world: Christianity is not a religion! What are religions? Religions are about human attempts to make our lives right with God, through our good works, sacrifices, rituals, and money. However, Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is about God entering human history to graciously save men and women through His Son Jesus Christ. It is only by placing our faith in Jesus Christ and submitting to his Lordship that we will be saved.

A relationship with God will never be found in any religion, because religions only offer swimming lessons to people drowning in the sea of sin. And it doesn’t matter how sincere or devout you are in your religious faith and practice, because the sea of sin is eternally immense. The only hope for men and women drowning in the sea of sin is Jesus Christ. God entered human history in the person of Jesus Christ; he dove into the sea of sin in order to save desperate and drowning people. If you’ll allow him to take you there, he’ll hold you in his loving arms and bring you safely to shore. And after arriving safely to shore, then your swimming lessons begin, so that you can go back and rescue others!

By Jason Carlson and Dr. Ron Carlson of CMI

Christian Ministries International is an organization that seeks to equip the church in response to the challenges of the world’s religions, cults, and various apologetic issues.

Door-to-Door Witnessing with the Cults

by Jason Carlson

For many Christians the site of Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormon missionaries canvassing the neighborhood is an unwelcome interruption to the regular routine of daily life. As a result, many Christians are quick to hurry the cultists away from their front door with polite, yet firm declarations of their commitment to Jesus Christ and their membership in their local Christian church. In doing so, most Christians unwittingly reaffirm the cultist’s training, which tells them to expect rejection as a sign that they are truly doing God’s work, but furthermore, the cultists are then sent off to continue spreading their false gospel throughout the rest of the neighborhood. This is a tragic outcome and I’d like to suggest a different strategy.

The next time the cults come through your neighborhood, why not try going door to door with them? Yes, you read that correctly. I’m encouraging you to go door to door witnessing with the cults!

Recently I had two Mormon missionaries visit my neighborhood. I saw them out my kitchen window working their way from house to house down my street. So, I decided to go outside and engage them in a conversation. After talking with me for a few minutes these Mormon missionaries realized I wasn’t going to be a fruitful prospect for them, so they excused themselves and began walking with their bikes towards my neighbor’s home. What did I do? I started following them up my neighbor’s driveway.

When these Mormon missionaries realized that I was following them, they turned around and asked me, “What are you doing?” I told them that I was going to go door to door witnessing with them. They replied, “You can’t do that!” And I said, “Why not? This is my neighborhood.” Then these Mormon missionaries objected, “But nobody does that!” To this I declared, “Look, this is my neighborhood and these are my neighbors. As long as you’re going to go door to door here spreading your false religion I’m going to go with you and tell my neighbors the truth about what you really believe.”

I don’t think these Mormon missionaries took me seriously at first, but after I joined them at two of my neighbors’ homes, revealing what Mormons really believe and sharing the true gospel of Jesus Christ, these two Mormon missionaries finally asked me, “How long are you planning on doing this?” So I told these two Mormons, “I’m going to go door to door with you as long as you’re in my neighborhood.” By this time these guys realized I wasn’t kidding, so they got on their bikes and rode away.

Now, I recognize that this strategy may be bold, but please understand this, as Christians we have no obligation to allow false teachers to spread their deception in our neighborhoods. If anything, we have a responsibility to warn our neighbors about teachings that could lead them into an eternity separated from God!

God has given us the mandate to contend earnestly for the faith and the charge to demolish every argument that sets itself up against His truth (Jude 3; 2 Cor. 10:5). This is why I want to encourage you, the next time the cults come through your neighborhood, try going door to door witnessing with them. You’ll be protecting your neighbors from false teaching, you’ll have a ready-made opportunity to share the true gospel of Jesus Christ with them, and you may even have a transformational impact on the lives of the cultists you’re with.

Going door to door with the cults literally requires a step of faith, but I’ve found it to be one of the greatest evangelistic strategies I’ve ever engaged in. I encourage you to give it a try!

Why We Answer the Door When the Cultists Come Knocking

by Jason Carlson

My father, Dr. Ron Carlson, used to remind people every chance that he could that the cults are literally a mission field at our front door step. Unfortunately, many Christians miss this tremendous opportunity to share our faith when the cultists, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons, come calling. For some people, taking the time to engage the cultist in a conversation is just too great an inconvenience. For others, the fear of not knowing what to say to the cultist at the door is justification enough for the common Christian response of, “No thank you, I’m a Baptist (or insert your particular denomination)”.

The sad reality, however, is that when we fail to engage the cultist in a conversation about spiritual truths, or at the very least share our personal testimony with them, we are neglecting a ready-made opportunity to minister to a lost soul who desperately needs to know the Lord. And the fact of the matter is this; you may be that cultist’s last, best opportunity to hear the truth of the Gospel. And while that may sound sensational, this is a lesson I learned in a profound way just recently.

For the past six months I’ve been in an ongoing conversation with a couple of men who are Jehovah’s Witnesses- one a middle-aged man and the other in his late twenties. I first met them when they were going door to door around my neighborhood. And I must admit, I too was a bit agitated when I saw them coming to my front door; the cultists never seem to come at a convenient time. However, I opened the door to them and we had a very good conversation for about 5-10 minutes before I politely told them that I needed to be going, but I’d love to talk to them again sometime. Well, this was the beginning of an ongoing relationship with these guys where they would stop by about once every 4-6 weeks and we’d talk theology. Sometimes these conversations were short, sometimes they were longer, but in each of them I made the conscious effort to clearly articulate the biblical revelation of God’s triune nature, the full deity of Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith.

Now, from everything I can tell, my proclamation of the truth to these guys hasn’t made a dent in their cultic worldview. However, I’m not responsible for how they respond to the message of the Gospel, I’m simply responsible for being faithful in the opportunity that God has given me with these guys. So, I continue to proclaim the truth to them and I pray that the Holy Spirit is working on their hearts in ways that I do not see.

This past week, though, my regular visit with my JW friends was very different, and very sad. You see, on this most recent visit only one of my new friends came calling; and he informed me that the young man in his twenties who was his regular witnessing partner had died two weeks earlier of an unexpected, massive heart-attack. I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear this news. Just a month earlier I had sat face to face with this young man discussing the claims of his religion and the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and now he was gone. What makes this situation even more tragic is that as far as I’m aware, this young man went to his grave clinging to his faith in a false religion, a false Jesus, and a false salvation; and now he’ll spend eternity separated from God in Hell.

This is why we must answer the door when the cultists come knocking. The eternal destinies of lost people are at stake. These are people God loves and whom He deeply desires to see come to repentance. And as I said earlier, we must never discount the possibility that we may be that cultist’s last, best opportunity to hear the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know, because I was.

Remember, as Christians we are not responsible for how a person responds to our proclamation of the Gospel. We’re simply responsible for being faithful with the opportunities we have to proclaim it. The next time the cultists come to your front door, please take a few minutes to share the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. They are literally a mission field at our front door step.

Should Christians Join the Masonic Lodge?

By Jason Carlson

Rarely a week goes by when our ministry isn’t asked a question about the nature and beliefs of Freemasonry and the Masonic Lodge. The questions that are especially concerning to me are the ones related to followers of Jesus Christ who have erroneously gotten caught up in the Masonic system. For example, one recent questioner wrote in and asked me, “Pastor Carlson, I recently found out that the Sr. Pastor of our church is a member of our local Masonic Lodge. I’ve heard mixed reports about Freemasonry and I don’t know if my Pastor’s involvement with this group should be of concern to me or not?” The answer to this question is simple, Freemasonry is a cult and followers of Jesus Christ have no business associating with the Masonic Lodge!

Freemasonry as it is known today was formally organized in the 18th century in England and Scotland. What originally began as a trade guild for stonemasons gradually evolved into a religious organization that masks its true nature behind a façade of fraternal and charitable activities.

The journey into Freemasonry begins in what is called the Blue Lodge. These are the local chapters of Freemasonry found in towns throughout America. The Blue Lodge consists of 3 levels or degrees (1st entered apprentice degree; 2nd fellowcraft degree; 3rd master mason degree). After going thru the 3 degrees of the Blue Lodge, the Mason has the choice to stay in the Blue Lodge or seek the advanced degrees thru the York Rite or Scottish Rite branches of Masonry (many Masons will do both branches). The Scottish Rite consists of 32 degrees and an honorary 33rd degree, while the York Rite consists of 13 degrees. For those who attain the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite, they can then petition to become a Shriner.

What must a person do to join the Masonic Lodge? It is in this process where the truly occult nature of Freemasonry begins to reveal itself. To begin, each prospective Mason must go thru an initiation process where they are blindfolded, with a noose placed around their neck, and led, with a sword to their chest, into the inner room of the Lodge where an altar is set-up. Behind the alter stands a man called “The Worshipful Master.” He is the master of the Lodge and presides over the initiation ceremony. All prospective Masons will bow down before “The Worshipful Master” and say the following, “I am lost in darkness, and I need the light of Freemasonry.” Following this declaration, the initiate is required to take a blood oath, swearing allegiance to the Lodge and pledging to protect all of the secrets of Masonry. This blood oath, repeated by every Mason who has joined the Lodge goes like this, “Binding myself under no less a penalty than having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by its roots, and buried in the rough sands of the sea…” Blood oaths such as this one are not limited to the initiation ceremony, but are repeated at each new degree as the Mason progresses through the secrets of Freemasonry.

And what are the secrets one learns as they progress through the degrees of Freemasonry? It soon becomes apparent that Freemasonry is very much a religion and its goal is to unify the people and religions of the world under the banner of a universal religion, where creeds, doctrines, and individual faith are done away with and replaced by a universal brotherhood of good works. Dr. Albert Pike, the most universally accepted authority on Freemasonry who wrote what is termed by many to be the “Bible of Masonry” (Morals & Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Rite), said this, “Every Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion, and its teachings are instruction in religion” (p. 213). Pike also declared that Masonry is, “The universal, eternal, immutable religion, such as God planted it in the heart of universal humanity. No creed has ever been long lived that was not built upon this foundation… The ministers of this religion are all Masons… Its sacrifices to God are good works… and perpetual efforts to attain to all the moral perfection of which man is capable” (p. 219).

One thing that is important to understand is that Masons do not discriminate against people of any religious background- they only require that their members have a belief in a god, any god. The name of a person’s god is not important to the Masonic Lodge. Why? It is unimportant because as you progress thru the degrees of Freemasonry you will discover and learn the true identity of god, the Masonic god. Manly P. Hall, another prominent Masonic leader declared, “The true Mason is not creed-bound. He realizes with the divine illumination of his lodge that as a Mason his religion must be universal: Christ, Buddha, or Mohammed, the name means little, for he recognizes only the light and not the bearer. He worships at every shrine, bows before every altar, whether in temple, mosque or cathedral, realizing with his truer understanding the oneness of all spiritual truth” (“The Lost Keys of Freemasonry”, p. 65).

Thus, the goal of Freemasonry is to discover the true identity of god. Masons say that the name of the true god was lost when the architect of Solomon’s temple, Hiram Abiff, was murdered; and so, the goal of Masonry is to progress through the degrees of the Lodge to learn the true identity of god. This process further reveals the occult nature of Freemasonry.

As you progress through the degrees of Masonry, to any discerning mind, it becomes readily apparent who the god of Freemasonry truly is. On the way to discovering the true identity of god, the Mason, in the 17th degree of the Scottish Rite, is first given a secret password and a sacred word that will allow them to continue their progression through the degrees of the Lodge; this sacred word of Masonry is “Abbadon”. What or who is “Abbadon”? Well, in Revelation 9:11 God tells us who Abbadon is. Abbadon is the king of the demons in the pit of Hell. And the name of this demon king is the sacred word, needed by all Masons, to advance in degrees so that they might discover the true identity of god.

When the Mason finally reaches what is called “the Royal Arch degree” of the York Rite, they are told who the true god of Masonry really is. They are given the name of god that was lost during the building of Solomon’s temple; and the secret name of the god of Masonry is “JAHBULON”. The name JAHBULON comes from a combination of 3 deities: “JAH” stands for Yahweh, or Jehovah; “BUL” is a rendering of the name of the Canaanite god Baal; and “ON” is the Babylonian name of the Egyptian god Osiris. And this 3-headed monster, this union of Yahweh, Baal, and Osiris is supposedly the one true god above all other gods, whose identity was lost, but has been recovered by the Masons. As I noted earlier, to anyone with a discerning mind, it is clear that the Masonic Lodge is steeped in the occult. The identity of the ‘true’ god revealed in the blasphemous Masonic trinity is the ultimate verification of this fact. Whether the Mason realizes it or not, the god of Freemasonry is none other than Satan himself.

Now, one of the most common questions we receive about Freemasonry has to do with the Shriners. This group- known for their charity work, the Shrine circus, the Shriners’ children’s hospitals, their presence in local parades- generally has a very positive public image. Again though, the truth behind the façade is much more sinister.

To be initiated into the Shrine, to become a Shriner, as part of their blood oath at the altar of initiation, the Shriner must bow down, with his hands tied behind his back, and swear an oath in the name of “Allah, the God of our Fathers!” Now, it is important to remember that the Islamic god, Allah, is in no way connected to the true God of the Bible. Allah is a pagan, Arabic deity. Allah is a false god. Allah is not the God of Judaism and Christianity; and Allah’s prophet, Mohammed, was a false prophet who has led millions of people astray!

As if that wasn’t bad enough, most Shriners have no idea about the symbolism portrayed on the red fez hats they proudly wear. Each red Fez worn by the Shriners has on the front an Islamic sword and crescent moon prominently displayed and encrusted with jewels. The crescent moon is the most common Islamic symbol. In fact, it is found on the top of every Muslim mosque around the world and on the flags of many Islamic nations. The crescent moon represents the god of Islam, Allah, who was the pagan moon deity of Mohammed’s tribe, the Quraysh of Arabia. When Mohammed conquered Mecca in Saudi Arabia by force in 630 A.D. he destroyed all of the 360 pagan tribal deities in the Kaaba and set up his tribal deity, the moon god, Allah, as the chief deity of Arabia. Later, when he tried to convince the Jews and Christians of Arabia to worship Allah, they refused, knowing the true identity of Allah, and Mohammed then began his bloody conquest of the Arabian peninsula, slaughtering thousands by the sword, the very same Islamic sword celebrated on the Shriner’s red fez!

Now, with all of this being the true nature of the Masonic Lodge, there are some important questions that any Christian involved in Freemasonry needs to answer:

First, how can a true Christian ever say that they are “lost in darkness and need the light of Freemasonry”? The Bible says in 1 John 1:4-7, “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” If you are a genuine Christian you cannot be lost in the darkness. If Christ lives in you, you have the light that brings life to all men!

Second, how can any faithful Christian bow down before a man called “The Worshipful Master”? In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said that we could not serve two masters. You can’t claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ and then bow before a man you accept as your “Worshipful Master”.

Third, how can a Christian ever take a pagan blood oath? The Bible forbids the taking of any oath. In Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus says, “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oath you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne, or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King… Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Furthermore, James 5:12 warns us that the swearing of oaths leads to judgment. Considering the pagan nature of the Masonic blood oaths, any true Christian should take James’ warning very seriously.

Fourth, how can any true Christian participate in another religion, in particular a man-made religion where salvation is based on good works and the principle gods are Abbadon- the demon king of Hell- and JAHBULON- a pagan, Satanic trinity?

Fifth, for Christians involved in the Shriners, how do you justify swearing blood oaths to Allah and wearing a red fez hat that celebrates a pagan moon deity and the Islamic sword which has killed thousands of your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout history? Does this not trouble your conscience at all?

These are serious questions that any Christian involved in the Masonic Lodge, at any level, needs to answer. Freemasonry, to its very core, is a false, man-made religion that is totally incompatible with biblical Christianity. Any person who claims to follow Jesus Christ while also participating in the Masonic Lodge must repent and leave the Lodge at once. Jesus demands our full allegiance. We cannot serve two masters. This is an issue of eternal consequence.

If you are a Christian and a Mason reading this article today, please know that you are in my prayers. Also, please remember, Jesus is the light of life and in him there is no darkness (John 8:12). He alone is the only hope of the world, the only source of salvation. We cannot earn or work for our own salvation. It is only found in the free gift of Jesus Christ, bought and paid for on the cross of Calvary, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Ultimately all of us will bow down before the true Worshipful Master, Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:1-14). My prayer for you today is that you will recognize this truth before it’s too late, repent of your involvement in the Lodge, and once again make Jesus the one true Lord of your life.

For more information on Freemasonry and the Masonic Lodge, please check out the following resources available in our bookstore:

Fast Facts on False Teachings (book) by Ron Carlson & Ed Decker
Freemasonry, Shriners, and the Masonic Lodge (CD/MP3 Lecture) by Ron Carlson

For more information on Freemasonry and the Masonic Lodge, please check out the following resources available in our bookstore:

Fast Facts on False Teachings (book) by Ron Carlson & Ed Decker
Freemasonry, Shriners, and the Masonic Lodge (CD/MP3 Lecture) by Ron Carlson

Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

By Dr. Ron Carlson

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation, died February 6, 2008 in his Dutch home in Vlodrop, Netherlands. For nearly five decades he had promoted throughout the world the Hindu practice known as T.M. He built T.M. into a multi-million dollar organization, which includes Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. The Natural Law Party, active in American politics, also came out of his movement.

Maharishi, who promoted the Indian Hindu schools of Vedanta and Yoga philosophy, sought to sell his Hinduism to the West under the veiled deception of pseudo-scientific language. Using terms like “the Science of Creative Intelligence” and “Natural Law”, he sought to make acceptable his Hindu religion to the western scientific mind. In reality, his writings and teachings show these terms to be merely a pseudo-scientific euphemism meaning Hindu Monism and Pantheism, that All is One and All is Impersonal. Transcendental Meditation was in reality a “short cut” version of Raja Yoga or the meditative technique of Astanga Yoga.

In his commentary, “On the Bhagavad-gita”, Maharishi said, “The aims of each system of Indian philosophy are fulfilled through the practice of transcendental meditation.” What is this philosophy that Maharishi brought to the West? Following the Vedanta school of Hinduism, Maharishi taught the unity of all things: that the entire universe and all existence are of one impersonal essence or nature. Maharishi teaches that the physical, personal world is illusion; only the transcendent and spiritual are real. Man in his true nature is said to be impersonal. The illusion of the physical, personal existence of man merely produces suffering in life. To eliminate suffering, says Maharishi, one must eliminate the physical, personal realm of existence.

In order to transcend this illusory, physical world and achieve a state of enlightenment, or oneness with the impersonal cosmos, Maharishi said a person must use the yoga technique of Transcendental Meditation. Though it was claimed by followers not to be religious, the entire teaching and practice is clearly Hinduism. In order to practice T.M., a follower is required to go through an initiation ceremony bowing before an altar of a Hindu guru. At the ceremony they receive a Hindu “mantra” or word on which they are to meditate on during the practice of transcendental meditation.

The bottom line is that Maharishi and Transcendental Meditation promote the ultimate rebellion against the Creator. They deny the infinite personal Creator/God and replace Him with an impersonal All or Brahman/Atman of Hinduism. They also deny the physical personal creation and replace it with an impersonal spiritual cosmos. The sad reality of T.M. is that an impersonal universe never loved or cared about anyone. Only a personal Creator loves and cares for His creation. True Biblical Meditation is not an inward, subjective descent into yourself as T.M. promotes, but an outward objective ascent to the personal Creator who “so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life!”