Religious Comparison Summaries

What you are about to see is a brief description of many of the world’s religions. They are very wide in variety, but always the same in need – a Saviour from sin, death and hell!

CATHOLIC Churches
- Roman Catholicism
- Eastern Orthodox Church - Greek
PROTESTANT Churches
- Church of England – Church of Ireland - Anglican
- Lutheran Church
- Methodist Church
- Presbyterian Church
- Church of Christ (Disciples of Christ) – Salvation Only by Baptism
ANA-BAPTISTS – Christians Who Baptize only Those who Choose to Follow Jesus Christ According to the Bible
- Baptists and Brethren
- Pentecostal Churches - Charismatics
OTHER CHRISTIAN-BASED, BUT CULTIC COMMUNITIES
- Seventh Day Adventist Church – Believe in worshipping only on the Sabbath and keeping the Law to earn forgiveness from sins, and a place in heaven
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
- Jehovah's Witnesses
EASTERN AND MIDDLE-EASTERN RELIGIONS
- Hinduism
- Islam – Muslims – “Submission to the Will of Allah”
- Judaism
- Buddhism - Enlightenment
FAR-EASTERN RELIGIONS
- Shinto – Worship of the Ancestors
- Sikhism – Followers of the True Name
SELF-BASED RELIGIONS – Modern Anti-God Foolishness (Psalm 14:1)
- Humanism
- Scientology (to be added soon)

done.

What most religions don't tell you about the Bible.

Almost every major world religion can be summarized with the idea that we must somehow appease God by doing good deeds or completing a checklist of works to receive eternal life.

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The Roman Catholic Church, with 1.1 billion followers, is the largest Christian-type church in the world. It claims direct historical descent from the church founded by the apostle Peter. The Pope in Rome is the spiritual leader of all Roman Catholics. He administers church affairs through bishops and priests. Members accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible, but only as far as the church's interpretations of these. God's grace is conveyed through seven specific Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, or Communion, celebrated at Mass, which is the regular worship service. The other six Sacraments are: Baptism (cleansing a soul of the legacy of Adam and Eve's Original Sin); Confirmation (reaffirmation of one's Catholic faith); Penance (confession of sins and prayer); Holy Orders (ordination into the priesthood); Matrimony (church-sanctioned marriage); Extreme Unction (anointing of the dying). Redemption through good works along with faith in Jesus Christ is the method of obtaining salvation, which is necessary to ensure a place in heaven after life on earth. Most Roman Catholics are not strict in their obedience either to the pope or to all the teachings of the Church itself. Many Catholics (especially in non-western cultures) mix many superstitions in with their Catholicism. Most Catholics know about the Bible, and know Bible stories from childhood, but few have ever read the Bible, or studied it to discover its teachings without outside dictates. Modern Catholics have a hard time believing anything in the Bible is literal anymore, so to them hell is not eternal, Salvation is obtained by just being sincere in whatever you believe, there is no guarantee there is a life after death, and Jesus may have been a hoax all along.

The above list of Scriptures are in direct opposition to what the Roman Catholic Church teaches. Catholics MUST decide whether they will believe what their church (full of sinful men) teaches, or what the word of God, the Bible teaches!

A religion with 900 million followers, Hinduism developed from the local religions of India in combination with Aryan religions brought to India around 1500 BC. It was codified in the Veda and the Upanishads, which are part of the sacred scriptures of Hinduism. Hinduism is a broad term used to describe a vast array of religious sects to which most Indians belong. Although many Hindus reject the caste system (a belief that people are born into a particular subgroup that determines their religious, social, and work-related duties) it is widely accepted. This system classifies society at large into four groups: Brahmins or priests; rulers and warriors; farmers and merchants; and peasants and labourers. The goals of Hinduism are the release of a human life from repeated reincarnation through the practice of yoga, adherence to Vedic scriptures, and devotion to a personal guru. Various gods are worshipped at shrines; the Divine Hindu Trinity (representing the cyclical nature of the universe) are: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. They basically believe that what we see around us in the world is only temporary and has no meaning. Everything that lives and breathes, whether bird, fish, or man, has a soul. Even though that soul is living in this temporary world, it is trying to get out of this world into the true reality. The only way for the soul to get into this reality is by reincarnation.

Islam has 1 billion followers around the world. It is the fastest growing major religion in the world. Islam originated in what is now Saudi Arabia, and from there it expanded along trade routes to Africa and Asia. The country with the most Muslims is Indonesia, with 120 million. In addition, there are millions more in parts of Eastern and Western Europe and in the Americas. One out of every six human beings on the face of the earth subscribes to the faith of Islam. It was founded by the prophet Mohammed, who claimed to receive the holy writings of Islam, the Koran, from Allah (Aramaic word for God) around. A.D. 610. The word “Islam” means, "submission to God," and teaches that Mohammed is the last in a long line of holy prophets, preceded by Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. In addition to being devoted to the Koran, followers of Islam (Muslims) are devoted to the worship of Allah through the Five Pillars: Belief in the Statement: "There is no god but God, and Mohammed is his prophet;" Prayer, conducted five times a day while facing Mecca; the giving of alms; the keeping of the fast of Ramadan during the ninth month of the Muslim year; and the making of a pilgrimage at least once to Mecca, if possible. The two main divisions of Islam are the Sunni and the Shiite. Salvation is obtained by good works, but can be guaranteed by the killing of an enemy of Islam during a declared Holy War (called a Jihad).

Allah The Supreme Being. The name of God.
Islam "submission to the will of Allah"
Koran (Qur'an) The word of God given to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel
Mecca The birthplace of Muhammad, and the holy city of Islam.
Muhammad Prophet and founder of Islam. Born around 570 A.D., died 632 A.D.
Moslem (Muslim) Follower of Muhammad. "one who submits"
Mosque Islamic place of worship.
Ramadan The ninth month of the Moslem year, when Muhammad received the Qur'an from heaven, now a month of fasting.

The Bible has had an important influence on the teachings of Islam. But there are some striking differences.

· The Qur'an explicitly attacks the Christian teaching on the Trinity, saying that anyone who ascribes "partners" to God is committing the sin of blasphemy. This prohibition is explicitly directed against the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and the teaching that Jesus is God.

· Many Muslims are also erroneously taught that Christians are really tri-theists who believe in God the Father, Mary the mother, and Jesus the Son. This grotesque caricature of the Trinity is a complete misrepresentation of what biblical Christians believe and what the Bible teaches.

· Muslims teach that Allah is transcendent (not involved in this world) and relatively impersonal. Of the 99 names ascribed to God in Islam, "Father" is omitted (to avoid the idea of the Father and the Son). This is in stark contrast to the Bible and to Jesus' own teaching, which says that God is our personal heavenly Father.

· While one of the 99 Muslim names for God is "the Merciful," He is not viewed primarily as a dispenser of love and grace but more as a righteous judge to whom the Muslim must give account. One must understand this to understand Islamic beliefs are so harsh.

· The Qur'an denies that Jesus is the Son of God, although it accepts the virgin birth of Jesus.

· The Qur'an calls Jesus a prophet, equal to Abraham, Jonah and others; but places Him in rank far below Mohammed.

· Instead of admitting that Scriptures in the Bible teach Jesus’ divinity, Muslims claim Christians have changed the Bible, and therefore have ruined its message – therefore, they think they cannot trust the Bible at all.

· The Qu r'an says that "Christ never really died on the cross." "They slew him not nor crucified, but it appeared so unto them" (Surah 4:157). How Could this be? According to Islam, Allah took Jesus to heaven just before the crucifixion, because it is unthinkable that an approved prophet of God should face such a humiliating defeat. Who, then, died on the Cross? Muslims say it was Judas (or possibly Simon of Cyrene), made up so cleverly to resemble Jesus that even Mary and the disciples were fooled!

· Surah 4:111 declares that each person must take care of his or her own sins. The Muslim must earn salvation from sin by following the Five Pillars of the Faith. If he doesn't make it, it's his own fault:

· Mohammed sincerely tried to lead his followers out of idolatry by proclaiming himself a prophet and designing a religion of rules and regulations. Like modern Judaism, the religion of Islam places on each person a terrible burden of responsibility. But Jesus Christ has promised to lift such burdens from the human heart: "Come unto me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest " (Matt. 11:28,30).

For so much more information on how Jesus is STILL the only answer to the world's problems, see
Answering Islam's website http://answering-islam.org.uk/

Stemming from the descendants of Judah in Judea, Judaism was founded around 2000 B.C. by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It has 18 million followers. Judaism teaches belief in a single all-powerful God, the creator of the universe, who leads His people, the Jews, by speaking through prophets. His word is revealed in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), especially in the part known as the Torah, or the Law. Jews believe: that the human sin-nature can be improved; that the letter and the spirit of the Law must be obeyed; and that a Messiah will eventually bring the world to a state of paradise. Judaism promotes community among all people of Jewish faith, dedication to a synagogue or temple (the basic social unit of a group of Jews, led by a rabbi), and the importance of family life. Religious observance takes place both at home and in temple. Judaism is divided into three main groups who vary in their interpretation of those parts of the Torah that deal with personal, communal, international, and religious activities: the Orthodox community, which views the Torah as derived from God, and therefore absolutely binding; the Reform movement, which follows primarily its ethical content of the Old Testament; and the Conservative Jews, who follow most of the observances set out in the Torah but allow for change in the face of modern life. A fourth group, Reconstructionist Jews, rejects the concept of the Jews as God's chosen people, yet maintains rituals as part of the Judaic cultural heritage.

With 225 million followers worldwide, the Orthodox Eastern Church is the second largest Christian-type community in the world. The followers of the Orthodox Church are in fact members of many different denominations, including the Church of Greece, the Church of Cyprus, and the Russian Orthodox Church. It began its split from the Roman Catholic Church in the fifth century. The break was finalized in 1054 over the authority of the Pope in Rome. Orthodox religion holds both Biblical Scripture and church traditions as the source of Christian truth. It rejects the doctrines specifically developed by the Western (Roman Catholic) churches. It teaches the doctrine of grace through various sacramentsl, and of veneration of the Virgin Mary. They do however reject the use of images (idols). Relations between the Orthodox churches and Roman Catholicism have improved since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

The man who formulated Buddhism was Siddhartha Gautama, who was born a Hindu about 560 B.C., in what is now Nepal. Tradition says that when Gautama was born, a seer prophesied that he would become the greatest ruler in human history. The seer added that if Gautama ever saw four things: sickness, old age, death and a monk who had renounced the world, the boy would give up his earthly rule and discover a way of salvation for all mankind. To block the prophecy from coming true, Gautama's father built a palace for his son, giving orders that neither the sick, the old, a dead body nor a monk be allowed near the palace. Gautama grew up in this way, protected from the world. He later married a beautiful girl named Yasodhara, who bore him a son. But the "gods" had other plans for Gautama. One day, as he rode though the park that surrounded his palace, he saw a man who was covered with terrible sores, a man who tottered with age, a corpse being carried to its grave and a begging monk who appeared to be peaceful and happy. That night he began to think about the look of peace on the face of the monk. He began to wonder if there was more to life than the luxuries of his palace. He took a last look at his sleeping wife and child, and then left the palace forever. Gautama, now 29 years old, was determined to solve the riddle of life. He shaved his head, put on a yellow robe and wandered the countryside as a beggar monk. He sat under a tree for 40 days and nights. He swore that he would not move until he found what he was searching for. During this time, an evil demon, tried to make him give up his quest. At the end of the 40 days, he experienced the highest degree of God-consciousness (called nirvana). Through this experience, Gautama felt he had found "salvation." From then on, he was known as Buddha or the "enlightened one." After his life-changing experience, Gautama Buddha went back to the world of man and began to preach and teach about the meaning of life and his way to nirvana. Buddhists reject the concept of gods and goddesses, but rather believe humans evolve through a process of reincarnation to the point where we no longer exist – called nirvana. It is reached by obeying the “Eight-fold Path” of right living:

Buddha claimed that whoever could follow this Eightfold Path would eventually reach nirvana, a release from the endless cycle of death and rebirth. Buddhism has always had great appeal for the peoples of the East. Unlike the elitist ideas of Hinduism, it offers a precise definition of man's problem, along with an exact "plan of salvation" for everyone. Use this to your advantage and ask them to consider the plan of God through His Son, Jesus to see which best handles the problems of life and death.

King Henry VIII of England broke with the Roman Catholic Church with the Act of Supremacy in 1534, which declared the king of England to be the head of the Church of England. Supremacy of the Bible is the test of all doctrine, but the Episcopal Church grants great latitude in interpretation of doctrine. Officially, it subscribes to the historic Creeds (the Nicene Creed, and the Apostles' Creed), it considers the Bible to be divinely inspired, and holds the Eucharist or Lord's Supper to be the central act of Christian worship. It downplays the confession of particular beliefs, and instead just promotes the use of the Book of Common Prayer in public worship. This book, first published in the sixteenth century, even in its revisions, stands today as the major source of unity for Anglicans around the world. The Church of England is part of the Anglican community world-wide. In spite of several doctrinal flaws, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, this church sent out more missionaries, and affected this world probably the most of all time since the first and second centuries. However, today, the church is bound in traditions and liturgical ceremonies, with very little Gospel being presented. To win someone who is a member of the Church of England or Church of Ireland, you will have to deal with overcoming their self-righteousness, and Calvinistic leanings.

The Lutheran Church has 50 million members world-wide. It is based on the writings of Martin Luther (1483-1586), who finally had to brake with the Roman Catholic Church because it would not become more Biblical in its teachings. The Roman Catholic Church set out to hunt him down to kill him. So, Martin put the Protestant Reformation into full-swing when he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church. That document contained an attack on papal abuses and the sale of indulgences by church officials. Lutheran Faith is based on the Bible, but limited to what Martin Luther said it meant. Martin taught that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone, but that babies must still be baptized. Church Services always include the Lord's Supper (communion). Today, most Lutherans believe only what Martin taught instead of the Bible itself, and so rely on the understanding of a mortal man instead of on the prefect work of Jesus Christ. To win a Lutheran, you need to show him or her simply the plan of salvation clearly from God’s word, and they easily get saved! Seriously!

Methodism has about 14 million members. It was founded by the Reverend John Wesley, who began evangelistic preaching within the Church of England in 1738, but because he would not stick to strict Anglican teachings, he was refused permission to preach. So, a separate Wesleyan Methodist Church was established in 1791. The name “Methodist” derives from John Wesley’s desire to study religion "by rule and method," and follow the Bible as interpreted by tradition and reason. Worship varies by denomination within Methodism. The church is perfectionist in its social dealings which means they see their reason for existence as mainly the means to reform society instead of preaching the Gospel. Methodists have Communion and they perform baptism of both infants and adults. Salvation is by baptism AND the doing of good works as they attempt to follow both Jesus Christ, and the teachings of Methodism. To win a Methodist, you are going to have to convince them that all their righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and then get them to rely solely on the perfection of Jesus Christ in their place on the cross!

Presbyterianism grew out of the teachings of the Calvinist Churches of Switzerland and France. John Knox founded the first Presbyterian Church in Scotland in 1557. The first presbytery in North America was established by an Irish missionary named, Francis Makemie, in 1706. For 3.2 million members of the Presbyterian Church, faith is supposed to be found solely in the Bible, but there are many religious traditions that Presbyterians hold to as important to salvation. Sacraments include infant baptism and communion. Church Services are however simple, with emphasis on the sermon instead of on the Eucharist, like in Catholic churches. Calvinism teaches that a person cannot choose to be saved, but is a child of God by God’s choice, and therefore will go to heaven or hell based on “election” and not on free-will to be saved. The soul-winner will need to challenge the Presbyterian to do as the Bible commands: to wilfully repent and wilfully believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, rejecting their infant baptism, and good works!

Organized by Presbyterians in U.S. in Kentucky in 1804, and in Pennsylvania in 1809, the “Church of Christ” has 1.3 million members. Members believe mainly in the teachings only found in the New Testament, and they follow what is written without elaboration. Rites are simple. Baptism is only for adults. Salvation is works-oriented, through baptism, and in not sinning very much.

Scriptures relating to witnessing Protestants (Many of the issues are the same as with Catholicism)

2. Thinking that “My church is better than others” is not what matters with God (John 3:3)

3. “I keep the 10 commandments” is impossible (James 2:10; Tit 3:5). Everyone must repent and be born again.

4. Thinking “I am part of the elect” is only true if you are a Jew (Isa 55:6,7; 1 John 2:2)

ANA-BAPTISTS – Christians Who Baptize only Those who Choose to Follow Jesus Christ According to the Bible

Officially founded by John Smyth in England in 1609, and by Roger Williams in Rhode Island in America in 1638, the Baptists finally began to be accepted as a legitimate system of religion, interpreting the Bible literally. Before that, they were tortured and hated because they would not submit to any religious authority other than the Bible. There have always been baptist-like churches throughout history. 1609 was not when the first Baptist Church was formed - it was only when it was LEGAL to identify itself as a Baptist kind of church. Before that, being baptistic in doctrine was considered heresy and was punishable by death by the catholics, and at first even by the protestants. Baptist churches currently have approximately 33 million members world-wide. Unlike Protestants, they have no creed since they seek to promote individual responsibility to God by obeying only the Bible, and not by obeying any Church-system. All authority in a Baptist Church comes from the Bible, not from its leadership. Most Baptists oppose the use of alcohol and tobacco. Baptism is by total immersion in water, and only for believers. Salvation is obtained simply by repentance from sin, and faith in the perfect and finished work of Jesus Christ in the place of all sinners, on the cross. Not all Baptists are saved, but once a person gets saved, and if they study the Bible, they will agree with the fundamental interpretations that the ana-baptists died to protect and preach. Brethren churches are very similar to Baptist churches. They originated in England in the 19th century, when John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) and three other men began to conduct Bible studies and to break bread together in Dublin.

The churches grew out of the "holiness movement" that developed among Methodists and Protestants in the first decade of the twentieth century. There are some 50 million followers today in the world, mainly in the United States. Pentecostals believe in baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, faith healing, and the second coming of Jesus. Of the various Pentecostal churches, the Assemblies of God is the largest. A perfectionist attitude toward secular affairs is common. Church Services feature enthusiastic sermons and singing, and Pentecostals practice adult baptism and adult taking of communion. Many Pentecostals are born again, but believe they can lose their salvation. Ask them WHO saves us, and then ask them WHO keeps us?

Check out this section on the foolish mockery of the Bible and Jesus Christ by modern Pentecostal churches!

Grew out of the teachings of William Miller in the 1840s, it formally was founded in North America in 1863. For 12 million Adventists, the Bible is supposed to be the only thing they believe. They emphasize the second coming of Jesus instead of the new birth. Members abstain from alcoholic beverages and tobacco. They meet on Saturday and try to keep the Sabbath. They reserve baptism until people can choose for themselves whether they accept Christ's atonement on the cross for their sins, and want to follow Him as their Saviour. But, Salvation is not by faith alone, but by obeying all the Old Testament commandments as you believe in Jesus.

Founded by Joseph Smith, first in upstate New York in 1830, and then in Ohio in 1831. After two more attempts to establish a permanent home for the church (the second one resulting in Smith's death at the hands of a mob), the Mormons travelled to Utah under the leadership of Brigham Young, and established headquarters in what was to become Salt Lake City in 1847. For its 12 million members, their faith is based first on the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price, all of which are considered scripture as well as the Holy Bible. Members abstain from alcohol and tobacco, and believe in community and self-reliance. Mormons have a kind of sacramental system that requires: baptism, the laying on of hands, and communion to be saved. They have a temple for secret ceremonies, including baptism for the dead. Mormons religiously pursue genealogy, in the belief that the departed souls of relatives can be saved, retroactively, by living family members of the Church getting baptized in their place. To win a Mormon, the soul-winner is going to have to clearly show first, the completion of the Bible, and the false gospel of the book of Mormon. Then, the Mormon needs to see that the Bible’s message is all about Salvation by the substitutionary death of an innocent lamb in the place of a guilty sinner. Jesus came not to preach good works, but the Good News of His death, burial and resurrection for all who will believe!

2. You can know that you have eternal life right now based upon the sole authority of the written word of God (1 John 5:11-13)

4. Decide the final authority issue (Rom 3:4; John 17:17; John 8:32,36; Matt 4:4)

10. The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for our sins (1 Cor 15:1-4)

Founded by Charles T. Russell in the United States in the late nineteenth century. Some 15,000,000 members believe in the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ and the potential salvation of everyone during the millennium. All members are supposed to proselytize their faith with door-to-door missionary work. Members refuse service in the armed forces, will not salute national flags, or participate in politics; will not accept blood transfusions (but will accept all other forms of medical treatment), and discourage smoking, drunkenness, and gambling. Salvation is obtained by doing constant good works. Jesus is believed to be a created god, who came, lived the good Jehovah’s Witness life, and then died for his faith. To the JW, Jehovah is the only Saviour, not Jesus. They do not believe the Holy Ghost is a real Person of the godhead, but only a “force” emanating from God. They have made dozens and dozens of false prophecies since 1874, predicting specifically the visible return of Jesus, and the end of the world. The soul-winner will have a hard time working with a Jehovah’s Witness simply because they are usually very well trained to only think within a small box of doctrine. The key is to show them from even their own translation of the Bible (the New World translation) that it shows Jesus really IS God in the flesh. From there, show them that He came and died in their place as their only Saviour!

To see al the Scriptures listed above written out for comparison, CLICK HERE

Shinto is the ancient native religion of Japan, established long before the introduction of writing to Japan in the fifth century A.D. Originally Shinto was a polytheistic, tribal religion that originated somewhere among the peoples of Korea and Mongolia brought to Japan during the Yayoi period by migrants from the mainland and combined, possibly, with aspects of the religion of the indigenous peoples living there. Since writing doesn't appear in Japan until Chinese culture is imported into Japan, we know very little about this original form of Shinto. During most of Japanese history, it was combined with other religions and world views. When Chinese culture was imported, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and the Yin-Yang or Five Agents school were all embraced by the Japanese while still holding onto their indigenous religion. Shinto stresses belief in a great many spiritual beings and gods, known as kami ("divinities"), who are paid tribute at shrines and honoured by festivals, and reverence for ancestors. While there is no overall dogma, adherents of Shinto are expected to remember and celebrate the kami, support the societies of which the kami are patrons, remain pure and sincere, and enjoy life.

Sikhism is a religion founded only 500 years ago by Guru Nanak, who was born a Hindu in Punjab, India, in 1469. When Nanak was 36, he abandoned his family so that he could fully absorb himself in prayer, fasting, and meditation. When he concluded that all religions were using different names for the one true God, he began to spread this message during several missionary journeys. He proclaimed, "There is no Hindu and no Muslim!" Nanak's name for God was Sat Nam (the True Name). Sikhs (which means, "disciples") believe that sins are removed by repeating and meditating on this name. The soul initially goes through many cycles of births and deaths (reincarnation) before it reaches the human form. Sikhism preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. Sikhism is learned through the teachings of its 10 Gurus enshrined in the Sikh Holy Book, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The Sikh religion today has a following of over 20 million people worldwide. God is regarded as formless, sovereign, unknowable, and absolute, yet a righteous person can call on the grace of Sat Nam. If a person reaches salvation, he is absorbed into God. This concept of absorption into the Absolute is Hinduistic, but the ideas of submission to God and action as a means of salvation are Islamic. The Granth is the most difficult sacred book to read because it was written with a special script in six languages in poetic form. Very few Sikhs can read it at all. Most of them simply worship it. The Granth is often celebrated by processions in which the book is carried around the city accompanied by singers and musicians. Most Sikhs today are only nominal adherents of their faith, so witnessing to them could prove easier than we think, if someone would just go and preach the Gospel to them!

Secular Humanism is a worldview that has permeated our modern world with atheism. It is a set of beliefs through which one interprets all of reality without the need for a God. Yet, it IS a religious worldview. According to the Humanist Manifestos I & II: Humanism is "a philosophical, religious, and moral point of view." Not all humanists, though, want to be identified as "religious" but religious they are – they worship themselves, and their opinions! What do they believe?

· Secular Humanists are atheists. Paul Kurtz, says that "Humanism cannot in any fair sense of the word apply to one who still believes in God as the source and creator of the universe." Corliss Lamont says that "Humanism contends that instead of the gods creating the cosmos, the cosmos, in the individualized form of human beings giving rein to their imagination, created the gods."

· Secular Humanists are naturalists. That is, they believe that nature is all that exists - the material world is all that exists. There is no God, no spiritual dimension, no afterlife. Carl Sagan said it best in the introduction to his Cosmos series: "The universe is all that is or ever was or ever will be."

· Secular Humanist beliefs in the area of biology are closely tied to both their atheistic theology and their naturalist philosophy. If there is no supernatural, then life, including human life, must be the result of a purely natural phenomenon. Hence, Secular Humanists must believe in evolution. Julian Huxley, for example, insists that "man ... his body, his mind and his soul were not supernaturally created but are all products of evolution.”

· Secular Humanists simply teach that people simply need professional people to help them through their problems – not any kind of faith of god at all.

Atheism leads Humanists to adopt ethical relativism - the belief that no absolute moral code exists, and therefore man must adjust his beliefs in each situation according to his own judgment. If God does not exist, then there is no absolute moral code, and therefore, no one is responsible to God for their actions. Humanist Max Hocutt says humans "may, and do, make up their own rules... Morality is not discovered; it is made." Secular Humanism, then, can be defined as a religious worldview based on atheism, naturalism, evolution, and ethical relativism. But this definition is merely the tip of the iceberg. The end result of secular humanistic belief is the current state of Western Civilization with is almost completely bankrupt and ruined. All moral decay is directly related to secular humanistic beliefs being promoted in our schools, on television, and even in modern liberal churches that don’t adhere to the Bible. Only a return to Biblical authority and repentance towards God will stem the destructive decay of any society.

In Witnessing to Secular Humanists, remember 1 Corinthians 1:18-29. Don’t try to debate them on an intellectual basis, even though the Bible is both scientifically, and historically accurate, but rather on a sin-basis. Everybody can admit to our sinful nature. The problem is getting them to admit they don’t have the answer for its destructive results. Give your testimony of how God got your attention, and convinced you of sin, and saved your soul – it cannot be refuted. Finally, Get their attention off of “religion’s” failures, and onto the perfection of the life of Jesus.

Religious Comparison Summaries

More to Come