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A survey has found that many Americans now take a mix-and-match, build-your-own approachin religion. Loyalty to a denomination—previously the norm—no longer prevails. People are combining elements of “Christianity” with those of Eastern religions (e.g., yoga, reincarnation, mysticism, chanting), New Ageism (including astrology), and their own claimed religious or spiritual “experiences.”
One observer likened the phenomenon to personalizing a “playlist” on an iPhone. One man surveyed, reared a Baptist, said he “dabbled in Mormonism,” liked Buddhism, and believed in astrology and assorted supernatural manifestations.
These findings cause considerable head-scratching by those who care any anything about Christianity as prophesied in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament (the only source document for Christianity). Such religionists must either be utterly ignorant of the most basic tenets of the religion of Christ, or knowing them, has reckoned them as inconsequential and thus optional. Their religion is humanistic, rooted in men who delight in their own wills rather than in the will of God. This syncretistic approach bears no resemblance to Christianity in any sense. Rather, it represents a denial and rejection of it.
The great push by modern aggressive atheists (e.g., Hitchens, Dawkins, et al.), cultural “secularists” (a façade for Atheism and Humanism), the misnamed American Civil Liberty Union, and related groups, does not despise religion in general. When was the last time anyone heard them blaspheme or litigate against Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or other any other “isms.” They only oppose any and everything pertaining to God and JesusChristas the Bible depicts and reveals Them.
Their great hostility toward all things Bible-related proceeds from the Bible’s exclusiveclaims, well-summarized by its incomparable advocate, Paul the apostle: “There is one body, …one Spirit, …one hope,…one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all…” (Eph. 4:4–6).
Such verbiage is hyper-offensive to God-deniers, for it excludes all other deities, lords, saviors, spirits, faiths, baptisms, and religious institutions besides those the Bible sets forth. It denies hope to those who deny its exclusive claims—take it or leave it. The “Political Correctness” specter strikes fear into the hearts of and enslaves the masses. They recoil at anything the PC dictators label as “narrow” or “intolerant,” which Jesus’ way surely is. “Blended religion” bears no resemblance to Biblical religion. It represents man’s self-exaltation and the dethronement of the true and living God and His only begotten Son. Jesus allows no competitors for Himself and tolerates no additional elements to His religion. All must decide: Shall I choose my way or God’s way?
[Note:I wrote this article for and it appeared in the Denton Record-Chronicle, Denton, TX, January 9, 2015.]
Attribution:From TheScripturecache.com, owned and administered by Dub McClish.
