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article There are many who hold to this concept of all religions being of equal status. "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" (Manly Hall, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, 65.) This is why they can allow any religious book on their table--they see them all as equals. Masonry can then appeal to all and commit to none. Masonic authority Carl H. Claudy explains Masonry's tolerance of all religions: "Masonry does not specify any God; …she requires merely that you believe in some Deity, give him what name you will . . . any god will do, so he is your ' god." (reference Little Masonic Library, vol. 4 (Macoy Publishing, 1977), p, 32.) "Freemasonry is NOT Christianity nor a substitute for it"...."But the religion of Masonry is not sectarian. It admits men of every creed within its hospitable bosom, rejecting none and approving none for his particular faith"..."Masonry, then, is, indeed, a religious institution; and on this ground mainly, if not alone, should the religious Mason defend it" (Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, Albert G.Mackey, Revised Edition, 1921, pages 618, 619) The universalist view is being promoted by many people of influence in and outside the church. Sir John Marks Templeton, founder of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion is a universalist promoting interfaith religious activities, he denies Christ as the only Savior and only way to God. He claims that heaven and hell are states of mind we create here on earth, that truth is relative, and that Christianity is no longer relevant. He states Behind this book is my belief that the basic principles for leading a "sublime life"... may be derived from any religious tradition Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others as well as Christian.... (John Marks Templeton, Discovering the Laws of Life, 1994 inside front of jacket.) URI Charter, and the writings of other URI proponents make the long-term goal clear: the "global soul" will be a New Religion for the "new civilization" of the new millennium. "We believe that the wisdom of our religious and spiritual traditions should be shared for the health and well being of all. Therefore, as communities of faith and interdependent people rooted in our faith, we now unite for the sake of peace and healing among religions, peoples and nations, and for the benefit of the earth and all living beings." We believe that all religions derive their wisdom from that ultimate Source. Therefore, the world's faith traditions share in common wisdom, which can be obscured by differences in religious concepts and practices. ... The United Religions promotes dialogue. A theology of acceptance will help the world's people explore common ground. Our awareness of unity within religious diversity promotes ever-increasing kinship" (quoted in SCP JOURNAL 22:4-23:1 By Lee Penn.) Neale Donald Walsch who wrote the bestseller Conversations with God says, "Hitler went to heaven" (Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book 2, Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc., 1997; p. 35) And the reason according to Walsh "There is no hell, so there is no place else for him to go." (ibid. p. 42) Victor Kazaniian Jr. an Episcopal priest wrote in Episcopal life Forum, " We walk side by side, fellow travelers on life's pathways. I speak of being awakened to the wonder and mystery of the world, using words that reflect my window to the divine, the one whom I call my Lord and my God, Jesus, the Risen Christ. You, too, speak of being awakened to the wonder and mystery of the world, using words that reflect your window, to the divine through the teachings of the Buddha, of Baha'u'llah, of Lord Mahavir, of Muhammad, teachings from the Torah, the Guru Granth Sahib and the Vedas. As I hear you speak and as I look into your eyes, I see God. I feel God. I experience God in you, not just a partial reflection of my Christian God, but the creator, the divine spirit in wham we all live and move and have our being. How magnificent is this divine force that it should appear across the Earth like the flowers of a garden in so many different shapes and hues." "It is not simply so-called "religious fundamentalists" who practice this exclusivism. No, there is a kind of tolerance of difference preached by liberal church folk, which still clings to a Christocentric world view and becomes apparent when we proclaim our faith using language that devalues the faith of others." "There is no place for religious exclusivism in Christianity. It has been arguably the single greatest source of human misery during the past two millenniums. It must be replaced by an understanding of the interwovenness of all life, of all religious traditions." (Episcopal life Forum p.20 June 1998) Former South African archbishop Desmond Tutu participated in the conference and gave a speech on the "Christian" view of God. In a press conference prior to his speech at OSU, Tutu urged leaders of all religions to work together in order to find a new image of God. "No religion can claim to have the whole truth about the mystery [of faith]" he said. The Associated Press said Tutu "urged Christians to embrace other faiths." Mother Theresa was on the cutting edge of this wider mercy doctrine. In a film entitled 'Mother Teresa', originally given in its world premiere at the United Nations 40th Anniversary celebration in 1985, she gave a familiar message of religious universalism: 'No colour, no religion, no nationality, should come between us." Mother Theresa practiced today's open Catholicism "I love all religions. ... If people become better Hindus, better Muslims, better Buddhists by our acts of love, then there is something else growing there." She upheld that there are many ways to God': "All is God--Buddists, Hindus, Christians, etc., all have access to the same God." (12/4/89 Time, pp. 11, 13) While we can agree to love all religions and people there is a vast difference as accepting them as valid. Mother Teresa told everyone no matter what their religion: "If in coming face to face with God we accept Him in our lives, then we are converting. We become a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Catholic, a better whatever we are. ... What God is in your mind you must accept" (from Mother Teresa: Her People and Her Work, by Desmond Doig, (Harper & Row, 1976), p.156) Catholic apologist Peter Kreeft certainly touts the same line when he says, "We can and should investigate and learn from the wisdom in other religions" (Peter Kreeft Ecumenical Jihad p.79). "Allah is not another God...we worship the same God"(Peter Kreeft Ecumenical Jihad p.30). "The same God! The very same God we worship in Christ is the God the Jews-and the Muslims-worship." (Ibid. p. 160) All Kreeft is doing is affirming the Catholic Catechism where it states "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day" (pp. 242, 243) Catholicism has had this view for many years "There are other ways of being united to God besides baptism. Most of the human race has never heard of or cannot believe in Christ or baptism. As the world population increases, Christians become proportionately less. The Christian life begun by baptism is becoming more and more the privilege and responsibility of a few. Most of humanity is united with God in other ways. (Christ Among Us, by Fr. Anthony Wilhelm p.199, 1967, Paulist Press with Archbishop Peter Gerety's Imprimatur). "Many men come to God in this way through other, non-Christian religions ... God lives within many ... unbelievers, though they may oppose him or those who try to work for him." (ibid p. 200). The Bible states that the ONLY WAY to heaven is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Universalism teaches that there is not just one way of salvation but many different ways. The Christian inclusivists state salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, but they change the meaning to be that His grace extends out to those who do not believe (not needing faith) because he died for them too. International Church council of the Coalition on Revival states: "We affirm that there is no salvation apart from Christ's atonement for both those who have and have not heard the gospel. We deny that God cannot apply Christ's atonement to those heathen 'who do by nature what the law requires (which is) written on their heart' and to which 'their conscience bears witness' (Rom. 2:14-16), or to anyone he chooses" (Church Council Documents, #9, "The Eternal Fate of Unbelievers," Article VII). Yet the Bible says they will be judged by the law, it is death not life, it never says it is salvation. And it only takes one time to sin and be a law breaker. If you keep 612 commandments and miss one you are guilty not of one but all 613. Rom. 2:23 "You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? |
