I recently listened to Father John Valdez’s 10-part lecture series called Survival Course for Orthodox Christians, which offers a renewed take on Father Seraphim Rose’s lecture series of the same name. The talk on Eastern cults was especially helpful because Father John gave a list of signs that one has been deceived by a cult or false movement. I couldn’t help but notice that I had fallen for most of them to some degree in my secular past. Using Father John’s lecture as a starting point, I’d like to share seven of those signs with more detail.

1. The rules don’t apply to the guru

In all cults and false movements, Lord Jesus Christ is either discarded or used as a nominal head, but the real head is a guru who prescribes a litany of rules and commandments for his adherents to follow. The only problem is that the leader has a hard time following his own rules. The excuse of his “transcendence” will often be used to exempt him from the group’s moral teachings, since he will be “above” all rules, as if he were a god.

Guru Alan Watts taught a detachment from the world, viciously attacking the Western rat race, yet he was an alcoholic. Osho also taught detachment, yet he was attached to luxury European brands and sexual intercourse with his followers. Many Protestant leaders teach sexual morality, yet they all become embroiled in sex scandals. A worthy leader should follow the rules that he teaches, but that’s not what happens when a guru teaches a false gospel.

2. There is no external need for God

In a false movement, without the guru, you’re lost. He’s not directing your soul to God but onto himself so that he gets all the rewards. Since all cults are sex cults in disguise, this means more fleshly rewards for him along with wealth, fame, and riches. The movement manipulates its adherents to think that they are lost without the leader. Guru co-dependency is encouraged.

In Eastern philosophies, a big lie is added: “You are God.” The gurus insist that you are perfect, already a literal god, and only need the guru’s guidance to unlock the divinity within you. This notion is pleasing to the pride of Western man, who flock towards these teachings to be constantly reminded that they are of the divine and do not have to heal their fallen nature through the grace of God upon repentance.

3. The promise of fast results without strenuous labor

The striving to defeat the qualities of the fallen nature inspires the monk to such asceticism that those who have never attempted it cannot even imagine. This labor, which is a rejection of one’s very nature, supplements the crucifixion and cross of poverty, which is only a rejection of money. This labor leads one to the very depth of humility, it brings one to living faith, it raises one to a state of grace. —Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov in The Field

The key to hooking someone onto a false movement is quickly giving them a positive experience that shows the guru’s teachings “work” without having to expend much labor. This type of fast-food spirituality is often done with other adherents who are enraptured by the alleged bliss, peace, or pseudo-grace they are experiencing, enough for the law of social conformity to take over so that the inquirer eagerly misinterprets his feelings as empirical proof of efficacy.

Just meditate for 20 minutes in the way the guru says and you will feel sublime calm. Just attend the rock star church service and you will be buzzing with the Holy Spirit. Just watch all the people falling down in ecstasy before the guru’s feet and you will feel ecstasy as well if you collapse like the others. Even these kinds of paltry labor are becoming too onerous for modern man, who wants more exalted spiritual experiences with even less work. This has led to the rampant use of drugs, especially psychedelics. Under the guru’s guidance, you will smoke a potent weed in a hot room, or take mushrooms, and you’ll feel such peace and maybe even encounter demonic creatures you are told are your pals. You are indebted to the guru for such a mystical journey and commit yourself to him.

4. Guru rediscovered ancient wisdom that was “lost”

The guru refuses to accept canonical teachings and instead looks for obscure sources to pour in his will and judgment. Osho wrote a book on the Gospel Of Thomas, a non-canonical Gospel, and used it to affirm his own ideas, even blaspheming that Lord Jesus Christ received his teachings from Indian mystics. Many Gnostics on YouTube accept historical speculation as fact to push their own teachings which ultimately reject Orthodox Christology. Protestants read the scripture with their fallen minds and become their own pope, claiming that the teachings of Christ were lost from the time of the Apostles until lawyers and apostate monks enflamed with sexual desire rediscovered them in the 16th Century.

The truth is that since the time of Christ, the truth has never been hidden or lost, because Lord Jesus Christ promised us that His Church would not fall, and through the Orthodox Church, it has not.

5. The familiar is used to build instant rapport

In modern hip-hop music, it’s common for a producer to sample an old song and blend it with new degenerate lyrics. This is done so that you feel an instant connection with the new song even though you’ve never heard it before. False movements do the same by incorporating popular trends existing in the culture so that you quickly feel comfortable in new environs where you must begin to obey the guru. Another example is the similarity between the production values of a rock concert and megachurch. Both use advanced video and audio technology alongside programmatic laser lights. If you want to go to a free rock concert, they occur all around the United States on Sunday mornings.

Millennium ’73 was a three-day festival held on November 8—10, 1973 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, United States, by the Divine Light Mission (DLM). It featured Prem Rawat, then known as Guru Maharaj Ji, a 15-year-old guru and the leader of a fast-growing new religious movement. Organizers billed the festival as the most significant event in human history which would usher in a thousand years of peace. The festival’s official schedule described the three evening addresses by Guru Maharaj Ji as the highlights of the event. Big-band music, rock bands, religious songs, choral works, a dance performance and speeches by other DLM leaders filled the program from noon to 10 pm.Millenium ’73 event in Houston featuring an Indian child who many thought was god

It’s difficult to find a false movement that is traditional or critical of modern trends because that would involve real ascesis that sends the adherent to the true source of traditionalism: Orthodoxy. Instead, the guru must use secular features to hook people into quickly making the decision to become a member so that the fleecing can begin.

6. There is no objective morality or truth

No one has rightly sought the truth who has not encountered at the end of this search—whether to accept or reject Him—our Lord, Jesus Christ, ‘the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ —Father Seraphim Rose in Nihilism

The main method to retain members is through the management of their feelings (i.e. emotional manipulation), but since feelings and moods change, the teachings and lessons must also change to keep the coffers filled. This method of control is incompatible with objective truth, which does not change. Since false movements are more concerned with retaining dues-paying members and sex partners, the guru will mold the program so that there is continual growth, as if it were a business.

In the Orthodox Church, if you don’t want to believe in one of its dogmas, you are outside of the Church. The hierarchy does not soften its stand on a dogma or begin to change because you believe strongly about a lie. Your feelings have absolutely no value when it comes to Church teachings. Compare that with the “seeker sensitive” approach of some Protestant churches, whereby a prospective member’s needs are identified and catered to so that they fill the pews and open their wallet. It’s possible to be in a modern church and have everyone believe in different dogmas. The truth no longer becomes important while relativity is openly encouraged. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as everyone is on the same “wavelength” in helping the guru achieve his self-centered mission.

7. A snippet of scripture or historical text is taken completely out of proportion

Falsehood is a diabolical trait. He who has assimilated false thoughts has assimilated an attribute of the devil. He has entered into a relationship with the outcast angels; he has made union with God alien to himself and unnatural. He who is a stranger to God is a stranger to salvation. —Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov

Famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy went against the Orthodox Church and created an entire heretical movement by misinterpreting what the Bible said about peacemaking. He was eventually excommunicated from the Church but managed to cause immense damage to those who believed his lies.

I suspect that modern gurus are less concerned with the truth than appearing different or unique to hook wayward souls onto their movement. They are eager to provide new exegetical accounts that are absurd on their face, but since man is so far from God, born in iniquities and conceived in sin, he is prone to falling for such lies, and so new cults are continually being made.

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit, descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, according to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who promised to send Him down at the Last Supper, is primarily the Spirit of truth and was sent to the disciples of the Lord in order to instruct them on all truth (Jn 16, 13), and therefore the true Church of Christ, informing the believers of the grace of the Holy Spirit, is the one who keeps, confesses and preaches the Truth. In the same place where, instead of Truth, lies are proclaimed, whether in dogmatic doctrine or in moral or in the sense of any untruth in general, there certainly is no true Church, there is no God’s grace that saves man, but only one appearance, blasphemous deception. —Archbishop Averky

I fell for many of the above tricks when I believed in the Eastern lie of becoming your own God. I believed in my thoughts and feelings and essentially did whatever I wanted to do in the name of being one with the Universe and acting as a dead fish to “go with the flow.” There was no grace and no healing to my soul. Shamefully, I even went to a couple of yoga classes while living in Europe to mimic bodily configurations that were historically used to commune with Hindu demons. Thankfully, Lord Jesus Christ has removed the scales from my eyes and allowed me to see the full truth—without adulteration and without error—through His Orthodox Church. No one converts to Orthodoxy without having sustained prior damage from false movements, so may God help them all be received into the only true movement that is God’s Church.

Read Next: Why Do You Consume Secular Content?

If You Enjoyed This Article, Support My Writing With A Donation...

$

Loading new replies...

I learned Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist religion when I was younger and I was interested in witchcraft as well as different kinds of fortune telling and astrology. It gets very sticky when you have friends who participate!

It all began so innocently. I was extremely frail from intestinal bleeding so I would sit and meditate outside. I saw the Universe pour into me like a funnel. From then on I thought nothing of it, because I am Slavic. It's not uncommon to go to healers, witch-gypsies or "women who mutter" to get better from an illness or get hired for a job, then go to church on Sunday. Communion is even used by gypsies who keep from swallowing it for "white magic" and icons and saints are called upon for their dark arts. But they call it good magic or light magic and so I thought of it that way. What's the harm?

I meditated frequently and when I was chanting mantras a Hindu "goddess" started demanding my soul, as if her statue came to life. I refused and repented, the thing is that it's opened my eyes to the spiritual laws that people don't know about. So many "innocent" little activities like Halloween "give rights to the devil" as some elders put it. Our soul is under attack every moment we breathe. Unless we live extremely carefully, like the rich man we will lose everything Christ has given us.

Reply 8 Likes

click to expand...

Thats what I like about the Orthodox church they dont change for anyone, they havent involved too much modern technology, the other day the power went out at church and you couldnt really tell the difference nothing changed, I also like the history behind them and how they connected with other Orthodox churches its not like the protestant churches where the past is the head and does what he wants and theres no one to check or balance him, the orthodox have the other churches, the saints, the church fathers, the old traditions, if you become a heretic you are excommunicated etc etc

Reply 1 Like

There are so many fake gurus and new age movements today. In the article you mention Osho and Allen Watts. Watts wasn't really malicious but was obviously human with human shortcomings. Osho seems like a half baked mystic who had delusions of grandeur and didn't overcome sexual temptation.

Real teachers draw attention to God in all his glory, never their limited body or form, and they never want money, sex, fame, or any of the other shit that normal humans would want. "Sadhguru" is a good example of a bogus guru that tons of normies like today. Dude is a good marketer.

That being said there are real saints and God men that commune with the divine and let us realize him. They are rare though. Saint Francis was one. Yogananda wrote a translation of the gospels called The Second Coming of Christ which brought me to tears and spoke of Jesus's glory with his Los Angeles disciples. Ramana Maharshi was God realized and beyond name, fame, sex, and temptation. Krishna was obviously a Christ like figure and was a prior advent of the Messiah. But for every genuine guru, I've found there are at least 1,000 frauds.

But yeah, it's rare to find such a being. If you can't find a God realized being, best to simply stick to Jesus in your heart. I have not found any modern teachers who I trust 100% so I stick to letting Jesus drive my life as much as I can.

Reply 1 Like

click to expand...

One of the things that strikes me about the Orthodox saints, ascetics, and teachers is that nobody says I Am The Guy, they always humbly appeal to the lineage of those who preceded them and just try to follow the Faith and way of living that was handed down to them.

St. Paisios Velichovsky got it from the monks of Mt. Athos.
The Optina Elders got it from him.
Archbishop Averky, St. John of San Francisco, and Fr. John Krestiankin carried on after them.
Fr. Seraphim Rose got it from Archbishop Averky and St. John of San Francisco.
Fr. Josiah Trenham, Fr. Spyridon Bailey, and Hieromonk Kosmas carried on after them.

Being able to trace this same continuity of thought and tradition in Orthodoxy is something that really fascinates me, the more I encounter the lives and writings of the Saints.

Reply 6 Likes

click to expand...

Damnit. I could almost nail Pope Francis on a number of these. :laughter:

Reply 4 Likes

Watts wasn't really malicious but was obviously human with human shortcomings.

People who made him a guru and didn't repent most likely lost their souls. Maybe he was a "nice guy" though.

Reply 2 Likes

This is a good list. Too often, Orthodox who try to expose cults, do so by listing characteristics that even Orthodoxy has - such as obedience, etc. I'm always like, dude, do you have no self awareness? Do you not see that some of those things are exactly why some people dismiss the Church? And that you need to provide more information or take a different approach altogether? So good one, Roosh.

Regarding point 4, Guru rediscovered ancient wisdom that was “lost”, this is really important to consider when discerning the truth; for the truth not only exists but is, by its/His very nature, powerful and affirmative, in which case, it’s/He's going to be open and upfront – something which hidden, secret or lost 'truths' have nothing in common with (which isn’t to say, of course, that everything which seems open and upfront is the truth)

Reply Like

click to expand...

... the other day the power went out at church and you couldnt really tell the difference nothing changed,

An amusing anecdote! :)

Reply 1 Like

any of the other shit that normal humans would want.

Please don't use foul language in your posts.

Reply 2 Likes

Please don't use foul language in your posts.

I agree that profanity should not be used and is disrespectful to God, but it is even more disrespectful to God to follow false prophets which is why I spoke with such vigor. To follow and desire the things of this world is to pursue shit not in a foul or profane sense, but literally feces. To go after the so called treasures or this world is the height of pain and folly. This is all I was saying brother.

Reply Like

Great thread. I thought this was an excellent interview with a former occultist who found Jesus Christ.

Reply Like

Indeed. The number one problem with most movements in general, not just religious ones, is hypocrisy.

The all famous "cognitive bias" that psychologists believe is what makes us human. Self contradiction. Not self denial. Rebelling against oneself through pride, arrogance and all the vices that come along with it. The physical always flows from the soul outwards. And the soul is nothing if it refuses God.

Somehow I believe that the Holy Spirit does not suffer from contradicting itself, like social psychology suggests men do.

And yes, any mystical style cult, where there is "secret knowledge", is one hundred percent Luciferian. You are led to believe that if you work hard enough you will see the Light. Not repent, but work as if you were studying a subject, and all of a sudden God will award you a PhD to reward your pride. Pride and desire rebels us against God.
We shouldn't desire anything but to forgive first and hopefully be forgiven second.

I see no mention of freemason style knowledge revelation, correct me if I'm wrong, in the New Testament and our Lord's words. Never did He say, obey me and I will reveal to you my Father's secrets progressively, if you want to rise above the masses.

Yes even He said certain things will be revealed at a different time. But the two commandments are of love, not of seeking knowledge.
Knowledge is power. Innocence has nothing to do with it. The apple is for the snake.

Knowledge through work type architecture is rebellion against God. Science and God have nothing to do with each other. You can't put God under a microscope.

The Holy Spirit knows everything. Inside the light of our Father all is known, and the word "question" and most importantly the word "knowledge" is meaningless. It is the existence of ignorance that creates knowledge, which is simply a hierarchy of the more or less ignorant.

Imagine everybody knows everything. What does knowledge mean then? Nothing. Knowledge is a word that rose after the Fall.

Knowledge isn't what our Lord gave us but wisdom. And it was not kept secret.

Finally, of course there is no good and evil, because these movements claim they will free their members. If they were in Heaven, I suppose they would be right. Nothing is good or evil in Heaven, because all is Love, and within our Fathers light no harm can exist, the thought of doing harm is simply non existent. Spirits that live in Heaven live freely. That is not anarchy but harmony.

But Earth isn't Heaven. Earth is Hells first floor.

Lucifer does exist. No you cannot lift the burden of freedom. This like Atlas lifting the sky. You will mess up and come crashing down after hybris, hurting everything around you and harming the love our Father entrusted you with.
We need guidance. We are proud to exist. We live in the world of the first person pronoun. In the world of laws, private property and money. None of which have anything to do with purity. Thus the mark of the Beast warning.
None but Christ have lived literally without any risk of temptation, completely pride proof.

Not only is it dangerously misleading to leave people helpless against temptation, but it is also stupid.

Imagine God as they do. A machine that grants you all you wishes and desires, just because you want it. Now imagine this "God" makes no difference between people. He just gives them what they want.

In comes a pedophile, a child and three cannibals. They all ask God for satisfaction. What on Earth is going to happen?

Pain.

Many don't want to know evil is evil is evil because they want their sin to be just right as they like it, cut to their tastes.

A little bit of sodomy, but not paedophilia. Or paedophilia, but not cannibalism.

Here's my take on all the nothing means nothing, morality is no morality, null-o-sophy.

Pain is real. Very real. There is pleasure and there is pain. And we're going to suffer all the pain that is necessary until you come to understand that there is more to life than our selfish desires. That is what good and evil is all about. Because if we don't avoid evil, pain and death come to remind us it does exist. Most people that believe nothing is evil haven't suffered enough or are Socrates. Socrates believed evil is not truly part of man but something outside of his nature that influenced him to do bad things, and the Athenians killed him for believing they were innocent. How horribly ironic and unfair. He didn't really condemn anyone. His views were rather forgiving for a philosopher. And that was only a man, not the Son of God.

Cheers Roosh!

Hallelujah

Reply 1 Like

click to expand...

Had a buddy of mine some years ago that was a pretty unconventional contrarian thinker. Was very red pilled.

One day he approached me after some time and asked if I wanted to do a bible study. I found it very out of character.

Anyway I show up to the bible study, and he has this notebook with like written passages in it. I knew something was weird. Then he started using terminology as "God the mother". As soon as it was over I went and looked up the phrase on the internet, and pretty much never talked to him again.

It turns out he was a "moonie", or member of the World Unification Church of God, a Korean cult that believes its founders were basically God incarnate. It was really sad to see one of coolest friends became a zombie, obsessed with this fake church/ cult. The worst part is they take all your money, make you live in a community with others in a dorm, and go out and preach this false religion to people. Pretty sure that's what happened to him...

Reply 2 Likes

click to expand...

There are so many fake gurus and new age movements today. In the article you mention Osho and Allen Watts. Watts wasn't really malicious but was obviously human with human shortcomings. Osho seems like a half baked mystic who had delusions of grandeur and didn't overcome sexual temptation.

Real teachers draw attention to God in all his glory, never their limited body or form, and they never want money, sex, fame, or any of the other shit that normal humans would want. "Sadhguru" is a good example of a bogus guru that tons of normies like today. Dude is a good marketer.

That being said there are real saints and God men that commune with the divine and let us realize him. They are rare though. Saint Francis was one. Yogananda wrote a translation of the gospels called The Second Coming of Christ which brought me to tears and spoke of Jesus's glory with his Los Angeles disciples. Ramana Maharshi was God realized and beyond name, fame, sex, and temptation. Krishna was obviously a Christ like figure and was a prior advent of the Messiah. But for every genuine guru, I've found there are at least 1,000 frauds.

But yeah, it's rare to find such a being. If you can't find a God realized being, best to simply stick to Jesus in your heart. I have not found any modern teachers who I trust 100% so I stick to letting Jesus drive my life as much as I can.

It's unfair to reply because I suppose you can't because you're banned but here it goes :

The actual proof of divinity is through miracles.

The first miracle is what is not forgotten.

Time erases everything. Yet 20 centuries later, the story of a poor man who lived in Israel and was crucified lives on.

Crucifixion was fairly common back in the day as the death penalty was fully present and the cross was not invented for Christ but already existed long ago.

It is not enough that He was destined to be remembered for so long afterwards, but we even measure time after His birth.

2022 years, give or take insignificant human calculations of the calendar.

Churches all over the world in His name. Billions of people worshiping him at least in identity, if not from Heart.

All of this human glory for Jesus Christ of Nazareth, a peasant who called himself Son of God.

His story is the shortest story in length and yet so many things are written about Him. Most art is directly or indirectly related to Him. Literature changed. Civilisation was transformed. Historians twist their crooked tongues over why such a simple story is so mighty. But none of us care. The truth shall set us free, He said. Not history or logic. The Truth.

You can say whatever you want about other incarnations. Nobody was ever this lucky.

And if you believe Destiny does not exist, I'd say you're in Hell already.

Even if we go by reason, it is stupid to say Jesus Christ is not the most glorious human being who ever lived. Even Muslims recognise him as a prophet. And they are second to him.

What business does a man named Yogananda have translating the Gospels anyway. Was he the best translator available? Why do we need to translate what has already been translated so many times? Blood has been spilled over where to put a comma or a dot by the clergy and here we are doing translations. Like it's a newfound relic of a the past. Next thing you know we will make a remaster of it. We'll call it Bible 2.0

I'm sure the WEF must be salivating at the thought, with the Pope working on how to destroy the indestructible.

Edit again:

Ok so I actually went to look for this Bible 2.0 made by Yogananda. I won't link to it because brother Roosh is suffering enough trying to keep the forum free of wolves. I hope I'm doing no harm here by talking about it. Here's a funny quote from the book. The man claims he saw Christ in a vision. I'd love to assume it's true but here's the problem :

From Yogananda :

The gospel tells us that John the Baptist had said to the people, “I indeed
baptize you with water unto repentance, but He that cometh after me is mightier
than I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. He shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost and with fire.” Jesus, being high in spiritual advancement, obeyed the law of
temporary purity
signified by baptism by water. But immediately following His
baptism by water, He was also baptized by the Spirit. The real, advanced Guru asks
his disciple first to bathe his body with water, and then after the body feels the
influence of temporary cleanliness and purity, he baptizes him with Spirit.

Jesus is not high in spiritual advancement brother. Christianity isn't yoga, where continual growth through reincarnation is recognised as a possibility. To is Christians, Lord Jesus Christ is King, and there is only one King.

That does not mean we can't all "be Jesus" I suppose like Yogananda would say, by following his example. But Christ remains King. He is the first of us all.

There is a very very big problem that happens when Hindu or Buddhist ideas mix with Christianity. It completely neutralises the Faith.
Choose your path. If you want to go the Hindu way do it that way. I don't believe it is damnation, because so many people are not Christian. I believe not sinning is what matters and many people may be loving without having read the Bible. But please don't make blends of the Faith.

The blood of Christ and the communion is not about meditation.

Christ was not working hard to be the Son of God, like you yogis are. He wasn't doing pranayama. And I actually have done yoga. But not as a faith. I am familiar with Hindu texts. They are so unclear to us westerners and so natural to eastern people that it is a disaster for us to read them. I see too much confusion from this.

Sadly they could say the same thing about us because so many bad things have been done by Christians, so there is a lesson. But let us not mix yoga and the Bible.

Plus the man goes on to say that a soul is free when it is free of the influences of the world, which is true, but how do you quantify that ?

Christ is said to have walked on water. I believe He did.

There are sacred Hindu texts they speak of miracles. Those are much older than the Bible. Assuming they are true, because I don't like condemning anything, since it was before Christ, my guess is that the Father saw that they were unable to provide the salvation needed.

The Lord mentions our Father sending prophets and the like to talk his children out of evil.

Not only that but the spirit of Satan is not clearly defined in the eastern spirituality. It is kind of hard to navigate these waters and I think most people simply drown in the mist. The Bible is just too banal for people.

Reply 1 Like

click to expand...

Just to add one more thing on that eastern way to look at the Lord:

Yogananda says Jesus had karma in his life. He does not understand our religion at all. He is simply caught up in his own eyes, seeing the Bible through his own beliefs. So he is not that enlightened my friend. Because if there is not one thing Jesus did not have at any point in His life, from birth, with the Immaculate conception, to death with His resurrection, is karma.

Karma is the eastern equivalent of sin. It's what you owe for having an ego.

Christ was without sin from A to Omega. This is Christianity 101. People get such important facts of the Faith wrong and then write books making milkshakes of the Holy Bible. I'm not for censorship but this is gross. Stop trying to interpret the Bible through the Hindu belief system. It is misleading and useful to Satan, who will make quick work of your spirituality.

Only God knows why He allows other faiths to exist. But mixing them together is exactly what the Antechrist wants. No thanks

Reply Like

click to expand...

It turns out he was a "moonie", or member of the World Unification Church of God, a Korean cult

That's still around? I first heard about it many moons ago (pun intended). Their founder's name is Rev. Sun Yung Moon, IIRC. Thus the nickname "moonies".

Reply 1 Like

Great article @Roosh.

2 pieces really hit me:

  • There is no objective morality or truth
  • A snippet of scripture or historical text is taken completely out of proportion.

There is no objective morality or truth
Especially the first one, there is no objective morality or truth, is so pervasive. They say you believe this, I belief this. Even within the church many people think it is a belief, a religion. This is a horrendous falsity in my opinion, which is the source of a lot of evil. It's leaving the door open for the devil. It makes lazy. If there is no objective truth why even worry? I think we are in the business of separating truth from lies. And I think we need to be very diligent in that matter. Open to learn, open to share, because only the truth will set us free in a world full of lies.

A snippet of scripture or historical text is taken completely out of proportion
In worldly society I see this so much. People have heard 1 or 2 things about scripture. 1 quote and that becomes the foundation of their unbelief. I had an interesting conversation with a girl who grew up as Catholic who turned atheist feminist.

She referred to:
1 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

She thinks the church and religion is cause of all wars and the "paternalistic" society. 1 quote, without thorough reading, enrages her.

Minutes after the woman told me she is very emotional, the one moment, she wants this, the next moment that, and I just couldn't help laughing, so I ask: "you mean you like someone next to you, you is calm." "Yes" she said. I pulled up the text and read it with her. What do you think this means?

About truth
I also met a freemason recently who told me about their rituals, the man is a non-practicing catholic. He told me someone always starts with a presentation. And the people in the lodge talk about it. I found this funny. Why would it be interesting to listen to a person? I have been practicing Lectio Divina with a group of lay people and monks.

It's fascinating, reading scripture, meditation, sharing about it, and a monk present providing a depth we can't find as laymen. This practice has showed me more and more how this scripture is holy. It is easy to spend 2 hours on 8 lines of scripture with a group. Learn a lot and still be mystified. The scripture works. It's beautiful to be so close to the word of God and see how it works differently in different people.

Scripture is hard a rock. So solid.

It makes we think, why listen to man? Why not listen to Gods word? And talk about that as men, to help each other grow. Let Christ be our rock, instead of man's creation which it is in freemasonry.

Reply 2 Likes

click to expand...

But Earth isn't Heaven. Earth is Hells first floor.

Earth is Purgatory.

Reply 2 Likes

That's still around? I first heard about it many moons ago (pun intended). Their founder's name is Rev. Sun Yung Moon, IIRC. Thus the nickname "moonies".

Seriously?

Reply 1 Like