Category Archives: Cults and Heresies

Native American Religion

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Beginning in the 1960’s and 70’s, and continuing since then, there has been a growing interest in nature and the environment.  The concern with nature is not only ecological and scientific, but also spiritual.  A “return to nature” and a belief in an inherent spirituality in nature itself has become commonplace among many people.  Many new religions stress the importance of nature (and sometimes nature worship) in their belief systems.  These new religions often look back to more primitive, tribal religions for their inspiration.  The belief systems of the First Nations of the American continent are a primary source for this purpose.  As Jacob Needleman said many years ago in The New Religions:  “In all this the American Indian stands as a paradigm.  His way was a way in nature.”  Continue reading →

Iglesia ni Cristo

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It is the third largest religious group in the Philippines, after Roman Catholicism and Islam.  It is known for its impressive church architecture, with ornate decoration and soaring spires.  It is a growing church, and now has congregations in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, China, Latin America, Africa, England, Italy and the U.S.  It is called the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), which in the Tagalog language means Church of Christ. Continue reading →

Islam and Mormonism

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Through the years quite a number of people writing about Mormonism have noted similarities between Islam and the LDS Church.  As early as 1831 critics of Joseph Smith compared him to Muhammad.  Smith himself was known to make the same comparison.  In the midst of the so-called “Mormon War” of 1838 Joseph defied his enemies by declaring:  “I will be to this generation a second Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran [Koran] or the Sword.’  So shall it eventually be with us — ‘Joseph Smith or the Sword!’ ”

In light of this, we have prepared a chart listing some of the similarities between Islam and Mormonism.  We hope you will find this interesting and informative.  Just click here to view the chart of Similarities Between Islam and LDS.

Witnessing to the Witnesses

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What do you do when a Jehovah’s Witness shows up on your doorstep?  Do you turn the TV off, close the curtains and pretend that you are not home?  Instead of going into a “raise the drawbridge” mode, how about sharing your faith with the Witness knocking on your front door?  Here are some tips on how to do this effectively.

  1. Focus on essential doctrines: The Trinity, the nature of Christ (especially His deity), the bodily resurrection, and salvation by grace.

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Members Church of God International

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The official name of this group is the Members Church of God International.  It is also often referred to as Ang Dating Daan (ADD), which translates as “The Old Path,” the name of its international TV broadcast.  Members are sometimes called ADD after the broadcast name.

 The MCGI developed out of an indigenous Filipino cult known as the Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Support of the Truth) which was started in 1928 by Nicolas Antiporda Perez.  Perez’s church was, in turn, an offshoot of Felix Manalo’s Iglesia Ni Cristo.  Perez led his church as the first Presiding Minister until his death in 1975.  Eliseo Soriano, an ordained minister in the Perez’s church, left the group in 1976 to start his own organization—which he asserted was the true church of God.  Soriano reformed the church in 1980 as the Mga Kaanib Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan sa Bansang Pilipinas (Members Church of God in Christ Jesus the Pillar and Ground of the Truth in the Philippines).  Under Perez the church had consisted of a single local congregation of about 100 members.  Under the leadership of Soriano, this new church has grown into an international organization.  The church has over 5000 local congregations in the Philippines, and can be found in about 100 other countries.  Some estimate that there may be as many as one million members worldwide.  The name of the group was officially changed to the Members Church of God International (MCGI) in 2004. Continue reading →