Category Archives: Cults and Heresies

Watchtower: False Prophet

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Question: “I have heard that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have made many false prophecies about the return of Jesus. Is this true?” (G. in Pennsylvania)

My Answer: Yes. Indeed, making false predictions about the Second Coming and Armageddon has become part of the culture of the Watchtower. This is not an insignificant issue. Remember what the Bible says in Deut. 18:22, “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.” If someone makes a false prophecy, and they have claimed to be a prophet of God, then they are false prophets and are not to be listened to. Do the Witnesses claim to be the prophet of God? Yes, they do. Continue reading →

Group Snapshot: Transcendental Meditation

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Imagine that by just sitting quietly for 20 minutes two times a day and easily chanting a simple, “meaningless” word you can alter your heart rate, lower your stress level, change your thinking, revitalize your physical body, and achieve spiritual bliss. Wow! Sign me up. As overly simplistic as this sounds, it is one of the basic claims that Transcendental Meditation, or TM, has been making for the past 40+ years.

TM is a popularized and simplified form of Hindu practice that was brought to the West by a Hindu guru called Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The Maharishi (meaning “great sage”) was catapulted onto the world stage in the late 60’s by the Beatles. Soon TM was all the rage among rock musicians and film celebrities. Its claims to positively affect the physical and mental health of practitioners caused it to be taught in government institutions, from elementary schools to federal prisons. It main PR approach was that it was not a religious exercise, but a mental health discipline—available to anyone. Continue reading →

Snapshot: Soka Gakkai/Nichiren Shoshu

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Recently someone brought me a flyer that had been posted on a public bulletin board at the University of Virginia. It was advertising a meeting of those interested in learning about Soka Gakkai. The flyer promoted an “Engaged Buddhism for a Changing World” and “The Key to Unshakable Happiness.” This meeting was to be the kick off for a Soka Gakkai club, and attendees were invited to “join other bodhisattvas on our shared journey toward enlightenment.”

Okay, I can hear you now… Huh? Let me explain. Continue reading →

What is a cult?

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We live in a culture where the word cult has become pretty much anti-PC. We not supposed to call any group a cult… unless it is some really wacked-out fringe group obviously controlled by a total nut job. Jim Jones? Cult! Heaven’s Gate? Cult! David Koresh? Cult! But the Mormons? Oh, my… let’s not be unkind. Jehovah’s Witnesses or Christian Scientists? Well, maybe misguided… but really not such bad folks. Let’s not label them with the “C” word. UGH!

In this religious climate, it is important to once again consider what a cult really is. Continue reading →

Is Hell Temporary or Eternal?

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Note: This posting is somewhat lengthier than most of those dealing with cultic groups and false teachings. However, the nature of the subject warrants a more in-depth consideration than normal.

There is a growing trend in some Christian circles to question whether hell is truly eternal, or only temporary. Generally it is asserted that a loving God would not condemn anyone to an eternal punishment. This is a serious enough issue that it needs to be addressed.

The first point that must be made is that we have only one genuine and reliable authority for deciding this issue. This is the Bible, the Word of God.

Second, it is obvious that much of real issue concerns the terms used in the Scriptures for hell and eternal destruction. Much of this study will concern the meaning of these terms and how to properly understand them. Continue reading →