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“The Religions are the Tributaries of One Great River”
“This concept [of unification] … does involve the development of a universal public consciousness which realizes the unity of the whole … It requires simply the recognition that all formulations of truth and of belief are only partial in time and space, and are temporarily suited to the temperaments and conditions of the age and race. Those who favor some particular approach to the truth will nevertheless achieve the realization that other approaches and other modes of expression and terminologies, and other ways of defining deity can be equally correct and in themselves constitute aspects of a truth which is greater and vaster than man’s present equipment can grasp and express.”
—Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul [Bailey's spirit guide, an "Ascended Master"]1
One thing leads to another in the (New Age) New Spirituality’s larger understanding of “truth.” Since “the One Truth” is believed to underlie every religion, they are all considered to be on different but equally valid paths (approaches) to God. This “unity in diversity” allows for everyone to keep their own theology and doctrinal convictions and worship “styles” as their own portion and expression of the “fullness of truth.” This is the New Spirituality’s false gospel of Oneness: “We are all one. Ours is not a better way, ours is merely another way.”
This Oneness is found in Theosophy (part of the “Ancient Wisdom”) taught by both Alice Bailey and H. P. Blavatsky. It includes the following widespread principles listed by the Blavatsky Net Foundation:
- “Brotherhood is a fact in nature. We are ONE at the highest spiritual component of our nature. We are sparks from one flame.”
- “The religions of the world are branches on the tree whose trunk is the one ancient - once universal - wisdom religion. The religions are the tributaries of one great river.”
- “Humanity’s potential is infinite and every being has a contribution to make toward a grander world. We are all in it together. We are one.” (Emphasis added)2
“The day is dawning when all religions will be regarded as emanating from one great spiritual source; all will be seen as unitedly providing the one root out of which the universal world religion will inevitably emerge. Then there will be neither Christian nor heathen, neither Jew nor Gentile, but simply one great body of believers, gathered out of all the current religions. They will accept the same truths, not as theological concepts but as essential to spiritual living; they will stand together on the same platform of brotherhood and of human relations; they will recognize divine sonship and will seek unitedly to cooperate with the divine Plan … Such a world religion is no idle dream but something which is definitely forming today.” —Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul (Bold added)3
The Master Deceiver’s Plan is indeed forming today. He is achieving tremendous success in neutralizing today’s Christianity. A poll conducted in early August 2005 for Newsweek and Beliefnet asked the question, “Can a good person who isn’t of your religious faith go to heaven or attain salvation, or not?” And 68% of Evangelical Protestants and 83% of Non-Evangelical Protestants answered, “YES”! There was virtually no difference between Evangelicals and Non-Christians of whom 73% answered, “Yes.”4
This is clearly indicative of the current departure from the faith (not a “spiritual awakening”) in the new broad-minded “Christianity.” This new “Christianity” that believes the world does not need to change its ways also believes that the world doesn’t even need to change its religion (faith). The world can stay in whatever religious faith—whatever path to God—it wants and just add a “relationship” with God to it.
“...You may be Catholic or Protestant or Buddhist or Baptist or Muslim or Mormon or Jewish or Jain, or you have no religion at all. I’m not interested in your religious background. Because God did not create the universe for us to have religion. He came for us to have a relationship with him.” —Rick Warren (Emphasis added)5
“I have known many people who believe in the Messiah of Jesus, regardless of what religion they are, because they believe in him. It’s about a relationship, not a religion. You’ve heard this many times.” —Rick Warren (Emphasis added)7
In both the (New Age) New Spirituality and the Purpose-Driven Paradigm, doctrinal views (theological creeds) and the faith of Christianity are irrelevant:
“One day you will stand before God, and he will do an audit of your life, a final exam, before you enter eternity.… God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views.” (PDL; p. 34; emphasis added)
“What is this church of Christ? It is constituted of the sum-total of all those in whom the life of Christ or the Christ-consciousness is to be found or is in process of finding expression; it is the aggregation of all who love their fellowmen, because to love one’s fellowmen is the divine faculty which makes us full members of Christ’s community. It is not the accepting of any historical fact or theological creed which places us en rapport with Christ.” —Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul(Emphasis added)8
“The Christ has no religious barriers in His consciousness. It matters not to Him of what faith a man may call himself.” —Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul (Emphasis added)9
“I happen to know people who are followers of Christ in other religions.” —Rick Warren (Emphasis added)10
Clearly, the message has changed! Rick Warren’s various statements render one’s religion irrelevant, even though he has acknowledged that all religions “have a different way to get to God”:
“...I have studied all the major religions … and they all just have a different way to get to God. Now, they are – anybody who has studied religions knows that they are mutually exclusive.” —Rick Warren (Emphasis added)11
Incidentally, Rick Warren has said, “Because I had been raised in a Christian home, I rejected it all, and I decided to study the religions of the world. I actually moved to Japan, and I studied Buddhism, Shintoism, Hinduism. I studied all the religions of the world.”12 Then he should know that religions aren’t just a “different way to get to God,” they follow different gods!
At the BWA [Baptist World Alliance]’s Centenary Congress, where the recurrent theme was “unity, unity, unity,”13 the following statements were made by Jimmy Carter and Rick Warren:
First, as is increasingly evidenced, not even professing Christians are still interested in Christendom. They and the world prefer Oneness because its relativism allows them to follow the path of their choice on the “label” (religion) of their choice. ... The definition of “Christian” is broadening, true to the Master Deceiver’s Plan:“One of the world’s most prominent Baptists, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, said the desire for oneness is a powerful force for global good. Differences of belief -- even among Muslims, Jews and Christians -- are outweighed by a common commitment ‘to truth …’ Carter said.” (Emphasis added)14
“I don’t see many people interested in Christendom. But I see a lot of people interested in God.” —Rick Warren16
Second, for all intents and purposes, when the beliefs and doctrines (which include theology) of all the different religions are bypassed as irrelevant, the following occurs:“It is here that the Church, as usually understood, meets its major challenge. Is it spiritual enough to let go of theology and … widen its horizon and recognize as truly Christian all who demonstrate the Christ spirit, whether they be Hindu, Mohammedan, or Buddhist, whether they are labeled by any name other than that of orthodox Christian?” —Alice Bailey (Emphasis added)17
• All gods become “one God” with different names and manifestations.
• Christianity is reduced to “merely another way” to Christ, or God.
The new gospel of Oneness is spreading, regardless of whether it is recognized as such, and regardless of whether it is deliberate. It is the (New Age) New Spirituality’s relativism that says there are many paths to Christ so it doesn’t matter which faith a person is in. God’s absolute truth makes it clear that believing and obeying the faith is nonnegotiable....
Furthermore, it is the Master Deceiver who is behind the lie that Jesus Christ is known by different names in the different religions (faiths). Contrarily, Jesus Christ is the only name given among men that saves. He does not appear as anyone else in any other religion.
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
To continue reading this informative chapter, go to http://inthenameofpurpose.org/chp18.htm
Copyright © 2006 Tamara Hartzell. All rights reserved.
Email Tamara: inthenameofpurpose@sbcglobal.net
Endnotes:
1. Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul, A Treatise on White Magic, Rule Ten - The New Group of World Servers, (Caux, Switzerland: Netnews Association and/or its suppliers, 2002), http://www.netnews.org/ -- http://laluni.helloyou.ws/netnews/bk/magic/magi1172.html.
2. “Checklist of Some Principles of Theosophy,” Blavatsky Net Foundation, http://www.blavatsky.net/theosophy/theosophy-checklist.htm.
3. Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul, Problems of Humanity, Chapter V - The Problem of the Churches, III. The Essential Truths, http://laluni.helloyou.ws/netnews/bk/problems/prob1056.html.
4. Newsweek/Beliefnet Poll Results, Beliefnet, http://www.beliefnet.com/story/173/story_17353_1.html?rnd=39. The Poll was “conducted for Newsweek/ Beliefnet by Princeton Survey Research Associates on August 2-4, 2005.”
5. United Nations, Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, September 2005, transcribed from the audio of Rick Warren’s message available at Lighthouse Trails Research Project, “The New Missiology—Keep Your Own Religion, Just Add Jesus” at http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newmissiology.htm; below Rick Warren’s quote -- “Listen to entire transcript.”
7. Interview with Rick Warren, CNN Larry King Live, Aired December 2, 2005, Transcript, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/02/lkl.01.html.
8. Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul, The Reappearance of the Christ, Chapter IV - The Work of the Christ Today and in the Future, http://laluni.helloyou.ws/netnews/bk/reappearance/reap1020.html.
10. Aspen Ideas Festival, The Aspen Institute, July 6, 2005, “Discussion: Religion and Leadership,” with David Gergen and Rick Warren, http://www.aspeninstitute.org/site/c.huLWJeMRKpH/b.901097/k.C0C7/Agenda.htm. Transcribed from the audio available at Lighthouse Trails Research Project, http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletternovember05.htm.
11. Rick Warren’s public address, “Election 2004: a New Spiritual Awakening,” March 9, 2005, at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/press/press%20releases/2005/warren_030705.htm. Transcribed from the audio available at The Saguaro Seminar: Civic Engagement in America, at http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/saguaro/.
12. As quoted in Discussion “Myths of the Modern Mega-Church,” May 23, 2005, the Pew Forum’s biannual Faith Angle conference on religion, politics and public life, Event Transcript, http://pewforum.org/events/index.php?EventID=80.
13. “A World of Baptists” by Greg Warner, Associated Baptist Press, 8/5/05, The Baptist Standard, http://www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=3720; quoting Denton Lotz, BWA General Secretary.
14. Ibid.
16. As quoted in “Rick Warren: Global Baptists ‘are all in this together’” by Trennis Henderson, Western Recorder, Baptist Congress Today, July 30, 2005, http://www.bwanet.org/Congress/congresstoday29f.htm.
Source: http://www.crossroad.to/Excerpts/books/in-name-of-purpose/18-0ne-god-many-paths.htm
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