BUDDHISM - RELIGION OF INDIA STARTED BY BUDDHA TEACHING REINCARNATION
 It amazed me to find out how Buddhism is infiltrating our society. It often comes masked within the New Age Movement. ‘Buddhism’ is not the name this religion uses in the far east, no, the religion’s name is Buddha-Dharma. If the second half of that doesn’t look familiar to you, then, you are among the lucky few who have not seen one of ABC’s shows, “Dharma and Greg” ("Lost" is a more recent show that uses the name Dharma. ). I remember thinking the first time I heard of this particular show that she had a very strange name, now I know why. The premise of this show is that this couple; Dharma, a New Ager and highly enlightened individual, and Greg, a regular American guy with old fashioned and obsolete Christian values, must learn together how to handle married life. (Well, at least they are married). The television industry and movie industry alike are pushing Buddhism on us. A few years back there was a movie called “Little Buddha” where an American boy was discovered to be the next Buddha.

I for one would much rather have a Buddhist neighbor than an Atheist neighbor since the former, if true to his religion, would have the better morals. From an eternal standpoint, however, the Buddhist has no more hope than the Atheist. Buddhism does not acknowledge Christ as savior, in fact Buddhism teaches that man of his own accord, by his own will and determination can and must save himself. There are many in the religious world that would make this same accusation of the churches of Christ, and there may indeed be some among us who even believe that they can save themselves, BUT there is salvation in or by or through no one other than Jesus Christ. While the Bible teaches that certain works of faith are essential in order to obtain and keep salvation it also very clearly teaches that those works are not anything to boast about and in fact the works aren’t what saves us. It is quite a paradox. There are many in the religious world who may never be able to come to an understanding of how we must do something to receive a free gift.

Buddhism teaches many morals similar to those in the ten commandments and New Testament, but it also holds many dangerous pitfalls. Reincarnation is a foundational belief of Buddhism. The belief that we come back to this earth again and again in different forms is refuted quite simply by the Hebrews writer, (Heb 9:27) “And as it is appointed unto men ONCE to die, but after this the judgment:”.  The type of meditation done by it and other Eastern religions is also contrary to the Biblical pattern of meditation. King David said, (Psa 1:2) “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”  Paul told Timothy, (1 Tim 4:15) “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” The meditation approved of by David and Paul is focusing your mind upon something thinking intently about it and as a result gaining a better understanding. Buddhist and Eastern meditation on the other hand requires one to empty himself of all thoughts and if one is successful he will slip into Nirvana, which is their equivalent to heaven. The Bible does teach us to empty our minds of certain kinds of thoughts, but never are we to just blank out and become zombies.

There are many other dangers in Buddhism, but time and space fail me. Beware of these and search out others, for, Buddhism often comes disguised. Sometimes it even comes wearing Christian terminology.

BRAHMANISM - RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF THE HINDUS CHARACTERIZED BY PANTHEISM
Brahmanism like Christianity teaches that there is only one true God. Unlike Christianity it teaches that God IS the universe, the earth, the plants, the animals, and even us. That’s right, they don’t believe God created it all, they believe God is all. Their god is called Brahman, which is the name Americans have given to the cattle from India that is sacred to them, and a belief in Brahman is part of Hinduism (to be covered in the H’s).

The Brahmans hold the belief of animism - that all things have a spirit, and they consider many things sacred as a result. When you couple this with the belief that we come back in another animal form if we have not lived well enough, reincarnation, you have people who can’t help but be vegetarians for fear not only that they are eating God, but also that they might be eating grandma if they eat any animals.

There are a multitude of problems with this idea, but let us focus on just two. If this Brahman is God and we are all part of him, why don’t most of us know it? And, secondly, If we and all the universe are all God, how can there be evil, and more specifically, how can we be or do evil? As far as I know Brahmanism has never answered these two problems. The Brahmans, continue in their pursuit of living well enough that they will become literally part of Brahman and not have to come back to this life again. I guess the old saying, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ would certainly be their motto. Unfortunately, we only get one life in which to obey God. It seems that even though they say we are all supposed to be part of God, we must have some sort of amnesia, and can’t remember who we are. I don’t know how part of an all-knowing God could not know something that basic, but that is the logic behind Brahmanism. Secondly, the evil; most of the adherents to Brahmanism or its like have historically denied the existence of evil. Well, that’s easy enough, if you can’t explain it just deny it. As Christians, we understand that God often works so that even the evil is overcome with a good result, i.e. Jesus’ crucifixion, or trials that strengthen us. God and the Bible, however, never deny the existence of evil. How could anyone who has even heard of the planet earth, much less someone who lives here be so suckered in as to believe that there is no evil? It is clear to anyone who will examine the evidence that there is evil here. So, if the entire universe is God, or Brahman, and there is evil in the universe, then, Brahman must be at least partially evil. Ouch! I for one am glad that I am neither part of a god, nor do I serve a god that is evil. Let us praise the Creator, not the created. (Rom 1:22-25) “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, {23} And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. {24} Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: {25} Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”