Trevor Ray Slone ICST 7313D Introductions to Cults and World Religions April 8, 2012 Questions and Answers for Chapters 7-9 World Religions and Cults 101 textbook Questions and Answers for Chapter 7: Hinduism 1. Q: What is the primary appeal of Hinduism in North America? Give three examples of Hindu beliefs that have infiltrated popular culture. Is it possible to practice the beliefs of Hinduism without calling yourself a Hindu? A: The primary appeal of Hinduism in North America is that it is a Designer religion, a religion that you can pick and choose what you want to believe and worship. 1 This appeal, namely that we can pick and choose what to believe and worship, is a primary example of a Hindu belief that has infiltrated popular culture. Another one is the idea of reincarnation. 2 Another Hindu belief/practice that has infiltrated our culture, in my opinion, is the caste system. 3 While it is not a law in our society, many, many people in our culture only associate themselves with people who have similar jobs, incomes, beliefs, and so on, which is very indicative of the caste system. Our society, especially the American government and the people in charge of our country, has also made it incredibly difficult for people to move from one caste to another (at least in terms of income), with issues like the cost of professional education, typical wages, how hard it is to get into a workers union without knowing someone on the inside, and so on. I personally think that the last part of this question is dumb, and that it doesn t really matter, and the textbook certainly does not address this issue that I can recall, but of course one can practice whatever religion they want and call themselves whatever they wish, so yes, you can practice Hinduism without calling yourself a Hindu. 2. Q: Explain the caste system. Has this been a positive or a negative outgrowth of Hinduism? Why? A: The caste system is a system of social classes that has a set of rules called Varna. The Brahmins (Priests), are at the top of the caste system, followed by the Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), the Vaisyas (merchants and artists), and the Shudras (slaves). Within each of these four castes were hundreds of subcastes, each with a certain rank. 1 Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, World Religions and Cults 101, (Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2002), 149. 2 Ibid, Page 151. 3 Ibid, Page 153.
Only the top three castes were allowed to practice Hinduism. 4 If you were in a certain caste, you were strongly encouraged to remain within that caste, only affiliating yourself with people within your particular caste. This is a negative outgrowth of Hinduism, as with the majority of any non-christian religion because it pulls people away from the worship of the One true God, our Lord Jesus Christ. This particular issue (the caste system), is negative because it causes arrogance of the higher classes, it demeans the people in the lower classes, it treats some people subhumanly, such as the Untouchables who were below the slaves (Shudras) and were treated as dirty, filthy animals, 5 and it denies the essential dignity of all human beings, who are created in the image of God. 3. Q: In what contexts do you hear people use the word karma? What do you think people really mean when they use it? Is there a place for the concept of karma in Christianity? Why or why not? A: I hear people use the term karma all the time, in a wide variety of places and contexts. Many Christians use the term and have no idea what its origin is, which irritates me greatly. Most people mean something to the extent of What goes around comes around when they use the term. There is a place in Christian theology for such a concept, although it is different. Christians do not teach that our next life is totally dependent on our deeds in this life, nor do they believe or teach the idea of reincarnation that is so closely tied to the concept of karma either. Elmer Towns discusses the Judgment seat of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment for the saved and the unsaved at the end of time. He points out that the Scriptures make it clear that we will all be rewarded or punished for all eternity based on our works here on earth 6 (this is of course besides the fact of whether or not we go to Heaven or Hell, as that is decided solely on the basis of whether or not we have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit due to having faith in Jesus Christ). He also cites 2 Corinthians 5:10 which says: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil (ESV). This Judgment seat is only for the believers. The Great white Throne Judgment is for the unbelievers, in which case Towns cites Revelation 20:12 which says: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done (ESV). These verses make it clear that whether we are Christians or not, our eternity still, to some extent, rests on our actions and thoughts in this life. Few people, especially Christians, are aware of this reality, but it is clear in the Scriptures that not everyone will experience the same level of joy in Heaven, nor will everyone in Hell experience the same level of torment. I truly believe that God did this 4 Ibid, 153. 5 Ibid, 154. 6 Elmer Towns, Theology for Today, (Mason: Cengage Learning, 2008), 793-795.
partially so that Christians are less likely to become complacent in their faith and lives, being content with going to Heaven. But it is not just the afterlife that is affected by our earthly lives according to the Bible. Deuteronomy chapter 28 makes it abundantly clear that God will curse those who do not follow His instructions, and He will bless those who do follow His instructions. There is nothing in the NT to indicate that God does not still operate in this fashion today. Few Christians seem to be aware of this reality either, which is very sad. I truly think that if more Christians became aware of these realities there would be revival in the land. Maybe I will write an article about this issue in the near future. Yes, I think I will. 4. Q: Many people who want nothing to do with God practice yoga meditation. What s the appeal of yoga? What kind of common ground could you find with someone who practices yoga? A: Well, the definition that the textbook gives for yoga is Physical or mental means to achieve unity with the Universal Soul. 7 The Universal Soul is known as Brahman. 8 I don t think that most Western people that are not interested in God or pantheism think about the original or intended purpose of yoga. I think most of them just do it to stretch their muscles and stay healthy, and that seems to be the appeal of yoga for most Westerners. Unfortunately this is how most Westerners view pretty much everything in their lives, mindlessly. It is important to know what you are doing and the origin of it, especially when it has religious implications ( I am not insinuating the genetic fallacy here. Something is not inherently bad simply because of its origin). The Scriptures make it clear that demons are the gods (idols) who are served by other religions, 9 and so even in a situation like with yoga where it is essentially the Brahman that is being indirectly worshiped, there is demonic activity at work. We, as Christians, need to avoid yoga altogether. The Scriptures never tell us to meditate in that way, but rather the only meditation that the Scriptures discuss is meditation on and over the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 2:7 says, Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything (ESV). Also, Proverbs chapter 2 tells us to store up God s commandments within us, and Psalm 119:11 tells us, I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (ESV). These passages and others extol us to meditate on and store up the things of God and on His Word, the Bible. This is the only type of spiritual meditation that we should be doing according to the Scriptures. I do not see any place for common ground with someone who practices yoga, regarding yoga, other than stressing the need to stretch (as a former personal trainer I know that this is important, especially as one gets older). 7 Bickel and Jantz, Cults 101, 165. 8 Ibid, 164. 9 This information is from my other class at Temple Baptist Seminary right now, Angelology, Anthropology, and Hamartiology. The information comes from my teacher s unpublished lecture notes in lectures 7 and 8. The teachers name is Michael L. Chiavone.
5. Q: Explain how the Hindu concept of many gods conflicts with its belief in one ultimate reality. A: If all is God, then there cannot be many different gods. 10 It cannot be said much plainer than that. 6. Q: Is reincarnation defensible from a rational standpoint? Why or why not? A: No, reincarnation is not defensible from a rational standpoint, because we have no empirically verified knowledge of life after death. Sure one could come up with some supposed evidence for it, but it would only be hearsay and not proof. But Christians would do well to remember that our beliefs in Heaven and Hell are also not defensible from a rational standpoint either, unless we posit the first principle of divine revelation as our starting point. 7. Q: Using the God of Vishnu, how would you explain Jesus Christ to a Hindu? A: While explaining the many differences at the same time, I would stress the similarities between Jesus and Krishna, who is said to be an incarnation of Vishnu. I would also stress the similarity between the relationship that those who follow Krishna have with Krishna (a personal and dependent relationship) with the relationship that Christians have with Jesus (a personal and dependent relationship). I would stress the fact that Jesus was the incarnation of the One true God (the God that preserves, although He is much more than that), just like what they believe about Vishnu (the god who is said to preserve) and about Krishna being an incarnation of Vishnu. Questions and Answers for Chapter 8: Buddhism 1. Q: Tell the Story of Siddhartha Gautama. A: Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha, was born in the sixth century B.C. into a rich family as a prince. There are miraculous stories about the time and events surrounding his birth, but the sources for such stories are four to six hundred years removed from the events, and so they cannot necessarily be trusted as reliable. 11 His father wanted him to become a great world leader, and so he kept him inside the palace at all times to protect him from getting hurt (This is dumb to me, for a man who lacks real world experience can never truly become a great world leader). Eventually he married a princess and they continued to live within the palace walls, but one night he convinced his chariot driver to take him for a ride outside the palace walls. While he was outside of the palace he saw many kinds of people and things that he had never seen before, including an old and a dying man, which gave him a new perspective on life. So he eventually left his wife and children and ran off into the woods to become a holy man (ironic isn t it? He abandoned his wife and kids to become holy). After depriving himself for many years, he finally became 10 Bickel and Jantz, Cults 101, 161. 11 Ibid, 174.
12 Ibid, 174. 13 Ibid, 172-174. 14 Ibid, 174-176. 15 Ibid, 175. 16 Ibid, 176. enlightened when he realized that life must be lived in moderation (why this is so profound that it gets someone into Nirvana I don t know. It seems more like common sense to me, although maybe it wasn t back then). Hence, he became the first Buddha, which means the Enlightened One. 12 He then spent the rest of his life teaching the right way to live (in his mind) to others. 13 2. Q: What are the principles of the way of the middle? A: There are Four Noble Truths, which include: 1) Life is all about suffering; 2) The cause of suffering is our desire and greed; 3) There is a way to overcome our desire and greed; 4) The path to happiness and relief of suffering is an eight-step process. This eight-step process consists of three qualities that need to be attained, which include: 1) The quality of wisdom; 2) The quality of mental discipline; 3) The quality of ethical conduct. 14 3. Q: In what ways do the Four Nobel Truths produce a better individual? How do these principles contribute to a better society for all of humanity? A: Well, the first noble truth is rooted in the idea of reincarnation, 15 and since reincarnation is not real, this truth is ultimately meaningless, since at its core it is meaningless and false. Of course there is lots of suffering in the world, but that is certainly not what life is about, especially not according to the Bible. The second truth is closer to the truth, but even it falls short of ultimately conveying truth, since the Bible makes it perfectly clear that the reason for suffering is sin, not greed, hatred, or ignorance (although those are three forms that sin can take). The third truth is also rooted in the idea of overcoming the cycle of reincarnation, and so it too is ultimately meaningless. The final truth which is tied to the three essential qualities seems more helpful to society, although the second quality stresses eastern meditation, which we have already seen (in the previous chapter questions above) is evil. Also, quality 3 stresses refraining from speech that is hurtful to other people. 16 This kind of thinking has essentially destroyed western society. Sure if we are talking about hurting people in the biblical sense then yes I agree that this would be helpful to society and a good thing to restrain from, but Buddhists, and most westerners, do not think of hurting people in biblical terms, which is made clear by the very philosophies that they espouse and influence, such as relativism and postmodernism. In these philosophies anything that anyone deems oppressive, which includes rules, laws, and truth claims in general, are considered hurtful and so they are fought against heavily. This leaves absolutely no room for the Bible, since it claims to be the very Word of God, the absolute truth. Also, the first quality includes right understanding (of the
17 Ibid, 176. 18 Ibid, 178. world and reality as it is), 17 and right thoughts (purifying the mind and heart through thoughts of unselfishness and compassion). This right understanding is, in this context, the Buddhist understanding of the world, which is false, since they believe in reincarnation, Nirvana, and all of the other things that they believe that do not match up with what the Bible says about reality (I do not have time here to defend the reliability of the Bible, but there are many great books and videos that do so and I would refer anyone who questions the validity of the Bible to those resources). And purifying the mind and heart through thoughts of unselfishness and compassion goes against what the Bible says also, for the Bible tells us in Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (ESV). If you look at the Bible as a whole you will see that purifying or renewing your mind comes only through prayer, confession, forgiveness, and dwelling on the Scriptures (the Christian Scriptures, the Bible), not by thinking happy thoughts as Peter Pan would say. And so in the end I do not see how any of these four noble truths can truly benefit society in any way, shape, or form, for God does not want a happier, less suffering, pleasant to live in society for us here on earth. He simply wants everyone everywhere to worship Him and Him alone, and only through that can we truly have a better society, which will not happen until the Millennium. 4. Q: If Jesus Christ was having dinner with Buddha and the conversation turned to theology, what things would they agree about? What would be their points of disagreement? A: I don t mean to sound disrespectful, but this question shows the ignorance of the people who wrote this book. I realize that one of them is an attorney and the other is a marketing consultant (neither of them seem to have Christian schooling credentials), and I realize that Dr. Craig Hazen helped them write this book, and I realize that they did a lot of great scholarly research for this book, but this question is stupid. Theology is the study of God, and Buddha put absolutely no stress on God whatsoever. Dr. Hazen even points out at one point in this chapter that Buddhism is at its base an atheistic and nihilistic religion. 18 Henceforth, the teachings of Buddhism ultimately deny that God exists, and so there can be no meaningful talk of theology with a Buddhist, since theology, like I said, is the study of God. So, there would be no points of agreement, and probably no points of disagreement, because it seems that Buddha did not think about or talk about God. If this conversation were to take place though, it is obvious that Buddha would either disagree with everything Jesus said regarding theology, or, in typical eastern fashion, say something to the effect of, So that is your truth? Nice. So now let me tell you my truth.
5. Q: At what point in the reincarnation process will a Buddhist know for certain that his or her faith is true? When is this point of certainty reached for a Christian? A: I think these are also bad questions, because neither for the Buddhist nor for the Christian can one s faith be verified. Faith by definition necessitates a lack of proof. That is not to say that one cannot be reasonably certain, due to available evidences that support your beliefs, but if there were actual proof, then one would no longer have faith, but empirically verified knowledge. Therefore the Buddhist cannot ever be certain, truly certain, that his or her faith is true, and neither can the Christian, at least not in this life before Jesus returns, at which point everyone who is a Christian will know for certain that their faith is true, and everyone who is not a Christian will know that their faith is false (no matter how much they may argue otherwise). As a Christian I will be the first to say that I believe with all of my being that Christ is real and that my faith in Him is justified, but I would never, in this life, say that it is absolutely one hundred percent true, because if someone asked me to prove it I could only give them evidence, but never proof, not in this life. The Buddhist is in the same position on this matter. But that is not all, for truth is ultimately not a category that faith can fit into. I have faith in Jesus is a true statement, just as The Buddhist has faith that what he believes is true can also be a true statement, but all of the appropriate (non-postmodern) definitions of truth revolve around the idea of being fact or being correct, and no religious faith can be proven to be fact or correct until the end of time, but rather only evidence can be provided in support of such faith. So while one s religious faith may indeed be true, he cannot know that it is true, not in this life. I am not condoning philosophical skepticism. I am simply saying that until the end of time no religious faith can be proven to be true. It can only be proven to be probable or improbable. 6. Q: Contrast the Ten Commandments with the Ten Precepts. Explain how one is designed to show how we fall short of Gods standard, while the other is a checklist for rising to a higher spiritual level. A: I think it would be pointless to simply relist the Ten Commandments and the Ten Precepts at this point, as that would not accomplish anything. I also do not think that the authors at this point on this question have really left much for me to say, which I think is pretty unfair considering that this is an assignment for class for a grade. How else can I explain how one is designed to show how we fall short of God s standard, while the other is a checklist for rising to a higher spiritual level than to simply repeat all of that again? The only thing that there really is to add is that it is the Ten Commandments that show we fall short of God s standard, and it is the Ten Precepts that Buddhists use to try and attain a higher spiritual level. Other than that the authors pretty much gave the answer in the question. 7. Q: How does Zen meditation differ from the Bible s instruction to meditate on God s Word?
A: For one, Zen is different from meditating on the Bible in that it uses ridiculous, nonsensical phrases to try and get you to think, such as What is the sound of one hand clapping? 19 The authors call this statement and others like it paradoxical, but in reality it is nonsensical. It is an illogical question, because clapping in this sense necessarily requires two hands, and so if there is only one hand there can be no clapping. The Bible, on the other hand, is filled with nothing but truth, which is by nature rational and logical. Also, Zen meditation is meant to be meditation on the self for the purpose of becoming enlightened and for heightening the senses, while the Bible tells us to meditate on the Scriptures for the purpose of growing closer to God and so that we may become more sanctified (more holy and like God). Questions and Answers for Chapter 9: Eastern Philosophies 1. Q: Describe Confucianism in a single sentence. A: Confucianism is a pseudo-religion that is much more concerned about ethics than worship. 2. Q: Even though they are similar at points, what are the biggest differences between the proverbs of Confucius and the proverbs of the Bible? A: At the beginning of the book of Proverbs, the Bible recognizes that the beginning of wisdom is to understand that God exists and that we should revere Him first. 20 Confucius proverbs say nothing of the sort. 3. Q: What are some teachings of Confucius that Christians might embrace? A: Sadly most people who claim to be Christians these days know little about what they claim to believe, so who knows what they might embrace. Having said that, authentic Christians should embrace the ethical values that Confucius taught should be ingrained in our relationships, including proper conduct and etiquette (although this is very vague and needs to be expounded upon much more before a Christian should decide to embrace it), love between family members (although the Christians view of love will be a form of unconditional Christ-like love, unlike what Confucius had in mind no doubt, especially since Christ had not been born yet), righteousness, decency, and virtue (again all three of these terms must be heavily expounded upon before a Christian decides to embrace them, for different religions use the same terms in different ways, as we learned in the chapter about Mormonism), honesty and trustworthiness (these are fairly universal terms, but there could still be some ambiguity with them that needs to be discussed), kindness toward others (again ambiguous and in need of further expounding), and loyalty and faithfulness (also ambiguous and in need of further expounding). 19 Ibid, 183. 20 Ibid, 191.
21 Ibid, 194. 4. Q: Explain how Confucianism has been able to survive in Chinese culture despite periods of political oppression. A: The textbook simply mentions that it survived, 21 but does not mention why or how, so I must assume how myself. It seems to me that his teaching that people are inherently good and that if they are not oppressed then a society will flourish would be popular to all non-christians, and that is, in my opinion, probably why the teachings of Confucius prevailed in the midst of Chinese oppression. It sounds a lot like Pelagianism if you ask me, but of course Confucius lived many centuries before Pelagius did. Maybe Pelagius was influenced by Confucianism. After all, even though The Bible upholds the Reformed doctrines (also known as the Doctrines of Grace), Pelagianism in its various forms (including Arminianism) still survives as the dominant view among Christians to this day. There is something about the thought of being good on one s own that seems to make most humans wish that it were true, even though it isn t. The Bible says that the problem in all of this is pride and arrogance, and we all know that, but so few of us are willing to admit it. 5. Q: Read the Statement that summarizes the views of Mencius. Is there anything wrong with this statement? Do you agree or disagree with the belief of traditional Confuicianism that every person has the potential for realizing the four virtues of humanity, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. Why or why not? A: As one who holds to the Doctrines of Grace in all there splendor and greatness, I most certainly do have a problem with this statement. Of course natural man s intuition cannot be guided in a way that causes him to choose to do good and be virtuous on his own. Again that is essentially what Pelagius taught, with some minor differences. And so of course I do not agree with the belief that people have the inherent potential to be virtuous or righteous, no matter how one defines those terms (within the usual parameters for such definitions). God makes it clear all throughout the Bible that man is by nature evil and destined for wickedness. In Matthew 7:11 Jesus says, If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him (NIV)! In this verse Jesus calls those whom he is talking to evil, and there is no reason to assume that this statement is not meant to be universalized toward all of man, and so this verse and others clearly teach that man on his own most certainly cannot choose good or virtue or righteousness, for he is inherently evil.
6. Q: In what ways has Taoism become a part of western culture? Give two examples. A: All value judgments are relative is one of the interesting aspects of Taoist philosophy mentioned in the book. 22 This concept has most certainly become a part of the western culture. The idea of becoming one with nature has also invaded western culture. An example of the first, namely relative judgments, can be seen simply by going up to almost anyone under the age of fifty (or older) in America and telling them that you believe that premarital sex is wrong and then watching their reaction. Sure some of them might agree with you, but most of them, especially the younger ones, will tell you that that is just your opinion and that they believe differently. They will also most likely call you an oppressor, although most of them would not be intelligent or knowledgeable enough to know that particular term or what it means, and so they would use a simpler term such as stupid head or idiot or meany or whatever else they could conjure up. An example of the second (becoming one with nature) can be seen by movies like Avatar (2009). Of course the producer primarily got his inspiration for this movie from Hinduism, but the fact that the movie grossed more (money) than any other movie up until that point shows that people in our society are so used to things like getting in tune with nature that they either don t realize it when they hear or see it or they simply do not mind it anymore (if they ever did to begin with). 7. Q: Explain why the ancient beliefs of Shinto translate well into contemporary Japanese culture. A: This is because Shinto is focused on the present world, not the afterlife, and because there are so many kami (gods of and in nature) in the Shinto religion. 23 The book doesn t tell us anything about Japanese culture, nor does it expound on these statements, and so I have to take the authors word for this, since I do not have enough information to adequately decide whether or not these things would in fact make Shinto easy to translate into Japanese culture, and so I cannot explain this other than to repeat what the textbook says, which I have already done above. Selected Bibliography Bickel, Bruce, and Stan Jantz. World Religions and Cults 101. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2002. Chiavone, Michael L. Lectures 7 and 8 (unpublished). 2012. Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2008. 22 Ibid, 199. 23 Ibid, 202-203.