FALSE RELIGIONS

FABRICATED IDEOLOGYS
 Introduction

False Religions

What exactly is a false religion? How would we go about defining one? This would seem like such an easy
question, but in the age that we live in much has become complicated. There tends to be a state of
universalism now extent among us, meaning that people are now being massaged into spiritual sleep
regarding contemplation on their eternal destination.

They are falsely led to believe that ‘all roads lead to the top of the mountain.’ But what if you are at the
wrong mountain? Then whatever road you may use for transportation would be fruitless as you are at the
wrong location.

We must use the standard of Allah when judging all things, not merely what we think to be best. For if eternal
truths have been laid down, that would of course necessitate that those things outside of those time
honoured principles would be false. And if those things are false, this would mean that following it would
result in divine judgement, something that no sane and sincere human being desires.

Perhaps we should examine exactly what Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has to say about other religions?
Let us allow Him to speak in His Word and tell us the affair in our midst,

This Day I have perfected your religion for you, perfected My Favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam
as your religion.

[Surat ul-Maa’idah (5), ayah 3]

Indeed the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam

[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 19]

But what if you are a good person and you practice what religion that you have to the best of your ability? As
long as you are a good person, should this not be the criterion? Allah has answered this in the negative,

And whoever chooses other than Islam as a religion, it will never be accepted from him. And he will be from
among the losers in the Hereafter.

[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 85]

It has been inferred by some that as long as devotees of false religions faithfully practice the tenets of their
faith, that this would be submission and count as a type of Islam. Therefore, those following the basic tenets
of the world religions would be a sort of ‘generic Muslim’ populace. But is this what Allah has said about
religion in general? Again, let us turn to His Infallible Word,

And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and
victorious over all other religions, no matter how the idol worshippers may hate it.

[Surat us-Saff (61), ayah (verse) 9]

And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and
victorious over all other religions. And Allah is sufficient as a witness.

[Surat ul-Fath (48), ayah (verse) 28]

But what of the good deeds and all the charitable works that many people who are not Muslim do in the world?
Does that not count for anything? The answer is unfortunately no, as the Shahaadah (Testimony of Salvation
and Faith) is the criterion for deeds to be valid and not self-goodness alone. What has Allah said about those
who want to ‘measure up’ without believing?
 Those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a sandy desert, which the one who is thirsty mistakes
for water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him and Allah will pay
him his account and Allah is swift in taking account.

[Surat un-Nur (24), ayah 39]

Those who disbelieve and hinder from the path of Allah, their deeds are nullified.

[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 1]

Those who do not believe and they hinder from the path of Allah and then they die while they are kuffar
(unbelievers), Allah will never forgive them.

[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 34]

It is from this that we must understand that the following of any other faith besides Islam is the direct road to
eternal judgement in the court of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Let there be no doubt that there are
certainly some who may be exempt from eternal judgement based on certain circumstances that exist that
Allah Himself knows the fullness of in totality. However, the exception to the rule is not to be held as the rule,
but as an exception. Thus the general rule, as we do not know the unseen and the intimate knowledge that
Allah has of every person, is that we have no choice but to assume that those who outwardly have not
submitted to Allah with the creed of salvation as far as we know are indeed lost and headed for eternal
judgement. Consider the general principle that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put
forward for us to think about,

My example and yours is like that of a man who kindled a fire. Then the locusts and moths fell into it and the
man was preventing them from it. And I am taking you by the seat of your clothes away from the Fire, but
you are getting away from me.

[Collected by Imaams Muslim, hadith #2285 and Ahmad in his Musnad, V. 3, pp. 361 & 391]

What this statement is telling us is that the majority of humanity will not and are not going to submit and
pronounce the word of salvation. They will not do so. It is for this reason, and not the exception, that we
desire to reach out and pull as many people away from the Fire as possible through these articles and other
tools for preaching the faith. Therefore, let the articles that we have given not be a form of entertainment,
but a tool in presenting the faith handed down in the Infallible Word of Allah.

• CHRISTIANITY
• JUDAISM
• BUDDHISM
• HINDUISM
• JAINISM
• SIKHISM
• ANIMISM AND ASSORTED FORMS OF PAGANISM
 CHRISTIANITY

Founder

Between90 - 100AD, the use of the word Christian began to be used for those who followed the Prophet Jesus
Christ of Nazareth [ascended 33 AD (peace be upon him)]. However, it began as a slur and a derogative
nickname, employed by the pagans of Antioch. It was also used by the King Agrippa in his argument with Paul,
who was attempting to convert him to the new faith he was now preaching. There is no historical evidence for
the word Christian being used as a noun or the name of the religion by the adherents of that faith taught by
Jesus Christ of Nazareth (peace be upon him) in any historical documents.

What appears to have taken place is that as the later generations went away from the pristine teachings of
the Messiah (peace be upon him), a name was given to their newly devised religion and then beliefs were
gathered around it. It is for the first1 , 000years of ‘Christianity’ that the Catholic Church earnestly tried to
impose some type of Orthodoxy on the dominions under its’ control so as to have a strong hand in what is
belief and what is taught as practical faith. But with all of this at stake, the task was too large. Fissures began
to develop in the body of the church regarding the nature of the Lord Himself, as well as the nature of Jesus
Christ (peace be upon him). How could the Creator of all be described? There arose arguments about the
Essence of the Creator, with the eventual point being settled upon is that He is a monad, but plural in His
Essence. Yet He remains One.

Was the nature of Christ a dual nature or singular? Was his mother, the Virgin Mary (peace be upon her),
theotokos (Mother of God) in a literal and mystical sense or was she bearing that title only as an honour
bestowed upon her being the blessed womb for Christ to dwell.

Arguments centred on the nature of Mary (peace be upon her) as well, perhaps the most contentious being
how she could bear incarnate love and godhead if she was born with the degenerate original sin, believed and
accepted by the largest Christian factions. Finally, the fragmentation could no longer be contained. The church
began to split into the Armenians, Jacobites, Nestorians, Greek Orthodox, Coptics of Egypt and Ethiopia,
Roman Catholics and many others. In just a short space of time, the unity of this newly invented religion of
‘Christianity’ was shattered. Further fratricidal violence came in the Middle Ages with the Protestant
Reformation. It is at this time that Christendom worldwide is composed of some 1 , 000forms of
denominations, creedal sects, catechisms and beliefs on the Lord Almighty.

Key beliefs

Many are quite familiar with some of the tenets of Christianity regarding Jesus Christ of Nazareth (peace be
upon him) as well as the Cross at Calvary. However, Christianity, like all false religions, has more to it than
merely meets the eye. Some doctrines would rather surprise some Muslims who had been taught to believe
that Christians are part of the ‘Trilogue of Abrahamic Faiths.’ We present these tenets for their benefit as well
as those who may be trapped in one of these false religions and be at risk of eternal judgement.

1. Christians affirm belief in a monad god, but affirm plurality in the godhead. This is merely a cross between
refined henotheism and monotheism blended. Therefore, the Uniqueness and Oneness of Allah is negated.

2. Those who do not believe in plurality in the godhead and that the Lord can never directly be known are
doomed to eternal fire.

3. The Lord Almighty is held to incarnate in human form, namely Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) being
theanthorpos, ‘the god man.’ To disbelieve this makes one eligible to eternal judgement according to Christian
doctrine.

4. Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) is the Son of God from time eternity and the one through whom the
Creator made everything.

5. The saintly mother of Jesus (peace be upon him), Mary (peace be upon her), was impregnated by the Holy
Spirit (one of the three persons of the plural godhead essence) and conceived the Messiah from this ‘union.’

6. The prophets are not infallible, but can be guilty of idolatry, as in the case of the prophet Sulaimaan
(Solomon), unrepentant drunkenness, as in the case of the Messenger Nuh (Noah) or be in the clutches of
Satan after death as in the case of the Prophet Musa (Moses) [peace be upon all of them].
7. Original sin is the reason for death in the world. When Eve (peace be upon her) tempted Adam (peace be
upon him) to eat from the tree of knowledge and he did so, this brought spiritual death to all humanity and
admitted death and sickness into the world.

8. Salvation is not based upon the acceptance of the Testimony of Faith, written on the bottom of the Throne
of the Lord, but upon what Christ did for you.

9. Angels are sinful and can and have been led astray. Indeed, Christianity preaches that1 / 3of all angels
revolted and left heaven when Satan was expelled from the presence of the Lord

10. The Lord will only accept a blood sacrifice, not faith. Any living by faith granted by Allah Almighty is not
accepted as blood must be shed for there to be forgiveness.

11. No one can have a direct relationship with the Creator, Cherisher and Sustainer of all. He can only be
known through Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), who acts as our mediator between God and man in worship,
supplication and thoughtful prayer. Thus, the Lord is unknowable.

12. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is not a prophet, much less primordial or the
last prophet.

Extent

There are some nearly two billion Christians in the world today, most of those belonging to the more ancient
Catholic branch. The remaining are for the most part numerous fractious sects among the Protestants, a
movement started in the Middle Ages beginning in Germany with Martin Luther. Other sects include the
Coptics, Jacobites and Maronites, as spoken of briefly above. This makes Christians some28 % of the world
population today, with the Muslims trailing them at close to25 % of the world population at1 . 7billion
adherents.

It is worth also noting that the number of Christians world-wide is dropping, while the rates of Muslims are
growing. Many theories have been put forward, one of the most popular being that some of the reason for
the falling rates of Christianity is conversion to Islam from Christianity, for example in Roman Catholic Rwanda
where mass conversions are now popular after the fratricide among Christians in the early1990 s.
 JUDAISM

Founder

The word ‘Judaism’ was first used in the 1st century AD by Greek speaking Jews. It is used in such places as 2
Maccabees, ch. 2, v. 21 and ch. 8, v. 1, which employs the term Yehudat (Judaism) or Dat Yehudat (the
religion of Judaism). It is likely that as the Torah underwent changes and the faith was distorted from its’
original form that this word was brought in to completely tribalise the faith.

By the time of the coming of the Messiah (or HaMoshiach in Hebrew), Jesus Christ of Nazareth (peace be
upon him), the faith had been transformed into a mere shell of its’ dynamic unicity and unflinching oneness of
deity that the prophets had preached eons ago.

Key beliefs

The source that we would most like to depend on for this section is that of Rabbi Moishe ben Maimon [also
known as Maimonides or RAMBAM (1135-1204 AD)], one of the greatest scholars of the Jews in the Middle
Ages and a giant throughout the religion. After being influenced by the Orthodox Muslim scholars while sitting
in their lessons and debating about faith, rather than come to salvation, he decided to attempt to revamp
Judaism with an outer shell of Islam. He first had to do this by revamping how the Jews understood deity.

From the invention of Judaism up until the time of Maimonides, the Lord Almighty was viewed to be a human
being. It was RAMBAM’s stress on the Islamic standard of a non-human Lord that did not resemble His
Creation at all that first caused him to be branded as a dangerous heretic by the Orthodox Jewish
establishment. But through the ages, his work was fully codified and somehow came to be the acid text of
orthodoxy in Judaism. In explaining the key beliefs, we have decided to utilise RAMBAM’s classic work, Guide
to the Perplexed. It is composed of the 13 most important principles that a Jew must believe.

These will be listed verbatim for the benefit of the reader. Additional points written after the thirteen are
added by HTS Publications to shed additional light on the theology of Judaism. Therefore, the added principles
after the thirteen are in no way put forward to be from the RAMBAM’s works, nor should they be
misconstrued to be. As a final note, the word God will be spelled G-d, out of deference to many Orthodox
Jews who use this as a way to hallow what they believe is one of the Lord’s Names. Therefore, to not bring
offence and push them away from this vital information on salvation, we have attempted to adopt more
Jewish terminology and cultural items.

The RAMBAM states the following:

1. Belief in the existence of G-d.

2. Belief in G-d’s Unity.

3. Belief in G-d’s Incorporeality (HTS note: He has no human form/body).

4. Belief in G-d’s Eternity.

5. Belief that G-d Alone is to be worshipped.

6. Belief in prophecy.

7. Belief in Moishe [(Moses) peace be upon him] as the greatest of prophets.

8. Belief that the Torah was given by G-d to Moishe [(Moses) peace be upon him].

9. Belief that the Torah is immutable (HTS note: this means that it can never be replaced or abrogated).

10. Belief that G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of human beings.

11. Belief that G-d rewards and punishes.

12. Belief in the coming of HaMoshiach [(HTS note: the Messiah) peace be upon him]

13. Belief in the Resurrection of the Dead.

The following are additional notes added by HTS Publications for beneficial use by the reader who would like
more knowledge on the subject.

14. Yeshu`a ben Mariam [(Jesus the son of Mary) peace be upon him] is not the Jewish Messiah. In fact,
according to many Orthodox Jewish accounts, he was a false prophet, a charlatan and magician who was
killed for blaspheming the tetragrammaton (the Most Holy Name of the Lord, spelled YHWH, not to be spoken
by anyone except the High Priest on Yom Kippur, the most sacred Jewish holiday).

15. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is neither the last prophet, the primordial
prophet and nor is he a global messenger. He may be a prophet to the Arabs and other gentiles (non-Jews),
but most certainly not the Jews.

16. Salvation is in deeds and not in belief. Thus one who follows the tenets of their religion and is a devout
practitioner of their ‘gentile religion’ (a non-Jew) even has a share in the world to come. This is due to the
fact that they are following the ‘Seven Noahide Laws’, those laws of judgement to ascertain a ‘righteous
gentile.’ However, Jews in the world to come will be served by other nations for their loyalty and purity unto
G-d Almighty.

17. The Lord Almighty is ultimately unknowable here and in the Hereafter.

18. There is difference of opinion in the Jewish establishment on the existence of Paradise, the Fire and some
aspects of Resurrection. Due to this there is no set doctrine on the issue.

19. Reincarnation is a view held by most of the Orthodox Jewish establishment, particularly HaRav Ovadiah
Yosef (1920-current) as well as another giant of Judaism from the Middle Ages, Nachmanides (1194-1270 AD).

20. Rabbis can and have reached stations higher than that of the prophets of Israel of old. One Jewish
authority went so far as to state that a Rabbi is more important than a prophet.

21. It is more of a blessing to be a man than a woman. This has been perpetuated down the ages, particularly
in the Orthodox Jewish prayer books, where it was stated, ‘Blessed are thou, for not making me a woman…’
Women have also been ‘exempted’ from prayer, the actual way of having a relationship with Allah, yet they
are duty bound to follow the negative laws of the 613 commands of Judaism.

Extent

There are between 18-23 million Jews in the world today, making them one of the smallest religions, with
their adherents merely making up between 1-2% world population.
 BUDDHISM

Founder

Around the year 623 BC (there are varying dates, but we have settled upon this one for our research) in the
month of May, a young boy was born into a family of Hindu warriors, one of the highest social classes of the
Hindu religion, at Lumbini Park in Kapilavatthu, on the Indian borders of present-day Nepal. His father
(Siddhodhana) was from the high ranking Sakya clan and his mother (Mahamaya) was a royal woman and
queen. It is quoted in some historical accounts that she died some days before his birth or while giving birth.
Their family name was Gautama

In spite of the tragic death of his mother, the event of his birth was seen by many in the kingdom as a joyous
event and a good omen. Five days after his birth, the prince would be called by the name, Siddhattha (also
sometimes alternatively spelled Siddhartha), which carries the meaning, ‘wish fulfilled.’ After the naming
ceremony, several Brahmin priests were brought, with each one of them using their divination to state that
this young boy would be a great enlightened one and a saviour for his people. This pleased the family greatly
and they prepared him for what they believed lay ahead for him as a great future.

Siddhattha was to receive the best education of the time period, studying fine arts of writing, math, sciences
as well as warfare. At the age of sixteen, as a young man he would marry a noblewoman and begin to build a
family. Before long, he would have one child and the happy family enjoyed their time in the palace in each
other’s company. But the happiness of Siddhattha was not to last. Ever so often, he would contact his
charioteer and he would leave the confines of the castle to go into the world. It was during these visits that
he would be traumatised at the state of the world and feel remorse at the privileged and naïve life that he
was leading. While out in the world, he saw what he believed were the four signs, the old man, the sick man,
the dead man being carried on a funeral and the ascetic man. A desire was kindled in the Gautama tribesman
to follow the path of the ascetic that he observed. But the father of Siddhattha had already carefully
constructed his future, preparing the coronation ceremony that would distinguish him as the rightful heir of
the kingdom. Such things only further disillusioned the young man.

With firm determination, the future Buddha planned carefully to leave the high security castle and seek
enlightenment. The night of his departure, at the age of 30, he wanted to look at his wife and child one more
time. As he watched them, he vowed to come back and visit them once he reached the state of
enlightenment. To make his departure easier, Buddhist records state that 33 gods descended from the sky
and caused the guards of the castle to fall into such a deep sleep that Siddhattha Gautama was able to leave
the castle unhindered and ride into the city with the willing assistance of his charioteer.

Once away from the confines of the castle wall, he dedicated himself to six years of rigorous austerity, taking
little food and constantly meditating going into different phases of penance and monkery. But none of these
had produced the answers to the questions that were still in his mind about the purpose of life and how to
break the cycle of suffering, the chain of reincarnation that continued.

Near death and greatly emaciated from his yogic exercises, Gautama decided to nourish his body and try to
regain his strength. By doing this, he hoped, his mind might be at peace and lead him to the way of
enlightenment that he had not found in his previous practices. After taking light refreshments, he sat down in
the presence of a Bodhi tree and it was here that he received the enlightenment of the ‘four noble truths,’
those being,

a. Life is suffering

b. Suffering is caused by attachment

c. Abandonment of attachment brings release from suffering

d. Release can be achieved by practicing the 8-fold path

This eightfold path was given to him during the meditation under the Bodhi tree and they are the following,

1. Right opinion

2. Right intentions
3. Right speech

4. Right conduct

5. Right livelihood

6. Right effort

7. Right mindfulness

8. Right concentration

The four noble truths and the eightfold path became known as the dharma. One who could master these
would indeed reach enlightenment and break the cycle of suffering, reincarnation and rebirth. This
enlightenment was to be known as nirvana, extinction, where one obtained peace by extinguishing the illusion
of ego and desire. After reaching the climax of his expectations of life, the Buddha (as he would later come to
be known due to his ‘enlightenment’) began to teach and take disciples. One of his most devoted was known
as Ananda. It is he who would write down the sutras, the statements of the Buddha, as well as prepare his
final resting place. Of the other 5-6 that he took as his most intimate students, he would spend the next 45
years teaching them all that they needed to become enlightened ones (Buddhas) as the wheel of dharma
turned.

But the teaching of the Buddha would infuriate many members of the Brahmin priesthood and Hindu society.
What was being taught by Siddhattha upset the balance of the priesthood, the warrior classes and all of what
Hinduism had been based upon. In his life of teaching, there would be more than one assassination attempt
on his life. The most memorable of them was that of Devadatta, a disciple and cousin of Gautama, who
released a mad elephant that had killed one man already to assassinate the Buddha. This tactic was foiled
when the mad elephant, upon preparing to charge and kill the now elderly Buddha, merely knelt down and
allowed the teacher to pat its’ forehead.

The remaining years of his life were spent perfecting all those who would listen for life without him. They had
to be instructed in the ways to deliver people from the suffering of life and the cycle of rebirths through
reincarnation.

After teaching for nearly half a century, the Buddha died and passed into his final and greatest nirvana, death,
in the year 544 BC (there are other varying dates, but we found this one to be the most common in our
research). It was believed that he had finally broken the cycle and was never to return to the world (there are
some accounts that would suggest he was poisoned, but the majority of historical accounts indicate
otherwise).

After his death, there would be a series of Buddhist meetings to agree on how to impart his teachings to the
world and how to systematise his works to be taught to every day people. Buddhism has now spread across
the Far East and has made great inroads into the West and even some parts of the Muslim World. Its’ ability
to adapt to numerous different cultures and take on the trappings of whatever society it has invaded make it
an enduring religion.

As Buddhism spread into different societies, it took on different shapes to adapt to the desires of the people
that it preached to, thus Buddhism has many forms. There are Theravada (also called Hinayana), Mahayana,
Zen, Tibetan Buddhism and many other forms. In Japan, Buddhism has been intermingled so closely with the
native Shinto religion; the two are almost identical and impossible to separate.

Key beliefs

Buddhism has a large geographic spread and has throughout history has not felt the need to lay down a
systematic form of theology or creed that could be taken from their religious texts. But by examining the
numerous schools of Buddhism, there are tenets of faith that they do share. Here are examples,

1. Whether Allah exists or not is irrelevant, as that does not free one from the cycle of death and rebirth.
Therefore, one should concern himself with the four noble truths and the 8-fold path.

2. The way that the Buddha received enlightenment is the only way that one is able to stop the suffering and
pain that goes with life.
3. Salvation lies in the 8-fold path and none other.

4. The Great Fire is not a place, but a state of torture for the cycle of rebirth continues.

5. The Paradise is not a place, but the state of unity and completeness after enlightenment.

Extent

It is estimated that there are 362 million Buddhists in the world today. Their numbers in the United States
grow as the interest in New Age religion skyrockets and people look for fulfilment in themselves and not Allah,
who made them.
 HINDUISM

Founder

It is sometimes referred to by practitioners as Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion, or Vaidika Dharma, the
Religion of the Veda Scriptures. But most of us in the West would be most familiar with the word Hinduism. Of
all the different false religions today, it is Hinduism that has shocked many critics by its’ staying power. Its’
uncompromising polytheism and deification of nature were thought to have been the main things that would
signal the death knell for this religion. But instead of being seen off the world stage, this religion has
undergone an incredible renaissance, due in part to the activities and tireless efforts of such Hindu
fundamentalist movements as the Society for Krishna Consciousness as well as the export of Indian movies
throughout Central Asia, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

These circumstances have kept the breathe of life in Hinduism and as the Western countries go further into
the abyss of absolute secularism, many in this new age are shopping for their own religion, a type of ‘religion
without religion.’ People would like to feel that they are involved in something spiritual, revolutionary or
eccentric, without being bound by any obligations or moral restrictions other than those made by themselves.

It is here that the religion of the Indo-Aryans falls into place. But what is Hinduism? How did it start? When
did it start? Who is the founder or organiser for a set of beliefs that are held by the third most populous
country on Earth?

There is not one human being that founded Hinduism, but rather Hinduism is a syncretism of many different
forms of false religion that have become the amalgam known as Hinduism. It is believed that this process
went on for many years before finishing the final phase of the formation of the religion in 1500 BC, where the
Vedas, religious literature of the Hindus which is atleast 3,000 years old, were put to paper.

In the Vedic literature, which is voluminous, there are certain moral precepts laid down, but there are no
specific doctrines or clear cut theological principles given. A rather blurry picture is presented of a supreme
being, but one who is utterly so exalted and unconcerned with what he has taken part in to create that he is
remote and unknowable. It is due to this doctrinal fluidity in the Hindu religion that many religions have
actually sprung from this melting pot of idolatry and became world religions in their own right. Two examples
of this would be Jainism and Buddhism, the founders of both religions having begun as devout Hindu
noblemen. The same can also be said of the Sikh religion, although some elements of Islam have been mixed
into the rich tapestry of the religion.

It is as if Hinduism is a type of ancient wet nurse, bringing into the world and nourishing numerous other
religions that preach self-salvation and moral rectitude based on being a good person and serving the gods
(whether they be internal or projected onto the world). However it is the Veda scriptures that have kept
Hinduism from melting and liquefying into a myriad of religions yet again, the very process that it emerged
from in the first place. The Brahmin priesthood has sought to impose a type of loose orthodoxy through the
ages so that followers might be connected through a common heritage. This has succeeded in part, but local
customs may dictate which gods are worshipped, how many and for which locale. Many villages in Hinduism
have their own gods and for regions there are gods that hold sway and finally there are some times provincial
gods. This type of divine hierarchy has also been imitated by Hindus themselves, which has caused them to
divide their very people into four main classes. This is the caste system that many of us are familiar with
today.

If not for Hinduism, many of us would not know of the varna (caste), in which the dark skinned people are
the lowest of the populous. Sometimes referred to as the ‘untouchables,’ they are pollution if they should
even touch anyone from a higher caste. It is possible for someone of a higher caste to marry down and
decrease, but for an ‘untouchable’ to marry to a higher caste and increase is nearly unheard of in history. As
Hindus have moved West, they have tried to adapt their religion and ignore their horrific and unsavoury past.
Although not a missionary religion by nature, the people dedicated to this faith have evangelised the world
through Indian movies and music, dancing as well as clothing.

Key beliefs

As Hinduism has no set theological format, it is at times difficult to define the religion in systematic terms.
However, we can try to stick to what everyone believes in and attempt to phase out inter-denominational
preferences and differences.
1. The Lord is a triune godhead, one in monad but plural in Essence. This is known as the Triad, which is
composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva (sometimes spelled Shiva). These three are one. Krishna, which is an
incarnation of Vishnu, entered the world so that the people might know who Brahma truly is and revere him
(those who are Christians may notice similarities).

2. All things are of God, thus for one to worship Fire is no harm to faith as these things are mere Attributes of
His and manifestations of His Presence.

3. All holy men, gurus, buddhas, prophets and the like are avatars or incarnations of the same spirit
throughout history. It has been seen that many Hindus have worshipped Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) in
one instance, Buddha in another and Hanuman in another and see no contradiction in their religion and still
hold themselves to be adherents to Hinduism. Again, this has to do with the belief in syncretism.

4. Reincarnation is real. The cycle continues on until one has reached enlightenment through strenuous
endeavour, at which time the cycle is broken.

5. There is no Paradise in the form of a place, but it is a state of being for one having reached enlightenment.

6. There is no such place as the Great Fire, but it is a state of being for the one still trapped in the cycle of
transmigration and rebirth.

7. Salvation is attained through the yogic practices, self mortification and self-less sacrifice and service to
others. When all of these are combined in one person, that one is saved and no longer will endure the
suffering of the wheel of reincarnation.

8. The universe (they intend by that all of creation) is eternal, expanding and contracting through the eons
like the womb of a woman. Thus as spring comes every beginning of the year, so the universe makes all
things new when it ends and begins.

Extent

The Hindu religion enjoys the devotion of between 760-800 million adherents in the world today, which means
that 13% of the world’s population is lost in the sin of idolatry and infanticide present in Hinduism.
 JAINISM

Founder

Jainism has origins that stretch back into antiquity as far as 3,000 BC, predating the rise of Indo-Aryan culture
in the Indian subcontinent. A steady evolution of Jain religious thought continued until the late 6th century BC.
It was at this time that the codifier and renewer of Jainism would arise.

In the year 599 BC, a child by the name of Vardhamana Mahavira was born into a aristocratic family in Bihar
in northern India. From an early age, he desired to be an ascetic and reach the peak of enlightenment.
Although marrying young, as in the case of Buddha, he could not be settled by family or bearing of children.

At the age of 30, he sought permission to leave home and went in search of salvation. So great was his
detachment from the world that at one point he discarded his clothing and began to go about the streets
naked, meditating and completely detached from the world. At the age of 42, he reached the state of Jina
(the conquerer) and began to take disciples. He was now a god.

He worked eagerly, converting his family members as well as numerous nobles and common people. He later
founded of an ‘Order of Naked Ascetics’ for those seeking enlightenment that heard his message and wanted
to preserve his teachings for posterity. By the time he had died at the age of 72 in the year 527 BC, he had
begun a movement that would shape much of India’s policies for years to come.

Key beliefs

1. There is no Almighty God or Lord. God or the Lord is a liberated soul (Siddha). Every jina (living soul) has
the ability to reach moksha (refinement) and thus become God, be they plant or animal.

2. Whoever has conquered his soul and freed it from the attachment of the world and from the karma that is
around him is referred to as a Jina. Jina are referred to by Jains as God.

3. Rigorous asceticism is the only way to attain real salvation and break the cycle of reincarnation and the
karma that surrounds one.

4. Vegetarianism is an instrument for cultivating compassion for living beings. It is only permissible to eat
one-sensed beings, for the most part from the plant kingdom. Those that refuse to do so have left an integral
of salvation and rectification.

5. The universe (what they intend by this is all creation) is without beginning, without end and most
conspicuously without creator.

6. The future of man is in his own hands.

7. Ahinsa (sometimes called Ahimsa), the doctrine of non-violence, is one of the central pillars of the Jain
religion. No violence is to be shown to any living creature. The Jain nuns as well as the monks wear special
brushes on the front of their clothes so as to sweep insect and other small creatures from the way to prevent
themselves from stepping on them.

8. The Jain must take five vows to be on the road of salvation: Ahinsa, Satya (truthfulness), Astaya (non-
stealing), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) and Brahmacharya (chastity).

Extent

There are between 2.5-3 million devotees lost in the legalism and rigorous rituals of the religion of Jainism .
 SIKHISM

Founder

The father of the Sikh religion, Guruk Nanak Dev was born on April 15, 1469 in the Punjabi village of Talwandi
in the Shaikhupura district not far from today’s Lahore into a noble Hindu family. His father was an accountant
under the employment of Muslim authorities and his mother was also a high born woman. Nanak had an
interest in religion at an early age, entertaining both Hindu and Muslim friends. At six years old he was sent to
school to learn Hindi and mathematics. There have been some who claim that he learned Persian and Arabic,
but no sound historical records have been forthcoming to prove such a claim.

At 13 years of age, when it was time for him to wear the sacred thread of Hindu tradition, he rejected the
custom and demanded that people should just have good characters rather than wear threads. This brought
some embarrassment and shame upon his family, but they were able to weather the storm.

Nanak went on to herd the family cattle and during his free time, he would debate with Hindus and Muslims
about theological issues, much to the consternation of his family. At the age of 16, his parents had him
married to a daughter of a merchant by the name of Sulakhani. Both were nobles and the match was
complete. When the family had two sons, Sri Chand (b. 1494 AD) and Lakshmi Chand (b. 1497 AD) he was
overjoyed. At this time he concerned himself less with spiritual matters and more with employment. His
parents secured him a job as an accountant in charge of the supplies of the Muslim governor of Sultanpur.

Although hard working, early every morning, Nanak would go to the river Bain for his bath after meditating on
the purpose of life. One day he disappeared and did not reappear for three days (it is believed that this
happened around the year 1496 AD). When the startled people were surprised by his presence, he began to
preach his new religion, which began with the words,

‘There is no Hindu, there is no Mussulman (corrupted Hindi for Muslim)’

At thirty years of age, he began to travel and preach his new religion to people. All religions are one, and
people should live in commitment and righteousness to them. To make his preaching more easily acceptable,
he chose the medium of music, with the hypnotic wail of flutes and the beating of a tambourine to preach the
faith. When in the presence of Muslims, he would pretend to be an adherent of that religion, dressing in their
clothes and using whatever technical terms he had learned of the faith. When with Hindus, he would employ
the same tactics.

It is also reported that he used deceptive tactics to gain entry to the sacred city of Makkah in Arabia, the most
revered site to Muslims. While there he sought to convert people to his new Hindu/Muslim blended religion.
After failing in this venture, he set out to other lands, one of them being Tibet, to try to curry favour with the
followers of other religions. For all of the proselytising and preaching that he took part in, he was able to gain
little following other than those who were in the subcontinent or had had visited him hearing about his
rumoured powers of reason and miracles. On September 22, 1539 AD, Guru Nanak died and went under the
Judgement of Allah, with the rest of the pretenders and false prophets that had preceded him. It was said by
his admirers that he had been ‘bewitched by the beauty of the Creation of God.’ What fitting words for those
who claim prophesy after the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Key beliefs

The beliefs that are going to be given are those of the majority position in Sikhism as far as we know. You
should make note of these and remember them in the event that you have a Sikh neighbour or a friend who
you may preach the faith to and help from darkness to light.

1. The Lord Almighty is unknowable

2. Each prophet that has come through time has been a reincarnation of the one previous. All of them come
from one original spirit.

3. Guru Nanak, the Gurus after him and all previous prophets taught the same message.

4. Salvation is in good deeds that break the cycle of reincarnation.

5. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) was neither the primordial prophet nor the last of
them.

6. The Qur’an is not the final revelation.

7. The Universe is eternal in scope.

8. Those that follow their religions sincerely and with good deeds will be saved and in good standing.

9. All religions emanate from One Source and One God. Any faith is of God that glorifies Him.

10. Muslim halaal meat is absolutely forbidden (Kosher meat would fall under the same classification). This
would be classed as killing by prayer and/or slow death, things that Sikhism strictly prohibits. Therefore,
sacrificial meat is absolutely impermissible.

11. The covenant of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him ), which was sealed in the contract of
circumcision for all males, is rejected and not accepted, for the reason that, if the Lord Almighty wanted
someone to be circumcised, they would have been born that way.

12. There is no Great Fire to come. Rather this is not a place but represents the cycle of births and rebirths.

13. There is no Paradise, but really it is the merging with Allah and becoming one with Him.

14. Karma regulates the reincarnation and transmigration of the soul.

15. There is no Day of Judgement, but rather a continuation of the cycle of transmigration or merging with
‘the One.

16. The five cardinal vices are mentioned as Kam (lust), Krudh (anger), Lubh (greed), Muh (worldly
attachment) and Ahankar (pride). If one defeats these, they will achieve salvation. But idolatry is not
considered among the five cardinal vices.

Extent

Sikhism has attracted the devotion of 16 million followers, most of them in India. But as more Sikhs move to
the West, this exposes Muslims more to Sikhism so that they might be equipped to guide the devotees of
Guru Nanak to a true and lasting faith.
 ANIMISM AND ASSORTED FORMS OF PAGANISM

Unfortunately, we are of course not able to exhaustively define every single false religion that exists. We have
merely attempted to take the most widespread (either in number of influence) that most in the world would
encounter and explain them. The rest of them would loosely fit under the rubric of paganism or what is
sometimes politely referred to as animism. These would include such religions as Confucianism, Taoism,
Shintoism, Wicca, Syncretism, Zoroastrianism (Parsis, but also known as Fire-Worshippers), Universalism,
Magic, Druidism, New Age Cults, Atheism and others as well.

Key beliefs

These religions share core values in common that can be observed when examining them outwardly as well as
intensive study.

a. Happiness can be attained or achieved through a sense of equilibrium of well being within the self. It is not
necessary that one should have a relationship with a Lord or even if the Lord Almighty exists, but rather
finding the balance and peace of mind in one’s own life

b. Perceived personal goodness, no matter what the person, is acceptable as long as the person believes that
goodness to represent upright moral behaviour. What this means is that there is no reality, but a series of
realities. No one possesses or has direct access to the truth or reality itself, but rather opinions can be
expressed as to what is believed to represent truth. Often, the parable of the elephant is used, namely that
each person holding one part of the elephant believes that what lies in his hands is the only truth, when in
reality, ‘truth,’ or ‘reality,’ is what you make it.

c. Nature has a type of divinity to it. For this reason, the worship of environmental elements, for example fire
or water, is glorifying Allah just the same. All things are of Him and He is off all things.

d. Allah is held to be more of a force than a Lord or Cherisher who one may have a relationship. He
represents for many the Golden Principle, the Universal Rule or the Consciousness in every man. There is no
need to seek contact with Him for He is the force that moves everything.

e. Sorcery, voodoo, witchcraft and amulets are ways that one can seek to master and harness the power of
this force/principle and use it to the benefit of others.

f. Ancestors also represent the principle. Offerings made to them can bring good fortune and good luck in
times of need.

g. There is no good or evil in absolute terms, but rather it is relative to the situation and what is involved.

Extent

In the world today, there is an estimated population of 1,568,500,000 people who fall under this category and
practice one of the religions above or some variant with faith in it.