What is Rosicrucianism?
The true origin of Rosicrucianism is unknown. Today there are two groups which claim to be representative of Rosicrucianism, the Rosicrucianism Fellowship in Oceanside, Calif., and the rival organization, the Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) in San Jose, Calif. The latter group is adamant about being the faithful Rosicrucianism order. The earliest authentically Rosicrucianism…
What is the Church of Body Modification?
The “Church of Body Modification” is a group of individuals with tattooing, piercings, and other body modifications as their common bond. The Church of Body Modification is not a church in the biblical sense of the word. They are not a group of people gathering together to worship God. According to the website of the…
What is the Cosmic Christ / Universal Christ?
The Cosmic Christ or the Universal Christ is a false concept of Christ being mystically in all things. It is supposedly based on Colossians 1:15–17, which states, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and…
What is Christian mysticism?
Christian mysticism is a difficult term to define. It is often thought of as the practice of the experiential knowledge of God. The term can also apply to the mystery of the Eucharist in Roman Catholicism as well as so-called hidden meanings of Scripture, such as in Gnosticism. The Bible does not have hidden meanings,…
What is Neopaganism?
Neopaganism / Neo-Paganism (literally, “new paganism” or “revived paganism”) is an umbrella term, covering a widely varied set of spiritual practices typically adapted from pre-Christian or anti-Christian religions. Neopaganism includes various forms of New Age belief, Wicca, versions of Greek and Roman polytheism, and Celtic druidism. Prior to the 1960s, these types of beliefs were…
What is Asatru?
Asatru is a Nordic religion based on the ancient paganism of the Viking age. The word Asatru means “belief or faith in the gods,” specifically a group of Norse gods called Æsir. Recent times have seen the growth of neo-paganism, including a modern version of Asatru. According to the Norse creation myth, the gods called…
What is Christian Gnosticism?
There is actually no such thing as Christian Gnosticism, because true Christianity and Gnosticism are mutually exclusive systems of belief. The principles of Gnosticism contradict what it means to be a Christian. Therefore, while some forms of Gnosticism may claim to be Christian, they are in fact decidedly non-Christian. Gnosticism was perhaps the most dangerous…
What is the Jedi religion / Jediism?
The Star Wars saga is a cultural phenomenon. Since the release of the first film, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in 1977, Star Wars has gained an enormous global following. The science fiction movies (and books and comic books) relate the account of the inhabitants of an ancient galaxy and their struggle against…
What is religious pluralism?
Religious pluralism generally refers to the belief in two or more religious worldviews as being equally valid or acceptable. More than mere tolerance, religious pluralism accepts multiple paths to God or gods as a possibility and is usually contrasted with “exclusivism,” the idea that there is only one true religion or way to know God.…
What were the mystery religions?
Mystery religions were part of a diverse religious movement that surfaced during the first century and died out by the end of the fifth century. These cult religions involved the worship of pagan deities from Greece, Anatolia, Egypt, Persia, and Syria. Mystery religions were so named because they consisted of strictly secret cults characterized by…