| Do believe that there is really no right and | | | | do wrong. Karma as a belief is not "new" at |
| wrong, that whether it is right or not is | | | | all, it comes originally from India. In |
| decided by the individual? Or alternatively | | | | India, Hindus and Buddhists believe that |
| do you believe that there is definite bad | | | | karma is accumulated every reincarnation and |
| karma and you pay for it in each | | | | you pay for the karma in the next |
| reincarnation? Or do you believe neither- | | | | reincarnation. |
| what alternative is there, if any? Do you | | | | |
| believe that God wants every one to be saved | | | | In India, karma is used as an excuse to |
| or only some people? Do you think a religion | | | | justify the wrong acceptance of racism. They |
| should teach doing good to others, charity, | | | | believe that people who were born with black |
| and love? Do you believe that God is | | | | skin are born that way because they were very |
| everywhere? Your answers to these questions | | | | evil in a past life. In India, the blacks are |
| tell whether you support the New Era movement | | | | called the untouchables. They and anybody who |
| or not. | | | | is crippled or poor are denied equality and |
| | | | opportunities to improve their life because |
| New Era supporters believe in reincarnation, | | | | as K.P. Yohannan explains in his Christian |
| because as one pop song put it, "it takes | | | | book, Revolution in World Missions, according |
| more than one lifetime to learn". Yet the New | | | | to karmic belief, Hindus believe that helping |
| Era movement does not try to stimulate moral | | | | them would only worsen their condition, |
| values in people for them to earn their | | | | prolonging the time they have to suffer to |
| salvation. In the New Era belief, you | | | | pay for their bad karma. |
| yourself decide what it right, their values | | | | |
| are relative, no matter what the Bible says. | | | | Sadly, Hinduism keeps India poor, K.P. |
| | | | Yohannan adds, because the Hindus believe |
| In Christianity, we accept that ten million | | | | that rats are sacred. They will not |
| lifetimes would not be enough to learn. The | | | | exterminate rats even though rats eat one |
| more that the world progresses in technology, | | | | third of the crops and bring diseases. The |
| the worse that the weapons become. The more | | | | cows and rats eat the crops but starving |
| medicines are invented, the more billions | | | | people are not allowed to eat of it. |
| that have no access to them because of | | | | |
| poverty. We sin and we make mistakes. | | | | In Christian belief, all races are made by |
| | | | God from one common ancestor, Adam and Eve. |
| We have only one life to live, Christians do | | | | We are all made in God's image and deserve to |
| not believe in reincarnation. Christians | | | | be treated equally and loved as God loves us |
| admit that we are all imperfect and need | | | | (Genesis 2:27). |
| salvation. Yet we can all become saved from | | | | |
| eternal suffering and have eternal life | | | | The Bible tells us to help the poor. "If |
| happiness with God. It is as easy as | | | | there be any among you that are poor of one |
| believing in Jesus as our only savior and | | | | of thy brethren within any of thy gates in |
| God. New Era doctrine implies that God is | | | | thy land which the Lord has given you, you |
| mean because all can not be saved. Many | | | | shall not harden your heart, nor shut your |
| people in the New Age movement misunderstand | | | | hand from your poor brother (Deuteronomy 15: |
| the Christian belief that God is everywhere, | | | | 7) and "And thy shall not glean your |
| and instead represent it to mean that God is | | | | vineyard, neither shall you gather every |
| everything. ved, but Christianity says God | | | | grape of thy vineyard; you shall leave them |
| has called all to be saved, even though no | | | | for the poor and the stranger" (Leviticus |
| one is perfect, simply by believing in Jesus. | | | | 23:22). To glean means to pick up every last |
| | | | crop. Some of the crop must be left behind |
| Christian beliefs are based upon the Bible | | | | for the poor of the country and the poor |
| and to Christians; the Bible is the only true | | | | foreigners to gather. |
| Holy Book. The Bible tells us what is right | | | | |
| and what is wrong. Ironically, it is New Era | | | | Jesus also taught that a man who could not |
| that does not persuade people to be good | | | | see was not born without sight to pay for his |
| because according to the New Era, we are all | | | | sin nor for the sin of his parents (John |
| good and there is no wrong. | | | | 9:1-3). The persons with a handicap are equal |
| | | | to everyone and should not be looked down |
| In New Era doctrine, wrong is in the eye of | | | | upon. |
| the beholder, whereas in Christianity, God | | | | |
| ask us to do good. "Beloved, follow not that | | | | But from Western eyes, it is not desirable to |
| which is evil, but that which is good. He | | | | have good karma either. Reverend Moisés |
| that does good is of God: but he that does | | | | Roman explained that in Hinduism belief, you |
| evil has not seen God" (3 John 11). Many | | | | reincarnate into a cow, not as a punishment, |
| charitable organizations and Institutions of | | | | but because you have been very good and have |
| higher learning were founded by Christians, | | | | reached a very high level of development. In |
| for example, the Red Cross, the Salvation | | | | fact, in Asia, it is an ideal to stop |
| Army; Harvard, Yale, and Interamerican | | | | reincarnating and become free of the supposed |
| Universities, to name just a few of the | | | | endless cycle of birth and re-birth, whereas |
| countless many around the world. | | | | to a New Age westerner, it is a welcome idea |
| | | | to keep reincarnating. |
| Jesus said "love your enemies, bless them | | | | |
| that curse you, do good to them that hate | | | | We must examine the societal implications of |
| you, and pray for them that despitefully use | | | | our beliefs. According to economists, India, |
| you, and persecute you." (Mathew 5:44) and he | | | | which has a free market and is a democracy, |
| really lived that. Jesus did not fight back | | | | should have an excellent economy. Yet it is |
| when the ancient Pagan Roman army came to | | | | one of the poorest parts of the world because |
| arrest him and crucify him, (even though he | | | | there is little support for equality and |
| could have done a miracle to set himself | | | | charity. |
| free), because he wanted to give himself in | | | | |
| ransom for our sins. Jesus came to this world | | | | The Christians are the ones that have set up |
| to fulfill a mission, God, the Father, asked | | | | charitable organizations in India, but it is |
| him to do; and Jesus willingly did. His | | | | not yet enough. For instance, in India, |
| mission was to give himself to save us from | | | | Christian missionaries are beaten up and |
| our sins. | | | | rejected by their families (from various |
| | | | articles from Send! missionary magazine, ). |
| When they came to arrest him, one who was | | | | |
| with Jesus took out a sword and cut the ear | | | | Another difference between New Era and |
| off of one of those who came to arrest him. | | | | Christianity is the implications of the |
| But Jesus said, "Put back your sword, for all | | | | belief that God is everywhere. Many people in |
| they who take up the sword shall perish by | | | | the New Age movement misunderstand the |
| the sword". Jesus said he could have called | | | | Christian belief that God is everywhere, and |
| thousands of angels to his aid if he so chose | | | | instead represent it to mean that God is |
| to, but he did not defend himself (Mathew | | | | everything. One highly educated, western |
| 26:51-54). No one can live up to Jesus. This | | | | person I know prays by looking in the mirror |
| was done as an example to all of us. | | | | and talking to "the God inside him". |
| | | | Pantheism and Christianity are very |
| Jesus, of whose one of his titles was the Son | | | | different. We are not God and animals are not |
| of man, said, "For even the Son of man came | | | | God either. God is perfect, we are not. |
| not to be ministered unto, but to minister, | | | | |
| and to give his life as a ransom for many" | | | | Christians become filled with the Holy Spirit |
| (Marc 10:45). The Bible says, "even the | | | | of God by believing in Jesus and asking Jesus |
| righteousness of God which is by faith of | | | | only to come into their heart. According to |
| Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that | | | | born again Christians, if you have not asked |
| believe: for there is no difference: for all | | | | Jesus to be your savior and God, then you |
| have sinned, and come short of the glory of | | | | have not invited Jesus into your temple, |
| God; being justified freely by his grace this | | | | which is your body, so God is not inside you. |
| grace through the redemption that is in | | | | |
| Christ Jesus: whom God has set to be a | | | | "The most high does not dwell in temples made |
| propitiation through faith in his blood, to | | | | with hands..." (Acts 8:48). When you believe |
| declare his righteousness for the remission | | | | in Jesus, you have the joy of Jesus dwelling |
| of sins that are past, through the | | | | in your heart, (your heart is created by |
| forbearance of God" (Romans 3:22-25). This | | | | God), not in statues or pictures made by |
| means that we all need forgiveness and can | | | | human hands. |
| receive it by believing in Jesus, who shed | | | | |
| his blood for us on the cross. | | | | When born again Christians pray, they close |
| | | | their eyes and pray to God, the creator of |
| We ourselves can not clean up guilt by saying | | | | the entire universe. They pray to God in |
| that all we do is relatively good. If you are | | | | Jesus' name, not to themselves. Jesus, God's |
| kidnapped by an enemy, and the enemy wants | | | | son, said, "And whatsoever you shall ask in |
| money for your release, someone must pay that | | | | my name, that will I do, that the Father may |
| ransom for you to live. The enemy is the | | | | be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask |
| devil who has tied us up with sin, but the | | | | anything in my name, I will do it" (John |
| savior is Jesus. A kidnapper wants a lot of | | | | 14:13-14). |
| money, even more than we can have. But Jesus, | | | | |
| having never sinned, was the sacrifice that | | | | During a time of crisis, we need to become |
| saved us because he was painfully crucified | | | | strengthened by turning to a resource outside |
| though he had no sin. His great worth paid | | | | of our limitations. If we believe that we are |
| for the salvation of all who are willing to | | | | God, if we believe that we make up our own |
| believe in him and enjoy eternal happiness in | | | | values, and that we make up our own miracles; |
| heaven. | | | | we will have mental inconsistency. We will be |
| | | | going around in circles, looking inside again |
| Jesus was the only one who said to love your | | | | and again for what can only be found outside |
| enemies. Contrary to popular belief, | | | | of our imperfection. |
| polytheist religions do persecute Christians. | | | | |
| Most New Era followers are polytheists, or | | | | I knew of one lady that would do a Tarot |
| believe in polytheism like a mix of the | | | | reading for herself over and over again on |
| ancient Greek gods and various kinds of | | | | the same question, never accepting that she |
| witchcraft, with Hinduism as its basis. | | | | did not feel satisfied with the answer she |
| | | | got. Some Tarot readers that charge for their |
| In the European countries and in the United | | | | reading even record the session, and give the |
| States, polytheists do not usually persecute | | | | recording away, so the customer will not be |
| Christians because these are predominantly | | | | asking the same questions over and over |
| Christian countries and modern Christians | | | | again. |
| teach that no one should persecuted for their | | | | |
| religious beliefs. Polytheists have been | | | | We were meant for something better, we were |
| positively influenced by Christians in the | | | | meant to pray to God in Jesus' name, the |
| west. But polytheist nations in predominantly | | | | creator and sustainer of the Universe; the |
| non-Christian countries are very different | | | | only source of power, perfection, and |
| than the west. Polytheists in predominantly | | | | infinite wisdom; and to receive help from |
| non-Christian countries persecute Christians. | | | | him. |
| It is the Christian nations that are against | | | | |
| religious persecution in the world. | | | | For books on salvation, see the author's |
| | | | Christian bookstore link below. I recommend |
| Another difference between New Era and | | | | Just the FAQ's About Salvation: Frequently |
| Christianity is the idea of Karma. New Era | | | | Asked Questions, by Andreas Max; The New Age |
| alternates between the idea that we can do no | | | | Movement, by Philip Lochhaas; and Is Jesus |
| wrong and the idea that we have bad karma. | | | | the Only Savior? by Ronald H. Nash. |
| Karma is the idea that you pay for what you | | | | |