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EASTERN SECTS AND CULTS
The likes of Transcendental Meditation, Hare Krishna,
Theosophy, New Age (such as Erhard Seminars
Training), the Forum, Order of the Solar Temple,
Heaven's Gate and Aum Shinrikyo.
Also included Rajneeshism , Sri Chinmoy,
Divine Light Mission, Vedanta Society,
Krishnamurti Foundation of America, Eckankar,
Bubba Free John, Hanuman Foundation, Sathya
Sai Baba, Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and
Philosophy, Biofeedback, Self-Realization
Fellowship, Shree Gurudev Siddha, Sahaja Yoga,
3HO Foundation, Sikh Foundation of Yogi Bhajan
and Maitreya.
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WORLD RELIGIONS
COMPARED
WORLD
RELIGIONS CLIPART
WORLD RELIGIONS
EASTERN RELIGIONS |
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AUM SHINRIKYO: Aum is one of the 183,000 cults in Japan,
with contacts in Russia and Korea. Its 10,000 members
form a strict hierarchy of 13 levels with specially
colored uniforms. It is based on Reincarnation and
Shinto doctrines (and Hitler's methods).
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DIVINE LIGHT MISSION: Founded in 1970 by the guru
Maharaj Ji who was born in India. The mission
believes that the only pathway to God is by submission
to an "avatar", a "guru who is god". This "Perfect
Master" is Maharaj Ji, who sits in his throne with the
crown of Krishna.
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HARE KRISHNA: The most distinguishable cult of the 1970's
thanks to the obligatory shaved head and pigtails of
male members, chanting and singing and dancing in the
big Western cities with saffron robes to the music of
cymbals, drums and harmoniums and collecting money,
receiving donations for the Gita, and door-to door
selling of their magazine Back to the Godhead.
The religious worship consists of committing yourself
totally in life to Krishna; to live in Krishna, and
Krishna in you until you reach a Heaven similar to
Christianity, after many reincarnations. The god Krishna
is a mythical character.
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MAITREYA: Maitreya is portrayed as the Lord Master expected
by the Buddhists, however, in fact, he is a fictional
character created by the New Ager Benjamin Creme.
Creme says it is not a religion, but he advises people
to meet weekly in Maitreya Groups to create good
Energy.
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ORDER OF THE SOLAR TEMPLE: Is based on Hinduism and
theories about Reincarnation. The founder, Joseph Di
Mambro, claims to have had a previous life as a member
of the Knight's Temple during the Crusades.
During the order's ceremonies, the members wear
Crusade-type robes, and hold in awe a sword Di Mambro
said had been given to him 1,000 years ago. Death
represents for them an essential stage of life.
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RAJNEESHISM: Based on Hinduism, however as a Rajneesh "you
are God", and you are the only one who decides the
Commandments for your life: If you decide that it is
good to kill, or to steal, or live in adultery it is the
"Law of God", "your Law", and your decision to do what
you like.
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SRI CHINMOY: The way to God is by devotion and surrender to
one's guru, with the Hindu doctrine of Hatha Yoga,
vegetarianism, and meditation.
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THEOSOPHY: Means "divine wisdom" and it is any system of
thought concerned with the relationship between God and
the creation, specially one intended to help man achieve
direct experience of the divine. The Theosophical
Society was founded in New York in 1875 by the
Ukraine born Madame Blavatsky and the American
Col. Henry S. Olcott. Today they claim 25,000
members in 60 countries, with 6,000 in the USA, but its
influence far transcends the boundaries of its own
ranks, influencing the New Age Movement, the
Rosacrucians, the Anthropological Society,
the "I Am" Ascended Masters, and New Thought.
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TRANSCENDENTAL MEDIATION: It is a "religion" based on the
Hindu Raja Yoga and has two million members in
140 countries. The goal is to obtain the Buddhist
enlightenment or cosmic consciousness. To
it's followers, the sacred books Vedas and the
Gita are indispensable. Transcendental Mediation is
a full-life project that comes with the assurance that,
at the end, one will be liberated from reincarnation.
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VEDANTA SOCIETY: Taken from Sri Ramakrishna, the
teacher of Vivekenanda, one of the most famous
gurus in India in the 19th century. The society teaches
that "all religions lead to the same goal, namely, the
realization of God: It is like the "water", the Hindus
call it "jal", the Muslims call it "pani", but it is all
the same... the basic philosophy is "unity among
religions", with the believe that every nation has its
own unique contribution to bring to the world, and when
such is offered up, that nation goes into decline.
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We limit not the truth of God to our poor
reach of mind --
By notions of our day and sect -- crude partial and confined
No, let a new and better hope within our hearts be stirred
For God hath yet more light and truth to break forth from the
Word.
George Rawson (150 years ago), wrote a
hymn based on the final words of the pilgrim leader, John Robinson,
before the departure to the New World
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