Apologetics

---

Religions are a tricky thing. Many of them say the same thing; each in their own distinct words. In today’s eclectic society, we find people sculpting their own religions, much like the Gnostics of the past.
Some religions, however, have stood the test of time whether they are right or wrong. Time, it seems, is not as valuable a judge as we might think. Apparently, we are in need of another criterion to form a standard.
Let me, in my inferior ability, attempt to suggest yet another method by which we can do this. I cannot say whether it has been brought forth by someone else, only that I have never heard of it. I call it the Anti-Religion test. I admit that my reasoning will seem a bit shaky at first, but please, bear with me.
For two thousand years, Christianity has flourished over the entire globe. It is not necessarily a unique religion. Many of its ideals can be found in other religions. Judaism, of course, is the closest, being the root of Christianity. Islam is not far off, Christianity being its root.
Hinduism has the same propensity to spawn other religions as evidenced by Buddhism. Paganism is possibly the most prolific of the religions due to the eclectic tendency that I mentioned earlier.
Christianity, however, has this: No other religion has spawned an anti-religion. Following Christianity through the ages has been its opposite: Satanism. In this religion, the antagonist: Satan, has become the center of a belief system.
Satanism has taken in many pagan religions under its wing, but its essence remains the same. It is a religion focused on the devil and against Christ.
Islam has founded no such religion. There are no Iblisists. Hindus, having gods of death, but finding no evil in them, worship them and “good gods” side by side.
To an atheist, my argument would be but a novelty, for if there was no real devil, there would be no spirit directing this action, only happenstance.
If, however, we take a look from the devil’s point of view, things become clearer. He would have no benefit from drawing Muslims to and Iblisism. Their souls are his already. There would be no need for the "bad gods" of Hinduism to divide themselves from the "good gods." Why would they waste such manpower, or rather, spirit-power on something that would gain them not a single worshipper. Niether would the devil be so wasteful.
Christianity is the only religion that directs souls to Christ. This is a religion that would be worth countering, or so the devil should think. A polar opposite to Christianity: Satanism, should, at least in Satan’s eyes cancel out the work of God. Perhaps these are not the best terms, but I am not a theologian.
Religions are a tricky thing. They can be eclectic or tenacious in clinging to their roots. They can formulate all kinds of philosophies and ideologies. They can spawn offshoots century after century, but only one has spawned an opposite.
Now, a new question remains. Will the devil, possibly find his plan exposed in this obscure article and if he does, will it be worth the effort to counter what I have said? Will there, in next year’s Time magazine, be an article about the new Iblisist religion?


Jeremy McNabb ([email protected]) is an unpublished, amateur apologist, essayist and novelist. This is his fourth essay posted on FaithWriters.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE