https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/rss/ Copyright https://www.christianity.com 2026, Christianity.com Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:53:49 -0400 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-should-christians-know-about-freemasons.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-should-christians-know-about-freemasons.html Christianity.com Editorial Staff https://www.christianity.com/author/christianitycom-editorial-staff/ What do we know for certain about the Freemasons? Is there something creepy about a group that isn’t a church or recovery program, uses vaguely religious rituals, and reaches millions of people around the world? What is the appeal? Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:35:00 -0400 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-do-muslims-believe.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-do-muslims-believe.html Vivian Bricker https://www.christianity.com/author/vivian-bricker/ There is no hope in Islam. The only true hope is found in placing faith in Jesus Christ. It is important for us to share the gospel with Muslims and help them know about Jesus. Their religion provides no assurance to them. Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:15:00 -0500 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/do-jews-believe-in-jesus-are-they-still-waiting-for-a-messiah.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/do-jews-believe-in-jesus-are-they-still-waiting-for-a-messiah.html Mary Oelerich-Meyer https://www.christianity.com/author/mary-oelerich-meyer/ Knowing what the Jews believe about the Messiah vs. what they believe about Jesus is crucial in understanding how to engage them in conversation about Him. Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:02:42 -0500 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/jesus/is-jesus-god/who-is-jesus/does-the-qur-an-koran-mention-jesus.html https://www.christianity.com/jesus/is-jesus-god/who-is-jesus/does-the-qur-an-koran-mention-jesus.html Thabiti Anyabwile https://www.christianity.com/author/thabiti-anyabwile/ (Transcript of the video, edited for readability)The Quran mentions Jesus in a number of places in a number of ways. So 11 times in the Quran, Jesus is referred to as Isa Almasi, that is, Jesus the Messiah. The Quran itself calls Christ the Messiah. And Muslims would have a similar understanding of what it means to be the Messiah. I mean, it is borrowed really out of the Christian context in the Jewish context. So the Messiah is the anointed one. What our Muslim neighbors don't understand is anointed for what? And that's where we helped him understand the gospel. He's the one who's been chosen and anointed to deliver his people from their sins, to offer himself as a sacrifice on behalf of sinners, and to thereby redeem them and make them a people for himself. So there are those places in the Quran that describe Jesus as the Messiah. The Quran actually has its own version of the virgin birth as well. So Muslims believe in the virgin birth. And when you read Marianne, the chapter on Mary, you'll discover many parallels to the gospel accounts of the virgin birth.Again, that allows us to ask them some interesting questions. Well, if he is born of a virgin and doesn't have an earthly father, who's his father? Well, God is his father. Now, Muslims have misunderstandings there. They sometimes think that Christians believe that God had intercourse with Mary in some way and impregnated her. That's not what we mean at all. We would share their abhorrence at that. That's not what I meant at all. And so explaining that and moving from that bridge of the Virgin birth account to why it was necessary that Jesus should be born of a virgin and why it was necessary that he should come at all, and be faultless, as the Quran and the Hadith also teach that Jesus was faultless. The Quran teaches that Jesus was a prophet. Again, that gives us a good starting place, a common starting place. We have very much the same definition of prophets, those who come and speak the very word of God. And so the next question really is, well, what did Jesus say? And we know that in the gospels, we have that recorded in the gospels, and every Muslim is obligated to obey the prophets. And again, what does Jesus say? I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. And what does Jesus say? He lays down his life as a ransom for his people. If he lays it down, he has power to pick it up again, anticipating the resurrection. Matthew 16, I believe it is. But Jesus sets his face to go to Jerusalem and says he must go to Jerusalem and suffer at the hands of the chief priests and the scribes and Pharisees and be put to death. And on the third day, he rises as a prophet speaking the very words of God. And I'm bound as a Muslim to obey the word of God. This is a very interesting quandary. This is the kind of thing that made me leave Islam and accept the truth about Christ. So many things in the Quran, we also have in the Quran things that we would disagree with as Christians. Not only things that we agree with, but things we disagree with as Christians. So, for example, the Quran makes the claim that Jesus will come in the second coming. They believe in the second coming and Jesus's appearance at judgment to condemn those who believe in his name, and they believe that he was the son of God and God the Son. We certainly know that Jesus is coming again. He's coming to receive his church, and he's coming to establish his kingdom. To consummate his kingdom. And he will judge when he comes, but it won't be his followers that he judges. It will be those who reject him, those who refuse him.So those are some of the things that the Quran teaches about Jesus, some of which we would agree with, it is at least part of the truth and needs to be extended with the Christian explanation, and things we wouldn't agree with and would understand to be false.Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Rachid Oucharia Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:50:00 -0500 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-ankh-symbol-does-it-have-a-christian-origin.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-ankh-symbol-does-it-have-a-christian-origin.html Linda Lyle https://www.christianity.com/author/linda-lyle/ There are many theories regarding the origin and purposes of the ankh, a cruciform symbol made up of a cross with a loop for its upper vertical arm. Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-is-reiki-and-can-christians-practice-it.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-is-reiki-and-can-christians-practice-it.html Britt Mooney https://www.christianity.com/author/britt-mooney/ As our culture continues to seek answers for the brokenness of this world, and we have access to more information than ever through smartphones and other technology, people discover different world religions and beliefs. Our culture currently experiences increasing anxiety and depression, and the deep longings of our hearts cause us to look for solutions. Many wonder if there’s some forgotten, ancient teaching they could access and find peace and meaning. Christians understand that only Christ fulfills such longings, and God’s truth is eternal, more sustainable, and foundational than any ancient wisdom. Unfortunately, many reject the One who could give them peace and try other avenues. One recent Japanese religious practice, Reiki, has grown in popularity. How should Christians approach this belief?Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/microgen Fri, 22 Aug 2025 11:55:00 -0400 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/3-sneaky-cultural-trends-christian-singles-should-rethink.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/3-sneaky-cultural-trends-christian-singles-should-rethink.html Dr. Audrey Davidheiser https://www.christianity.com/author/dr-audrey-davidheiser/ Are you single? With aspirations to tie the knot down the road?No, this isn’t a pitch for a dating app. Nor will I dole out tips on how to spot the right candidate. The journey toward marriage is as unique as the person undertaking it. For instance, growing up I’d always assumed I’d be married by 25. Yet, my wedding didn’t happen until almost an entire decade later.It wasn’t until after I paused to investigate why 25 that I discovered the straightforward answer: because my mother walked the aisle at this age.Like me, our culture carries assumptions about romantic relationships. And like what I did with my personal assumption above, if you wish to be married, it’ll benefit you to examine these prevailing assumptions. Let’s look at three of them.Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Thomas Ward Tue, 17 Jun 2025 14:30:00 -0400 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-are-the-core-beliefs-of-neopaganism.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-are-the-core-beliefs-of-neopaganism.html Britt Mooney https://www.christianity.com/author/britt-mooney/ By looking deeper into the development of neopaganism, believers can better guard against ungodly religious philosophy and engage neopagan believers with love and understanding. Fri, 02 May 2025 11:55:00 -0400 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-is-the-elks-lodge-and-is-it-a-religious-group.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/what-is-the-elks-lodge-and-is-it-a-religious-group.html Justin Wiggins https://www.christianity.com/author/justin-wiggins/ Though the Elks Lodge is not exclusively a Christian organization, it does believe in a higher power. However, the organization is open to people from different spiritual worldviews, whether Pagan, Muslim, Jew, Unitarian, Sikh, or Hindu. Mon, 20 Jan 2025 07:35:00 -0500 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00 https://www.christianity.com/church/what-is-the-christadelphian-church-and-their-beliefs.html https://www.christianity.com/church/what-is-the-christadelphian-church-and-their-beliefs.html Justin Wiggins https://www.christianity.com/author/justin-wiggins/ Christadelphians are a small Protestant sect of Christianity that was founded in the19th century by John Thomas. Thomas was born in England and eventually emigrated to America in 1832. After Thomas questioned the authenticity of the Anglican church, he came to the conclusion that there was no need for any priests, liturgy, or communion. During his time in America, Thomas became part of a religious community and began to develop his own theology based on his study of Scripture. He wrote a book called Elpis Israel, published in 1849. This theological work provides context on what Christadelphians believe. Thomas believed many modern churches had departed from the early church communities of the first century. Through his writings, publications, and speaking tours, Thomas came to influence thousands of people. This community of his followers became known as “Christadelphians” and was officially founded in 1848. The name of the religious community means "brothers and sisters in Christ" in the original Greek. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/dbvirago Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:25:00 -0500 2026-03-31T01:53:49-04:00