ThoughtLetters filed under Cults & World Religions

Why Not Just Love and Accept All Religious Views?

Volume 32 • No. 3 • May-June, 2022 Download PDF  

Posted in 2022, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Are Mormons Christians? Is Consensual Polygamy Sin?

Volume 30 • No. 5 • September-October, 2020 Download PDF

Posted in 2020, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

ECKANKAR: Co-worker with God or Victim of Deceipt?

Volume 25 • No. 3 • May-June 2015 Download PDF

Posted in 2015, By Topic, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Swedenborgianism

AREOPAGUS PROCLAMATION Volume 20 • No. 4 • July-August 2010 Download PDF

Posted in 2010, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

What Is a Cult? Who Decides?

AREOPAGUS PROCLAMATION Volume 20 • No. 2 • Mar-Apr 2010 Download PDF

Posted in 2010, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

CAUTION AHEAD: Emerging Emergents

by Rick Carver Rick Carver is AIIA’s Associate Director. He is also senior pastor of County Road Baptist Church in New Limerick, Maine. He, his wife Cathleen, and their five […]

Posted in 2009, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Theosophical Deception

AREOPAGUS PROCLAMATION Volume 19, No. 1 January-February, 2009 Category: C&WR   Theosophical Deception by Daryl E. Witmer   As is the case with all original articles written for AIIA about […]

Posted in 2009, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

How Accurate Is the New World Translation?

by Dr. David Doherty The New World Translation is the version of the Bible endorsed and used by Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide. But is it an accurate translation? We asked David […]

Posted in 2007, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Sikhism

by Daryl E. Witmer Volume 17, No. 2 November, 2006 Download PDF

Posted in 2006, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Quakers: Foes or Friends?

by Daryl E. Witmer The Quakers are an international religious affiliation also referred to as The Religious Society of Friends or, simply, Friends. Founded by George Fox (inset) in England […]

Posted in 2005, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

The Most Dangerous Cult of All

by Robert T. Pardon Bob Pardon is director of the New England Institute of Religious Research (NEIRR), and of MeadowHaven, a cult recovery facility, in Lakeville MA (see www.neirr.org). He […]

Posted in 2005, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

A Word to Wiccans

by Daryl E. Witmer What follows here is a brief summary of Wiccan belief. In some cases we have followed a particular point with what we believe to be a […]

Posted in 2004, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Unmasking Mormonism

by Daryl E. Witmer In spite of the fact that Mormons are among the most polite, pleasant, moral, family-oriented, ostensibly reasonable people in the world, the religious views of The […]

Posted in 2004, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

What About Science & Health?

by Daryl E. Witmer You’ve probably been on the receiving end of the relatively recent, yet enthusiastic, advertising blitz sponsored by The Church of Christ, Scientist. Their campaign has included […]

Posted in 2004, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Shinto

by  Daryl E. Witmer Test your knowledge of Shinto with the following 10 questions, then read the answers with commentary that follow. 1. Shinto is the native, traditional, national (i.e. […]

Posted in 2003, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Straying from the Buddhist Path

by  Mary Joni Harris This month’s never-before-published article is guest-authored by Mary Joni Harris of Denton, Texas. Joni studied Buddhist teachings independently for three years, having been drawn by Buddhism’s […]

Posted in 2003, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Islam vs. the Bible

by Dr. Tom Woodward Tom Woodward, Ph.D., has been a professor at Trinity College of Florida since 1988. He is founder and director of the C.S. Lewis Society. See further […]

Posted in 2003, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

The Nation of Islam

An insightful interview with Robert T. Pardon, M.Div., Th.M. Bob Pardon is director of the New England Institute of Religious Research (NEIRR) in Lakeville MA (see www.neirr.org), and has been […]

Posted in 2002, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Roman Catholicism’s Most Convicting Bible Texts

by Daryl E. Witmer The following is addressed primarily to our friends and readers who claim an affiliation with Roman Catholicism. What does Romanism say? In November of 1544, in […]

Posted in 2001, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Judaism’s Most Convicting Bible Text

by Daryl E. Witmer The following article is addressed primarily to those Jews among our friends and readers who remain unconvinced that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah and, […]

Posted in 2001, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Mormonism’s Most Convicting Bible Text

by Daryl E. Witmer The following article is addressed primarily to those of our friends who are affiliated with one of the following three faith systems: The Church of Jesus […]

Posted in 2001, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

The Top Ten Cults in America Today

by Robert T. Pardon Bob Pardon is director of the New England Institute of Religious Research (NEIRR) in Lakeville MA. NEIRR was founded in 1991. Rev. Pardon has been an […]

Posted in 2001, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On the Messianic Communities

An Open Letter to a Prospective Member – by Robert T. Pardon Robert T. Pardon is director of the New England Institute of Religious Research (NEIRR), which he founded in […]

Posted in 1999, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Don’t All Religions Incorporate Truth?

ALEX ASKS, ROGER RESPONDS Hey, Roger, you say that you’re a Christian. Isn’t it true that you Christians claim to have a corner on the truth? Well, Alex, if by […]

Posted in 1999, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Pluralism, Cults, & the Basis for Truth

An Interview with Robert T. Pardon This month we conclude a three-part series of never-before-published interviews with AIIA’s three Resource Associates, each of whom have training, experience, and expertise in […]

Posted in 1997, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Baha’ism

An Open Letter – by Robert T. Pardon The following original piece was written for the Proclamation by AIIA Resource Associate Robert Pardon. Rev. Pardon  is founder and executive director […]

Posted in 1996, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Roman Catholicism: When Is Too Much Not Enough?

An Open Letter – by Robert M. Zins The following original piece was written especially for the Proclamation by Rob Zins, director of A Christian Witness to Roman Catholicism. Rob […]

Posted in 1996, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Taoism

A Path to Truth or Just Another Vicious Circle? Responding to Taoist Thinking-by Daryl E. Witmer, AIIA Executive Director A number of you reading this paper each month are adherents […]

Posted in 1996, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Buddhism

Ten Questions I’d Ask If I Could Interview Siddhartha Gautama Today by Daryl E. Witmer, AIIA Executive Director A number of you reading this paper each month are adherents and/or […]

Posted in 1995, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Hinduism

Some of you reading this paper are adherents and/or proponents of one of the three major Eastern religious traditions-Hinduism, Buddhism, or Taoism. So this month we’re launching a series on […]

Posted in 1995, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Responding to a Christian Scientist

EDITOR’S NOTE Every month this thoughtletter is mailed to hundreds of skeptics, agnostics, and other individuals who (per-haps like yourself) do not necessarily share our AIIA worldview and/or doctrine. While […]

Posted in 1995, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Scientology

Editor’s Note: this is the third and final part of a three-part series of thoughtletter articles addressed directly to those of our readers who are affiliated with one of three […]

Posted in 1994, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On The Way International

Editor’s Note: this is the second in a three-part series of thoughtletter articles addressed directly to those of our readers who are affiliated with either Christian Science, The Way International, […]

Posted in 1994, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Christian Science

Editor’s Note: this is the first in a three-part series of thoughtletter articles addressed directly to those of our readers who are affiliated with either Christian Science, The Way International, […]

Posted in 1994, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

An Afternoon Visit With the Mormons

At approximately 1:37pm on Thursday afternoon, June 3, 1993, a nice Mormon couple walked in and sat down in my living room at the Parsonage. They were probably in their […]

Posted in 1993, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

Four Questions & a Deal for the Witnesses of Jehovah

In this article I am particularly addressing those among our neighbors, friends, and readers who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, a religious alliance now totaling over two million members worldwide. Over the […]

Posted in 1992, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Islam & the Unchanging Word of God

This month I am particularly writing to those of you who, as friends among our readers, are of the Islamic faith. If we are to believe recent statistics, you are […]

Posted in 1992, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters

On Mormonism

Jesus Christ, a spirit brother of the devil?  Jesus of Nazareth, married to Mary Magdalene, engaging in sexual acts with Mary and Martha, secretly fathering children before His crucifixion? What […]

Posted in 1991, By Topic, By Year, Cults & World Religions, ThoughtLetters