Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 6/1/2009

Question
There is a wind of unification blowing across all nations and all peoples. How can all nations and all peoples be united by the same belief? This has never happened in history. Given the variety of cultures, the existence of some 40 recognized religious beliefs within 10 main religions (including atheism), and the individuality of each persons values, how can it be possible that everyone will believe and prioritize the same supreme fundamental belief. What belief is it?
It can only be the belief in man’s freedom of human rights and universal values. In other words, it is the foundation of all democracies. It was quite interesting to see President Obama present this belief in “universal values”, which includes the “Golden Rule: do unto others as you would want them to do to you”, to the graduating class of Notre Dame University, a purely Catholic University run by Roman Catholic priests. The Catholic university and its top management fully endorsed this belief as being the common values that can create inter-faith cooperation amongst religions and peoples while simultaneously protecting and respecting their right, as well as that of all other religions, to the freedom of worship of their particular faith, as the President referred to. Each religion believes that their god is the true god, whether it be the Christian God, the Muslim God, the Hebrew God, and etc. Where do they now fit into the picture?  Is the belief in any one of these gods higher than that of the belief in human rights and universal values? Is the belief in these gods secondary to the supreme belief in human rights and values? If we say that the belief in a particular god is superior, then it automatically negates the acceptance of other religions, since it is then understood that all other gods are false. This view, however, is divisive. If we say that the belief in human rights and universal values is superior and primary, then the god of any one of the traditional religions is only there to complement one’s cultural traditions. Their god, then, is not the universal True and Only God.
Is President Obama portraying the belief in universal values as the new religion, or tree, from which all other religions (as branches) will have the right to be worshipped? Is it the “umbrella belief” that protects and unites all other beliefs through a set of universal values?  The “golden rule” or law of loving your neighbor as yourself originated with God, the Father of Jesus Christ. However, He is no longer seen as the Most High. He is now on the same level as one of the other “gods”.
Is this belief in rights and universal values the image, mark, name, and number that will cause “even the elect” to be deceived and to willingly accept this mark? Is this the belief that is referred to about the last king in the prophecy found in Daniel 11:36-39, “...for he shall magnify himself above all gods”?

John Stefanyszyn  //  

Answer
Hi John,

Thank you for this very interesting question.  I believe that you are onto something.  I believe that humanism and the elevation and worship of the fellow man is part of the one world religion that will unify the world in wickedness.... however, I also believe that more and more people are embracing the concept that we are all worshipping the same spirit-being, just calling it by different names.  Truth is no longer seen as absolute... therefore each different faith can be fully persuaded, and all be correct.  I believe that before Daniel's 70th week, there will be a great war over religion, possibly involving radical Islam  I believe that the bloodshed will be so great that the peace maker that immerges, the anit- chirst, will proclaim that any radical exclusive religious belief is the evil.  It will be the universal elevation of the fellow man that will unite all into a one world system void of absolute truth.

I hope that this helps you.

I am very, very sorry for my late response.

In Christ
Pastor Don