“Interfaith dialogue” is a pluralistic attempt to find common ground in the values and goals of various religions. Is this something evangelicals should pursue? – Focus on the Family
For some years now the Interfaith movement has gained strength around the world. The Roman Catholic Church has hosted many of these “Interfaith Dialog” meetings at the Vatican and elsewhere. Leaders from many religious backgrounds had meetings to unite and find common ground, hosted by the Vatican and the Pope.
This movement is also known as Religious Pluralism. What exactly does that mean?
“Religious pluralism–understanding and accepting that there is more than one religion.
Interfaith movement–many religions work together on common goals such as social justice, antiwar and antipoverty movements.
“In today’s religious world, it is very important to be respectful of other people’s religions–wars can result if we are not respectful of other religions and cultures.”
One of the big players in this movement is Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed. (on the right) Who is he?
Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, Secretary General of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), a national community leader, is chief executive officer of this Plainfield, IN – suburban Indianapolis – based national umbrella organization which has more than 300 affiliates all over the U.S. and Canada.
A naturalized American citizen, Dr. Syeed obtained his Ph.D. in Sociolinguistics from the Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana, in 1984.
Sounds pretty impressive doesn’t it? This same Dr. Syeed also said the following:
“Our job is to change the constitution of America.” — Sayyid Syeed, Islamic Society of North America.
Change the Constitution? Isn’t that something the radical left would like to do, better yet, throw out the Constitution? Here is a little bit more about Dr. Syeed:
Dr. Syeed has been actively involved in fostering understanding among the world’s religions and has participated in interfaith dialogues at different levels in the U.S.A. and Canada. A frequent speaker at interfaith dialogues, he has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions.In recognition of his contribution to inter-religious understanding and harmony, Dr. Syeed was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters by the Graduate Theological Foundation, Donaldson, Indiana on May 4, 2001. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished service in furthering the Islamic tradition in North America and for promoting inter-religious understanding and harmony from the Catholic Heritage Foundation, Louisville, Kentucky on November 18, 2001.On January 5, 2002, Mr. Frank O’Bannon, the Governor of Indiana, in his State of the State Address, recognized Dr. Syeed’s “work to educate Americans about the Muslim faith in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks, along with your life’s work to encourage tolerance and racial healing has marked you as a great leader in Indiana.”Dr. Syeed has been invited to speak on Muslim and Islamic issues on the national TV channels, NBC, CBS, CBN, ABC. He was interviewed on PBS on the McNeill-Lehrer Report and appeared on the “Today Show” and CNN’s “Crossfire” and on the national televisions of Turkey, Malaysia, Sudan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on matters related to Islam and Islam in America.
Here is the link to the CIFA website if you like to learn more: http://www.cifa.org/
The Roman Catholic Church has embraced the Interfaith movement.
“It has been my pleasure to be part of the New Seminary since its founding in 1981. The New Seminary has helped me understand my own faith…my Catholicism better. I find it exciting to tell students and others, that my way is not the only way; it is one way. We believe in honoring all paths. So we ask our students to hold on to the traditions from which they come, but, be ready and willing to expand their horizons…to learn about other religions and faiths from around the world.” – Fr. Giles Spoonhour, Co-FounderReligious pluralism–understanding and accepting that there is more than one religion.
One way? Have you not read your Bible Fr. Spoonhour? It is written: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” Jhn 14:6
In my opinion, this is a very dangerous movement towards a One World Religion that will lead many away from the true and living God, leading them to man-made gods and religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism, and many other ism’s.
In light of what happened just in the last few month, the Libya attack, the Boston Marathon attack and the just recent butchering of a soldier in the streets of London by followers of Allah, makes me wonder. Should we as followers and believers in the Lord Jesus Christ support the Interfaith Movement? I think not.
Many Christians have already bought into this scheme and will be misled. The ultimate goal is to usher in this One World Religious system, the religion of Anti-christ who is to come. We are already moving towards a One World Government and a global currency.
Islam is a religion of Anti-christ and far away from being peaceful. Islam denies the Son. I believe that the Roman Catholic Church, some Christian churches and Islamist leaders are working towards the goal of uniting the world into a one world religion.
Here is a link to a very good website addressing the issue: http://www.gotquestions.org/religious-pluralism.html
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/5/interfaith-movement-gains-new-strength/?page=all
If anyone tries to tell you that Islam is a peaceful religions, look at some of these images and tell me that Islam is a Religion of Peace. Here is the link to an interesting article: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
Boston Marathon Victim
Clean up at a Mosque after Suicide Bomber
Gays being rounded up, violating Sharia Law
Adulterer’s punishment. (wanna bet it’s a female?)
I thought this last pictures says it all: 
In 2007 Islam and Judaism’s holiest holidays overlapped for 10 days.
Muslims racked up 397 dead bodies in 94 terror attacks across 10
countries during this time… while Jews worked on their 159th Nobel Prize.
pictures courtesy of: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
Related articles
http://jessicahof.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/islam-a-problem/
- Is There an Interfaith Movement in the Muslim World? (americanthinker.com)
- Pluralist working towards making interfaith cooperation a norm in U.S. (craigconsidinetcd.wordpress.com)
- The Marriages of Interfaith America (calvinistinternational.com)
Media 4 Life Ministries 
Thank you Jeannie, yes, many churches are falling away from the true faith, just as the Bible speaks about it. We are truly living in biblical times and the last days. Many blessings to you and a blessed New Year.
http://media4lifephotography.com
http://media4lifeministries.com
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Freddy I feel the falling away of our church everytime I hear some of the mega preachers that appear on TV speak. It scares and saddens me to watch Christianity follow after false religions. This Phil Robertson thing with Duck Dynasty is just an example of what little knowledge the so called educated elite media and religions leaders know. The Catholic Church has always preached themselves and humanism as true Christianity! I remember reading a passage in Revelations sometimes in the 70’s and I would have sworn that it was refering to the Pope. I enjoy your blogs, may the new year bring you wisdom in all your post.
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Sorry for the long over due response. Thank you Anne for your kind words. Religious Pluralism is growing within many of the denominational churches. I think they must have overlooked what Jesus said in John 14:6. We are truly living in the last days, where many fall away from the true faith. Replacement theology is on the rise and many so called ministers of the Gospel have become weak when it comes to the truth. Christianity is exclusive. There is only One mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus. Only Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. There are many that teach that there are many ways that lead to God, which contradicts Jesus. He didn’t say a way, He said the way. Many blessings to you. In Him, Freddy.
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Hi again Freddy, I went shopping today and as I love a bargain I called into a second hand goods store run by the Catholic Church and Wow did your message impact me again, they were showcasing some special books to buy, one was an Occult book on Tara Card reading and the others on New Age Teaching. … I’m still angry.
We are standing with you in this – Anne
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Thank you Freddy for visiting our Blog and for this very informative even if also disturbing message but I agree with what you shared, yes we are to Love all Mankind even those who call us their enemies but this does not mean we have to agree with the evil they do or error they propagate. Jesus made it perfectly clear that He was the only way to God, there is no other way, so if they reject Him as The Living Word and Creator God, then whatever god they worship is one of their own understanding and so it is Spiritual Adultery that they commit.
God is One God in the Godhead or Trinity (3 in One ) as They are called today (see below) and even if they accept this Truth outwardly and worship Him but agree that there are other gods of equal Name, then they error greatly and will eventually be lead astray ……
Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
1 Jonn 5: 7 For there are three that bear witness in Heaven: The Father, The Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
May you be greatly blessed Freddy and those close to you as you resolve to stand firm in not agreeing to Religious Pluralism, yes there is only One Church of God but that is in the hearts of those who Love God with their whole being and all that means.
Christian Love from both of us – Anne
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I think we need to walk carefully here. I agree that on an institutional scale, attempts at interfaith are usually going to be seriously compromising to the essence of the gospel message. But on an individual level, when we find ourselves in relationships with people who are members of other religions or who are greatly influenced by other religions that we need to be looking for common ground from which to begin dialogue. We don’t want to alienate true truth-seekers from other religions because e are bent on showing what is wrong about everyone else. Better to focus on what is right and then point to Jesus.
And Freddy… Thanks for the “likes” on my post! You know we’re not that far away from each other (I’m in Laguna Beach). We should get together sometime! – John Fischer
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Thank you Discdemo. Many blessings to you.
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amen.
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Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure which Pope you are referring to, but in the last decades the Interfaith Movement has bee embraced and hosted by The Roman Catholic Church. There are many articles if you want to check for yourself about the interfaith movement and the involvement of many churches, not just the RC church. Here is one link, but as I said, Google interfaith and see what you will find, just like a Berean, they searched the scriptures and just as they, we need to search all things. Especially in these last days: http://www.theenlightenedconservative.com/2011/05/interfaith-movement-and-coming-one.html
To be honest, I’m not sure what the Pope teaches, the new one said some disturbing things which are not biblical. Here is one article and you judge for yourself if that Is what Jesus taught or the Bible teaches: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-05-22/national/39439471_1_pope-francis-vatican-guesthouse-catholics Thanks again for stopping by.
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Your information on the Roman Catholic Church is incorrect. I am a Catholic and what you wrote is not the teachings of the Pope. There are some more radical groups that call themselves Catholic but do not follow the teachings of the Bible and the church.
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Great article Freddy. This subject really needs to be preached from our pulpits. I have always thought that being PC about our faith will cause confusion for many. The Old Testament explains all the way through about the evils of accepting other religious beliefs into your camp, God didn’t like it at all. God knows what will happen if we accept false religions into His Word, we fall away from the true God of Creation
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Excellent article, Freddy. Truth that needs to be aired. Keep up the good work you have committed to. Clarissa
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I agree…
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Amen. I need to add that verse to my blog.
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Thank you my friend, many blessings.
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Well done, Freddy! Thanks for sharing your gifts with us!
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Be Holy as He is Holy (separate). This is what our loving Lord teaches us to do, to be separate from the rest. I will follow His Ways, His Truth, His Life as these can be found in no other than Jesus!
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