Deviant natures will always attach themselves to uninspired ritualistic teachings, to bring in destructive sects. But with some research, the origins of these unGodly beliefs can be discovered. Here are just a few of the more obvious ones:

1: Augustine wrote a manuscript based on his own confessions, which has for some time now fulfilled his belated ambitions by becoming, in this century, a published work called 'CONFESSIONS'. A doctrine that has resulted by adoption from this work, is that of mediators in the Catholic religion setting themselves up as christs to hear the confessions of wickedness from others, after which they utter their forgiveness of the sins of these individuals. This is "publicly showing himself to be a god. ⁽¹⁾

2: Various religions offer up --in places where they worship-- lighted candles which are supposedly to represent a votive arrangement and thanksgiving to God. The originator? Paschal. There is no God-given arrangement for this visual demonstration in God's Word. "The lampstands"⁽²⁾ consisting of seven lamps were used by our Lord to symbolically represent the seven named congregations, since the apostle John received the vision, and was to be a "shadow" of a coming reality in all his congregations.

3: The belief in the TRINITY, a three-in-one God taught by Augustine, has resulted in this becoming the central doctrine of Catholics, who are the antiChrist because of their disbelief in the God-created existence and obedient development of his begotten Son Jesus The Christ.

4: Augustine also referred a great deal to the developments of a demonic city on earth, as opposed to the heavenly City of God under development on earth; resulting in the creation by Catholics of the present separatist Vatican City in Rome.

5: It was Augustine who formulated extensive arguments to try to substantiate his belief in resurrections of the dead to a new life back on earth in their flesh again, with the exception of those he called the saints who he said would be resurrected to heavenly life. These beliefs are now prevalent among many religions, and particularly so among those falsely calling themselves Jehovah's Witnesses, and again, among Catholics. Judging by those God has created and even resurrected already, it would not prove a difficult thing for God to resurrect mankind back to a fleshly existence. This is not a criterion to be argued over, for it is not what God has foreordained to take place, and none of His Holy Scriptures indicate that it is. However, there are scriptures stating that all resurrected ones will be resurrected in spirit,⁽³⁾ some to a resurrection of life and some to a resurrection of judgement; some to everlasting life and some to the reproach of eternal abhorrence. ⁽⁴⁾

  (1) 2 Thess 2: 4 NWT.                                           (2) Rev 1:12.

           (3) See "Little Scroll" under 'Resurrections'.     (4) Dan 12:2 NEB.

16/9/90.