Hindus, Muslims and Lutherans worshipping "the Oneness" together

​(The following article was written a few days ago by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. ​You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
 
"Celebrating our Oneness in the Divine, an Interfaith Evening of Peace" will be held April 30th at Advent Lutheran Church in Osseo, Minnesota, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
 
The pastor at Advent Lutheran gives this invitation: " Are you growing weary of all the "us/them" rhetoric going on? Are you discouraged by all the division, lack of respect, even hatred?...There's a reason for that! Your soul (the real you) bears the image of its Creator God; the One source that flows in and through everything and everyone. When your soul encounters division rooted in fear its energy is lowered and diminished. You can feel this within you. It responds this way because it...intuitively knows that we are all one. I have the perfect antidote for you! Love yourself and do yourself a favor by attending...The following local communities will be gathering...: The Ja'afari Islamic Center, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Noble Academy,...the Hindu Temple of Minnesota, and Advent and Westwood Lutheran Churches. Each community will offer music and spoken word from their traditions celebrating our Oneness... "
 
Two thoughts:
1. The Apostle Paul teaches that heathen gods are not the same as the one true God, they are "demons" (I Corinthians 10:20). To imply that Krishna, Vishnu, Allah, are "one" with Jesus Christ is blasphemy.
2. Christians, as opposed to Hindus, are not pantheists. Pantheism teaches that everything is God and God is everything, therefore pantheists worship everything. The above smacks of pantheism in saying God flows in and through everything and everyone. No, God does not flow through the devil or through pagan gods. Christians believe in a transcendent God who is separate from His creation. Romans 1:25 condemns religions which worship "the creature rather than the Creator."
 
I had the misfortune of visiting Advent Lutheran Church a few years ago (it is near my house) and was grieved when the above pastor during a sermon put a picture of Meher Baba on the screen and quoted him. Meher Baba was an Indian spiritual master who said he was the Avatar, God in human form.
 
Please pray about the above event. My prayer is that many parishioners at Advent Lutheran will say "Pastor, what are you doing? What about the First Commandment: Thou shalt have no other gods? What harmony has Christ with Belial? What agreement has the temple of God with idols (2 Corinthians 6:15-16)?
 
Well, tomorrow we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Buddha did not rise, Mohammed did not rise. Only one religion worships a living Savior. May you have a wonderful day worshipping Him!
 
In our risen Lord Jesus,
 
Pastor Tom Brock
pastorsstudy.org