Because I love the truth, I have always despised apostacy and shallow Christianity and fraudulent spirituality and counterfeits of Christianity and cults and new age nonsense and such. I would include all major non-Christian religions. If you read
www.thepunks.com/citizenkeillor.html you will gain a bit more insight into where I'm at about it all. Having said that, I have always found myself reluctant to criticize 'true', Bible-based Christian congregations even if I didn't think they were right up to snuff spiritually. I look at it like this. If I'm so spiritually mature and together then I belong right in there with my fellow Christians helping to lead them out of the spiritual woods, rather than criticizing them. There are still a lot of true God-loving, Bible believing congregations around who need and deserve our help if we are truly their brothers and sisters in Christ. You really have to beware of counterfeits though. One notable example is worldwide and features a cowboy with long robes and a big pointy hat, another denies the deity of Christ and doesn't like blood transfusions and another holds anti-smoking seminars and so-called prophecy seminars and yet another thinks they will ultimately become 'Gods'. There is even a group with funny purple hats with tassles who put on parades and secretly engage in Satanic rituals.There are so many traps and spiritual snakepits it is one reason the Bible says only a relatively few people will make it to Heaven. Satan, the father of lies, is hard at work. To state it briefly, if any group teaches that Jesus Christ is not God Almighty and a member of the 'Trinity' or 'Godhead' (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) then they are not Christian, period. If they don't teach that the only way of salvation is repenting of our sins and departing from our sinful ways and accepting the person of Jesus Christ as our Lord, God and Savior, then they are not Christian, period. God loves all people but if they teach that abortion and homosexuality are approved of by God, they are not Christian, period.
John 1:1-17 identifies the Creator for us and leaves no doubt about who Jesus Christ is:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Acts 16:31
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
1 John 5:11
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:12
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.