(The) Bab. Founder of Baha'i,
actual name Mirza Ali Muhammad. Publicly executed in 1850. Bab means gate.
He said he was the Madhi (Messiah) for whom the Muslims were waiting,
and referred to himself as a manifestation of God. He predicted a World
Teacher who "would appear to unite mankind and bring a new era
of peace."Baha'u'llah later claimed
that title.
Baba, Sai.
Sai Baba is a Hindu guru and New Age leader.
He is assigned a Danger rating here because of his false teachings.
Baha'i.
False world religion founded by the Bab in 1844. Originated
from Shiite Muslim. Contradicts itself, denies the essentials of Christianity.
"While claiming to be the great unifier of all religions, Baha'is
ironically deny all other religions by attempting to make each one conform
to their concept of the universal religion of God. They have amalgamated
bits and pieces of each faith into one eclectic mass of religious confusion."
(David L Johnson.) A few of the contradictions in Baha'i:
Baha'i claims that each famous religious leader (eg, Moses, Jesus
Christ, Muhammad, etc) is supposed to have been a manifestation of God.
Unfortunately for Baha'i, Buddha and Confucius lived at the same time
(between about 550-480 B.C.), as did the Bab and Baha'u'llah.
Note: Watchman Fellowship in their Baha'i
Profile points out "The infallible Center of the Covenant
(Abdu'l Baha) said that Confucius was a Manifestation (Promulgation
of Universal Peace, p.346)."
Baha'u'llah taught that the universe had no beginning and had no end,
which contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. (One of the fundamental
principles of Baha'i is that harmony must exist between religion and
science.)
Baha'u'llah's teaching that the universe had no beginning and had
no end contradicts his own teaching that God made the universe out of
nothing.
Baha'u'llah taught that religious truth is not absolute, which is
self refuting.
(See the Self Refuting
Statements page for some more examples.) This means Baha'u'llah
was a false prophet.
For more information read this excellent Baha'i article
by David L Johnson, DMin, MA, or for a closer look at some of the contradictions
within Baha'i regarding the nature of God read Some
Key Issues Considered. Information can also be found at former Baha'i
Eric Stetson's Baha'i
Faith site. He writes: "My instincts tell me that as the Baha'i
Faith fails to keep its converts, fails to grow and in fact declines in
membership, its leaders are gradually transforming it into more of a cult
in order to preserve what they have." Note that we do not agree
with all of Eric's theology, particularly his beliefs regarding Hell.
Baha'u'llah. Second leader of Baha'i,
actual name Mirza Husayn Ali. Died in 1892 age 75. Baha'u'llah means the
glory of God. In 1863 (while in prison) he declared himself to be the
manifestation of God promised by the Bab. His followers
became know as Baha'is. Spent the rest of his life in prison, wrote over
100 books and letters, which are considered sacred by the Baha'is.
Ballantyne,
Walter Simpson.
Walter Simpson Ballantyne leads the Tauranga-based School
of the Prophets. Born 16 September 1937. He is a marriage celebrant and
a former pastor of New Life Fellowship Church, Gisborne (now called Mega Life
Church). He is said to not like the term Christian, using the word believer
instead, and teaches that believers must pray in tongues for an hour a day and
that a person is not saved unless they pray in tongues. He claims to have visions
of angelic visitations. Walter Simpson Ballantyne is rated Danger for
his non-biblical teachings including serious misrepresentations of the person,
role and position of Jesus Christ (some evidence suggests he may even be uncomfortable
with the idea that Jesus Christ is an actual person with an adult, glorified
body), and especially for the detrimental impact he has personally had on relationships,
particularly marriages. This listing is under review. Submissions for this listing
are now being accepted. Please see the Contact page.
Believer's Voice of Victory, The.
Newsletter and TV show of Kenneth and Gloria
Copeland, not screening in New Zealand any more. Most of the material
in this show was OK, but enough was flaky to warrant a warning. Also the
name of their radio show, not thought to have aired in New Zealand.
Bentley, Todd.
Todd Bentley is a charismania leader (of Canadian origin) in Lakeland,
Florida, USA, and has visited New Zealand (February 2008). His ministry
is basically Toronto (Holy
Laughter Movement) repackaged, with many added occult
practices thrown in such as necromancy
and astral travel. He makes claims of being
assisted by female angels in his money-collecting efforts, and that gold
dust appears during his meetings. Todd Bentley supports false prophets
such as Bob Jones and William Branham (deceased).
A NZ Cult List researcher points out that apart from Zechariah 5:8-11
there are no biblical instances of female angels. (The two winged women
of Zechariah are apparently evil since they fly off to build a temple
for wickedness. Compare this to Todd Bentley's floating female angel "Emma"
- the name being a contraction of Emmanuel, "God With Us".)
Our researcher also has serious concerns about Todd Bentley's preoccupation
with money, angels collecting money, gold dust in meetings, people roaring
like lions and/or clucking like chickens, etc. Many of the manifestations
of the Holy Laughter Movement are the same as the New
Age, occult Kundalini. For more information
see Todd
Bentley, Fires of Kundalini or Comparison
between Kundalini and Toronto Movement. Todd Bentley is assigned a
Danger rating because of his charismania (Holy
Laughter Movement, etc), unbiblical experiences and practices, misquoting
of and misuse of the Bible, connections with and support of false
prophets, and spiritual danger he poses in deceiving the wider Christian
church, including the deception involved regarding the veracity of healing
and especially resurrection miracles. From his own claims, it seems he's
either a liar or physically
dangerous, too.
Colossians 2:18-19 is a warning for us:
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the
worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into
great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him
up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom
the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews,
grows as God causes it to grow.
Ezekiel 22:23-31 puts it even more strongly:
Again the word of the LORD came to me:
“Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has had
no rain or showers in the day of wrath.’ There is a conspiracy of
her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour
people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within
her. Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they
do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there
is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their
eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed
blood and kill people to make unjust gain. Her prophets whitewash these
deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘This
is what the Sovereign LORD says ’—when the LORD has not spoken.
The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress
the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. “I
looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before
me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it,
but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them
with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done,
declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Beyond Tolerable Recovery.
The title of a book written by Dr Ed Smith.
It is the primary manual for training in the Theophostic process. See
TheoPhostic Counseling.
Bibles For New Zealand.
Started by Bibles for America with the aim of distributing free copies
of the Recovery New Testament throughout
New Zealand in an apparent attempt to get new converts to the Local
Church of Witness Lee, a Christian sect. Bibles For New Zealand claims
to be not associated with any church. While this may be true on paper
it is certainly not true in practice and is an example of the mind
control technique deception. Also deceptive is why they have called
their version the Recovery Bible. Although they claim it is simply a name,
"recovery" has a particular meaning in Local Church theology.
Bicom Bioresonance Therapy.
Started in Germany in 1977, now operating in Takapuna, Auckland, where
it is led by managing director Warren Pearson. Looks like quackery, but
IF it works as claimed - 85% success rate for stopping smoking and getting
rid of nicotine addiction in Europe, particularly Germany - it's a very
strong placebo effect.
Cost $450 for a normally one-time treatment (repeats if needed are free).
See Wikipedia's bioresonance
therapy listing for more information.
BioActive Technologies International.
Manufacturers of "value added" colostrum products: "Colostrum
is the pre-milk fluid produced from the mother's mammary glands during
the first 36 hours after birth." Their claims of all sorts of
benefits for the stuff may or may not be well substantiated. Submissions
for this listing are now being accepted. Please see the Contact
page.
Blavatski, Helena Petrovna.
Helena Petrovna Blavatski founded Theosophy
in New York, USA, around 1875. She was born in 18?? in Russia and died
8 May 1891.
Brahma Kumaris.
Eastern cult with a presence in New Zealand. Beliefs and practices include
karma, reincarnation,
meditation, yoga
etc. Followers believe founder is a god, reject the idea that Jesus Christ
can save us, etc. Name means "Brahma's Daughters" (or "Brahma's
Virgins" - Brahma is the Hindu creator of the world). Also known
as Raj Yoga and Worldwide Spiritual University. True universities
reject the claim that it is a university and the UN rejects the Brahma
Kumari claim that Brahma Kumaris operates under UN auspices (they just
rent a room for meetings in the UN building). For more information read
this testimony
from a former member.
Branham, William Marrion.
William Marrion Branham (William Branham, 1909-1965) was a false prophet.
Born on 6 April 1909 near Burkesville, Kentucky, USA. Died 24 December
1965. Denied the Trinity
and denied that Jesus is eternally God, in that he believed in modalism.
Claimed to be aided in healing by angels. Taught Word
Faith. Early ministry greatly influenced by "Jesus only"
Pentecostals. He is assigned a Danger rating here because of his
seriously bad doctrine (including Seed
of the Serpent), extremely strong occult practices, and false prophecies
(eg, predicting that America would be destroyed in 1977). For more information
see the Truthwatch
William Branham profile or the Watchman
Expositor William Branham profile.
Breakthrough To Excellence (BTE).
A course for young people run by The Pacific
Institute. Possible New Age content.
Bridal Paradigm.
A false teaching originating in the false revival movement that states
we can individually be Brides of Christ and he will be our lover.
British Israelism.
False doctrine which states believers are descended from the lost ten
tribes of Israel and that the British monarchs sit on the throne of David.
The British Israel World Federation (a para-church organisation) has a
bookshop in Auckland. See Wikipedia's
British
Israelism article.
Buddhism.
Major world religion, increasingly popular in NZ as the number of Asian
immigrants (in Auckland especially) increases. Buddhism is a religion
based around suffering rather than the Christian idea of sin (wrongdoing),
with the basic idea that suffering is caused by greed or selfish desire.
The objective of Buddhism is to get to nirvana, a state of freedom from
desire, not a location. Unfortunately, in a self-contradictory
way the desire to get to nirvana will keep one from nirvana. (And if a
person doesn't want nirvana why would they achieve it?) In Buddhism there
is no God or creator, and the universe has come about through completely
natural mechanisms. Karma and reincarnation
are integral parts of Buddhism. See Basic
Buddhism for a Buddhism outline including a listing of the Four Noble
Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path by which Buddhists believe desire
is eliminated. Buddhism in the news: A major Buddhist temple was
erected a few years ago in Ellerslie, Auckland, with the (separate) purchase
in 2000 of the former Auckland Christian Assembly building in Eaglehurst
Rd, Ellerslie for a Buddhist resource centre or book room, for a reported
$1.6 million. In October 2007 the largest yet Buddhist temple (on a 3.6ha
site) was opened in East Tamaki Heights, Flat Bush. The building itself
is valued at more than $20 million.
Bush Aflame International.
Christian ministry which organises trips to Romanian orphanages for volunteers
- about the only NZ ministry that seems to do this. Based in Warkworth
(north of Auckland).
Buteyko Method.
A set of breathing techniques that are claimed to reduce the incidence
and severity of asthma. We believe it to be non-New
Age.
Sai Baba is a Hindu guru and 
False world religion founded by the 
Walter Simpson Ballantyne leads the Tauranga-based 
A group which meets bimonthly to disseminate the teachings of the 
Newsletter and TV show of 
Christian ministry which organises trips to Romanian orphanages for volunteers
- about the only NZ ministry that seems to do this. Based in Warkworth
(north of Auckland).
A set of breathing techniques that are claimed to reduce the incidence
and severity of asthma. We believe it to be non-