Comprehensive spectrum of belief systems and spiritual movements

 

Comprehensive Spectrum of Belief Systems & Spiritual Movements

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I. Orthodox & Mainstream True Religion

(These are widely practiced, historically established faiths.)

1. Christianity

Traits: Faith in Jesus Christ, salvation by grace, Bible as authority.

Examples: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestant denominations.

Major false belief systems: 

2. Islam

Traits: Monotheistic, submission to Allah, Quran as ultimate authority, Five Pillars.

Examples: Sunni, Shia, Sufi traditions.

3. Buddhism

Traits: Non-theistic focus on enlightenment, meditation, karma, and the Four Noble Truths.

Examples: Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana.

4. Hinduism

Traits: Polytheistic, dharma and karma, cycles of reincarnation, yoga, rituals.

Examples: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism.

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II. Occult, Esoteric, and Mystical Systems

(Focus on hidden knowledge, magic, or mystical practices.)

1. Occult & Esoteric Traditions

Traits: Secret teachings, ritual magic, mystical wisdom, initiatory systems.

Examples: Gnosticism, Rosicrucianism, ceremonial magic groups, Hermeticism.

2. New Age / Syncretic Spirituality

Traits: Self-actualization, energy work, universal consciousness, spiritual eclecticism.

Examples: Reiki, crystal healing, Unity Church, New Thought movements.

3. Gnostic / Mystical Christian Hybrids

Traits: Salvation through secret knowledge, allegorical interpretation of Scripture.

Examples: Modern Gnostic Christianity, Christian Kabbalah.

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III. Cults & High-Control Groups

(Socially controlling, often centered on leaders or apocalyptic ideology.)

1. Authoritarian / Leader-Centric Cults

Traits: Charismatic leader, unquestioning obedience, exclusive truth claims.

Examples: Jim Jones’ People’s Temple, David Koresh’s Branch Davidians.

2. High-Control / Psychological Cults (Secular or Religious)

Traits: Isolation, emotional manipulation, strict rules, fear-based control.

Examples: NXIVM, Heaven’s Gate, certain authoritarian ministries.

3. Apocalyptic & Conspiratorial Movements

Traits: Impending doom, survival depends on following the group, fear-driven recruitment.

Examples: Doomsday cults, Heaven’s Gate.

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IV. Pseudo-Religious or Hybrid Systems

(Blend of religions, distorted doctrines, or mystical reinterpretations.)

1. Prosperity / Word-Faith Christianity

Traits: Material blessing as proof of faith, overemphasis on positive confession.

Examples: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, certain Word-Faith churches.

2. Syncretic / New Thought Systems

Traits: Merge Christian language with non-Christian spirituality for self-empowerment.

Examples: Religious Science, Unity Church.

3. Pseudo-Religious Hybrids

Traits: Claim religion but mix spiritual, mystical, or magical elements.

Examples: Hare Krishna, Aum Shinrikyo, Church of Satan (philosophical/religious hybrid).

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V. Other World Religions & Spiritual Practices

1. Satanism

Traits: Varies: philosophical (LaVeyan), theistic (devil worship), symbolic rebellion.

Examples: Church of Satan, Temple of Set.

2. Agnosticism / Atheism

Traits: No commitment to theism; atheism denies God, agnosticism suspends judgment.

Examples: Secular humanism, rational skepticism.

3. Afro-Diasporic / African Traditional Religions

Traits: Ancestor veneration, spirits, rituals, community-focused practices.

Examples: Yoruba, Vodou, Santería, Candomblé.

4. Native American / Indigenous Spiritualities

Traits: Animism, reverence for nature, ancestor spirits, ritual ceremonies.

Examples: Lakota, Navajo, Hopi spiritual practices.

5. Ancestor Worship / Spirit Cults

Traits: Reverence for deceased ancestors as active in daily life; rituals and offerings.

Examples: Confucian filial ancestor veneration, Chinese folk religion, African ancestral cults.

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VI. Legalistic or Misguided Systems

(Behavior-focused, rules-heavy, or works-based systems.)

1. Legalistic / Works-Oriented Religions

Traits: Obsession with rules and rituals, pride in adherence, minimal grace focus.

Examples: Pharisaical-style sects, some extreme holiness or separatist movements.

2. Doctrinally Heretical Sects (Christian & Non-Christian)

Traits: Fundamental distortion of core theology, extra-scriptural teachings.

Examples: Jehovah’s Witnesses, Oneness Pentecostals, certain pseudo-Christian Gnostic sects.

5. Judaism

Traits: Monotheistic, Torah as law and guidance, covenant with God.

Examples: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Hasidic.

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This gives us a comprehensive framework that spans:

Orthodox religion → false teachings → cultish systems → occult & mystical practices → secular frameworks → indigenous and ancestral spirituality.

[Orthodox Religion] ----------------- [Hybrid / Pseudo-Religious] ----------------- [Occult / Esoteric / Mystical] ----------------- [Cults / High-Control] ----------------- [Secular / Atheist / Agnostic]

1. Orthodox / Mainstream True Religion

   - Christianity (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox)

  

2. Legalistic / Misguided / Doctrinally Deviant:

   - Legalistic Christian sects

   - Jehovah’s Witnesses, Oneness Pentecostals

   - Extreme Holiness / Separatist groups

-   Judaism

3. Hybrid / Pseudo-Religious:

   - Word-Faith / Prosperity movements

   - New Thought / Unity Church / Religious Science

   - Hare Krishna, Aum Shinrikyo

   - Gnostic-inspired Christian groups

4. Occult / Esoteric / Mystical:

   - Gnosticism

   - Rosicrucians

   - Theosophy

   - Ceremonial Magic

   - Christian Kabbalah

5. Cults / High-Control Groups:

   - Jim Jones’ People’s Temple

   - David Koresh / Branch Davidians

   - NXIVM

   - Heaven’s Gate

   - Authoritarian prophetic ministries

   - Apocalyptic doomsday groups

6. Secular / Non-Theistic / Alternative Spiritualities:

   - Atheism / Agnosticism

   - Secular humanism

   - Philosophical Satanism (LaVeyan)

   - Afro-Diasporic / African Traditional Religions (Vodou, Santería)

   - Native American / Indigenous Spiritualities

   - Ancestor veneration / folk religions

7. Major false belief systems: 

• - Islam (Sunni, Shia)

•    - Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana)

•    - Hinduism

Orthodox Christianity & World Religions

| Legalistic / Deviant Sects

| Hybrid / Pseudo-Religious Movements

| Occult / Esoteric / Mystical Systems

| High-Control / Cultish Groups

| Secular, Non-Theistic & Indigenous Spiritualities

The Fool's Journey meets the pilgrims progress a short story, by Telle Wild Rose

*image from valentin Salja from unsplash:  From the first breath of life i had a taste for wonder and adventure, I was tasked by my maker to discover the meaning of life for myself, and so began my journey alone along the road of life. My first encounter after a long walk, was of a man and woman,a father, a mother, a king and queen in their own rights. smiles a bit silly, and their funny little crowns were crooked. they were welcoming all the same, and I stayed and learned much after the how do you do's. from father, I learned my own creative prowess of the here and now, and structure and from mother, well, besides nurturing, I learned of unlocked potential that I must discover My first brush of impulses, pleasures in various forms I do chase, good food, laughter in my belly, and the thrill of a good time is all that's on my mind, but somewhere amid the time of play, my mind began to desire more knowledge, not just fun. And so began my second task, of my journey. so on the marrow, I bid them ado and began my travels anew. i come to a school of long held thoughts and beliefs, from my innocent upbringing I am now thrust into this bold new world. i read somewhere, that faith of a mustard seed could move mountains, what more can I accomplish by increasing the knowledge given to me?, first from my creator, then mother, then father. i stay for a while, and then awhile longer after that. my mind has expanded beyond what I thought possible, growing in the knowledge and faith and all grace passed down to me, I sit and ponder, all the knowledge of the world, and with whom should I share it with? thus the start of my thrid destination, love, in all its forms, is a thing of beauty. friendship perhaps, but I yearn something deeper, romance? no its greater than even this, something transcendent. so far I have walked this journey alone, but what of connection? so I stop into a holy temple, one of worship, and deep sense of unity. this, its so close now, relationship, community and belonging. i spend a fortnight here, among the praise and worship and I feel I am almost home, just around the bend. once, when I was a child, I gave in to every whim, every thought and every desire, but now that I've become a man, I've put away childish things, and look forward now to the road ahead. said some wise man once long ago. i think he had the right of it, in my opinion anyway. I've come a long way from first breath, to meeting mother,father, and having fun. I've made friends along the way and grown in not only stature but knowledge too. from here I know what I shall do, I must test my strength, to see how I have grown. and then my first, but certainly not my last challenge, finds its way to me. mother and father have fallen ill! oh! how I wish it were me instead! their pain and suffering, cut me to the heart! and soon I'm hearing of their passing. the sorrow takes ahold. i now ask myself why? I've gone from friend to friend, searching for answers but none can satisfy. then a voice...coming deep from within, beyond blood and bone and flesh, its soul deep, Spirit to spirit. "“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’" white hot knuckled gripping conviction takes over me in an instant. i cry out in this manner, words long buried in my memory spill forth and I said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." and more words spilled from my lips still: "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." I fall to my knees in worship once done speaking, for I have seen and now know things too great for me! woe is me, I am undone! my old man has died to self, I must leave him behind, to grasp at the thing ahead! for He from above says this to those in sorrow: " The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:" but alas I see another war within my members, threatening to undo all I have learned, who shall deliver me from this body of death?! i hear a small still whisper like a sirens luring song, only this leads not to death but to life, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." and suddenly all my fears are undone, my maker has made a way for me in this wilderness! aha! i cry, for finally I found what my soul was searching for all along. the deliverer, Jesus Christ, shall save me not only from myself, my flesh, but that old serpant, the devil who tried to temp me back to my yester younger years of material pleasures. but what to do with this greater knowledge and understanding? surely I am not the only one He has called and tasked with such a journey, who shall go and tell the people? i hear a commanding voice say: Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?, Then said I, Here am I; send me! oh me even me o Lord!" and thus his final word and glorious burden to me is this: "and Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." and so the fools journey came full circle, from first breath of life, to the taste of death and life again, and at one with His creator forever and ever. The end.