The Perils of Universal Religion
The idea of having a world-wide federation of religions seems to be getting a foothold in Persia, for a prophet there who says he is a "lover of all mankind" is preaching that "our goal is a universal religion, which means first of all a union of the Orient and Occident — between Islamism and Christianity. Universal religion means universal peace. All faiths and people must be made one; rumors of war and fruitless strifes must cease; then man will glory not so much that he loves his country as that he loves his kind." Sentiments become popular and sweep over the world without the thing called for in the sentiment finding real place in the hearts of more than a few. The sentiment in favor of Christianity is quite general; but how few really have the pure and undefiled religion of the Bible! And so these sentiments in favor of universal religion, which all sound very good, will in the end be found to work for tyranny. Christ worked for individuals. We do not find Him in politics laboring for the nations as such.