What are some Satan-made alternatives to a faith in God, the Creator?

1. No god. Atheism – itself a belief system and a delusion. Everything exists because of natural causes, not God. No accountability. No real morals. No absolutes. Everything is relative. My truth and your truth are different versions of the same truth. But your truth need not be truer than my truth! It is difficult to define good or evil as there is no absolute with which to compare things. 0 K is absolute zero. All heat is measured with this as the absolute. Nothing can be lower than this temperature. Likewise, an ethical absolute is needed to define what is right or wrong, good or evil, just or unjust. If not, none is answerable to others for unlawful actions as what is unlawful to one can be lawful to another!

2. Gnosticism is நத்தீகம்; not Atheism. It is a belief that God is apart from His Creation (Dvaitha / Dualism) as He is a good Spirit and He has nothing to do with the physical evil world. So, He can’t be known. If He can’t be known, how did Gnostics know that He is a Spirit? And, what is His function at all? If He can’t relate to His fallen creation, is He apathetic / loveless? And God at the same time?

3. Many gods and goddesses. Polytheism. Eastern religions. Certainly, if one god can’t fulfil all the needs of mankind, (and requires another for another need) he / she cannot be god at all. Moreover, there always seems to be competition, conspiracy and conflict between these so-called gods (kula deivam in Thamizh), each trying to prove to the others that he/she is superior! Mythology of Greek, Roman, Hindu and other eastern religions are rampant with gods that have questionable (and sometimes utterly obnoxious) lifestyles as per our human standards. No one can pray to such gods, “O god, make me more like you!”. Such a prayer, if answered would make the devotee an antisocial element and an abominable individual in the society! “All roads lead to Rome” might be a cliché frequently used by advocates of unity. All religions might look superficially the same but are fundamentally different in many aspects.

4. Money is god. Capitalism. Make more money by exploiting the masses. Pay them less, sell to them costly goods (originally produced by the working class. Irony!) most of which falsely promise a comfortable and healthy life, assure them a great future while scraping them off to the last cent now, give them loans and keep them under bondage (of EMIs!) The rich become richer while the poor become poorer, the unbridgeable gap widening ever. And has money been able to save anybody from the worries of life and given a sense of fulfilment? Steve Jobs, where are you?

5. The state is god. Communism. The state defines what is right and wrong. All who tend to rebel against the state-defined law are prone to severe punishment and even death. God is out of bounds for all citizens. All property is owned by the government; each person contributes but receives only a quantity that the govt decides. Communist countries, are you listening? Is there true freedom for citizens?

6. Society is god. Socialism. The government must provide everything for the welfare of the citizens. Unfortunately, gullible citizens have little or no power to demand better living standards or more of the fundamental needs for human existence. The government would work towards bridging the gap in the society between the haves and the have-nots and distribute the country’s wealth equally among all citizens. All societies that tried this have failed miserably! Where is the erstwhile USSR?

7. Nature is god. God is in the grass and in the speck of dust too. So, everything in nature is God. Trees and animals are gods. Environment is god. The earth, sun, moon, planets, stars and constellations are gods. Rivers and hills are gods. If these are gods, then who is the one who is the original cause for all these to come into existence?

8. Man is god. Masters, gurus and godmen who seem to have attained a state of ultimate bliss! Do they have a solution to the problem of sin? What happens to man’s past sinful life? While gurus can lay guidelines on how to lead a “godly” life hitherto, they themselves are found wanting in following these guidelines. And, would they dispense ability to their genuine devotees to resist evil and do good? Would they assure them heaven beyond this life? By the way, where are they now?

9. Ancestors are gods. Thamizh religion. All who are dead and gone become gods. The seventh ancestor in line is called the Paraman / heavenly and the abode of these ancestors is called paralokam / heaven. They also seem to go around as frightening spirits (kaathu / karuppu). Their photographs are garlanded (poo sei / poojai) and worshipped at homes. Where are the attributes of God in these people? Would a sinner (terrorist/ whoremonger / pedophile / …) become God at his / her death?

10. Father and Mother are gods. They are the ones who gave the children life. Really? If so, who gave the parents life? Where does the chain begin? And how about one-nightstand fathers and deceivers who are the cause of innumerable single mothers? And accidental mothers who trade their flesh? And child-deserters that throw away new-borns on waysides and temples my side of the world?

11. I am god. New age. I decide what is right and will do everything to achieve whatever I desire and dream of. None has the right to question me, and the means don’t have to justify the end. I will control everything around me – money, things and people to achieve my ends. I want people to worship me, bow to me and exhibit their loyalty. Ultimately, I have the right to live as I please or even to end my life. Infinitheism fits in here. Can I be everywhere, know all and do everything? Would I be God? If so, how come I have a beginning. And die afterwards!

12. One god who cannot be a Father. Judaism. If anybody calls god his father, he should be stoned to death as he has equated himself with the incomparable and matchless One. Mankind cannot enjoy the father-son relationship with god. What does Ps 2:12 mean when it says, ‘Kiss the Son” and what does Is 9:6 mean when it says, “unto us a Son is given”?

13. One god who cannot have a Son. Islam. God cannot have a wife to beget a son as do humans. However, God is beyond all these vile passions. Can’t God become a Son who is not biologically brought forth but is the very image of the invisible God? We call Him Jesus.

14. Mary, apostles and saints are God! Even if Roman Catholics don’t mention this in their confession, they still make idols of these personalities and bow to them, not realising that these are dead and gone. God prohibits even making of such an idol, even if it is of Jesus.