Idolatry In A Cornfield

There are better uses for a cornfield than building a Hindu temple in it. (One better use that comes to mind is to grow corn.) Yet that is what is happening in a cornfield outside Maple Grove, Minnesota. A recent newspaper story bore this heading: "Hindu temple rises from a Minnesota cornfield." In a state where Lutheran and Catholic church steeples are commonplace, a $9 million temple, Hindu style, now is under construction. And this is not your run-of-the-mill Hindu temple. Reportedly, only two beautiful temples like this exist in all of India, and this is the first of its kind in North America. It houses nineteen ornate shrines, with the largest shrine being dedicated to Vishnu, one of the chief figures in the Hindu faith. The building also houses an auditorium, class rooms, meeting rooms and more, with the hope that the community at large will make use of the facility.

Hinduism historically features a conglomeration of religious beliefs, ranging from “the metaphysical, monotheistic speculations of the cultured Brahmans down to the most degraded nature worship and demonology of the lowest classes..." It has embraced asceticism and self-torture and "belief in innumerable evil spirits that must be propitiated and driven away, worship of celestial bodies, trees, rocks", etc.

Times are indeed "a-changin'” —a Hindu temple in a Minnesota cornfield! No doubt it will attract much attention and there will be an increased interest in this pagan religion. While in Old Testament times heathen shrines were built in groves and elevated places, this temple, we are told, is at the end of a dead end road. There is something prophetic in that location. Hinduism leads to a dead end, for it knows nothing of the grace and salvation shown to mankind through the love of the Triune God. The best thing the state's Christian residents can do to show this new resident in their midst some "Minnesota nice" is to pray that the Gospel of Christ will reach the hearts of many who otherwise might fall prey to this idolatry in a cornfield.

Meanwhile, Out In New Jersey...

While the Hindus are building a temple in a Minnesota cornfield, another kind of movement is going on in New Jersey. This state is experiencing a wave of church startups, little evangelical groups holding services in such unlikely places as a warehouse or a funeral home, or even a nightclub. These are the work of a Pentecostal church, the Assemblies of God, one of the fastest-growing Protestant churches. Their services are characterized by emotionalism over substance, with charismatic symptoms such as tongues speaking. They have an appeal for some of the growing ethnic groups in our country, such as Haitians, Filipinos and Puerto Ricans.

The Pentecostal movement can be traced back to religious revivals in early America where emphasis was on emotional highs in worship rather than having a sound Biblical foundation in Christian teaching. While the Assemblies of God churches are reported to "practice a conservative brand of Christianity that reveres the Bible as infallible,” their teaching lacks the clear Gospel, and the bottom line in their teaching is that the soul' s salvation is partially due to one's own works. So though we might commend them for their stated goal in wanting every person in America to "grow in a relationship with God," we cannot commend them for the way in which they seek to establish that relationship.

The Emperor Was Right

Pope Benedict XVI got himself into a bit of trouble recently with the Islamic world when he made some remarks which they found offensive. At the crux of his remarks was a quotation from a 14th century Christian emperor, which reads: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." Subsequent statements from the Vatican have tried to soften the pope's remarks and have tendered his apology. It is not politically wise to tell the truth about Muhammad these days. We live in a religious tinderbox because of Islamic extremists. Their fanaticism for Islam inflamed by passages from the Koran is grim witness to the truth of what that 14th century emperor said. The pope might apologize for it, but the emperor was right. We therefore need all the more to pray for peace and ask God to enlighten their souls with the Gospel message which states that Jesus has rescued them from sin and death by Christ’s death on the cross. Pray that all in the world will come to know this by faith.

Paul Madson is a retired pastor living in North Mankato, Minnesota.