One world religion

{{religion}}'''One world religion''' refers to the idea of the establishment of a single global [[religion]], formed by a merger of all existing religions.

Some see this prospect positively, seeing all religions as ultimately one, and envisioning their peaceful union as they all come to realise their essential oneness. This idea is at times associated with [[New Age]] thought.

Others see this prospect negatively — many [[premillennialist]] Christians believe that the [[Antichrist]] will establish one world religion, based on [[Satanism]] and the [[occult]], during the [[End Times]], associated with [[one world government]].<ref>[https://www.compellingtruth.org/one-world-religion.html What is the one-world religion described in Revelation? What will be the one-world religion of the end times?] compellingtruth.org.</ref> Contrary to New Age views which see this as a peaceful development, they believe that the one world government will impose the one world religion by force, and that those who refuse to accept it will be persecuted, [[torture]]d, and/or executed.<ref name=immanuel>For a particularly twisted viewpoint, see [https://archive.ph/eyIyW One World Religion/New Spirituality: Part 1 (General Introduction)]. Archived from immanuelcommunity.org.uk, 22 September 2022.</ref> They generally see [[ecumenism|ecumenical]] policy as a step toward this world religion.<ref>Jack Ashcraft, [https://www.christianity.com/wiki/end-times/do-we-know-what-will-be-the-one-world-religion-in-the-end-times.html Do We Know What Will Be the One World Religion in the End Times?] christianity.com, 30 September 2021.</ref>

[[Paranoid]] [[conspiracy theory|conspiracy theorists]] predict the emergence of a one world religion or unified global church as a sinister plot engineered by a [[Freemason|masonic]] [[New World Order]] aided by the [[United Nations]].<ref name=immanuel /><ref>Cornelia R. Ferreira, [https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=166 One-World Church Expected This Year]. catholicculture.org, from the March 1997 issue of ''Christian Order''.</ref> [[Fundamentalist]] [[extremist]]s such as [[Jack Chick]] blame it all on the [[Catholic Church]].<ref>[https://www.chick.com/battle-cry/article?id=humble-new-pope-making-firm-push-for-one-world-religion 'Humble' New Pope Making Firm Push For One-world Religion]. chick.com, March/April 2014.</ref>

Those with a basic grasp of global politics or theology view the establishment of one world religion as extremely unlikely. They see the religions of the world as too fundamentally different for a peaceful union between them to ever be attainable (Hindus say there are many gods, Abrahamics say there is only one God, pantheists say that the universe is God, Buddhists don't believe in ''any'' gods, etc), and doubt that there would ever exist any government with sufficient power to forcibly unite all the world's major religions into one.

Ironically, in [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalist]] circles (especially [[Fundamentalist Christianity|Christian]] ones), the desire for religious supremacy actually reflects this very concept. Of course, what these fundamentalists have in mind is less a merger of all religions and more [[Genocide|the utter eradication of all religions except for theirs]].

==In popular culture==
In some works, such as the [[role-playing game]] ''Anima: Beyond Fantasy'', there's a global religion ((a sort of) Christianity, complete with a [[One world government|worldwide government]]). However, it's ''much'' easier, as happens in that game, when there's a ''very'' powerful and technologically advanced organization moving the strings behind the scenes (having created said religion, made the world much smaller than it actually is, having a sort of [[mind control]] devices, etc; when things get messed up, no more global government and religious [[schism]]s begin to pop up), and of course when one deals with a fictional setting with [[magic]], [[Telepathy|psionic powers]], and all that jazz.

In ''[[Left Behind]]'', there is the Enigma Babylon One World Faith, which essentially is based on positive psychology and liberal ecumenism.<ref>[https://leftbehind.fandom.com/wiki/Enigma_Babylon_One_World_Faith Enigma Babylon One World Faith]. leftbehind.fandom.com.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Dominionism]]
*[[New World Order]]
*[[United Nations]]
*[[Bahá'í]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]

Categories: Conspiracy theories