Making the Connection

Antichrist

The antagonist or opponent of Jesus Christ (c. 6 b.c.e.–c. 30 c.e.), who is anticipated by many early as well as contemporary Christians to lead the world into evil before Christ returns to Earth to redeem and rescue the faithful. Can also refer to any person who is in opposition to or an enemy of Jesus Christ or his teachings, as well as to those who claim to be Christ, but in fact are false and misleading.

apocalypse

From the Greek apokalupsis, meaning "revelation." In the Bible, the Book of Revelation is often referred to as the Apocalypse. Comes from many anonymous, second-century b.c.e. and later Jewish and Christian texts that contain prophetic messages pertaining to a great total devastation or destruction of the world and the salvation of the righteous.

Armageddon

From late Latin Armagedon, Greek and Hebrew, har megiddo, megiddon, which is the mountain region of Megiddo. Megiddo is the site where the great final battle between good and evil will be fought as prophesied and will be a decisive catastrophic event that many believe will be the end of the world.

Bhagavad Gita

From Sanskrit Bhagavadgi ta, meaning "song of the blessed one." A Hindu religious text, consisting of 700 verses, in which the Hindu god, Krishna, teaches the importance of unattachment from personal aims to the fulfillment of religious duties and devotion to God.

cosmic consciousness

The sense or special insight of one's personal or collective awareness in relation to the universe or a universal scheme.

cosmic sense

The awareness of one's identity and actions in relationship to the universe or universal scheme of things.

demon possession

When low-level disincarnate spirits invade and take over a human body.

eschatology

Comes from the Greek word eskhatos meaning "last" and -logy literally meaning "discourse about the last things." Refers to the body of religious doctrines concerning the human soul in relation to death, judgment, heaven or hell, or in general, life after death and of the final stage or end of the world.

Five Pillars of Islam

In Arabic, also called the arkan, and consists of the five sacred ritual duties believed to be central to mainstream Muslims' faith. The five duties are: the confession of faith, performing the five daily prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, paying alms tax, and performing at least one sacred pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy land.

guardian angel

A holy, divine being that watches over, guides, and protects humans.

Mesopotamia

Greek word, meaning "between two rivers." An ancient region that was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is today, modern Iraq and Syria. Some of the world's earliest and greatest ancient civilizations such as Ur, Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia were developed in that region.

Old Testament

The first of the two main divisions of the Christian Bible that corresponds to the Hebrew scriptures.

omen

A prophetic sign, phenomenon, or happening supposed to portend good or evil or indicate how someone or something will fare in the future.

Qur'an (Koran)

The sacred text, or holy book, of Islam. For Muslims, it is the very word of Allah, the absolute God of the Islamic faith, as revealed to the prophet Muhammad (c. 570c.e.–632 c.e.) by the archangel Gabriel.

shamanic exorcism

When a shaman, or tribal medicine-holy person, performs a ceremonial ritual to expel the disincarnate spirits from a person.

Tanakh (Also known as Tanach.)

From the Hebrew tenak, an acronym formed from torah. It is the sacred book of Judaism, consisting of the Torah—the five books of Moses, The Nevi'im —the words of the prophets, and the Kethuvim —the writings.

tribulation

Great affliction, trial, or distress. In Christianity, the tribulation refers to the prophesied period of time which precedes the return of Jesus Christ to Earth, in which there will be tremendous suffering that will test humanity's endurance, patience, or faith.