Who are Independent?

It was Apostle Paul's dramatic conversion and subsequent teachings that directly resulted in the permanent theological separation of Christianity from Judaism. Within mere months of Jesus' departure, the original human-centric and law-abiding message was fundamentally altered into an independent religious system.

In the New Testament gospels, Jesus repeatedly emphasizes that his teachings and doctrine are not his own independent creation, but rather the direct words and commandments of the Father who sent him. He portrays himself as a faithful messenger and servant completely aligned with the will of God, speaking exactly what he was commanded to say.

Virtually all serious modern historians and biblical scholars agree that Jesus of Nazareth was a real historical figure who lived and died in first-century Judea. This consensus is supported not only by Christian writings but by independent non-Christian sources from Roman and Jewish antiquities, including mentions by the historians Tacitus, Suetonius, and Josephus, as well as early Rabbinic traditions.

• Tacitus (Annals I5.44.3) wrote early Christians were blamed by Nero fir the fire in Rome in 64 AD
• Suetonius (Claudius 25.4) wrote debates about how Jesus led to Emperor Claudius expelling Jews from Rome in 49 AD
• Pliny (Letters I0.96) wrote to Emperor Trajan around 111 AD for advice on the people who worship 'Christ as a God' in the Asia Minor region
• Rabbinic Traditions (bSanhedrin 43.a) state Jesus of Nazareth was executed before he practised sorcery

The resurrection of Jesus is of crucial importance to Christian doctrine. The Christian religion was founded many years after the death of Jesus based on the beliefs in his resurrection. Put simply, if there was no resurrection story, their would be no Christianity.

The reported resurrection of Jesus serves as the absolute foundational cornerstone of orthodox Christian theology and identity. Historical scholars note that institutional Christianity was organized years after Jesus' death primarily upon the early community's collective belief that he had triumphed over death. Academic consensus agrees that without the preservation and widespread propagation of this resurrection narrative, Christianity as an independent world religion would not exist.

No, Paul never met Jesus during his ministry. He is considered an independent figure whose teachings, influenced by Hellenism, shifted the focus toward a divine Christ.

The platform asserts that Jesus was not the actual founder of Christianity as an independent world religion, noting that the vast majority of the New Testament text does not directly focus on the historical Jesus but is defined by Paul. Academic critical scholars agree that while Jesus initiated the original localized movement within Judaism, it was Paul's theological letters and universal missionary blueprint that systematically institutionalized the faith globally.

The Jewish community regarded the Septuagint only as a translation of the original Hebrew, never as an independent or authoritative scripture.

No, but they share features like faith healing and spiritual gifts.Aladura is a unique African Independent Church movement that weaves indigenous cultural expressions with Christian scripture.

The Bahai Faith is a independent, monotheistic global religion founded in 19th-century Persia (modern-day Iran). It is centered on the belief in one God who progressively reveals His will to humanity through successive divine messengers. It is recognized as one of the most geographically widespread religions in the world.

The core principles focus on global unity and social progress. Main tenets include:

* The oneness of God and the fundamental unity of all world religions.

* The oneness of humanity, leading to the elimination of all forms of prejudice (racial, national, religious).

* The equality of men and women.

* The harmony between science and religion.

* The independent investigation of truth.

No, it is a distinct, independent religion. While it emerged out of a Muslim context in Persia similar to how Christianity emerged out of Judaism, the Bahai Faith features its own unique laws, administration, and expansive volume of sacred scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah.

The Chinese government officially banned Falun Gong in July 1999 after the movement experienced rapid growth, attracting tens of millions of practitioners. Following a massive, silent demonstration by followers outside the leadership compound in Beijing, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) declared it an illegal, heretical organization. The government viewed the movement's massive scale and independent organizational capability as a potential threat to state control, leading to a long-running crackdown that has been widely documented and condemned by international human rights organizations.

Following the 1999 ban in mainland China, the movement's center of gravity shifted globally. Today, Falun Gong is actively practiced in over 100 countries worldwide. It has a highly visible presence in Taiwan, the United States, Canada, Australia, and various European nations, where practitioners frequently host public information booths, perform exercises in public squares, and manage independent media outlets.

Historically, Gnosticism functioned as a diverse network of mystical sects and religious schools rather than a single, institutionalized religion. Gnostics did not have a central Vatican or unified creed; instead, different teachers (like Valentinus or Basilides) ran independent communities. While early mainstream church authorities condemned them as heretics, modern scholars recognize Gnosticism as a distinct, highly influential branch of esoteric religious thought.

Sophia (the Greek word for Wisdom) is a central, tragic figure in Gnostic cosmology and creation myths. She is an Aeon—a divine emanation from the supreme spiritual realm. According to Gnostic myth, Sophia experienced a flawed desire to create a being without the consent of her divine counterpart. This independent act caused a rupture in the heavens, resulting in the accidental birth of the ignorant Demiurge and the subsequent creation of the material world.

Jainism (traditionally known as Jain Dharma) is an ancient, independent Indian religion that emerged in the Indus Valley region thousands of years ago. It is a non-theistic tradition centered on the complete purification of the soul through self-discipline, non-violence, and ascetic living. The name comes from the Sanskrit word Ji, meaning 'to conquer', signifying a spiritual path focused on conquering inner enemies like anger, greed, ego and attachment.

Jainism is a non-theistic religion because it rejects the concept of a creator God or a supreme cosmic ruler. Jains believe the universe is eternal, uncreated, and operates automatically based on its own independent cosmic laws. Instead of a divine creator, Jains define 'God' as Jina - any human soul that has successfully achieved absolute perfection, shed all karma, and attained infinite knowledge, serving as an inspiration rather than a deity who grants favors.

No, Sikhism is an entirely independent, distinct world religion with its own unique scriptures, traditions and philosophy. While it originated in a geographical region dominated by Hinduism and Islam and shares some terminology (like karma or allah as names for God), it fundamentally rejects core aspects of both, such as Hindu idol worship, asceticism, and the caste system, as well as Islamic concepts of exclusive salvation or a binary heaven and hell.

While Unitarian Universalism has historical roots in liberal Christianity, it is no longer considered a strictly Christian denomination. Early Unitarians rejected the traditional doctrine of the Trinity (believing God is one entity), and early Universalists argued against a literal hell, believing a loving God grants universal salvation to all humanity. Today, UU is an independent, pluralistic faith where Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Agnostics, Atheists and Pagans worship together.