The Role of “ISM” in Creating Antichristian Human Doctrines

Where did the use of the suffix, “ism,” emanate from? And why is it found in just about every aspect of human branding and ideological control except in Christianity? There is no “ism” in Christianity. Let’s examine this.

Some “ism” examples:

· Buddhism

· Socialism

· Communism

· Schism

· Feminism

· Fascism

· Dominionism

· Capitalism

· Pantheism

· Luciferianism

· Theism

· Deism

· Agnosticism

· Gnosticism

· Statism

· Stoicism

· Hinduism

· Taoism

· Atheism

· Postmodernism

· Racism

· Sexism

· Ageism

· Impressionism

· Cosmism

Wikipedia:

“-ism (/-ˌɪzəm/) is a suffix in many English words, originally derived from the Ancient Greek suffix -ισμός (-ismós), and reached English through the Latin -ismus, and the French -isme It means "taking side with" or "imitation of", and is often used to describe philosophies, theories, religions, social movements, artistic movements and behaviors. It is typically added to nouns. The concept of an -ism may resemble that of a grand narrative. Skeptics of any given -isms can quote the dictum attributed to Eisenhower: “All -isms are wasms”.

History

The first recorded usage of the suffix ism as a separate word in its own right was in 1680. By the nineteenth century it was being used by Thomas Carlyle to signify a pre-packaged ideology. It was later used in this sense by such writers as Julian Huxley and George Bernard Shaw. In the United States of the mid-nineteenth century, the phrase "the isms" was used as a collective derogatory term to lump together the radical social reform movements of the day (such as Slavery Abolitionism, Feminism, Alcohol Prohibitionism, Fourierism, Pacifism, Technoism, Early Socialism, etc.) and various spiritual or religious movements considered non-mainstream by the standards of the time (such as Transcendentalism, Spiritualism or "spirit rapping", Mormonism, the Oneida movement often accused of "free love", etc.). Southerners often prided themselves on the American South being free from all of these pernicious "Isms" (except for alcohol temperance campaigning, which was compatible with a traditional Protestant focus on individual morality). So on September 5 and 9, 1856, the Examiner newspaper of Richmond, Virginia, ran editorials on "Our Enemies, the Isms and their Purposes", while in 1858 Parson Brownlow called for a "Missionary Society of the South, for the Conversion of the Freedom Shriekers, Spiritualists, Free-lovers, Fourierites, and Infidel Reformers of the North" (see The Freedom-of-thought Struggle in the Old South by Clement Eaton). In the present day, it appears in the title of a standard survey of political thought, Today's Isms by William Ebenstein, first published in the 1950s, and now in its 11th edition.”

In 2004, the Oxford English Dictionary added two new draft definitions of -isms to reference their relationship to words that convey injustice:

· "Forming nouns with the sense 'belief in the superiority of one—over another'; as Racism, Sexism, Speciesism, etc…"

· "Forming nouns with the sense 'discrimination or prejudice against on the basis of—'; as Ageism, Bodyism, Heightism, Faceism, Lookism, Sizeism, Weightism, etc...”

From The Phrontistery Website:

“Here are 234 different isms, each representing a philosophical, political or moral doctrine or a belief system. In selecting terms for the list, I have deliberately avoided any word which apply ism to a personal name, so that Marxism doesn't count although it is otherwise an ideal candidate for the list. I also excluded isms which do not refer to a specific belief system, such as impressionism (an artistic movement) or alcoholism (a disease). Despite these omissions, enough remain to leave an ism in every pot, including beliefs about proper government, God, and the nature of existence itself. Of the terms on the list that are of a religious nature, most are Christian, which is not unexpected, but I'm open to adding isms from other world religions.”

Word and Definition

absolutism           doctrine of government by a single absolute ruler; autocracy

absurdism            doctrine that we live in an irrational universe

academicism       doctrine that nothing can be known

accidentalism     theory that events do not have causes

acosmism            disbelief in existence of eternal universe distinct from God

adamitism           nakedness for religious reasons

adevism               denial of gods of mythology and legend

adiaphorism        doctrine of theological indifference or latitudinarianism

adoptionism        belief that Christ was the adopted and not natural son of God

aestheticism       doctrine that beauty is central to other moral principles

agapism               ethics of love

agathism              belief in ultimate triumph of good despite evil means

agnosticism         doctrine that we can know nothing beyond material phenomena

anarchism           doctrine that all governments should be abolished

animism               attribution of soul to inanimate objects

annihilationism   doctrine that the wicked are utterly destroyed after death

anthropomorphism          attribution of human qualities to non-human things

anthropotheism                belief that gods are only deified men

antidisestablishmentarianism       doctrine opposed to removing Church of England's official religion status

antilapsarianism               denial of doctrine of the fall of humanity

antinomianism   doctrine of the rejection of moral law

antipedobaptism       denial of validity of infant baptism

apocalypticism   doctrine of the imminent end of the world

asceticism           doctrine that self-denial of the body permits spiritual enlightenment

aspheterism        denial of the right to private property

atheism belief that there is no God

atomism              belief that the universe consists of small indivisible particles

autosoterism      belief that one can obtain salvation through oneself

autotheism          belief that one is God incarnate or that one is Christ

bitheism               belief in two gods

bonism  the doctrine that the world is good but not perfect

bullionism            belief in the importance of metallic currency in economics

capitalism            doctrine that private ownership and free markets should govern economies

casualism             the belief that chance governs all things

catabaptism        belief in the wrongness of infant baptism

catastrophism     belief in rapid geological and biological change

collectivism         doctrine of communal control of means of production

collegialism         theory that church is independent from the state

communism        theory of classless society in which individuals cannot own property

conceptualism    theory that universal truths exist as mental concepts

conservatism       belief in maintaining political and social traditions

constructivism    belief that knowledge and reality do not have an objective value

cosmism               belief that the cosmos is a self-existing whole

cosmotheism      the belief that identifies God with the cosmos

deism    belief in God but rejection of religion

determinism       doctrine that events are predetermined by preceding events or laws

diphysitism          belief in the dual nature of Christ

ditheism               belief in two equal gods, one good and one evil

ditheletism          doctrine that Christ had two wills

dualism doctrine that the universe is controlled by one good and one evil force

egalitarianism     belief that humans ought to be equal in rights and privileges

egoism  doctrine that the pursuit of self-interest is the highest good

egotheism           identification of oneself with God

eidolism               belief in ghosts

emotivism           theory that moral statements are inherently biased

empiricism          doctrine that the experience of the senses is the only source of knowledge

entryism              doctrine of joining a group to change its policies

epiphenomenalism           doctrine that mental processes are epiphenomena of brain activity

eternalism           the belief that matter has existed eternally

eudaemonism     ethical belief that happiness equals morality

euhemerism        explanation of mythology as growing out of history

existentialism     doctrine of individual human responsibility in an unfathomable universe

experientialism  doctrine that knowledge comes from experience

fallibilism           the doctrine that empirical knowledge is uncertain

fatalism doctrine that events are fixed and humans are powerless

fideism  doctrine that knowledge depends on faith over reason

finalism belief that an end has or can be reached

fortuitism             belief in evolution by chance variation

functionalism      doctrine emphasising utility and function

geocentrism        belief that Earth is the centre of the universe

gnosticism           belief that freedom derives solely from knowledge

gradualism          belief that things proceed by degrees

gymnobiblism     belief that the Bible can be presented to unlearned without commentary

hedonism             belief that pleasure is the highest good

henism  doctrine that there is only one kind of existence

henotheism         belief in one tribal god, but not as the only god

historicism           belief that all phenomena are historically determined

holism   doctrine that parts of any thing must be understood in relation to the whole

holobaptism        belief in baptism with total immersion in water

humanism           belief that human interests and mind are paramount

humanitarianism     doctrine that the highest moral obligation is to improve human welfare

hylicism materialism

hylomorphism    belief that matter is cause of the universe

hylopathism        belief in ability of matter to affect the spiritual world

hylotheism          belief that the universe is purely material

hylozoism            doctrine that all matter is endowed with life

idealism               belief that our experiences of the world consist of ideas

identism               doctrine that objective and subjective, or matter and mind, are identical

ignorantism         doctrine that ignorance is a favourable thing

illuminism            belief in an inward spiritual light

illusionism           belief that the external world is philosophy

imagism               doctrine of use of precise images with unrestricted subject

immanentism     belief in an immanent or permanent god

immaterialism    the doctrine that there is no material substance

immoralism         rejection of morality

indifferentism     the belief that all religions are equally valid

individualism       belief that individual interests and rights are paramount

instrumentalism     doctrine that ideas are instruments of action

intellectualism    belief that all knowledge is derived from reason

interactionism    belief that mind and body act on each other

introspectionism    doctrine that knowledge of mind must derive from introspection

intuitionism         belief that the perception of truth is by intuition

irreligionism        system of belief that is hostile to religions

kathenotheism   polytheism in which each god is considered single and supreme

kenotism              doctrine that Christ rid himself of divinity in becoming human

laicism   doctrine of opposition to clergy and priests

latitudinarianism    doctrine of broad liberality in religious belief and conduct

laxism    belief that an unlikely opinion may be safely followed

legalism                belief that salvation depends on strict adherence to the law

liberalism             doctrine of social change and tolerance

libertarianism     doctrine that personal liberty is the highest value

malism  the belief that the world is evil

materialism         belief that matter is the only extant substance

mechanism         belief that life is explainable by mechanical forces

meliorism            the belief the world tends to become better

mentalism           belief that the world can be explained as aspect of the mind

messianism         belief in a single messiah or saviour

millenarianism    belief that an ideal society will be produced in the near future

modalism             belief in unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit

monadism           theory that there exist ultimate units of being

monergism          theory that the Holy Spirit alone can act

monism                belief that all things can be placed in one category

monophysitism   belief that Christ was primarily divine but in human form

monopsychism   belief that individuals have a single eternal soul

monotheism        belief in only one God

monotheletism   belief that Christ had only one will

mortalism            belief that the soul is mortal

mutualism           belief in mutual dependence of society and the individual

nativism               belief that the mind possesses inborn thoughts

naturalism           belief that the world can be explained in terms of natural forces

necessarianism  theory that actions are determined by prior history; fatalism

neonomianism    theory that the gospel abrogates earlier moral codes

neovitalism         theory that total material explanation is impossible

nihilism denial of all reality; extreme scepticism

nominalism         doctrine that naming of things defines reality

nomism                view that moral conduct consists in observance of laws

noumenalism      belief in existence of noumena

nullibilism            denial that the soul exists in space

numenism           belief in local deities or spirits

objectivism          doctrine that all reality is objective

omnism                belief in all religions

optimism             doctrine that we live in the best of all possible worlds

organicism           conception of life or society as an organism

paedobaptism    doctrine of infant baptism

panaesthetism   theory that consciousness may inhere generally in matter

pancosmism        theory that the material universe is all that exists

panegoism           solipsism

panentheism       belief that world is part but not all of God’s being

panpsychism       theory that all nature has a psychic side

pansexualism      theory that all thought derived from sexual instinct

panspermatism  belief in origin of life from extraterrestrial germs

pantheism           belief that the universe is God; belief in many gods

panzoism             belief that humans and animals share vital life energy

parallelism          belief that matter and mind don’t interact but relate

pejorism               severe pessimism

perfectibilism      doctrine that humans capable of becoming perfect

perfectionism     doctrine that moral perfection constitutes the highest value

personalism        doctrine that humans possess spiritual freedom

pessimism           doctrine that the universe is essentially evil

phenomenalism   belief that phenomena are the only realities

physicalism          belief that all phenomena reducible to verifiable assertions

physitheism         attribution of physical form and attributes to deities

pluralism              belief that reality consists of several kinds or entities

polytheism          belief in multiple deities

positivism            doctrine that that which is not observable is not knowable

pragmatism         doctrine emphasizing practical value of philosophy

predestinarianism    belief that what ever is to happen is already fixed

prescriptivism     belief that moral edicts are merely orders with no truth value

primitivism          doctrine that a simple and natural life is morally best

privatism              attitude of avoiding involvement in outside interests

probabiliorism    belief that when in doubt one must choose most likely answer

probabilism         belief that knowledge is always probable but never absolute

psilanthropism    denial of Christ's divinity

psychism              belief in universal soul

psychomorphism    doctrine that inanimate objects have human mentality

psychopannychism    belief souls sleep from death to resurrection

psychotheism     doctrine that God is a purely spiritual entity

pyrrhonism          total or radical skepticism

quietism               doctrine of enlightenment through mental tranquility

racism   belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities

rationalism          belief that reason is the fundamental source of knowledge

realism  doctrine that objects of cognition are real

reductionism       belief that complex phenomena are reducible to simple ones

regalism               doctrine of the monarch's supremacy in church affairs

representationalism         doctrine that ideas rather than external objects are basis of knowledge

republicanism     belief that a republic is the best form of government

resistentialism    humorous theory that inanimate objects display malice towards humans

romanticism        belief in sentimental feeling in artistic expression

sacerdotalism     belief that priests are necessary mediators between God and mankind

sacramentarianism    belief that sacraments have unusual properties

scientism             belief that the methods of science are universally applicable

self-determinism     doctrine that the actions of a self are determined by itself

sensationalism    belief that ideas originate solely in sensation

sexism   belief in systematic inequalities between the sexes

siderism               belief that the stars influence human affairs

skepticism           doctrine that true knowledge is always uncertain

socialism              doctrine of centralized state control of wealth and property

solarism               excessive use of solar myths in explaining mythology

solifidianism        doctrine that faith alone will ensure salvation

solipsism              theory that self-existence is the only certainty

somatism             materialism

spatialism            doctrine that matter has only spatial, temporal and causal properties

spiritualism         belief that nothing is real except the soul or spirit

stercoranism       belief that the consecrated Eucharist is digested and evacuated

stoicism               belief in indifference to pleasure or pain

subjectivism        doctrine that all knowledge is subjective

substantialism    belief that there is a real existence underlying phenomena

syndicalism          doctrine of direct worker control of capital

synergism            belief that human will and divine spirit cooperate in salvation

terminism            doctrine that there is a time limit for repentance

thanatism            belief that the soul dies with the body

theism   belief in the existence of God without special revelation

theocentrism      belief that God is central fact of existence

theopantism       belief that God is the only reality

theopsychism     belief that the soul is of a divine nature

thnetopsychism  belief that the soul dies with the body, to be reborn on day of judgement

titanism               spirit of revolt or defiance against social conventions

tolerationism      doctrine of toleration of religious differences

totemism             belief that a group has a special kinship with an object or animal

transcendentalism     theory that emphasizes that which transcends perception

transmigrationism     belief that soul passes into other body at death

trialism  doctrine that humans have three separate essences (body, soul, spirit)

tritheism              belief that the members of the Trinity are separate gods

triumphalism      belief in the superiority of one particular religious creed

tuism     theory that individuals have a second or other self

tutiorism            doctrine that one should take the safer moral course

tychism theory that accepts role of pure chance

ubiquitarianism  belief that Christ is everywhere

undulationism     theory that light consists of waves

universalism        belief in universal salvation

utilitarianism      belief that utility of actions determines moral value

vitalism the doctrine that there is a vital force behind life

voluntarism         belief that the will dominates the intellect

zoism     doctrine that life originates from a single vital principle

zoomorphism      conception of a god or man in animal form

zootheism            attribution of divine qualities to animals