Mission Work Synthesized by Other Religions

I read recently of various Christian groups that believe we need to "take back" that which was stolen by pagan cultures. Certain groups believe that some of those places are the "high places" where worship of other gods were practiced. Anyone who has read the Old Testament knows that God wanted all of the high places destroyed. Interestingly enough, blending the "high places" into Christianity these days, is becoming more and more common. Here is an excerpt of an article about mission work in Japan.

Inclusive Evangelism - Part 3
In the Video, God’s Fingerprints in Japan, Daniel Kikawa makes use of high towers as worship places for the true God, the Japanese tea ceremony as communion and even shows a Buddha on a cross as being a worship object of Christians (really Catholics). The video is filled with Japanese/Buddhist symbols, rituals and traditions that would certainly stretch one’s credulity.

He lifted quotes from their context in Shintoism and the Bible and has come up with his own unique interpretation. Kikawa is obviously “contextualizing” a pagan belief system. He is using their religious traditions and symbols, as “redemptive analogies” to “Christianize” Shintoism. Even the name of God has been changed to that of their deities – Amenominakanushi is considered valid! I have rarely seen anyone go this far off in their Bible interpretation and research of other religions, all with the intent to fulfill his agenda of redeeming a culture.

You can read the rest of the article, plus parts one and two

here