How do oriental religions keep people under their control?
Oriental religions keep people under their control through superstition, keeping them scared to death that unless they do exactly what their religion commands, they will be in trouble. Legalistic systems operate the same way, holding people under their thumb rather than offering freedom.
Les explains that any kind of religion is a burden, and most oriental religions in particular use superstition as their whole format for keeping people under their thumb. They keep people scared to death that if they don't do exactly what their religion commands, they are in trouble. He adds that bringing this into any legalistic system also keeps people under their thumb, and that is not freedom. In contrast, Paul refused subjection to law-keeping so the truth of the Gospel could continue with Gentiles, allowing them to revel in God's grace without being weighed down by the burdens of law keeping.