Cults

[242006]

If one looks on the Internet he can quickly see that almost everything one names can be assigned a cult status.

Obviously every denomination has a different set of beliefs to another so therefore basically every group is a cult of some sort.

Therefore how do you determine which is and which is not. For example most Non-Pentecostals classify Pentecostals as people that are of a cult. However every Pentecostal that I have ever talked to used everything that he believed to point me to Jesus. This is very confusing to may non believers.

The question is which Jesus are the Pentecostals pointing toward -- the false Christ, who will rapture you away, or the true Christ, who returns after the false Christ, to harvest all??

1Ti 4:1​

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Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

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IMO, one needs to make a distinction between a cult and dangerously false doctrine. Eventhough my favorite preacher is on the correct side of the rapture theory, many that follow my favorite preacher are every bit the cultist that Pentecostals are in their blind devotion to their false doctrines of 'tongues, spiritual gifts, and rapture.

Hence, I have concluded that cultists most likely exist in every denomination and every denomination will conclude the other denominations to be cults. By defiinition, those that have an obsession to a person or principle is a cultist. Well, those, who are obsessed with God's Truth, would fall under the definition of a cult too.

Accordingly, the term 'cult' is overrated and misused. It is better to focus on Bible Truth. Of course, those, who, after being taught the Truth, refuse to accept it, are surely among the 'willingly ignorant' and most likely cultists.

 

[brionne]

If one looks on the Internet he can quickly see that almost everything one names can be assigned a cult status.

Obviously every denomination has a different set of beliefs to another so therefore basically every group is a cult of some sort.

Therefore how do you determine which is and which is not. For example most Non-Pentecostals classify Pentecostals as people that are of a cult. However every Pentecostal that I have ever talked to used everything that he believed to point me to Jesus. This is very confusing to may non believers.

What do you define as a cult?

As you mention various denominations, i would say you are talking about 'sects' .... which are not really cults even though the definition below includes them as such.

Definition of cult from Online Dictionary:n.1. a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.b. The followers of such a religion or sect.2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.5. a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.b. The object of such devotion.6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.


I determine a cult to have a living leader who is supposed to be a link to God and usually proclaims himself to be a prophet. his followers are kept apart from society and once you get in, its very hard to get out. The leader will use various mind control techniques to keep you in the group and away from your family. He becomes the controlling influence in your life and activities.

 

[Martin W.]

A true "cult" is a group that has been brainwashed to follow one leader or his teaching.

To form a cult , three tactics are used:

1. Create an enemy
2. Become a friend.
3. Teach about enemy tactics.

It can be applied in business (Network marketing for example)

1. Tired of being broke ?? Not having enough money is the "enemy"
2. I have discovered a great business opportunity for you. The cult leader becomes a friend.
3. Cult leader now prepares you for the "tactics of the enemy."
eg: -cult leader teaches you that your friends and family will try to talk you out of it .
-cult leader tells you to remember your friends and family are all "broke losers"
-when your friends and family try to "rescue you" it confirms that "your cult friend" is correct.
- you have been brainwashed at that point.
- it is nearly impossible to change your mind now.

====================================================

These three tactics are easily transferable to religion. The group that knocks on your door Saturday morning is a good example:

1. create an enemy as follows:
.... are you tired of all the religious confusion in the world
.... would you like to know the one true God and avoid the three headed God of Christendom
.... would you like assurance that you can partake in a future paradise on earth.
..... are you tired of the "hell preaching" some religions use

2. become the friend as follows:
.... Would you like to study with a small exclusive group that knows God's true name
..... Would you like to be a member of the exclusive 144,000 chosen by Jehovah

3. Most importantly you prepare the "recruit" for what the "unbelievers" will say at the door.
.... when we Christians teach "trinity" it confirms the cult is correct in the mind of the brainwashed
.... when we use the terms LORD and GOD , it confirms we do not know the one true God Jehovah


So on and so forth. That is why the more we try to argue or debate , the more firmly entrenched the cult member becomes. We are seen as "the enemy" in their eyes , and we confirm it by our responses because they have been conditioned for it..

In fairness the Pentecostals often use some of the same tactics. they claim to have a greater filling of Holy Spirit than the regular Christian does. They use an emotional and psychological brainwash to convince their members that they are super spiritual compared to the "dead" churches. Most Christian denominations like to claim exclusiveness. Even the non-denominational groups claim exclusiveness.

A recent modern type of cult following is the global warming crowd. A lot of hype and brainwash has convinced them that they alone are the saviors of planet earth. Brainwash and cult tactics have been around a long time .

A lot of advertising and marketing campaigns use some of those tactics as well.

The true and most dangerous cults are the ones that completely brainwash the followers into false religions or illegal acts. Charles Manson got people to murder , Jim Jones got everybody to drink the cool-aid , Hitler influenced a whole country , the religion of peace straps dynamite to the waists of children and sends them into a crowd..

 

[TexUs]

It's cult vs sect.

Sects are denominations, minor "squabbles" with the core values kept in check.
Cults seek to CORRECT the original teachings.

Jehovah's witnesses would be a cult of Mormonism, for instance.
On a larger scale, Islam could even be considered a cult of Christianity as they sought to "correct" it, however their definition of God is SO FAR corrected it's generally considered something new.
"Peaceful Muslims", IMO, would be a cult of Islam because they depart from certain teachings of the Quran.
I'd get blasted by this statement but I'd consider Catholicism a cult of Christianity as well because they seek to "correct" the Bible based upon their traditions.
I'd consider any Prosperity church a cult of Christianity as well because they depart from much of the Bible also. This one is a fine line though, I think they've slightly crossed it.
I'd consider Mennonites a sect as they hold to all the Bible but tend to see more of a peaceful trend, they aren't correcting or ignoring it.
I'd consider Baptists a sect, really minor differences (I can't really think of any Baptist-specific stuff I disagree with Biblically).

etc, just to give some examples of how I'd define them.

 

[brionne]

It's cult vs sect.

Sects are denominations, minor "squabbles" with the core values kept in check.
Cults seek to CORRECT the original teachings.

Jehovah's witnesses would be a cult of Mormonism, for instance.
On a larger scale, Islam could even be considered a cult of Christianity as they sought to "correct" it, however their definition of God is SO FAR corrected it's generally considered something new.
"Peaceful Muslims", IMO, would be a cult of Islam because they depart from certain teachings of the Quran.
I'd get blasted by this statement but I'd consider Catholicism a cult of Christianity as well because they seek to "correct" the Bible based upon their traditions.
I'd consider any Prosperity church a cult of Christianity as well because they depart from much of the Bible also. This one is a fine line though, I think they've slightly crossed it.
I'd consider Mennonites a sect as they hold to all the Bible but tend to see more of a peaceful trend, they aren't correcting or ignoring it.
I'd consider Baptists a sect, really minor differences (I can't really think of any Baptist-specific stuff I disagree with Biblically).

etc, just to give some examples of how I'd define them.

where does this definition come from? did you make up yourself?

 

[TexUs]

where does this definition come from? did you make up yourself?

From seminary apologetics classes... I quite agree with them and they are logical definitions verses the broad sweeping dictionary ones (secularly-based) that you could fit almost anything under each one.
These definitions are also supported by the cults we have seen as well, so I use them.

 

[BritGuy]

The doctrine of the Trinity is the dividing line between Christian and nonChristian religions.

Says who?

Doesn't the doctrine of the Trinity date back to the Coucil of Nicea in the 4th Century?

Wasn't that set up under Constantine's authority to find basic beliefs that would unite men under his political leadership?

The bible talks about "the godhead", is there a difference between that & "The Trinity"?

 

[aspen]

JWs did not come from Mormons - JWs came from Millerites and they emerged after Mormonism

 

[Martin W.]

It's cult vs sect.

Sects are denominations, minor "squabbles" with the core values kept in check.
Cults seek to CORRECT the original teachings.

Jehovah's witnesses would be a cult of Mormonism, for instance.
On a larger scale, Islam could even be considered a cult of Christianity as they sought to "correct" it, however their definition of God is SO FAR corrected it's generally considered something new.
"Peaceful Muslims", IMO, would be a cult of Islam because they depart from certain teachings of the Quran.
I'd get blasted by this statement but I'd consider Catholicism a cult of Christianity as well because they seek to "correct" the Bible based upon their traditions.
I'd consider any Prosperity church a cult of Christianity as well because they depart from much of the Bible also. This one is a fine line though, I think they've slightly crossed it.
I'd consider Mennonites a sect as they hold to all the Bible but tend to see more of a peaceful trend, they aren't correcting or ignoring it.
I'd consider Baptists a sect, really minor differences (I can't really think of any Baptist-specific stuff I disagree with Biblically).

etc, just to give some examples of how I'd define them.

This is a very good description.
Thanks.

 

[BritGuy]

It's cult vs sect.

Sects are denominations, minor "squabbles" with the core values kept in check.
Cults seek to CORRECT the original teachings.

Who decides what the "original teachings" are?

 

[TexUs]

Who decides what the "original teachings" are?

Whoever started the religion or what it's based on.

Mormons have the Book of Mormon and such, of course it's hard to decide what the "original" teachings were since they change it all the time.
Islam has the Quran.
Christianity has the Bible.

etc

 

[BritGuy]

Whoever started the religion or what it's based on.

Mormons have the Book of Mormon and such, of course it's hard to decide what the "original" teachings were since they change it all the time.
Islam has the Quran.
Christianity has the Bible.

etc

So any group that has the bible and no other book is not a cult?

 

[TexUs]

So any group that has the bible and no other book is not a cult?

No.

Your question was what the "original" is.

If a group seeks to correct the teachings of the original, that then becomes a cult.

 

[Martin W.]

No.

Your question was what the "original" is.

If a group seeks to correct the teachings of the original, that then becomes a cult.

Tex has it right
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Remember the 3 tactics a cult uses:
1. Create an enemy
2. Become a friend
3. Indoctrinate
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Tex has it right.
He says "a cult will correct" the "original teachings".
Key word here is the word "correct"
Tex grasps the foundation of most "cults" .
Re-read his earlier post.

1. The cult leader will make the "original teachings" the enemy
2. The cult leader will "enlighten you " to the "truth" (and become a friend) (against the enemy) - which is the "original teachings"
Got that so far ??
3. The cult leader will indoctrinate you on the ways of the enemy (the Original teachings)


The cult follower is now brainwashed. The brainwash is further entrenched because thousands of people keep using the "original teachings" which "proves" what the The cult leader says in his tactic #3.

At that point they are often beyond recovery. (The brainwashed cult follower)

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Summary:

The "Original teachings" are found in the bible. Trust no other.
Neither trust anyone who "interprets" it for you.
The Christian message is very simple. Trust your instincts. They are usually correct.
Need a leader ?? Jesus comes highly recommended. Ask Holy Spirit to guide.

He will never deceive.
He will never change his original teachings.
We should not try to change them either.
Forget about Church traditions too.
It is a form of indoctrination.
It divides us.
That is why we are often divided.
Think about it.

Best wishes studying the original teachings.

Martin

 

[Martin W.]

No.

Your question was what the "original" is.

If a group seeks to correct the teachings of the original, that then becomes a cult.

I think it started here....

1. God says ..... do not eat from this tree
2. Satan says .... did he really say that ??
3. Satan says ..... God will make a lot of racket , but eat anyway.


God did make a lot of racket. Satan was correct on that point..
Satan still has people eating.
Careful what people try to feed you folks.

Tactics of a cult are subtle and clever.
We use them too sometimes.
We should try our best not to.

Thanks.

 

[amadeus]

Cult is one of those words I hesitate to assign to anyone, because when assigning that label to a group, I would be presuming that I have certain doctrines or beliefs, which in the eyes of God are better or essentially more correct than the ones those in labelled group hold. I hope that all of my beliefs are essentially correct, but only God knows! I certainly hope that I would change any of them that I discovered are definitely wrong.

Since, I admit that some of my beliefs may be in error, then doesn't it follow that one or more of my erroneously held beliefs may have been a primary part of the evidence used in my decision to assign the label of cult to a particular group.

Of course, if any of the other members here, unlike me, believe that they already have all of the answers contained in God's Truth then go ahead and make your assignment of the cult brand.

 

[TexUs]

I don't see cult classification anywhere in the Bible which makes it entirely human language and human-defined terms...
If the definition fits...

 

[Duckybill]

I have found two very common beliefs in imitators of Christian churches. Denial of the deity of Jesus and denial of eternal punishment. Satan seems to hate Jesus/God and the eternal Hell.