Cults

[TLHKAJ]

@Wayne222 Wayne would you mind defining what you are referring to as "cults" so this thread doesn't go off the rails? It seems like we have every subject under the sun in this thread.

We are on a Christian forum, and my assumption was that by "cults" you were referring to groups that hold an allegiance to an entity opposing Christ ...whether satan, false gods, or a person whose allegiance is to satan, fallen entities, or self in the place of God, etc. Am I correct?

 

[JohnDB]

From:

Cult | Definition, History, & Facts

Cult, usually small group devoted to a person, idea, or philosophy. The term cult is often applied to a religious movement that exists in some degree of tension with the dominant religious or cultural inclination of a society. In recent years the word cult has been most commonly used as a

www.britannica.com

Cult, usually small group devoted to a person, idea, or philosophy. The term cult is often applied to a religious movement that exists in some degree of tension with the dominant religious or cultural inclination of a society. In recent years the word cult has been most commonly used as a pejorative term for a religious group that falls outside the mainstream and, by implication, engages in questionable activities. Many new religions are controversially labeled as cults.


So...all of Christiandom is a cult...but that's not necessarily a destructive cult but instead a positive one.

Any club or social group can be a cult....and you can have a cult inside of a religious organization....such as the Jesuits or Franciscans inside of the Catholic church....or 7th Day Baptists....or even the Calvinists or Charismatics inside of the SBC.
There is no real delineation of a cult. The main issue is to determine is whether the cult is a beneficial cult or a destructive cult...which is solely based upon the "fruits" of the group.

 

[dev553344]

What is the main reason people go to cults ? I almost did when I was a teenager. I know Gods Holy Spirit lead me away from that and kept me free.

Why is it that people go to churches led by men that don't follow the template set out by the bible? Are they cults too? Or does God set up lesser churches for them because of the hardness of their hearts? Same thing as divorced in the old testament?

Acts 4:32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

 

[JohnDB]

Why is it that people go to churches led by men that don't follow the template set out by the bible? Are they cults too? Or does God set up lesser churches for them because of the hardness of their hearts? Same thing as divorced in the old testament?

Acts 4:32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

See...in Acts they acted like a destructive cult...communal living. But it's recorded as a positive. As if this is going to be the lifestyle in Heaven.

So...you go to Heaven with your rewards ahead of you...but then give them all away because of some slob that didn't do anything "Christ-like" while on earth.
So on Earth you had nothing and in Heaven you will have nothing. (Being facetious here)

 

[dev553344]

See...in Acts they acted like a destructive cult...communal living. But it's recorded as a positive. As if this is going to be the lifestyle in Heaven.

So...you go to Heaven with your rewards ahead of you...but then give them all away because of some slob that didn't do anything "Christ-like" while on earth.
So on Earth you had nothing and in Heaven you will have nothing. (Being facetious here)

If you want to see it that way, but we're not talking about heaven here, this is earth.

 

[JohnDB]

If you want to see it that way, but we're not talking about heaven here, this is earth.

It's a joke in all reality.
There is a form of currency in heaven....it just is not in the form of possessions.
Kapeesh?

Which is why I begin questioning ANY leader of ANY group that is paid a bit much.
How much is too much?

It all depends on the neighborhood.

 

[dev553344]

It's a joke in all reality.
There is a form of currency in heaven....it just is not in the form of possessions.
Kapeesh?

Which is why I begin questioning ANY leader of ANY group that is paid a bit much.
How much is too much?

It all depends on the neighborhood.

I question any leader that is paid at all:

1 Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

I would think anyone that is abusing their authority will not be presenting the proper gospel message.

 

[JohnDB]

I question any leader that is paid at all:

1 Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

I would think anyone that is abusing their authority will not be presenting the proper gospel message.

Well,
Pastors are BUSY....the ones at my current church tend to be overworked. Those who aren't tend to find themselves looking for a new job.
In all reality they do need to cut some of the workload so they can do the remaining tasks better than they are currently. That can only happen with adding staff.

CIP....my church doesn't really have a full time or part time AV person. Meaning that it tends to get ignored and abused a lot unintentionally by the membership. There's something going on EVERY day at my Church. Meaning that most of these groups need some sort of AV equipment set up and adjusted for whichever room they are meeting in. Then the security cameras also need maintenance and adjustment sporadically....the cleaning never stops either. (Spilled coffee, Danish crumbs and etc)
Microphones need charging and earpieces as well.
Don't forget choir and band practice Wednesday nights...the setting up of the music and coordinating slides for Sunday...not to mention loading up of videos and etc.

The guy who does this is also the music director, teaches two separate small groups and is also in charge of all senior activities.
Meaning that he needs to contact a LOT of people every week with extremely limited knowledge of all the "W's"....especially "how to make it work"
Not to mention voice coaching special music, getting the band to put his unique flair on the music.

 

[Jane_Doe22]

I suppose some could consider Mormons a cult because the practices of having more than one wife goes against the social norm.
Although not all Mormons are Polygamous.

Note: zero "Mormons" are polygamous. The groups you see on "Sister Wives" and Warren Jeffs related are different churches with different scriptures, beliefs, lifestyle, etc.

 

[Jane_Doe22]

" And what is a cult? "

From a Christian standpoint a cult has several characteristics.
1. They deny the deity of Jesus.
2. Have another source of authority other than the bible.
3. Are often exclusive, I that they do not associate with other Christian.
4. Are authorities, they only have the truth and all others are in error.

Jehovahs Witness, church of latter-day saints,christian scientists, christadelphians all fit these characteristics.

Note: Latter-day Saints ("Mormons") believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God and happily associate with other Christian groups. Example: I last visited a Methodist church on Saturday, donating some clothes to help support their ministry to the needy. There is much good in other faiths, especially other Christian ones and I celebrate that fact.

 

[Ziggy]

Note: zero "Mormons" are polygamous. The groups you see on "Sister Wives" and Warren Jeffs related are different churches with different scriptures, beliefs, lifestyle, etc.

So I should of said was a cult until 1900?
It's neither here nor there.
In the OT multiple wives and concubines was the social norm, therefore it wasn't a cult.
Social norms change over time and so do what are considered cults.
That was my point.
Hugs

 

[The Learner]

satan is the father of lies and the great deceiver. Truth mixed with lies is the lure. Its why in the N.T. there are so many warnings about those who are trying to deceive you, false christs, antichrists, wolves in sheeps clothing, false teachers, false apostles, messengers of satan who appear as angels of light, etc.....

10 Psychological Reasons Why People Join Cults - Listverse

From an outsider’s perspective, it is very difficult to imagine why anyone would join a cult of their own free will. There are thousands of cults in

listverse.com

Factors related to susceptibility and recruitment by cults - PubMed

Unprecedented escalation of secular and religious cults has necessitated further inquiry into more precise conditions under which individuals develop vulnerability and become converted by these groups. The present discussion focuses on a number of factors which seem to influence individuals'...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"
Magical Thinking helps get them there.

Also, even many educated people still have a deficiency in the area of Critical Thinking and everyone of us experiences Confirmation Bias to some degree and if you aren't aware of it and aren't looking for it you are likely to make errors in judgement."
https://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/x669yq

Why Do People Join Cults?

Joining a cult isn't really high on the to-do list for most people. So why do people join cults? Lots of reasons actually - and a lot of them are pretty universal experiences too. Read below to see at least 10 reasons why people join cults. Feel free to share with us if you experienced any of...

www.peopleleavecults.com

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178116319941

The Psychology Behind Cults - Why People Join? | Private Therapy Clinic

Cults can come in many different forms. Members of a cult may be obsessed by a cult figure, or leader, who they believe speaks unrivalled wisdom.

theprivatetherapyclinic.co.uk

 

[The Learner]

Signs of Spiritual Abuse ​

1. Spiritually abusive leaders twist the truth to make themselves look better. And you end up questioning if you heard them correctly or were misinterpreting something.
2. Spiritually abusive leaders demand respect instead of earning it.
3. Spiritually abusive leaders betray your confidence and share your infomation with others.
4. Spiritually abusive leaders say you need to give up your free time for Jesus sake. And shame you if you don't agree.
5. Spiritually abusive leaders don’t allow themselves to be held accountable or corrected. And bully anyone who disagrees.
6. Spiritually abusive leaders avoid your request for conflict resolution but are quick to confront you. If you try to bring up things they are twisting, you are seen as unteachable or blameshifting.
7. Spiritually abusive leaders make you feel you can’t change churches or you’ll miss what God has for you.
8. Spiritually abusive leaders demand their way over your free will. And scare you with threats to your reputation if you don’t comply. Or shame you by bringing up your past failures.
9. Spiritually abusive leaders demand to be served instead of serve.
10. Spiritually abusive leaders silence their critics by making them the bad guy.
11. Spiritually abusive leaders don’t give you credit for your ideas and successes but take the credit for themselves.
12. Spiritually abusive leaders bully, shame or tease you into breaking your communicated boundaries.
13. Spiritually abusive leaders dismiss you when you no longer serve their need.
14. Spiritually abusive leaders accuse you of stealing their message when you grow beyond them.
15. Spiritually abusive leaders gaslight you into thinking you are crazy.
16. Spiritually abusive leaders can’t admit fault but use the knowledge of others fault to cause fear and intimidation.
17. Spiritually abusive leaders have their minions do their dirty work and isolate, intimidate or manipulate those who don’t comply.
18. Spiritually abusive leaders surround themselves with the elite and don’t interact with the sheep.
19. Spiritually abusive leaders use their charisma to create a cult-like following that would defend them when they are questioned.
20. Spiritually abusive leaders create a culture of a popular inner circle. If someone raises a concern they are put out of the clique and other inner circle people are afraid to speak up.
21. Spiritually abusive leaders surround themselves with only people who praise them, fear them or submit to them.
22. Spiritually abusive leaders convince people they can’t understand the deep things of God and need their help.
23. Spiritually abusive leaders don't help you overcome sin in your life but discard you if you make them look like a bad leader.
24. Spiritually abusive “leaders and churches view those who bring up legitimate issues as enemies. Those who were once friends/allies swiftly become enemies once a concern is raised. Sometimes these folks are banished, told to be silent, or shamed into submission.” Mary DeMuth
25. Spiritually abusive leaders lie without a conscience. They see their platform as worth protecting for the sake of the gospel.
26. 25 Signs Of Spiritual Abuse

 

[The Learner]

God Syndrome:​

If your spiritual leader has the “God Syndrome” or acts as if they are godlike. For example, the leader may say that he or she speaks for God, that God works exclusively through his or her ministry.

7 Signs of Spiritual Abuse - Safe Harbor IM

Spiritual abuse can occur when a leader uses his or her spiritual position to control or dominate another person. Read more about this here.

safeharborim.com

Red Flags of Spiritual Abuse — Tears of Eden: Supporting survivors of Spiritual Abuse and Religious Trauma

At Tears of Eden, we work to provide resources for survivors of spiritual abuse, with a focus on this type of abuse in the Christian evangelical world. On our website we use this definition of spiritual abuse: “Spiritual Abuse, in its simplest form, is using the Bible and God to cause s

www.tearsofeden.org

 

[The Learner]

I will post more later, boss is kicking me off

 

[Wayne222]

Beware "the major doctrines" of the Christian faith. There are man-made doctrines is nearly all denominations that are not valid.

Seriously who made you the judge over Christianity? I really think you’re off the mark. This topic is about cults not Jesus being God.

 

[Ziggy]

I found this Documentary:
The War on Children:

The War On Children Documentary

https://youtu.be/MXmHbkOoKME Make a contribution at http://TheWarOnChildren.com From Robby Starbuck: Huge news: 30+ million people watched the trailer for "The War On Children". My @X subscribers watc

rumble.com

There are so many Forum threads I could post this on, but Cults seems to be appropriate.

PRAY FOR THE CHILDREN
Hugs

 

[Spyder]

Seriously who made you the judge over Christianity? I really think you’re off the mark. This topic is about cults not Jesus being God.

If you think that way, then are you not part of those who determine who else is in a cult?

 

[Spyder]

Imagine a time when one guy walks around saying things that upset the crowds - especially those in positions of authority? Then, this guy attracts several followers and they band together. It is just a small group, but the public officials watched them with scorn. The people in authority not only had the respect of the crowds, they bring fear to the people and even participate in the court system with the power to pronounce stoning, flogging, and even death to offenders!

However, this guy amazed the people who saw him do amazing things and seemingly talked like one in a higher authority than the officials who wielded power among the people. (It seems he must have been charismatic.)

Just he and his little group moving about the countryside - breaking the laws and traditions of the officials - and even speaking harshly of the officials' behavior.

This man spoke as if he had great authority! Then, he really put a burr under the saddles of the public authority figures: He claimed that Yahweh God was His Father!

This definitely sounds like a cult, huh?

 

[Ziggy]

Imagine a time when one guy walks around saying things that upset the crowds - especially those in positions of authority? Then, this guy attracts several followers and they band together. It is just a small group, but the public officials watched them with scorn. The people in authority not only had the respect of the crowds, they bring fear to the people and even participate in the court system with the power to pronounce stoning, flogging, and even death to offenders!

However, this guy amazed the people who saw him do amazing things and seemingly talked like one in a higher authority than the officials who wielded power among the people. (It seems he must have been charismatic.)

Just he and his little group moving about the countryside - breaking the laws and traditions of the officials - and even speaking harshly of the officials' behavior.

This man spoke as if he had great authority! Then, he really put a burr under the saddles of the public authority figures: He claimed that Yahweh God was His Father!

This definitely sounds like a cult, huh?

Haha, sounds like MAGA, lol

We bow to no man, only Jesus Christ our Lord and King.
And the world fears us because we speak the truth about the corruption in the world.
They hate us because they first hated him.

Rev 2:9
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Rev 3:9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

This is the MAGA cult and what we believe.

Hugs