A
admin
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This term is being bantered around quite frequently and there is much discussion about it.
Let's see how each other defines a cult...
Let's see how each other defines a cult...
It's a group that poses as Christians but have new doctrines that take the place of the word of God and the word of God is interpreted by their doctrines or rationale. Example: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity - they say the Trinity is false because it is not reasonable or doesn't make sense to them. Originally they had the KJV as their Bible but they didn't like how it was translated so they change it in places like John 1, Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1. They don't want any one to see the truth that is found only in God's word.
There are also personality cults, where the people follow the leader more than Christ Himself. We have seen that in IFBx churches. Whatever the pastor says, goes - even if it contradicts Scripture.
admin said:
I found my Bible college notes from Cults class from decades ago.
They defined a cult as: A cult is a group of people who follow one man and his interpretations of the Bible.
Here are 10 characteristics of a cult given out in class: (Not all cults have all 10 characteristics)
New Truth: Many cults promote the false idea that God has revealed something special to them.
New Interpretation of Scripture: Some cults make no claim to new truth or extra biblical revelation, but believe they alone have the key to interpreting the mysteries in the Bible. The Bible is reinterpreted, usually out of context, to justify the peculiar doctrine of that cult.
A Non-Biblical Source of Authority: Some cults have sacred writings or a source of authority that supersedes the Bible.
Another Jesus: A false teaching about the person of Jesus Christ.
Double talk: They say one thing publicly but internally believe something totally different.
Non-Biblical Teaching on Nature of God (Trinity): Cults either have an inadequate view or an outright denial of the trinity.
Changing Theology: Followers will learn a doctrine only to find it later changed by a later revelation.
Strong leadership: Usually characterized by a central leader figure who consider themselves as messengers from God with unique access to the almighty.
Salvation by Works: Cults usually attach something to Salvation by grace through faith.
False Prophecy: They teach and preach false prophecy.
Funny, I remember sitting in class thinking to myself, this sounds like the church this Bible college is run by.
C
Castor Muscular
Guest
M-W says...
1 : formal religious veneration : worship
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad
b : the object of such devotion
c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
1 : formal religious veneration : worship
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad
b : the object of such devotion
c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
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Castor Muscular said:
Castor beat me to the dictionary, but I was going to post these two definitions. I generally mean one or the other, and hopefully when I do, it's clear which one I mean. (Generally speaking, #5 has less to do with a religious cult specifically, although there is often some overlap: Ruckmanism or Scientology are two examples of religions that are inseparable from their founder.)
C
Castor Muscular
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The problem with this definition is that every religious denomination/group thinks it has the truth, and therefore might call all others are unorthodox or spurious. They might not, if they are tolerant... but you get the point.
Some more from my Cults notes:
4 Things cults have in common with one another
1. They are closed minded
a. This means they refuse to pay attention to another interpretation.
b. They listen only to their teacher.
c. They do not pay attention to contradictions even in their own doctrine.
d. They ignore consistency.
2. They are very antagonistic (they get mad easy)
a. This means they think everyone is against them
b. They believe if a man disagrees with their doctrine that this man hates them personally, thus
they reject him and his belief.
3. Cultist are very dogmatic & intolerant
a. This means they believe their teachings & they will not listen to others.
4. They are isolationalists (they separate from everyone else)
4 Things cults have in common with one another
1. They are closed minded
a. This means they refuse to pay attention to another interpretation.
b. They listen only to their teacher.
c. They do not pay attention to contradictions even in their own doctrine.
d. They ignore consistency.
2. They are very antagonistic (they get mad easy)
a. This means they think everyone is against them
b. They believe if a man disagrees with their doctrine that this man hates them personally, thus
they reject him and his belief.
3. Cultist are very dogmatic & intolerant
a. This means they believe their teachings & they will not listen to others.
4. They are isolationalists (they separate from everyone else)
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Just me said:
All four of these points sound exactly where I grew up.
T
Torrent v.3
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admin said:
That is hard. Walter Martin wrote a classic called Kingdom of the Cults, a book showing what cults believe. He did not classify Seventh Day Adventists as a full blown cult, but I do. The reason is that I define a cult as someone who clearly preaches salvation another way than by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
My eyes continued to open to the knowledge I was in a "cultish" environment when I was standing around before church talking with some friends and one of their kids started to run with another of his friends at the back of the church. Which was where we all were standing talking. The dad steps back and claps his hands real loud. The child stops and comes to his dad who then says, "what would preacher think of your running and carrying on like that in church?" The boy looked at his dad as a kid would. The dad then says, "you better hope preacher did not see you" and turns around and keeps talking with the group.
It is all about the preacher in these type places.
It is all about the preacher in these type places.
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Castor Muscular said:
I think "unorthodox" is somewhat subjective - as C. S. Lewis (I think) once pointed out, no one ever says, "Gee, I think I'm a heretic." Everyone regards what they believe as the truth.
"Spurious" is more clear-cut. I mentioned Scientology. I'd define Scientology as a cult not merely because their "theology" is weird or they are the epitome of an abusive religion, but also because their founder, L. Ron Hubbard, was clearly a swindler. Ditto Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White, Jim Jones, and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, to name a few. On the other hand, I don't think that's true of Mohammed, Buddha, or Confucius, for example - not that I would consider these religions "orthodox" from my Christian perspective, of course; I mean that I have no reason to doubt that their particular religious worldviews evolved out of an honest attempt to explain reality.
I'd put Jokob Ammann (since this thread is obviously prompted by the Amish one) in the latter category. He was a radical, but I don't think he was dishonest.
T
Torrent v.3
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bruinboy said:
What are you tryin to say, bro?
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Torrent v.3 said:
"Look in my eyes, what do you see?"
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admin said:
It would be hard (if not impossible) to define English words using the Bible. Under some common (although academic) usages of the word, any organized religious practice would be a cult. Under other common usages, there are specific requirements (e.g. lack of orthodoxy in relation to a standard set of beliefs, extreme devotion to an particular individual, etc...) that would be necessary to call something a cult.
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admin said:
Are there really biblical parameters for defining a cult? It seems to me that in the Bible, there is the true religion, false religion, and a little bit of a grey area in between, where (for example) Paul allows a bit of latitude for certain practices, traditions, etc. that may differ from Christian to Christian or church to church.
Today we'd have to draw that grey area a little wider. Back in the day, if you wanted to know, hypothetically, whether the Baptists or the Presbyterians were the most authentic expression of the Christian faith, you could just write an apostle and ask. These days, that option isn't open to us.
Maybe that's a bit reductionistic. I don't know.