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Featured Cults

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Mar 4, 2013.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I am putting this into the "Baptist Section" as I wanted to keep this from a Baptist perspective.


    CULT

    How would you define the word Cult

    What determines whether a religious group is a cult or not?

    Here is a discussion by Wiki

    Open for auguring - oops, I mean discussion and debating
     
  2. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    using this for "Biblical cults"...

    They deny the natures of God/man/salvation
    have other sacred books superior to the bible
    Have a main founder, looked on as being messiah/prophet/god etc
    have a mentality that they ALONE are the true followers of God, with 'special revelation" from above!

    That would include groups like JW/Mormons, but to me also groups like SDA/RCC! Some are saved in those last 2 groups, but their official teaching :cultic!"
     
  3. Gregory Perry Sr.

    Gregory Perry Sr. Active Member

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    :thumbs::thumbs: Pretty good assessment in my opinion.

    Bro.Greg:saint:
     
  4. KJVRICH

    KJVRICH New Member

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    Pastor Greg / Bible Baptist writes some of the markings of a cult are;

    1-have an authority other than scripture
    Cults also add to God’s word in more than one way. Some publish additional “sacred writings” comparable in their own view to the authority of the Bible. The LDS (Mormon) cult has it’s Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, as well as other “temple” writings, etc. Christian Science elevates the writings of Mary Baker Eddy to the status of “scripture”. Many Seventh Day Adventists elevate the writings of Ellen G. White to “inspired” status. The Roman Catholic Cult adds the Apocrypha, Ex-Cathedra statements of the Popes, Councils, Creeds, etc.

    2-departure from true Bible doctrine of Jesus Christ
    Some of these cult leaders assume a position of equality with, or replacement of, Jesus Christ. Hindu-based cult gurus use Christian language and Biblical terminology while claiming to be “the reincarnated Christ.” The Pope is called “Vicar of Christ” which is “Anti-Christ” or “in the place of Christ”. Mormons believe that on Judgment Day we will stand before Elohim (heavenly Father), Jesus and Joseph Smith!


    3-deviation from the Trinity doctrine of God.
    A way in which the cults deviate from the Trinity is to give lip service to a belief in “The Father, Son and Holy Ghost” while adding heretical and unbiblical teachings. Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses turn the “holy spirit” into a FORCE of God instead of a Person Who is all-powerful. Other cults follow this same line of heresy, adding the cult leader (Moon, Koresh, etc.) to the level of ‘godhood” and, thus, being polytheistic (belief in many gods) in all reality. The Catholic cult adds Mary as Co-redemptrix and turns Jesus into a strange Zues-like character who needs a “mother” to direct him.



    4-Salvation by works and not by Grace through Faith alone.
    The simple fact of the matter is that we are saved to do good works, not by our good works. As Paul said in Romans, “…if it be of works, then is it no more grace.” In other words, if you are saved by works then you would actually be saving yourself—which is not possible!. But the Bible says we are saved by God, not by our own works or merit. Notice in Ephesians 2:9-10 (above) that we are saved “by grace…through faith” and THEN come the “good works.”

    But cults twist this around. They do teach that we must believe in Jesus in order to be saved, but they go beyond this and teach that we must also add certain other works in order to be saved. If you will read the book of Galatians, you will see that Paul fought this cultic mentality in his day. In Galatia, there were men saying that we must believe in Jesus AND be circumcised Jewish law-keepers. But Paul called this “another gospel” and pronounced those who add works to salvation “accursed”.
     
  5. Bob Alkire

    Bob Alkire New Member

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    Salty, if you will get Walter Martin's book"Kingdom of the Cults", it will give you all you need. Maybe your library has it.
     
  6. Zenas

    Zenas Active Member

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    A "cult" is most any group with which you VERY STRONGLY disagree. It is always a group to which the person identifying it does not belong. No one ever admits to being a member of a cult. In some ways it's the reverse of being a Calvinist. 100% of all Calvinists maintain that they are part of the "elect."
     
    #6 Zenas, Mar 5, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 5, 2013
  7. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Actually its a group that denies the theology that makes one a genuine Christian!

    I have friends who are BOTH cals/arms, we are still in the Body of Christ, but NOT someone holding to "official" Mormon/JW qualifies!
     
  8. Zenas

    Zenas Active Member

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    But my point is this. Mormons will deny that they are a cult. JW's will deny that they are a cult. No one ever admits to being part of a cult. So it is a fluid concept with a pejorative connotation.
     
  9. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    they are still cults though, at least in the biblical definition of such!
     
  10. Zenas

    Zenas Active Member

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    And where does the Bible define a cult?
     
  11. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    where does it actually say bible?
     
  12. Zaac

    Zaac Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG] huh?

    We are talking about the CHRISTIAN world view of what a cult is, right? As such, why would what a cultist admit to be of relevance?

    Most folks won't ever admit that they are bad enough to deserve eternity in the lake of fire either. But that doesn't change the truth of where they will be.
     
  13. Zaac

    Zaac Well-Known Member

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    Galatians 1:6-9

    I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

    Clear sign of a cult.
     
  14. Zenas

    Zenas Active Member

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    All right, I get it. YOU get to say what a cult is and who is or isn't a member. Cool. :smilewinkgrin:
     
  15. Zenas

    Zenas Active Member

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    You mean clear sign of heresy. That passage doesn't even meet your difinition of "cult" and certainly not mine.
     
  16. Zaac

    Zaac Well-Known Member

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    If someone comes preaching a Gospel other than the one in the Holy Bible---cult.
     
  17. michael-acts17:11

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    Cults are identified by their behavior, not by their doctrinal beliefs. I have attended at least two baptist churches that I would call cults. Their doctrinal statements are Biblically sound, but their behavior is indicative of the false-prophet-following blind sheeple of cults than that of free-thinking believers. Their claim that the Bible is their final authority is in direct contrast to their pastor-worshiping actions. You could list a dozen different cults with a dozen different beliefs, but their behavior would be the same. To identify a cult, we must identify the common heresy running through them all. That heresy, I believe, is following a man as God's earthly mediator with blind allegiance.
     
  18. Kulwicki

    Kulwicki New Member

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    Brother You said it all, I am just getting over such a situation.
     
  19. Bob Alkire

    Bob Alkire New Member

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    Well said. It isn't just what they say which might be correct, but it is their actions and attitude. Sometimes one steps into it and does not notice it, till later.
    Glad you got out of it!!!
     
  20. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    what is really sad is that at times even a christian group can exhibit"cultish" behaviour and practices, especially those started and run by a pastor as His own personal Family, so to speak!
     
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