Dealing with "the cults"

rkbo · Nov 2, 2002

This gets to be a more important topic the closer our kids get to be teenagers....You know why....rebelling and all. I have found that it is impossible to know all the dotrine of all the cults and refute them one by one. We only need to know one area. This is the nature of God. I have not found one single cult that agrees with the orthodox doctrine of the nature of God. This means if we are sharp on the truth of the Trinity and the nature and essence of God, we will be able to counter the cults. I had more to say but my wife just handed me a pizza and well........you know.

[ November 02, 2002, 09:56 PM: Message edited by: rkbo ]

Helen · Nov 3, 2002

Several years ago, some of us got together and combed the literature on cults for something that would serve as a rather universal definition. We came up with the following, and I hope it helps:

In general, the following points can be used to define a cult as related to any religion.

1. A cult is a group that has differentiated itself from a main religious
body in terms of doctrine.

2. A cult is governed by a strong authority, either in the form of one
person or an authoritative hierarchy, or both.

3. A cult generally establishes its own set of laws by which the lives of
its members are run.

4. A cult will establish itself as the sole repository either of the truth
or of the whole truth, in opposition to the group separated from.

5. The cult authority is presented as the only way a true understanding of
the cult's Scriptures can be taught. Individual interpretation is either strongly discouraged or altogether forbidden.

6. A cult requires either tithing of some kind or the entire transfer of the
person's worldly goods into the hands of the cult authority.

7. A cult will control its members through fear. Disobedience of various
degrees will cause the member to be either disciplined or disenfranchised, the latter action in effect telling the member that the cult's aims (salvation, a higher reincarnation, exaltation, etc.) are then barred from the disobedient member and no longer achievable by him or her.

8. Cults often present themselves to their members as being persecuted.
This can lead to anywhere from a general feeling of defensiveness to the actual caching of arms and training for warfare or "defense."

9. Cults are generally bound by a series of cult experiences not available
to those outside the cult. These can be physical, mental, or spiritual.

10. Cults often separate themselves geographically, especially when they are
starting or if they remain small.

The understanding is here that a cult cannot be defined by simply one of the points, but by at least a majority of them.

If the cult is to be defined as a Christian cult, the following will additionally apply:

1. There are writings considered to be as necessary as the Bible which are either used to "explain" the Bible or added to it as additional Scriptures.*

2. Christian terminology will be used.

3. One or more of the following will be denied:

--A. The physical incarnation of Jesus Christ

--B. The full deity of Jesus Christ - that He is the Creator God and lived a sinless life.

--C. The completion of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross; the sufficiency of the atonement so gained.

--D. The physical and true death of Jesus Christ

--E. The physical and true resurrection of Jesus Christ

--F. The physical and true ascension of Jesus Christ

--G. The reality of the Trinity as presented in the Bible: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are three Persons but one God.

--H. The intrinsic sin nature of man and therefore his utter helplessness to save himself or help with his salvation.

--I. The reality of resurrection as opposed to reincarnation.

--J. The absolute and eternal difference between God and man; the difference between Creator and created.

--K. The absolute holiness, goodness, justice, mercy, and love of the ONE God.

--L. The eternal and changeless nature of God.

--M. Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone.

4. Regarding the denials of point number 3, there will be explanations and additional doctrines not found in the Bible and usually directly contradictory to it.

5. God will be considered not accessible to worshipers without some kind of mediator or representative aside from Jesus Christ himself.

6. Certain rituals and/or works are required for the saving or exaltation of the worshiper.

7. The Bible is re-defined as being, in one way or another, not the inerrant word of God in the original signatures. It is instead put in the realm of mythologies which express various truths or said to be corrupted and in need of some kind of help.

* What is being pointed out here is that the simple doctrines and truth of the Bible are available to everyone who comes in contact with them, without need of any kind of interpretation. This is not to deny, however, that studies of the culture, language, idioms, etc., of the ancient peoples cannot add a great deal to our deeper understanding of many of the facts and teachings in the Bible.

Note: Although a Christian cult might not find every point above applicable, most will be.
Click to expand...

In addition, I would strongly warn any teen or adult to check definitions of words if one is investigating or interested in a cult or talking to a cult member. Here are some words that are often redefined by Christian cults

God
Jesus
Holy Spirit
Trinity
salvation
hell
sin
justification
heaven
atonement

The primary point, however, is to focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ. That will be the major telling point.

Ben W · Nov 3, 2002

There is a group called Cult Aware that are on the web. they are most helpfull. Let Us Reason Ministries in Hawaii is really good also

rkbo · Nov 3, 2002

Do any of you fine folks see some of the Christian churches evolving towards a false cult?

Ben W · Nov 4, 2002

I worry about those that are embracing the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith Movement.

Speedpass · Nov 5, 2002

Originally posted by Ben W:
I worry about those that are embracing the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith Movement.
Click to expand...

Does the Prosperity Gospel have anything to do with the "Jabez" craze?

rkbo · Nov 5, 2002

What we are seeing is the evolution of experience driven birds of a feather flocking together. Give me an experience make me rich is their bird call. After Jesus feed the masses and they keept following him around to get feed again, what did he say? What, also, did he say to the folks at his home town that didn't care what he was saying they just wanted to see a miracle.

We should not live by bread alone but by the word of God. Many don't want to hear this. They are giving the cause of Christ a black eye. The world is laughing at them and us. We need to resist this kind of teaching and call it what it is.........a gospel of greed.

Gina B · Nov 6, 2002

Well, HERE'S a hint!
If you ever study one out real good, and keep two notebooks full of the results, then get sick of it and say you're never gonna bother dealing with them again, KEEP THE NOTES!!!! You never know when God might make you eat your words, and then you'll have to do all the work again.
Whew, now that I vented....
Here's the deal.
Ya ever hear of how tellers in a bank are trained to tell real and false money apart? They're given real money to study, not false. The more familiar they are with the real, the more blatant the false becomes.
Same with Christianity. Teach the truth, and when your kids come across the false they'll be able to discern it.
Gina

Helen · Nov 6, 2002

Originally posted by Jimmy Edwards:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Ben W:
I worry about those that are embracing the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith Movement.
Click to expand...

Does the Prosperity Gospel have anything to do with the "Jabez" craze?</font>[/QUOTE]Not that I am aware of, Jimmy. Jabez stuff is more like the Catholic Rosary. Keep repeating and repeating it for 'sure results'...

Here are some good links on the Prosperity garbage, though:

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/posit.htm

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/char/more/w-f.htm

http://www.prisonministry.org/newsletters/prosperity.htm

http://www.firefromheaven.net/prosper1a.html

Ben W · Nov 6, 2002

Sure does

GrannyGumbo · Nov 6, 2002

Teach the truth, and when your kids come across the false they'll be able to discern it.[Gina]

"Oh that this were so...as in the case of our youngest(then 26) son. He grew up in a Christian home with Christian parents and a grandpa who was a Old-time Missionary Baptist preacher.

We watched him get saved, as with our other children. He grew into a fine young man, never giving us any problems. Had a wonderful job at the bank, a home, a wife, a son, all the little things that make life really nice.

He was an ordained deacon where all 16 of us were members, sang in the choir and was the church's treasurer. He was over the youth department. Very outgoing, very well-liked, & very back-slidden.

Then a group of charismatics 'crept in unawares' and the rest is history...as many here on the BB know of his plight in the "Oneness/Jesus-only" sect/cult.

Now he has nothing and the Lord has been chastening him for nearly 4yrs, but he still can't see it. Our area is heavily saturated with "tongue-talkers" and it's hard to deal with them with the anger I feel from time to time.

tfisher · Nov 6, 2002

A friend loaned me a book called "Counterfeit Revival" by Hank Hanegraaf. I don't know much about the author, but it was a good book about the word of faith and prosperity movement. I have been to the author's website, www.equip.org , where you can search subjects such as "mormon" and get articles dealing with their beliefs, etc. I specifically remember an article on how to turn a JW's own Bible translation into a gospel tract because they will not accept literature from you.

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