How can you tell if a church is a cult?

[Mr. Lunt]

As someone who grew up in conservative Baptist churches, I’ve run into people who left their former churches and afterward claimed the church they left was a cult. I have found that it is often either an exaggeration or mischaracterization. Sometimes the church they were leaving had problems, but nothing cult-like. The church I used to attend had such detractors. But I never really took them seriously.

Then I started rethinking something that happened at the church I was attending.

A pastor of this church sat with me in a counseling situation and informed me that whatever was taught from the pulpit, I was never allowed to disagree with — and to disagree with anything would be rebellion. Furthermore, if I ever moved away and started attending another church, I would still be required to hold to the teachings of his church, even if I had left.

Is this a cult? How would you define a cult? Is there a working definition that you could use in a counselling situation?

 

[David Lamb]

As someone who grew up in conservative Baptist churches, I’ve run into people who left their former churches and afterward claimed the church they left was a cult. I have found that it is often either an exaggeration or mischaracterization. Sometimes the church they were leaving had problems, but nothing cult-like. The church I used to attend had such detractors. But I never really took them seriously.

Then I started rethinking something that happened at the church I was attending.

A pastor of this church sat with me in a counseling situation and informed me that whatever was taught from the pulpit, I was never allowed to disagree with — and to disagree with anything would be rebellion. Furthermore, if I ever moved away and started attending another church, I would still be required to hold to the teachings of his church, even if I had left.

Is this a cult? How would you define a cult? Is there a working definition that you could use in a counselling situation?

I would say that if the pastor meant that whatever was spoken from the pulpit, nobody was allowed to disagree, that does sound cult-like. Of course Baptist churches vary, but I have never come across one that views its pastor (or any preacher) as infallible. If he was talking about some specific teaching of the church, something that is in the church's statement of faith which you agreed to when you joined the church, that is a different matter.

I have never come across the idea that if somebody leaves one church and joins another (for whatever reason) he is still bound by the beliefs and teachings of the church he has left.

 

[Armchair Apologist]

As someone who grew up in conservative Baptist churches, I’ve run into people who left their former churches and afterward claimed the church they left was a cult. I have found that it is often either an exaggeration or mischaracterization. Sometimes the church they were leaving had problems, but nothing cult-like. The church I used to attend had such detractors. But I never really took them seriously.

Then I started rethinking something that happened at the church I was attending.

A pastor of this church sat with me in a counseling situation and informed me that whatever was taught from the pulpit, I was never allowed to disagree with — and to disagree with anything would be rebellion. Furthermore, if I ever moved away and started attending another church, I would still be required to hold to the teachings of his church, even if I had left.

Is this a cult? How would you define a cult? Is there a working definition that you could use in a counselling situation?

Its not always false doctrine that makes a church a cult.

Any religious organization with leadership that demands without question, 100% loyalty and obedience, strict adherence to their prescribed standards ands practices, seeks to control every aspect of your life, and questions your salvation if you should ever choose to leave is most certainly a cult that you should run, not walk away from. I would consider them a cult even if I was in 100% agreement with their doctrinal statement.

 

[xlsdraw]

As someone who grew up in conservative Baptist churches, I’ve run into people who left their former churches and afterward claimed the church they left was a cult. I have found that it is often either an exaggeration or mischaracterization. Sometimes the church they were leaving had problems, but nothing cult-like. The church I used to attend had such detractors. But I never really took them seriously.

Then I started rethinking something that happened at the church I was attending.

A pastor of this church sat with me in a counseling situation and informed me that whatever was taught from the pulpit, I was never allowed to disagree with — and to disagree with anything would be rebellion. Furthermore, if I ever moved away and started attending another church, I would still be required to hold to the teachings of his church, even if I had left.

Is this a cult? How would you define a cult? Is there a working definition that you could use in a counselling situation?

Everything should be measured by the scriptures, Berean style. God's Word is the infallible authority.

 

[Ascetic X]

It’s not necessarily what a group says about the Bible, but what they say about themselves, that makes them a cult.

They could have wonderful teachings and much correct doctrine, but get away from them when they claim to be the best, or the most accurate, or specially appointed, or more advanced, or closest to the first century church.

A cult tends to exalt one teacher. You are told that if you remain under this person’s teaching, an umbrella of his protection covers you, but if you leave the group or reject its doctrines, you will no longer be protected and will suffer terrible spiritual attacks.

 

[JesusFan]

As someone who grew up in conservative Baptist churches, I’ve run into people who left their former churches and afterward claimed the church they left was a cult. I have found that it is often either an exaggeration or mischaracterization. Sometimes the church they were leaving had problems, but nothing cult-like. The church I used to attend had such detractors. But I never really took them seriously.

Then I started rethinking something that happened at the church I was attending.

A pastor of this church sat with me in a counseling situation and informed me that whatever was taught from the pulpit, I was never allowed to disagree with — and to disagree with anything would be rebellion. Furthermore, if I ever moved away and started attending another church, I would still be required to hold to the teachings of his church, even if I had left.

Is this a cult? How would you define a cult? Is there a working definition that you could use in a counselling situation?

any group that elevates their founders to be equal to apostles and prophets, who has placed their teachings on par with bible or even over the bible, who hold they are only true church,a nd hold state all salvation comes thru them alone

Cultic woupd be a church holding kjvo mindset