Featured What is the Draw of Cults?

That didn't answer my question.

 

The history of a church proves of whence it comes.

Centuries of persecution, death, murder and bloodshed?

"by their works ye shall know them..."

HankD

 

Presbyterians have special sacraments they jump through... so then, do you give them a pass? I’ve was also offered ashes on Ash Wednesday. Guess that makes them a cult.

 

Christianity comforts everyone.
Jesus makes everyone uncomfortable.

Christianity dresses up for church.
Jesus only has one set of clothes.

Christianity turns away the unworthy.
Jesus now makes the unworthy welcome.

Christianity has nice buildings.
Jesus was homeless... He spoke outside on hills.

Christianity gives to the poor after they pay rent and salaries.
Jesus gave to the poor first; took no salary.

Christianity honors the powerful.
Jesus condemns the powerful.

 

Cults often appeal to a person's need to be accepted and valued. Others validate pride or bigotry (think Westboro Baptist). So long as people seek to fill their spiritual void apart from Christ, there will always be cults.

 

Perhaps you should go chase yourself.

 

The draw of cults is that they scratch itching ears.

 

People are drawn to cults because they present something new-- something that changes thought, a new tenet or a new system of pushing it. This is shown by looking at people who join and where they are in life. College students are prime targets, especially those about to graduate with degrees they are not confident are going to benefit them. If another purpose in life is offered, they may jump. The Moonies have recruited very effectively this way. If they're upset about virtually being forced to change their lives, away from dependence on parents and desiring to give meaning to something, cults can make that 'catch' on their disturbed minds. Certainly it can be a religious cult which presents them with a new wedge issue [e.g, veganism, the 'right day' to meet or rest, acceptable medical practice, who has the 'authority' to understand scripture], to prove to them that something they were taught to believe and practice is wrong, and if they accept the new "right" way of doing things where they can make a difference, they can become fanatics. It's also other cult-like activities that an catch them-- consider this Antifa thing... 'most people are either wrong or they don't care enough to do anything that will change things, so use whatever means necessary to destroy the bigots!' And, of course, there are many situations in life that can disturb a person's mind to where that catch can be made.

But a consideration of the concept of CULT is also in order. Cult is word without a precise meaning. I sometimes describe it as: cult is to religion as neurosis is to psychology. Psychology prefers not to use the word "neurosis" any longer because its meaning an be so broad that anyone can quality. Cult is the same way to any religion-- if it is not clearly understood how the term is meant. So if we mean it in terms of pushing wedge issues, proselityzing mainstream Christians who are believers is the same as sharing the gospel with those who are not believers, surrendering to a new authority that often demands a severance of ties with family or former fellow believers... it's easy to know what groups we're referring to. But remember that virtually all churches and denominations were viewed as cults in their beginnings-- certainly Baptists were, with the wedge issue of baptism by immersion only of professed believers. And going much further back, Christianity began as a Jewish "cult;" not legitimate to 'mainstream' Jews.

So cult, I maintain, is a state of mind. And the fact that a person is, or has been, involved with a cultic group does not necessarily mean they are not believers, for that is individual.

 

Many do see the deception. They overlook it due to the close bonds and relationships formed within cults.

 

I think that is why most stay in. Cults, Neo Nazis, KKK, outlaw bikers, etc. They all retain members for the same main reason. They become a very close and very loyal family.

 

The cults are populated by people who left Christian Churches because they did not know what they believed or why they believed it. The cults use the same vocabulary but they infuse it with different meanings. For example, JWs believe that Jesus is the Archangel Michael and Mormons believe that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer and Christian Science says that there is a Christ consciousness in you. Cults make you work to earn your salvation. The money goes to the leaders. Many cults are involved in adultery with the leaders abusing the followers. They proclaim the Holy Name of Jesus but they deny the power of Jesus as God. For those Christians who use the Nicene Creed, for example, the cults deny one or more of the doctrines enunciated in the Nicene Creed, or the essential doctrines of Christianity. People often float from one cult to another but very few ever escape the cults in relation to the huge numbers that are lost in sin and bound for hell in the cults. As the world comes to an end, there will be a great falling away from Christianity and probably a great increase in the cults or false religion. I think that all cults deny the Holy Trinity.

 

Have you ever survived a Mom? I'm taking care someone elses house while they are gone. Theres a choice of 3 microwave dinners in the freezer.......dietary restrictions......and tonite is casino night.......special days...........Cult of Mom.

So like the house I was staying at, the guys they have to like medically smoke stuff. But I have to take care of that house by myself.........so its like me, 2 dogs, and a bunch of fish outside in a pond, and now we were having church outside. The cat wasn't allowed outside and there was like a WWII tench fortifications between 2 rooms the cat had conquered.

Its church days like these where God like gives you these cool motto one liners..... and your like man, how come I never thought of that? mottos like..... "I go to church all the time" --God. "I'm in the Audience of Your Life."--God.

Your like wha? God's like...shut up boy.....I ain't talking you ......you Catholic!

I tried to explain to God that even though the box says its gourmet beef stew, its really like real fancy local chili.

Spent the night trying to negotiate for free will.

 

Sounds like the Protestant sects. Churches created out of whole cloth who also killed and persecuted people of other faith traditions. Their only positive is that there are so many of them, one is bound to find one sect that fits nicely with one's particular scriptural interpretation.

 

Agreed. All are guilty to varying degrees.

As a former Catholic, I was drawn to Baptist communities (one of the reasons) because they are relatively free from blood guilt.

 

So why do you bring this stuff up? It's meaningless at this point, plus there is no such thing as "blood guilt". No one who is alive today and a Catholic had anything to do with those terrible days. You know, you are a white guy from America, do you somehow carry some "blood guilt" from slavery?