By a standard dictionary definition, if you worship, you are in a cult. If you are devoted to your family, you are in a cult. If you admire someone, anyone, you are in a cult. But, of course, this is not what we are talking about when we use the term "cult."
Today, if I am a part of a Christian denomination, let's say, just as a fancy, that I am a member of the Holy Smoke Church of Batmen, which is nondenominational -- the first thing I do is lay out my beliefs, what we call doctrines, all in a row, and of course, as all "Bible people" do, I claim that all my beliefs are in fact based on the Bible, and the Bible Alone! Then, Job #2 for a Holy Smoke Church of Batmen disciple is to look out over the sea of denominations, notice that many -- if not most -- of these so-called Christians churches DISAGREE with me! Imagine that! Here I went through all the trouble of basing all my beliefs on the "Bible alone" and now all these other flabby, ancient, decrepit organizations are not in agreement with my "very Biblically based doctrines!" What can be said of such disbelievers, heretics and brainwashed zombie followers of "another jesus?"
Of course. Cult. Each and every one of those groups which disagree with me ARE CULTS, pure and simple, they are dangerous because they do not adhere to what I consider the truth and the truth alone, and thus they are to be stamped out, eradicated, if possible each member dragged through the streets in humiliation to be burned at the stake!
(Sound like facetious joke, a blunt hyperbole to make my point? surprise, history has recorded literally hundreds of millions of deaths based on my fictitious Holy Smoke Church of Batmen.)
**note: my fictitious Holy Smoke Church of Batmen was used as only an example, and with the thousands of denominations and even nondenominational denominations, it is bloody more than likely that there actually IS a Holy Smoke Church of Batmen -- to you disciples, I apologize.***
Sound familiar? Of course it does. Type in "cult" on the internet. I can show you a group that proves that Baptists are a cult (while some Baptists claim that only other so-called Baptists are a cult), that Catholics are a cult, that Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult (oh boy, there are millions of these sites, be forewarned) that Presbyterians are a cult, that Charismatics are a cult, that Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) are a cult, that Seventh-day Adventists are a cult, that Lutherans and Methodists and Jews of Judaism and Messianic Jews and Jews for Jesus and Pentecostals and Disciples of Christ and Churches of England and Alcoholics Anonymae and on and on and on it goes . . . where it stops, you know the rest.
And you know what? By the book (the dictionary) all the aforementioned groups ARE CULTS, pure and simple. And also, some of these people are cultic.
A More Realistic
Answer to the Question:
"What is a Cult?"
"If" there is a God then there is also a devil. Most people have an easier time seeng it the other way around -- the world proves there is a devil, therefore there must be a God. So, if there is a devil, his chief duty is to mislead people from what God wants for them -- the age-old "ye shall not surely die!" Or, in other, simpler words: "Don't believe God." Or, "Sure, God said it, but doesn't this make more sense to you?"
A cult is a group, a religious system, or even a solitary person, who attempts to warp you away from God, from trusting in God -- a group or person that teaches you that they know best, have received special "revelation knowledge," that parts of the Bible are bad, and you need them, this person, to correctly interpret the Bible. In short, cults are filled with self-proclaimed "anointed ones."
Do you know anyone who claims to be "anointed by God?" Do you know anyone that claims that God is giving them special revelation that you need, that if you accept their ideas you will be blessed? Have faith in faith? Are they selling a product that they claim will bless you, bless your life, bless your family?
Do they teach you magical ideas, like "faith in faith," or creating something in the "spirit realm" and bringing it across to the "physical realm" with a big glop of faith? Do they teach you that you have authority? That you have righteousness? Do they teach you that you do not have to ask God, but that you have the power to do it?
If any of these are in place, or all of them, then you are in terrible danger. They will lead you away from more than just your money.
Have faith in God, not in faith. God gives the faith. Do we have authority, our own authority? No, it is Christ's authority that can make all the difference in our lives -- not our own authority. It is the power and authority and righteousness of Jesus that counts, not anything in and of yourself. Their "special anointing" is both a lie and worthless (except that it makes the "anointed one" a lot of money, and gets followers to follow them).
God says "A." but the anointed one has special revelation knowledge, and thus can interpret "A." as in fact really meaning "B." I tell you, simply, that it is night outside. The anointed one puts his/her arm around our neck and says: "What he really meant is that it is night outside, somewhere, so in fact he was telling you that it is always night outside. Trust me. The sun is shining? It is night outside, I am anointed, I know, trust me. And send me your seed of love and God will bless you."
There is a difference between A. and B.
The most dangerous thing in the world is NOT for someone to tell you what to believe. No, it is for you to be willing to hand over your thinking mind and accept their self-righteous appointment as the truth giver. Do not let anyone control you, no human person. The Bible says to trust in God, not in man, but man says the opposite. Trust ME, they say.
If you are in a religion that states it is your responsibility to discover the truth, to study and know the truth, and do not let anyone deceive you, I would say that you are in a good church, one that is not attempting to usurp your own personal responsibility for seeking, knocking, and finding. But are they only saying "seek for the truth yourself" while demanding that you accept their "special revelation?" Their "doctrine." Their "interpretation." Their "vision" and "prophecy." Do you see the difference.
There IS a difference.
Probably the most common question I get is: "Are Baptists a cult?" I don't think so, not generally speaking. Of course, there ARE Baptist cults that teach hot dogs and guns, forwarding violence and Christianity. There are Baptists who throw the Bible out the window and cling to tradition as if it were a life raft. Baptists in general adore the tradition of men, but then again almost ALL Protestant churches DO so, as well. Then again, there are Bible believing Baptists that cling to Jesus and desire His will in their life. These Baptists are part of a good religion, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead -- the same distinction can be made for Seventh-day Adventists and Charismatics and Catholics; you cannot be saved by a group, or even through a group, with a group or because of a group.
Salvation comes through Christ. Period.
And a Catholic can lead you to accepting Jesus. So can a Word-Faith "bible teacher," as well as a Church of the Nazarene or Methodist. This does not condone any of these churches or qualify any of them as "true churches" -- what it does prove is that God can use anyone, even a Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim, Catholic or Protestant, Non-Denominationalist or pagan. "Christ" is what is important, not the religion or the color or orientation or race or creed or popularity.
The dangerous "cult" is the one that attempts to control your mind.
The group that tells you to "don't think, feel." Choose your feelings over your mind. That your "spirit" knows more than your mind knows. This is about the same thing as saying "if it feels good, it must be right." Thus, if killing Jews felt good to Hitler, then he must be right in killing Jews. It is a lie. A dangerous mind-control device of "true cults." All the same, Hitler might have believed himself to be right, appointed by God, following truth -- this does not change the fact that historically, Hitler was one of the most savage monsters of all time, the worst murderer of innocent people the world has ever seen (of course, when you consider a certain religious institution that consider itself "Christian," the bodycount is much higher, but today it says "peace, peace peace;" even so, keep an eye out).
Are you in a "true cult?" Are you on the broad path which leads to destruction? Or have you found the narrow way, the gate, which leads to truth, which will set you free?
Be careful around the "cult experts" and the "cult-detecting machines." More often than naught you will find them to be headed by the true cult leaders. They say they will protect you while all the while leading you the opposite way from the truth They push their man-made Tradition and tell you why you are so lucky as to be free from God's Word, His Law, His desires and wishes and blessings. They claim they have all the answers to cults, culture and Christianity, whereas they are salesmen pushing a product, teaching you to lay aside the Word of God for the rules and commandments of men.
Think for yourself. Find a church who teaches that you must think for yourself, and never "trust me, because I've studied long and hard, and/or I've been anointed." Trust the church that teaches you to "work out your own salvation, with fear and trembling," not the one that brags it is "standing on the shoulders of giants." Trust the church that teaches you to "seek God, with your whole heart" and to put your trust in God, not in yourself, and you will be part of a healthy, well-balanced church.
Find a church that a. has the Testimony of Jesus, and b. keeps the Commandments of God (sadly, this is NOT an easy task).
