do you think some churches could be cults?

Question

If so which ones?

Answer 1

cult (klt) NOUN: A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
The followers of such a religion or sect.
A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
The object of such devotion.
An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

By definition any religion could be considered a cult.

Answer 2

"Cult" is a pretty useless term. Nowadays it is used to mean an unpopular religious group. Nonetheless there are some groups, including some small churches that operate in very sketchy and concerning ways. Having weird or false beliefs doesn't make a church a cult. When I think "cult" I think this: a group that uses coercion, a group that cuts off its members from their friends and families, a group that is more centered on the charismatic personality of its leader rather than on its actual beliefs, a group where the leader doesn't have to follow the same rules as the members, a group that uses brainwashing, a group that won't let you leave, a group that devolves into violence, and sexual abuse, and the like. It's not a perfect definition but it's the basic idea - something like the Branch Davidians or Jonestown.

One red flag that people should watch out for is if a religious group refuses to divulge all of its teachings or practices to you until you've already joined the group or made some sort of commitment to it. Especially if you have to pay money to the group before you can learn what they teach and do.

Any mainstream religion will gladly tell non-believers what they believe and what they practice. Often religious people won't shut up about it :-) Meanwhile, a cult won't tell you its beliefs unless you make a commitment to join. Scientology works this way - you spend hundreds of dollars just to start learning what they really belief. Also I've heard Mormons accused of doing this too - of not revealing all their doctrines until converts have already joined the church. I don't know how accurate that is, but I have heard this complaint before regarding Mormons.

Answer 3

A cult is defined as following (credit to;Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
;great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); In this definitions Jesus could be considered a cult leader and Christianity a cult. just as Islam could be considered a cult because it follows the teachings of one man.
Another cult leader was Jim Jones,
Joesph Smith the leader of the Mormon church,
The 7 day advent church, and the Jehovah witnesses are all considered cults because they follow the beliefs of one man.

Answer 4

By definition, if a church adopts a doctrine that goes outside of what the Bible teaches, it can be considered a cult. For instance, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses are both cults. Some see Seventh Day Adventests as a cult. Some have even attacked some of the practices of the Catholic church as being cultish. For instance, their definition of sainthood does not agree with the Bible, which refers to all believers as saints (Hebrews 10:10, "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (KJV)), and the elevation of Mary as equal with Christ is not supported by the Bible. These are just examples. The true test of a church is in the Bible and the church's conformity to its word, for denying any of the Bible is the same as calling God a liar. 2 Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (NIV)

Answer 5

cult

In anthropology, an organization for the conduct of ritual, magical, or other religious observances.

Therefore all Churchs or any religious institution is a cult. Go ahead someone challenge me and say that the Church is not a religious organization.

Answer 6

Any religion you fear is a cult. Why are all these people afraid of other churches?

Answer 7

Pick up a book called Kingdom of the Cults, this book will explain it all.

Answer 8

yes for example Jehovah's Witnesses and the church of Christ then a cult is oranization that does not want to talk about Christ or is afraid christ a cult is one that deceives people that there is not a Christ or the bible is not true which we know the word of God is fact and Christ is for real and is the son of God but these cult like to tell you that Christ was not the son of God but we know that he is the son of God that is fact according the bible

Answer 9

Cult is just something one cult calls another cult to insult them.

Answer 10

Islam is a cult for sure.