Is anyone a member of a religion that non-members call a 'cult'?

Question

I am Christian, and I am curious about you!

I have 3 questions:
1: How/why did you become a member?
2: What do you believe?
3: Why do you believe these things (scriptural/etc backup)?

Some examples I've found (using Google) include: 3HO, Anatmananda, Baha'i, The Brothers and Sisters, The Bruderhof, Children of God, Christian Science, Church Universal and Triumphant, Cooneyites, Earth Liberation Front, Emissaries of Divine Light, Endeavor Academy, Est, Falun Gong, The Family, The Formation, Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization, Hare Krishna, Infinity - Forms of Yellow Remember, Jehovah Witnesses, Jim Jones, Kairos Foundation - Life Training Program, Larouche, Lifespring, Moonies, Mormon, Mother of God, Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), People's Temple, Seventh-Day Adventism, Satanism, Scientology, The Society of Brothers, Solar Temple, Two by Twos, The Unification Church, Unitarianism.

Can you please inform me, as I don't know anything about these, and haven't even heard of lots of them?

Answer 1

I am a Baha'i. There are many reasons that I believe but I will name just a few.

The first is the life of Baha'u'llah the founder of the Faith. He lived from 1817-1892. Over half of his life was spent in imprisonment and exile - Tehran - Baghdad - Constantinople - Adrianople - Akka (near Haifa Israel). During that time period He never wavered in promoting the Cause, always stated it was not Himself but from God, and in general lived a life sacrifice and patience.

The Baha'i Faith teaches that we should all investigate the truth for ourselves which means that people are encouraged to ask questions and the Writings can provide the answers those questions as well. I have heard many stories where people in other Faiths are discouraged for asking questions or, if questions are asked, are told all to often that some things have to be taken on Faith. Faith is an element of religion but God also gave us a brain and it seems that religion should be able to satify that aspect of us as well.

Baha'u'llah in His writings encourages us to study all the religions of God (such as Judiasm, Chiristianity, etc.) because He states that they are all from one God and that they all speak of His coming. I know of no other religion where the followers are encourage to study other religions. A religion where there is no "fear" that studying another religion will somehow lessen a person's faith or lead them astray.

Finally, the Faith has the answers to the issues that humanity is facing today - dealing with racial/religious strife, international relations, economics, etc. There are many issues that the world is facing today and many people do no know where to go for answers in part because most religions do not deal with these issues in a way that will address the needs for the world today.

Great question and take care...

Answer 2

I am a Buddhist, but I used to be a member of the Baha'i Faith, so I think that I can answer your question to a certain extent. The term "cult" has become a pejorative way of describing another religion or philosophical group. The list that you provide is widely variable in terms of how they actually are.

For example, Earth Liberation Front is hardly a cult. Basically it's a group of eco-terrorists determined to diminish humanity effects on nature. Jim Jones' church, however, fits the stereotype of cults in that he was an all-powerful influence on his congregation, which led to over 900 deaths by suicide in 1978.

I would consider Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science), Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), and the Seventh-Day Adventists to be simply other denominations of Christianity. They usually are called cults by other denominations because their beliefs differ in a significant way from the others. By that interpretation, the Roman Catholic Church can be considered a cult (and it is by some Protestants).

If one goes by the strict definition of cult, it applies to any religious group, including all Christian churches. However, I understand what you mean in terms of the usual pejorative manner of usage. In terms of your three questions, you can look at the Wikipedia articles of each in order to answer the second and the third questions.

In terms of your first question, I became a Baha'i because I had difficulty believing that God would be limited to just one Faith. The explanation of the existence of other religions, usually boiling down to Satan's creations, was unsatisfactory, and gives no real answer regarding Judaism. My interest in the Baha'i Faith had to do with the idea that God was manifest in many places and many times, and that all religions point to Him. I only left the Baha'i Faith because my view on God changed, yet I still am quite cordial with the local Baha'i community.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

I think anyone who is a member of any religion has been accused of being a cultist sometime.

I am highly amused to see my particular affiliation not listed here...but here's the lowdown on a couple I know about.

Unitarianism pretty much merged with the Universalists and becaome Unitarian Universalists, or UU's. The original Unitarianists I don't know much about, but UU's believe that salvation is not dependent on religion and that dealing with social issues in the here and now is more important. They tend to be liberal politically and drink a lot of coffee. (I love my local UU's.)

The OTO is not a religion, it is a magical order. Its members are called Thelemites, and they practice mostly the magical systems of Aleister Crowley.

I am a member of neither, although I do hit the local UU a lot. I have friends that go there, and they do make quality coffee.

Answer 4

You have to be careful throwing the word cult around.

The first century Christians were accused of being a cult.

Why am I one of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses?

Because everything I've studied has come from the Bible, and not from man's traditions.

rs p. 405 pars. 1-2 Trinity ***
The New Encyclopædia Britannica says: “Neither the word Trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4). . . . The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies. . . . By the end of the 4th century . . . the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.”—(1976), Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.

*** rs p. 406 par. 1 Trinity ***
In The Encyclopedia Americana we read: “Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching.”—(1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L.

(Romans 15:4-6) . . .” 4 For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God who supplies endurance and comfort grant YOU to have among yourselves the same mental attitude that Christ Jesus had, 6 that with one accord YOU may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us that Jesus believed in his God and Father. and that we are to gloriy his God.

Jesus 60 years after his resurrection refers to Jehovah as his God (Rev. 3:14)

If you really are searching please go to

http://www.watchtower.org/

Answer 5

I am a follower of a Cult. I follow the Cult of individuality. Do not bother searching for it becuase it is not written down in any one text. My kind are refered to as watchers, you can find a few paragraphs in most religious texts concerning us. We are not to be confused with Grigori or Nephilim which commonly share are name much to our disdain.

I became a member becuase I never believed anything else. Before I knew its name or what it was I was already practicing its religious form. I chose to assume my role becuase it is what I am, it is something that I understand. In simplicity it is my truth, the way I know it. The unfortunate truth is I am likely the last living member.

I believe that everyone has a purpose. However, these people can choose not to apply that purpose to their life. This creates a void in the prophecy of Individuality that others must make up for. Only when everyone understands and follows what they are ment to do will all of the prophecies compliment one another. Each person will be responsible for completing their prophecy so that the next generation of people can complete their own. Consider it spiritual evolution. I wish I could explain it better, but it would take several hundred pages of text.

3.)I believe these things becuase they are the truth as I know it. My life was saved by a large number of coincidence that I thought was soully to make me suffer. The truth is I was suffering to pay for the kindness and understanding I was about to recieve. Equivelant exchange is important to my faith. In simplicity I have experienced the truth about the prophecy becuase a person, who was following the prophecy allowed me to start mine.

My formal religious title is Occultist by the way. If your curious wiki it. Furthermore, if you wish to talk further, my contact information is open.

Hails to the truth,
Silence

Answer 6

Most of these I don't know about; however, Unitarianism (that is, Unitarian Univeralist church), while not a "Christian" religion, is not at all what I would call a cult.

If you are researching cults, this website should be helpful as it lists and defines many cults or cult-like groups andoften gives links to their websites:
http://www.watchman.org/cat95.htm#U

Answer 7

I am a non-churching Christian. We believe in meeting anywhere, houses, hotels, parks, whatever, and in mutual sharing by everybody present. We have no clergy; all believers are equal regardless of race or gender.

Because of our differences, for a while we were called a "cult" by some of the pastors in our town. This has, for the most part, ceased.

Answer 8

hey babe

think about this
there'll be probably 73 differnt paths but only just that one way that'll get you to the creator

not it be the religion of
christ,muslims,buddhist,hindus,aryan,sai baba zionist or the many others as you mentioned

This is a million dollar question but as a clue
it's the religion of our very first parent where all races originated
if your answer to the above is africa...you're dead wrong
have you any sibblings that looks anyone like them or are there any with blue eyes or blonde should they be?

think deeper,it's more than what you think