Could someone give me a good definaition of a cult. Now I remember the Moonies were considered a cult. Well I know some Jehovah Witnesses and in my opinion they don't fit that image.
2006-10-24 15:51:30 · 11 answers · asked by snowmom 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Many define Jehovah's Witnesses as a cult because they do not believe in the trinity doctrine. But how does that prove they are a cult?
I find it funny--almost ironic-- that so-called Christians look down on Jehovah's Witnesses when you consider what THEY believe. For example: Most "Christians" believe the human soul is immortal, although the Bible at Ez. 18:4, 20 CLEARLY says that the soul CAN die. Most of them believe that Christmas and Easter are days to honor Jesus when it has already been proven that they have pagan backgrounds. Many of them believe Jesus is God in spite of Jesus' own words to his enemies: "I am God's SON." See John 10:36. Most church members believe that all good people go to heaven. If that's true, how can "God's will take place, as in heaven, also upon EARTH"? See Matt 6:
Jehovah's Witnesses are not a cult. They follow no human; Jesus Christ is their leader.
2006-10-24 19:35:27 · answer #1 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I noticed that those that are throwing mud around but still not answering the question why Catholics and protestants that follow a human leader refrain from calling themselves a cult. Theocratic belief alone is not a cult definition. They are hoping that by not answering the question and throwing accusations at Jehovah's Witnesses will distract people from the topic of this question.
2016-05-22 12:00:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it's true many need to look up the accurate definition of the word Cult.Many cults follow a living human ruler.often the adherents live in separate groups away from society in general.They isolate themselves.A cult is a religion that is UNorthadox.I believe Jehovah's Witnesses stick closely to the Bible and so isn't it true that the standard for Orthadox would be following that of Gods Word.
2006-10-24 15:54:21 · answer #3 · answered by Truth 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are not so much a cult as having a really bad doctrine.
Jesus Christ is dimished as merely an angel - specifically Michael the archangel, who in the scriptures is not the Lord Jesus Christ but invokes the Lord as God as in "Lord rebuke thee."
The Father is seen as a big father, creator God completely seperate from the Son.
This would be polytheism.
In reality, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is like the soul, the body and the works in a single person.
2006-10-24 16:30:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Jews in the first century called Christianity a cult because of their belief in Jesus.
The Romans called Christians atheists because they believed in only one God.
Today people call Jehovah's Witnesses a cult because we only accept God's word as the truth and not Plato.
It was Plato that taught a trinity, it was Plato that taught immortality of the soul.
So the very ones calling us a cult are following Plato and not Jesus.
“Immortality of the soul is a Greek notion formed in ancient mystery cults and elaborated by the philosopher Plato.” —Presbyterian Life, May 1, 1970, p. 35.
The French Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel (New Universal Dictionary) says of Plato's influence: "The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches. . . . This Greek philosopher's conception of the divine trinity . . . can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions."
2006-10-25 04:17:41 · answer #5 · answered by TeeM 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hi The American heritage dictionary defines a cult as "obsessive devotion or veneration to a person principle or ideal. 2 followers of a fad " et al I know Jehovahs witnesses are neither devoted to a person nor follow a fad . but they follow in the teachings and example of Jesus Christ and live by his teachings 24/7 and that they like Jesus actively preach from house to house as Christians should as Jesus taught his followers to do as commanded for all true Christians to do in Mat 24:14 28:19,20 2nd Tim 4:1-5 and this they actively do in 235 countries world wide spending in excess of one BILLION hours teaching people the Bible and how to apply its principles in their lives for the betterment of allin Harmony with Jesus teachings as to why some call them a cult my best guess is that they are IGNORANT OR UNAWARE OF THE FACTS AND RELY ON MISINFORMATION BECAUSE NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH GORBALIZER
2006-10-24 16:10:03 · answer #6 · answered by gorbalizer 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The book, "KIngdom of the Cults" had several qualifications for the word, but I don't remember them all of course. Cult members deny the deity of Christ and/or the Trinity, have a central leader, possess the "only" truth, play the martyr, "must" proselytize, they spurn seminaries, I think there's more.
2006-10-24 16:27:47 · answer #7 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT a cult and anyone who has actually done any kind of research concerning Jehovah's Witnesses knows this. People who oppose Jehovah's Witnesses like to use the word 'cult' because this word has a general negative connotation. They are counting on people who are not familiar with Jehovah's Witnesses to simply accept this false label and then ignorantly repeat what they have been told.
The following shows how this label is completely untrue:
Cults are regarded as being small, local groups. In contrast, Jehovah's Witnesses currently number over 7,ooo,ooo and can be found in almost every country of the world.
http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/
The World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses is in New York. Located there is the Governing Body, a central group of experienced elders who oversee the worldwide congregation.
Jehovah's Witnesses - Their Worldwide Organization and Work
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/good-news-from-god/jehovahs-witnesses-organization/
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Cults are also regarded as encouraging their adherents to live in groups apart from the rest of society. Many also think of cults as being secretive about their activities or having something to hide.
In contrast, Jehovah's Witnesses live and work in the midst of other people. They have nothing to hide. In fact, they desire to tell anyone who is willing to listen about everything that they believe.
Their book Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom correctly notes: "Jehovah's Witnesses are in no sense a secret society. Their Bible-based beliefs are fully explained in publications that are available to anyone. Additionally, they put forth special effort to invite the public to attend meetings to see and hear for themselves what takes place."
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Cult members are also associated with following living human leaders.
Yet Jehovah's Witnesses do not look to any human, but rather to Jesus Christ, as their leader. Jehovah’s Witnesses follow what Jesus taught and put it into practice:
See: "Who is Jesus Christ?"
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/good-news-from-god/who-is-jesus-christ/
That is what it means to be a Christian. Accordingly, Jehovah’s Witnesses strive to adhere strictly to the precepts established by the first Christians.
Jehovah's Witnesses base all of their beliefs, their standards for conduct, and organizational procedures on the Bible. Their worship is a way of life, not a ritual devotion.
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Rather than relying solely on hearsay and running the risk of parroting bad information, Jehovah's Witnesses encourage people to investigate this further FOR THEMSELVES. This way, one will be in a position to be properly informed as to the true faith and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The best way to find out more about Jehovah's Witnesses via the Internet is through the pages of their official website:
Jehovah’s Witnesses—What Do They Believe?
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/g201008/what-do-jehovahs-witnesses-believe/
Recommended Related Articles:
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a Cult?
http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/are-jehovahs-witnesses-a-cult/
Are Jehovah's Witnesses Really a Cult? - Showing How This Label is Incorrect
http://defendingjehovahswitnesses.blogspot.com/2011/08/are-jehovahs-witnesses-really-cult.html
2013-10-31 10:19:37 · answer #8 · answered by Moto 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trinitarians try to use the term "cult" like a sledgehammer to obliterate any thinking analysis of what the supposed "cultist" actually believes. Trinitarians embrace a bizarre, non-etymological, quite arbitrary definition of the term "cult" which includes anyone who does not believe that Jesus is God Himself, rather than the Son of God. Interestingly, pagans in the first century slandered Christ's followers with the insulting term "Atheist" (!) because the Christians had a somewhat different idea from the pagans about the nature of God.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that no salvation occurs without Christ, that accepting Christ's sacrifice is a requirement for true worship, that every prayer must acknowledge Christ, that Christ is the King of God's Kingdom, that Christ is the head of the Christian congregation, that Christ is immortal and above every creature, even that Christ was the 'master worker' in creating the universe! Secular authorities in academia and government routinely acknowledge that Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian religion. With more than 16 million associating with Jehovah's Witnesses, the term "cult" seems very out of place in a fair discussion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians.
Sadly, Trinitarians seem more interested in perpetuating their human traditions, Greek philosophy, and Babylonish fetishes rather than reasonably examining the Scriptural definition of "Christian". In fact, the bible most closely associates being "Christian" with preaching about Christ and Christ's teachings. Review all the times the bible uses the term "Christian" and note that the context connects the term with:
"declaring the good news"
'teaching quite a crowd'
'open eyes, turn from dark to light'
"uttering sayings of truth"
"persuade"
"keep on glorifying"
(Acts 11:20-26) [The early disciples of Jesus] began talking to the Greek-speaking people, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus... and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.
(Acts 26:17-28) [Jesus said to Paul] I am sending you, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God... Paul said: “I am not going mad, Your Excellency Festus, but I am uttering sayings of truth and of soundness of mind. ...Do you, King Agrippa, believe the Prophets? I know you believe.” But Agrippa said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.”
(1 Peter 4:14-16) If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy... But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name
So why do anti-Witnesses try to hijack the term "Christian" and hide its Scriptural implications? Because anti-Witnesses recognize that it is the preaching work that makes it clear that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are by far the most prominent followers of Christ:
(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded
Learn more!
http://watchtower.org
http://watchtower.org/library/ti/index.htm
2006-10-25 00:54:34 · answer #9 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
do some homework
they were started by a HUMAN
a man from pennsylvania whose father was in the hat business came up with the idea one day
and put it into action
he felt he was being called by God
but the bible says that 'many will come in my name
but they do not know me"
he had the right idea
but theyre beliefs are a little outalndish
as hitler being satan thrown from heaven etc
i do not know if all jehovah witnesses know thier faith beliefs either
as i have caught them contradicting themselves
michael jackson is a so called witness
or he is supposed to have been raised as one
satan likes to get our eyes of the prize so to speak
starting a new religion would be another snakelike attempt to do just that
2006-10-24 16:00:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋