jehova's witness and mormons...arent they sects?

Question

i've heard that they are not religions but sects...i dont know if that is true or not...so you tell me if it is and why or if it isnt and why. thanx

Answer 1

Close but no cigar.

The are sects of Christianity. Just like Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans, Etc..


Just like Shi'as and Sunnies etc... are sects of islam.

Judaism also has sects.

Islam has 72 sects
Judaism has 71 sects
Christianity has 70 sects

Answer 2

Some define sect to mean a group that has broken away from an established religion. Others apply the term to a group that follows a particular human leader or teacher. The term is usually used in a derogatory way. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not an offshoot of some church but include persons from all walks of life and from many religious backgrounds. They do not look to any human, but rather to Jesus Christ, as their leader.

A cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual. Many cults follow a living human leader, and often their adherents live in groups apart from the rest of society. The standard for what is orthodox, however, should be God’s Word, and Jehovah’s Witnesses strictly adhere to the Bible. Their worship is a way of life, not a ritual devotion. They neither follow a human nor isolate themselves from the rest of society. They live and work in the midst of other people.

Answer 3

I won't comment about LDS, but you can compare the info in these 3 series of articles with the facts about them, too:

Jehovah's Witnesses--Who Are They?
- What Do They Believe?
http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm

Should You Believe Everything You Hear? :
- Propaganda Can Be Deadly
- The Manipulation of Information
- Do Not Be a Victim of Propaganda!
- Is the Work of Jehovah's Witnesses Propagandistic?
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20000622/article_01.htm

Secret Societies--How Great the Threat? :
- Why All the Secrecy?
- Secrecy in the Name of the Lord
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1997/6/1/article_01.htm

You must have noticed the conflicting responses to your question. So, you'd best weigh the evidence for yourself, & decide from that what Really rings true ...

Advanced On-site Search
(In case a link becomes modified, this can be used.) http://watchtower.org/search/search_e.htm

Answer 4

This question is more semantic than religious.

Both "Jehovah's Witnesses" and "Latter-day Saints" note that the term "sect" was originally intended to refer to a religion which splits from a larger religion. By that definition, the term "sect" does not apply to either religion.

However, the term "sect" is increasingly used as a relative synonym for "subdivision of religion". By this definition, individuals among Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter-day Saints generally do not become offended at the simple statement that they are "Christian sects". Officially, both religions continue to reject the term "sect".

The term "cult" is always an insult. It seems odd to suggest that the term applies to two Christian religions with 17 million and 16 million adherents, respectively.

Answer 5

Most Protestant religions love to call them Cults because it makes them feel superior. They say that they aren't true Christians because they use other books to dictate their beliefs. Unfortunately this is not a good stance because it ignores the fact that the new testament are a group of letters that contradict one another and are a subset of a larger group of letters that REALLY contradict each other. Protestants largely base thier belief system on a thesis written by Martin Luther. This was extra biblical, although Protestants will say that it complements and agrees with the new testament. Unfortunately, one has to ignore the Macabees for that to be accurate, so in reality Protestants are choosing to ignore part of the early new testament in order to support thier belief.

All denominations have thier idiosyncrosies, when they go after each other it is just a way to cover their own fears.

Answer 6

This is not going to be a popular answer, I am sure, but the truth is that Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons teach many things which contradict the Bible and/or which mainstream Christian churches would consider to be false beliefs.

These websites might help answer your question since they do a side by side comparison if these two belief systems and mainstream Christianity:
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Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves to be the only true Christians. However, their organization - the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society - denies and/or contradicts several of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith.

Individuals who, while claiming to be Christians, reject one of more central (key) doctrines of the Christian faith are considered "heretics". Groups which reject such doctrines while claiming to represent Christianity, are considered "cults" of Christianity.

Thus, while Jehovah's Witnesses profess to be Christians, they are outside orthodox Christianity and are considered to be, theologically, a cult of Christianity.

Sociologically, this religious movement has a number of cult-like characteristics and problems as well, including the high level of control exerted over its members' lives, its unbiblical approach to the practice of shunning, and its teachings regarding blood transfusions (which have resulted in many needless deaths)….
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[Some key areas where Mormonism differs in belief from mainstream Christianity]:

1) Mormonism teaches that God was once a man who became a God. But the Bible teaches God has always been God and was not once a man who became a God. (Psalms 90:2)

2.) Mormonism teaches that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer. But the Bible teaches Jesus is not the brother of Lucifer but the very One who created him. (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17)

3) Mormonism teaches that the blood of Jesus does not atone for all sins, but certain sins you must atone for yourself. But the Bible teaches the blood of Jesus Christ atones for all sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7&9)

4) Mormonism teaches that men can become Gods. But the Bible is clear that no one can become a God. God alone is God! (Isaiah 43:10)

5) Mormonism teaches that salvation is found only in the Mormon Church. However the Bible teaches that salvation is not found in the Mormon Church but in being born again through faith in Jesus Christ. (John 3:3-18, John 14:6, 1 John 5:10-13)

These are the main reasons why believe Mormonism is not Christian ... There are more doctrines within Mormonism that [most Christians would disagree with] but these have been shared so that those who read this know why we have our Latter-Day Saints section....

Answer 7

They can fall under a category like any other denomination. Some stereotype them as being cults or divisions. They keep separate from other faiths,to be loyal to one side. Our history demonstrates this in other forms. It is in our nature to chose and to be partial. Question : Where would night be without day? They co exist yet remain separate.

Answer 8

--Well if you can find anybody in our organization that is called Jehovah and that we swear alligence to then we would be a sect!

--Is that not what a sect has, a person to follow. For instance strictly speaking Lutherans are a sect of Luther, Baptists are a sect of John the Baptizer, etc.

--INTERESTINGLY --if you do not believe in the trinity --ACCORDING TO THE TRINITARIANS---YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN!, --- OF WHICH Jesus never suggested, taught, dreamed, ever even imagined; & the word does not appear in the Bible,
---RATHER-- Jehovah God's name appears some 7,000 times in the original texts of the Bible--He, we worship, just as Jesus did,does and will do forever.

--NOTE PLEASE WHAT JESUS said to Mary Magdalene , when she went to his tomb, about worship:

(John 20:17) “17 Jesus said to her: “Stop clinging to me. For I have not yet ascended to the Father. But be on your way to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and YOUR Father and to my God and YOUR God.’. . .”

Answer 9

No the word isn't sect it's cult. Both the JWs and Mormons follow a Jesus that is not the biblical Jesus. JW's claim Jesus is Michael, the archangel, a created being. They also misconstrue many things in the bible. Mormons have a false prophet, Joseph Smith and a false gospel called the Book of Mormon. They claim Jesus is the "spirit brother" of Lucifer.

Neither are bible only religions...the Watchtower interprets for the JWs and the Mormons follow their false books and prophets.

Answer 10

Mormons are a cult as Jehovah witnesses are a cult. Read Kingdom of the Cults by Dr. Walter Martin.