whats makes their religion a cult and not yours?
2007-05-19 01:54:29 · 16 answers · asked by mwj81 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Their definition of a cult:
CULT: n., church down the road that I don't like and don't believe, that I want everyone else to fear and hate as much as I do.
Their definition of a "Christian":
CHRISTIAN: n., anyone who believes EXACTLY as I do, or as I think they should.
2007-05-19 14:05:26 · answer #1 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
i does not hardship approximately even if if or no longer human beings call a church a cult. these days, this be conscious has been tossed around by potential of human beings who choose to discredit somebody else's faith. I personaly have confidence that the explanation human beings call JW's and Mormons cults is via the fact they have lively missionary courses that lead human beings faraway from different churches. it particularly is offensive to them. maximum mainstream Christian churches could quite seep ameliorations below the rug and fake tha the are all ok. JW's do missionary artwork. So what? Mormons carry on with residing prophets in an attempt to worship Jesus Christ. So did each and all the human beings in the bible. the only people who do in comparison to a prophet are people who stay on an identical time.
2016-12-11 13:56:53 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are definitions of what a cult may be, and it all depends whether or not you consider the definition valid or not. The following is sort of long, but informative.
Environment control. ‘Cults’ control the environment using some form of isolation: physically separation from society or warned to stay away from any book, movie, testimony or ex-members, or anyone critical of the group.
Mystical manipulation. God is ever present in the organization and leaders become mediators for God. God centered principles are forcibly and exclusively claimed so its beliefs become the only true path to salvation. If one has not seen the light, one is in the realm of evil.
Demand for Purity. The world is depicted as black and white, with little room for making personal decisions. One's conduct is modeled after the ideology of the group as taught in its literature. People are pictured as good or evil depending on their relationship to the group. Threat of guilt or shame are used to control individuals.
Immediate confession. Serious sins are to be confessed immediately. Members are reported if found behaving contrary. Sins could be caused by identification with one's 'prior' existence.
Sacred science. The ideology becomes the ultimate moral vision for the ordering of human existence. The ideology is too "sacred" to be called into question, and reverence is demanded for the leadership. It claims absolute truth with no contradictions.
Loaded Language. Functional member vocabulary becomes simplified with the use of thought terminating cliches, expressions or words designed to end the controversy or conversation. There is always some simple cliche or slogan to answer a complex issue or difficult question.
Doctrine over person. Human experience is subordinated to doctrine, no matter how profound or contradictory such experience seem to be. The history of the cult is altered to fit their doctrine of logic. Common sense perceptions are disregarded if they are hostile to the ideology.
Dispensing of Existence. The organization decides who will perish in the final battle of good over evil. Leaders decide which history books are accurate and which are biased. Families can be cut off and outsiders deceived for they are not fit to exist.
2007-05-20 14:53:58 · answer #3 · answered by Dances with Poultry 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
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.
If you would like further information, please get in touch with Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit their official web site - http://www.watchtower.org
2007-05-19 06:24:11 · answer #4 · answered by Mr. Cal 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Well maybe because Jehovah´s witnesses did not sign the land letter, the Land Letter was a letter sent to President George W. Bush by five evangelical Christian leaders on October 3, 2002 which outlined their theological support for a just war pre-emptive invasion of Iraq. The letter was written by Richard D. Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. It was co-signed by Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries, Bill Bright, chairman of Campus Crusade for Christ, James Kennedy, president of Coral Ridge Ministries, and Carl D. Herbster, president of the American Association of Christian Schools.
We don´t mix with politics Jesus advice not been part of this world. John 17:16
the great crowd and 144,000 both group are saved but the bible only said that 144,000 are redeem from earth (Rev.14:1-5) the rest will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5)
2007-05-19 01:58:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Christians believe in the word of God, the Bible.
Mormons have another book that they follow in addition to the Bible that has other covenants that Christians do not agree with because of the views of after life and other things.
Jehovah's Witnesses also have covenants that do not line up with the word of God.
These two 'religions' will tell you that they believe in Christ and they will tell you that they believe in heaven. Beware! They are just close enough to Christianity to fool you into believing they are the way.
Research the two groups further. I think there is a book by Josh McDowell that compares other 'religions' to Christianity and pulls out the areas that we disagree with and explains them further.
It is confusing sometimes. You have to pray for discernment and wisdom from Christ. The only way to know what is right or wrong is to read the Holy Bible and then line things up against that.
2007-05-19 02:12:24 · answer #6 · answered by sep 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Atheism is not a cult. It is simply a non-belief. If you look up the definition of a cult, you will see why Mormons and JWs fit, as do many other religions.
2007-05-19 01:58:48 · answer #7 · answered by Kathryn™ 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
we as Jehovah Witnesses are not a cult. a cult worships man. we worship Jehovah God and his son Jesus Christ. a cult live together. we live in our own homes with our families. we come and go as we please. jim jones and charles manson are cult leaders. we are in 236 lands worldwide and we are a worldwide brother and sister hood. people rather tell lies about Jehovah Witnesses than find out the truth about us and say we are a cult or we harm our children which are lies in themselves. we are loving people and are taught to love our neighbor as ourselves. we do what Jesus Christ commanded at Matthew 28 verse 19 and 20. www.watchtower.org, read in the bible about the 144,000 that are anointed by Jehovah God that will live in heaven. it also talks about the meek shall live on earth forever on a Paradise earth. Jehovah did not destroy the earth with the flood, he just destroyed the wicked and he will do it again. we will gain what Adam and Eve lost.
2007-05-19 01:58:28 · answer #8 · answered by lover of Jehovah and Jesus 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
From what I have read on here, it seems the main needed quality for someone on here to consider you a cult, is for you to disagree with their beliefs. I know some on here who say that I am in a cult because I am a Witness, often seem to know little to nothing about me, or my beliefs.
2007-05-20 02:10:56 · answer #9 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
JWs are a cult because they care more about what the Watchtower, a manmade organization, says, than what the Bible says.
Need examples?
1- The Watchtower told them that they need to read the Watchtower in order to understand the Bible and not stray from the light. Funny, the Word is the the Way and the Light, not the Watchtower.
2- The Watchtower decides who the JWs can and cannot associate with, what they can and cannot do, etc. The Watchtower will judge JWs for their actions and disfellowship those who are not in accordance with THEIR rules, or even sometimes just for questioning them. Funny, Jesus Christ is the only Judge, not the Watchtower.
They appear to be witnessing for the Watchtower, not God. They even baptize in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Sprit and into the Watchtower!! (Where does it say THAT in the Bible???)
The list goes on..........
2007-05-19 05:37:14 · answer #10 · answered by ~♥Anna♥~ 5 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Christians believe that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus is God made Flesh.
Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses (like Muslims and Jews) reject that Jesus is God and claim he is a created being. Therefore, their teachings are not compatible with Christianity.
Not sure if they are cults... but their teachings are definitely not Christian.
The teachings of the Watchtower Society (i.e. Jehovah's Witnesses) are a repackaging of Arianism:
Arianism:
A Christian heresy first proposed early in the 4th century by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius. It affirmed that Christ is not truly divine but a created being.
A heresy which arose in the fourth century, and denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
2007-05-19 12:07:43 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋