Jehovah's Witnesses are accused of being a cult but what exactly is a cult?

Question

Here on Yahoo! there have been many questions and answers saying JW's are a cult. But what, exactly, is a cult? It seems to me that "cult" is misunderstood and misapplied.

JW's do not hide themselves away in mountain retreats, hold women and children hostage, stockpile weapons and then commit mass suicide. JW's are not held in thrall to a charismatic leader. JW's do not have to give hundreds of thousands of dollars/pounds in order to progress up some mystical ladder to "perfection". They are law abiding, honest and decent people. Why then, the accusation?

Please check out the definition of cult and then provide evidence to support the idea that it applies to JW's. If it turns out that they are not a cult, then is there another description that should be applied? I mean something POLITE and ACCURATE. If you claim to be a Christian, please display some true Christian love while you think about the answer to this question.

I inadvertently sent this q 3 times - problems with my laptop / internet. Still, this means 3 people will get a BA!

Because I was brought up from birth as a JW, I fully understand their beliefs and know how the organisation operates. So rest assured I am not coming from a position of ignorance.

Cults and sects are quite different. The early Christians were considered to be a SECT by the Jews (Paul, the mind of the apostle by A.N. Wilson).

Oh, it's going to be so difficult to choose a best answer. Before I do, I would just like to say to everyone that I used to call JW's a cult, until I did some research. I have now repented and the point in asking this q is to get people to examine the whole cult thing and perhaps reconsider.

I'm glad to see people sticking up for JW's as decent, honest and hard-working people. We may not agree with what they believe, but there's never any need to do character assasinations.

Lots of interesting website contacts to go through. Thank you, everyone, and please note that I do not give thumbs down when I ask a q (so if you've got one, it wasn't me!)

And isn't it refreshing to see everyone being so polite!

Answer 1

There are many non-Christian religions and cults in America: Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, Unity, The Way International, Unitarianism, Islam, Hinduism, etc. They all claim special revelation and privilege and those that use the Bible invariably interpret it in disharmony with standard biblical understanding. And, groups like the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses object to the label "cult" because it often gets an emotional reaction as well as is a label they want to avoid.

The dictionary defines cult as "a system of religious worship or ritual"; "devoted attachment to, or extravagant admiration for, a person, principle, etc.", "a group of followers." This is a typical secular definition and by it, any believer in any god is a cultist, even atheists since they have an admiration for a principle and are a group of followers of the philosophy of atheism. Therefore, this is too broad a definition since it doesn't sufficiently address the issue of true and false religious systems.

The definition I use (and other Christian ministries and theologians use as well) for "non-Christian cult" or "non-Christian religion" is a group that may or may not include the Bible in its set of authoritative scriptures. If it does include the Bible, it distorts the true biblical doctrines that effect salvation sufficiently so as to void salvation.1 If it doesn't use the Bible, it is a non-Christian religion and does not participate in the benefit of divine revelation.

In Christian bookstores, there are almost always 'cult' sections which include the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. So, I am not alone in describing what a non-Christian, bible based cult is. Nevertheless, what makes something non-Christian is when it denies the essential doctrines of the Bible.

The Deity of Christ, which involves The Trinity
the Resurrection, and
Salvation by Grace
All of them add to the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Some cult groups even add to the Bible, i.e., Mormonism which has the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. Also Christian Science has added Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. The Jehovah's Witnesses, however, have actually changed the text of the Bible to make it fit what they want it to. For information on this see Jehovah's Witnesses and how they have changed the Bible. http://www.carm.org/jw/nwt.htm

Cults add their own efforts, their own works of righteousness to the finished work of salvation accomplished by Jesus on the cross. All Cults say that Jesus' sacrifice is sufficient, but our works must be 'mixed with' or 'added to' His in order to prove that we are saved and worthy of salvation. They say one thing but believe another. They maintain that they must prove themselves worthy and that they must try their best to please God and prove to Him that they are sincere, have worked hard, and are then worthy to be with Him. In other words, they do their best and God takes care of the rest.

This is absolutely wrong. The Bible says that we are saved by grace not by works "For by grace you have been saved through faith...not as a result of works, that no one should boast," (Eph. 2:8-9, NASB); not by anything we do "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law," (Rom. 3:28, NASB). Because if there was anything that we could do to merit the forgiveness of our sins, then Jesus died needlessly "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified...I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly," (Gal. 2:16, 21, NASB).

People in cults will often cite James 2:26 where it says that faith without works is dead in an attempt to demonstrate that works are part of becoming saved. While it is true that faith without works is dead, it isn't the works that save us. James is saying that if you have real and true faith, it will result in real and true works of Christianity. In other words, you do good works because you are saved, not to get saved. He isn't saying that our works are what saves us, or that they, in combination with the finished work of Christ, save us. James is simply telling us that if we say we have faith (James 2:14) but we have no works in correspondence to that faith, then that faith won't save us because it is a dead faith. This agrees with Paul who tells us that faith is what saves us, "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Rom. 5:1). This faith is real faith, or true saving faith, not just an empty mental acknowledgement of God's existence which is what those who "say" they have faith but show no corresponding godliness are guilty of. Incidentally, you should realize that faith is only as good as who you put it in. Just having faith in something doesn't mean you're saved. That is why it is important to have the True Jesus, because if you have great faith but it is in the wrong Jesus, then your faith is useless.

In Mormonism Jesus is the brother of the devil begotten through sexual intercourse from a God who came from another planet. In Jehovah's Witnesses he is Michael the Archangel who became a man. In the New Age Movement he is a man in tune with the divine consciousness. Which is true? The only true Jesus is the one of the Bible, the one who is prayed to (1 Cor. 1:1-2 with Psalm 116:1; Acts 7:55-60); worshipped (Matt. 2:2, 11, 14:33, John 9:35-38, Heb. 1:8), and called God (John 20:28; Col. 2:9). The Jesus of the Cults is not prayed to, worshipped, or called God. And since the Jesus of the Bible is the only one who reveals the Father (Luke 10:22) so that you may have eternal life (John 17:3), you must have the true Jesus who alone is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Another common denominator among the Cults is their methods for twisting scripture. Some of the errors they commit in interpreting Scripture are: 1) taking Scripture out of context; 2) reading into the Scriptures information that is not there; 3) picking and choosing only the Scriptures that suit their needs; 4) ignoring other explanations; 5) combining scriptures that don't have anything to do with each other; 5) quoting a verse without giving its location; 6) incorrect definitions of key words; and 7) mistranslations. These are only a few of the many ways Cults misuse Scripture.

If you want to be able to witness well to a person in a cult, you need to understand their doctrines as well as your own. It would be a good idea to study both Christian Doctrine: the Bible, God, Creation, Man... and Christian Doctrine: Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Salvation... as well as the The Essential Doctrines of Christianity to become better equipped. Through study you will be able to answer questions that often come up in witnessing encounters. A Christian should know his doctrine well enough to be able to recognize not only what is true, but also what is false in a religious system (1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Tim. 2:15).

Jesus warned us that in the last days false Christs and false prophets would arise and deceive many (Matt. 24:24). The Lord knew that there would be a rise of the spirit of Antichrist (1 John 4:1-3) in the last days. Its manifestation is here in the forms of Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the New Age Movement, among others.



_________________
1. This definition of "cult" is not sufficient to cover all that needs to be discussed in cult theologies and practices nor is it broad enough to address the topic of world religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam which are do not fall under the definition I've employed.

The term cult can range from any group of worshippers of any God who pay no attention to the Bible, to a small, highly paranoid, apocalyptic people who gather around a charismatic leader that uses the Bible to control them. Nevertheless, I've chosen a definition. I'll probably modify it as I learn more.

Oooo...look at all those thumbs down. Guess the truth hurts.

Answer 2

I do not call Jehovah's Witnesses a cultl; however, I do not call them Christians either because it is NOT the same faith. The Bible that JW's use has been rewritten by the Watchtower organization. The words are dramatically different so that it supports beliefs for them. I do not think they are horrible people, but I don't agree with their faith. A cult is something that will do their best to isolate themselves from family and society. A JW doesn't do this; however, I have heard situations where they have danced on this thin line very carefully. I have heard of JW's that suggested that someone separates from a family because they choose not to be JW. That is cult-like behavior. A person can obey all the laws that exist, but still be a member of a cult faith. The people that were in Heaven's Gate were not breaking any laws; however, by every way of looking at it, that was a cult and still exists today actually. The JW beliefs are dramatically different from other Christian faiths. Example, there is no celebrations of birthdays or anniversaries when others churches have no problem with this. There are other beliefs that do not match with Biblical doctrines. I hope this helps to see where someone is coming from. However, many times someone calls something a cult because they do NOT understand. If they do not get what someone is saying or believing, then they are automatically a cult in their eyes. This isn't Christian behavior and isn't something that I support.

Answer 3

This question seems surprisingly polite, so it will receive a surprisingly polite response...!

The vast majority of English-speaking people viscerally recognize that "cult" is an insult, even if some continue to pretend that it is merely a word with a definition. Its use might be compared with a grumpster who insists on calling his neighbors "animals", disingenuously scurrying for a dictionary to show that "homosapiens" is neither vegetable nor mineral. Who cares about the technical definition? The grumpster is still an insulting jerk (and perhaps a bigot if his insults repeatedly target the same group of "animals").

Regulars on R&S will recall that atheists insist that "every religion is a cult"; their argument is easily defensible etymologically. Do you happily accept that term as a simple word with a simple definition? Or do you recognize that the term is intended to insult and demean, rather than to describe objectively?

Here are some things for anti-Witnesses to consider:

1. Is an insult likely to
...a) discourage a JW; or
...b) energize a JW?
2. Is an insult likely to
...a) add to the credibility of the insulter; or
...b) diminish the credibility of the insulter?
3. Does the use of insults
...a) bring reason to a disagreement; or
...b) bring emotion to a disagreement?
4. Does the use of insults seem Christlike?


Jehovah's Witnesses are unique, that is certainly a fact. But they are not a cult, and reasonable people roll their eyes at the insistence that they are. Much has been commented upon regarding the recent documentary film "Knocking"; Beliefnet.com asked the filmmaker outright "Are Jehovah's Witnesses a cult?". Here is his brief response, quite sensible it would seem.
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/218/story_21887_1.html

Ironically, it is probably in the best interests of Jehovah's Witnesses for their critics to continue to act like unreasonable bigots. The Witnesses become more unified against obvious persecution, persons of interest are intrigued by the virulence against 'peaceniks', and the few truly godly (but misdirected) persons among the anti-Witness community are forced to admit that their accomplices are not truly interested in being Christlike or allowing for any good within the Jehovah's Witness religion.

Fifty years ago and more, Jehovah's Witnesses changed some of their practices because they alienated people. Witnesses used to have Saturday meetings so that they could spend Sundays picketing in front of churches! It's about time that anti-Witnesses also change their outrageous practices. There seems little doubt, however, that anti-Witnesses will continue to besmirch and belittle and demean and disparage Jehovah's Witnesses.

John 8:44

Perhaps they cannot help themselves.

Ephesians 4:19

Answer 4

People need to learn what they are speaking about before making statements...They speak with such conviction on the matter of "Disfellowshipping", when it is wrong what they are saying. How can you speak on something you know nothing about! Get to know a JW & ask questions for the correct answers before coming on here to twist the truth so that those that really wanna know the truth, wont be misled by your false statements...No they are not a cult. We do not follow or worship a man...& as for being disfellowshipped, like one mentioned, it is a long process that one goes through before being disfellowshipped. The society doesnt wanna do this to anyone, put it this way, the only way one is disfellowshipped is if they want to be. They are given many many chances to repent & make amends w/their wrong doing. But if they insist on doing bad things that goes against Gods Word & not trying to change thier ways & if it starts to have an effect on the others in the congregation, than & only than will they be disfellowshipped! Jesus said to keep the congregation clean! And this is how JW's keep their organization clean. Remember, one bad apple spoils a bunch...when & if they are ready to come back, having stopped whatever it was that they were doing & truly ask for forgiveness from Jehovah God & are sincere, they are WELCOMED BACK...people know the facts first.

Answer 5

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 6

As a former JW, I think they have some characteristics of a cult, but they are not a cult in the strictest sense of the word a la David Koresh.

I personally feel they are similar to a cult because they indoctrinate their followers to embrace a closed-minded viewpoint of other religions and ideas. They also use scare tactics and isolation to keep their flocks in line. For example, if you were to committ what they call a "serious sin" and someone determines that you are "unrepentant" then they will shun you in a process of disfellowshipping. Many marginal JWs I know stay in organization simply because the prospect of losing contact with their families is a fearful fate they would rather avoid. This coupled with their counsel of avoiding association with people outside their organization is very cult-like.

Answer 7

LOL! I love it when non Witnesses and "former" Witnesses claim to be the authority on all things pertaining to us!

As a Witness myself, I can honestly say that the "cult" label is a bunch of nonsense used to scare people away from us. Because we adhere strictly to the Bible (any translation will do, BTW) the mainstream churches of Christendom hate us because we rightly reject false doctrines like the trinity, hellfire and immortality of the soul. Anyone with the ability to read and reason can research these beliefs and see that they were adopted in the third century during the reign of Constantine.

But I digress. :D Wikipedia has the definitions of "cult" as:

Formal religious veneration
A system of religious beliefs and ritual; also: its body of adherents;
A religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also: its body of adherents;
A system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator;
Great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book).

The Random House Unabridged Dictionary definitions are:
A particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies;
An instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers;
The object of such devotion;
A group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc;
Group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols;
A religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader;
The members of such a religion or sect;
Any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

*So by the dictionary definiton, ALL religions can be considered cults. Unfortunately , many groups abuse this term and use it to degrade and dissuade any members from having any dealings with the "cult".*

And by the way, WE DON'T TITHE!! The answerer who posted that as one of our "cult characteristics" has bad information, as do the others who claim that we follow the Watchtower organization.

We follow God and His son, Jesus Christ. The Watchtower organization is not the powerhouse that many would make it out to be. It is simply the source from which we receive literature. But our lives and hearts are governed by no man! We belong to Jehovah!

I appreciate your honest question! :0)

Answer 8

A cult is any entity - religious or secular that uses Manipulation and or brainwashing techniques to take advantage of the membership. It imposes on the free will of the membership. Before you say it, you can leave Christian churches any time you want.


(Without Judgement), there are some questions among the cult watch groups as to whether there is mind control used in the JW sect. It is believed that they falsify their beliefs - take too much tithe from their followers and don't allow believers to question church policy (which they say frequently changes).

Below you will find the cultwatch website. At the top there are several religions listed as well as a better definition of a cult then I could ever some up with. Also included are the Mormons. Please feel free to make you own decision.

BTW - Cultwatch is a VERY Christian group. be aware there is some ranting involved here.

Answer 9

Here is one of the definitions I found on answers.com for 'cult':

# A system or community of religious worship and ritual.

Doesn't that make Christianity and all the other religions just that?! Quite interesting that this DOES make it a cult - in a neutral sense. I too find Jehovah's Witnesses to be honest, hard-working and zealous to preach their view of the gospel. They really don't deserve the trash that is said about them! My grandmother was a Jehovah's Witness and I remember her teaching me the morals that left a definite scent in my mind...

But sadly they are not following the 'every word of God'(they don't keep the sabbath, don't keep the levitical food laws, have their OWN version of the bible which isn't right etc.) like they should.

Answer 10

–noun 1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3. the object of such devotion.
4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
7. the members of such a religion or sect.
8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.
–adjective 9. of or pertaining to a cult.
10. of, for, or attracting a small group of devotees: a cult movie.


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[Origin: 1610–20; < L cultus habitation, tilling, refinement, worship, equiv. to cul-, var. s. of colere to inhabit, till, worship + -tus suffix of v. action]


I suppose that according to some of these definitions, 'What isn't a cult" would recieve the shorter answer!

EDIT: Look at 1. What isn't that talking about? What wouldn't that include?

EVERY RELIGION IS A CULT! By that definition. Why does 'Cult' have to mean a bad thing? Who made that rule?

Answer 11

Hi i am a Jehovah's witness actually! and im not joking i seriously am. I have many times been accused of being part of a cult to the face and even by complete strangers. It makes me sad but the bible did say that we would be persecuted just as he was. The term "cult" today is applied to "groups that follow a living leader who promotes new and unorthodox doctrines and practices". Yet we are not a cult. We live by what the bible says and obey God's commands that we find in the bible. I hope i answered your question :)