Jehovah's Wittiness and Mormons ...CULT???

Question

I am not asking this question with any personal opinion on these religions . I do not know enough about them . I would like to know why many people say these religions are cults, wouldent all religions be somewhat cultish ? What is the factors that make these religions different than other Christian religions ? What exactly is the definition of Cult and why do some movies become Cult Classics and what exactly does that mean?

Answer 1

No.

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians.

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.ca/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.ca/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_04.htm

Answer 2

The basic differences between a cult and a religion are:
1. Time of existence, cults often die out when the leader/first generation dies
2. Geographical dispersion, cults are often localized.
3. Public acceptance, cults are often not publicly known.

Generally speaking all major religions started as cults. The christian community uses the word "cult" to mean any organization that disagrees with their tenants.

There is another definition or type of cult that identifies the more dangerous type of mind controlling cult.

Edit:
Both of these groups have been considered cults when they were forming but now could probably be considered religions in their own right.

Edit:
Cults are not specific to the christian world, and to limit the definition of "cult" to specific christian interpretations is a very closed minded approach. It should be noted that basically many christians now use cult to mean the same thing as heathen or pagan originally meant.

Answer 3

I perceive that your question is sincere. However, I cannot give you a full and proper answer except to say that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a cult. It is as Christian as any can be. What I understand of cults is that they generally have a charismatic leader that exercises control over the followers demanding complete obedience and with virtually no escape permitted because they apparently have something to hide that they don't want the public to know about. That is probably an oversimplification but if it is anywhere near correct, then neither of the faiths you mention would fall into that category. The Jimmy Jones group in Guiana and the Waco, TX group would fall into that definition. Perhaps extreme but sufficient to illustrate the point.

Answer 4

No one's really be able to decide and agree on the definition of cult. By most definitions all religions are cults. In the presence of groups like Heaven's Gate, the word cult has developed a negative connotation. Wikipedia has a pretty good and in-depth article on cults (link below).

Because everyone has their own definition of cult, I really don't mind being called a member of a cult (I'm LDS/Mormon). I have a personal relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, and it doesn't matter what other think of my decisions.

Answer 5

The distinct ear-marks of a Cult are:
a) They have an identified single leader.
b) They break away from previous tradition.
So yes Jehovah's Witnesses & Mormons qualify.
Of course, to Judaism, Christianity was a Cult.

Calling a movie a Cult Classic is another use of the term.
It means a break with tradition & generating a following.

Answer 6

Here is how to distinguish a mainstream Christian organization from a cult:

1. Authoritarian pyramid structure with authority at the top

2. Charismatic or messianic leader(s) (Messianic meaning they either say they are God OR that they alone can interpret the scriptures the way God intended.....the leaders are self-appointed.)

3. Deception in recruitment and/or fund raising

4. Isolation from society -- not necessarily physical isolation like on some compound in Waco, but this can be psychological isolation -- the rest of the world is not saved, not Christian, not transformed (whatever) -- the only valid source of feedback and information is the group

5. Use of mind control techniques

In addition, cults claiming some association with Christianity will ADD to the Word of God with their own book oftentimes. And there is at least one that is borderline cult that doesn't add to it, but says they go "just by the Bible" when in reality, they take chosen verses out of context.

Another MAJOR feature of a cult is that they claim they are the only ones going to Heaven. Like a truly saved person who goes to a Baptist church knows there are probably people who are saved at the Methodist church down the street....but cults think their denomination or organization IS THE ONE TRUE CHURCH.

Answer 7

Anyone that claims that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Satins aren't Christians CAN'T READ - just look at the name of the church!

As for being a cult: : "A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader."

What is extreme or unconventional about believing and worshiping God and Jesus? If may be unconventional that we typically do community service for victims of disasters, that's not a cult.

If it is because you think we are false in our teachings, then what about other religions? I think many religious teach false doctrine and that is harmful to their members. Why just pick on the Mormons?

Please back off! Stop saying we aren't Christians and that we are a cult. YOU ARE WRONG!

Answer 8

Technically, the definition of a "cult" is a religious group that:
1) Follows one leader.
2) The leader controls everything about the followers daily lives, often taking their property and money.
3) They reject the Bible as the sole source of Truth.
4) They don't believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
5) The followers are cut off from the rest of society.
6) Followers may be punished for leaving the cult.
7) They often are led to commit suicide by the leader.

Except for the last one, this definition seems to fit both Mormons and JW's. Both believe that Jesus was merely human, not God. JW's have their own "edition" of the Bible that removes all references to Jesus being God. Mormons have their own "Bible" [the book of Mormon] which they believe usurps the teachings of the Bible which clearly contradict it.
Since belief that Jesus Christ was God come in the flesh, was crucified and then resurrected from the dead is central to the Christian faith, it can be justly said that Mormonism and JW's are not Christian churches. They are cults.

As far as "cult classics" go, those are movies that strike a chord with a small portion of the population so that they are viewed again and again for generations. They are movies that gained a "following", thus the "cult" status. Examples would be, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "The Breakfast Club", "Star Wars", etc.

Answer 9

I am a Chirstian, one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Many use the term cult in the sense of, it is different from me there for it must be a cult.

Answer 10

well, i do not know much about Mormans, but Jehovah's witnesses i know have been called a cult, which is NOT true. Many people have a twisted view of us when really we follow Jesus' footsteps and his command to "preach this good news of God's Kingdom." that's it. even if no one was ever interested in what we have to say when we go door to door to talk to people whereever we are, we would still do it, because it's Jesus' command. We do not try to "convert" people, but simply to encouarage Bible reading, and knowing that everyone has the free will to do as they choose, we let them decide how they feel about what they read. doesn't sound like a cult anymore does it?

Answer 11

To some Christians, religions who don't believe in Jesus as their Savior, is a cult....but to me a cult, is a group who has a leader that totally controls everything they do. In fact, they actually worship their leader instead of God himself..if he tells them to do something, they do it without question.

Some think the Catholic church,,JWs, Mormons,,,are cultish in nature,,but I think, more along the lines of Jim Jones,,,and the Harri Krishna.....

The term cult film is used to describe a film that has had little success upon its initial release but has later spawned a small, but devoted and usually obsessive fan base. I think the Anna Nicole,,,Space movie,,she made before she died, will become a cult film....for devoted followers of Anna Nicole. The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is my favorite cult film...it is soooo bad..