Is mainstream Christianity a cult?

Question

Please be able to explain why or why not, listing the differences or things in common (depending on your view) and definitions to prove your point.

Thank you for the hard work you put into your answer Jack T, but I wasn't asking about Jesus himself, as he not around today. The leaders that would apply here would be the ones leading now in the churches, etc.

Sam, I appreciate what you are saying, but I must disagree. I do believe that telling someone they will perish in a fiery lake for all eternity would be considered ex-communication, even if it a threat not meant to be carried out until the afterlife.

Answer 1

people dont see christanity as a cult, but wicca as. isnt that odd. when something is out of the norm its a cult. but christianity is a cult too. so many things we do can be considered cults. we don't realize.

Answer 2

True Christianity is not a cult. The leaders of a cult tell you what you can and cannot believe and if you question it, you're out, if you disagree you are excommunicated. True Christians seek to find the truth for themselves in God's Word. If there are disagreements, they don't excommunicate, simply seek to find the truth through prayer and studying the Bible. True Christians can still fellowship, enjoy each other's company, and be friends even if they disagree.

Since I'm not sure exactly what you mean by mainstream Christianity, I can't answer your exact question with a yes or no, but hopefully this was good enough.

Answer 3

Cult roughly refers to a cohesive social group devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture considers outside the mainstream, with a notably positive or negative popular perception. Christianity considers all non-Christians as hell bound, and all other religions as worshiping the wrong God. Most other religions are not as militant, so, yes, Christianity is outside the mainstream.

Answer 4

Anything can be a cult.

Cult
–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.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult

Answer 5

Orthodox Christianity is not a cult. Those who deviate from this are such as Jehovah Witnesses; Mormons with their 3 heavens and people can become gods etc.

Answer 6

Yes, since cult is defined as a form of worship. All religions are cults.

Answer 7

Evilutionists worship at the altar of Darwin...with his doctrine of natural selection....I guess they qualify as cultists.

Answer 8

Well if it is, I haven't been invited to a meeting. That sucks I feel left out.

So what do you call an atheist meeting or group?

Answer 9

Yes. If you read the NT with open eyes, it's obvious that Jesus has more in common with the likes of David Koresh than some peaceful, fluffy guy with arms stretched wide.
All these points and observations about cults ring true in the minds of objective people.
However, what is ignored by Christians is that their Lord and Savior, Jesus, exhibited exactly the same traits that zealous cult leaders do. Christians will close their eyes to the same things they find so disturbing in other cult leaders.
This is understandable to some extent because Christianity is above all else, a religion that promotes itself through aggressive advertising and the unquestioning submission to a superficial God, a God of shine and little substance.
Believers are told to do the "will of God" and serve him totally.
After all, Jesus himself gave Christians their marching orders in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matt 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power(authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

It should be noted that Jesus makes quite a claim here. Jesus claims, like all cult leaders do, that special "all power" has been given to him exclusively.
In other words, whatever the cult leader commands, the follower should do because the highest level of authority resides in the cult leader.
And of course, the follower wants to please his Master and will go out and attempt to coerce others to also obey the commands of their Master. As the cult evolves, Jesus the man becomes Jesus the God and his followers can go out and conquer the world for him knowing that they are doing their duty as good and faithful servants of their Master.
The world is full of sheep and if one falls into a ditch, the rest start jumping in.
In other words, there isn't any need to question these rules because they're found in the Holy Bible and whatever the Bible says must be true.

The disturbing cult leader characteristics of Jesus don't stop with this one example. The New Testament has many other examples which are always ignored by Christians because it spoils the fluffy image of Jesus that they so love to portray to the world. They will only quote the "nice" sayings of Jesus while ignoring the many ugly and self absorbed things he said.

Let's have a look at some of the other cult leader traits exhibited by Jesus, the alleged "Prince of Peace".
Jesus was a cult leader who wanted to bring division and disharmony.
It was all part of his ego based new world order.

Luke 12:49-53
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

And like most cult leaders, Jesus wanted people to leave their families and make him the centerpiece of their existence.

Matt 10:37
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And like most cult leaders, Jesus promised potential recruits to his new cult a great big reward for leaving their current responsibilities behind to serve him alone.

Matt 19:29
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

And like many self-absorbed cult leaders, Jesus deemed anyone who didn't jump on his theological bandwagon to be an enemy.

Matt 12:30
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

And like many cult leaders, Jesus won't tolerate anyone who doesn't want him to rule their lives.

Luke 19:27
But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

As other cult leaders proclaim, simple unbelief will merit punishment.

Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

And like many cult leaders, Jesus in his glorified Final Solution, will send out his army of drones to cleanse the world of anything that Jesus deems or defines as "wicked".
Naturally, unbelievers will be exterminated along with all the other unworthy human "weeds".

Matt 13:40-42
As therefore the tares(weeds) are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The whole teaching foundation of Christianity is that anyone who doesn't declare and "confess" that Jesus is their Lord and Savior is doomed to eternal damnation.
The context is quite clear. It's an ultimatum designed to coerce and manipulate others into compliance with a religious agenda that seeks to dominate others to enhance its power and influence.

Answer 10

No; evolution is a cult.