Can many of the christian fundamentalist groups be considered as cults?

Question

Personally I think some are cults like the Westboro Baptist Church and the groups led by the tele-evangelists. I wan't to know what other people think.

You can answer based on your definition of a cult.

BTW, I have seen a lot of fundies say that the JW and Mormon religions are cults. If they can say this, I hope they don't get offended by my question and my opinion.

Do the fundies resent being referred to as cultists?

Answer 1

Only when they reach the point at which they think that everyone else who is not part of their "cult" is condemned.

Like the ones who say "if you don't believe in the Rapture you're going to Hell!"

Answer 2

S: (n) cult (followers of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices)

http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=cult

This is not MY definition of a cult, this is Princeton University's definition.

Here's Oxford English Dictionary's definition:

cult
• noun 1 a system of religious worship directed towards a particular figure or object

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/cult?view=uk.

The sheeple at Westboro Baptist Church are the closest thing to True Christians that have roamed this planet since the Dark Ages. They seem crazy to you because they actually believe the Bible is true. They following the teachings of savages, ergo they act as such..and they'd be a lot worse if it weren't for our secular laws.

Response to details -
Every theist resents their particular cult being referred to as a cult. Theists often resent reality because it conflicts with their beliefs.

Answer 3

All religions are cults
"Cult" is the root word of "culture"

A bad cult is one that does not let up, and will pester you until you give in, like Picard to the Cardasians.

I am not offended when someone calls my religion a cult. In fact, within the Catholic church, a sub-cult (of Mary) flourishes.

Answer 4

Yes.
http://www.letusreason.org/Cults1.htm

Answer 5

If you look at most of the fundies they are not Christians but are instead ideologues.

That means they follow an ideology but are not following the faith.

So they are non christian and many would argue that they cause such damage to Christianity by their attitudes etc that they appear more likely to be soldiers of the Antichrist!!!!

Answer 6

Yes. From a social science perspective (I am a sociologist/historian) a lot of these groups are cults. NOT ALL--many conservative/fundamentalist grooups are normal social groups. Also--I'm listing some of the characteristics below--but it's the whole package--many (in fact most) religious (and many non-religious) groups have one or two of these features. Also, note that being "odd" isn't a feature-example: in the US Hindu or Buddist groups are sometimes considered "cults." This is wrong--though a few groups are cults, mostly they are simply congregations of people within religious traditions that are widely adhered to in other parts of the world (both have longer histories than Christianity, in fact)--they simply have fewer adherants inour culture.

What makes a group a cult?
>a chraismatic leader (in the sense of being credited with divine power/authority)
>a messianic/utopian vision of an IMMANENT "new world/order of things)
>self-imposed social isolation (always in terms of soicial interaction, and often as phisical isolation in a seperate community)--in which members msut be aloof from outsiders
>defining all non-members as profane/evil (going to hell, etc.)
>a kind of paranoia that assumes that all outsiders wish them ill/seek their destruction or wish to lure them away from the "True Path."
>intolerance of dissent/questioning of doctrine by members
>active efforts to indoctrinate followers into uncritical obedience
>a belief that they have the right/divine missiion to compel others to follw their doctrine
> a willingness to use deception and/orother unethical means of dealing with outsiders (i.e. a "double standard") such as issuing false statements to discredit outsiders critical of them
>placing teir own group rules above the law of the surrounding society (e.g. "forgiving" a criminal action , and even concealing it from authorities provided the offender submits to "church discipline" and "repents")

Also, as in the case of the particuar case in point, such groups often emerge from mainstream religious traditions. They have an ideology which is at odds with the teachings of the mainstream groups, however--usually with political overtones. In this case, one minor but illustrative example is te teaching of most of these groups that any consumption of alcohol is "sinful"--despite the specifically recordedexamples of Christ not only consuming, but making wine.

Answer 7

Secret Societies--How Great the Threat? :
- Why All the Secrecy?
- Secrecy in the Name of the Lord http://watchtower.org/e/19970601/article_01.htm

I think that many people don't know what an actual cult is.
The above articles give an excellent explanation.

Answer 8

"a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object" So technically, every single one is in fact a cult. But don't say that to loudly, they'll get offended.

Answer 9

Yes by definition they are cults.

Answer 10

yes, they have all the characteristic of a cult