INTRODUCTION
to the CULTS
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ.
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have
not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have
not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted,
ye might well bear with him.”
– II Corinthians 11:3,4
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘Take heed that no
man deceive you.’
‘For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and
shall deceive many.’
‘And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive
many.'”
– Matthew 24:4,5,11
1. Defined: A group that follows a particular teaching or behavioral practice
is a cult. Many groups, not necessarily religious can fall into this simple
definition. So it necessary to define it in light of scriptural truth.
2. Non-Christian Cult defined:
a. They adhere to MAJOR doctrines which are pointedly contradictory to
orthodox Christianity, while claiming origins or harmony with Christianity.
b. They are always built, not on what the Bible teaches, but upon what the
FOUNDER(S) of the cult say the Bible teaches and they thrive on ignorance and
uncertainity.
c. They use Bible quotations out of context. (example: They quote the Bible
as saying it is OKAY to disobey God – but neglect to point out that this is a
direct quote from SATAN that was printed in the Bible.
HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY CULTS?
1. THEY PROFESS TO HAVE THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH DOCTRINE
a. Do they say they are the ONLY true church?
b. Do they claim that “Truth is Everywhere and ALL religions seek after
truth!”
If these statements are true or their answers are EVASIVE – then look
closely. You probably are dealing with a cult.
2. THEY STEAL MEMBERS FROM OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
a. Whom do they seek to convert?
People on skid row?
The natives of Java?
If you find them in established religious areas populated with Baptists
or any other Christian members then they are proslytizing and the Bible
condemns this practice.
3. THEY ADD THEIR OWN REVELATIONS TO THOSE OF THE BIBLE AND/OR SCRIPTURES
a. THE BIBLE (God’s INFALLIBLE Word to Mankind) has withstood the test of
time and persecution and is the MOST Anti-Cult Manual you will ever find.
b. Their Leaders (Prophets) claim SECRET divine knowledge given ONLY to them
and use this to drum up support as well as using an additional source for
better clarification of their beliefs.
* BOOK OF MORMON
* PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
* WATCHTOWER MAGAZINE
* THE PLAIN TRUTH NEWSPAPER
* SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES
* DIVINE PRINCIPLES (Moon’s)
4. THEY DO ALL OF YOUR THINKING FOR YOU
a. “When our Leaders (Prophets, Guru, “True Parents”) propose a plan, when
our leaders speak, the thinking has been done.” There is no room to disagree or
to “TEST ALL THINGS” or “HOLD FAST TO THAT WHICH IS TRUE.”
b. Extremes: JONESTOWN, MOONIES, or LOCAL CHURCH These “Divine” Leaders
allowed no contention with their teachings and required that all did EXACTLY as
told because “they were spokesmen for God”. Brigham Young taught that the Sun
was populated by people like ourselves!
c. There is no such thing as a Mormon or a Moonie that “doesn’t believe such
and such” or a Krishna that does not sell flowers or a Jehovah’s Witness that
does not sell the Watchtower! It is required of these groups to believe ALL
and to do ALL that is instructed from the leadership.
5. THEY BELIEVE IN SALVATION BY GRACE
-= PLUS =-
A. Mormons – WORKS, APPROVAL BY JOSEPH SMITH, Jr. (Eph 3:8-12)
B. ARMSTRONG – Law of Moses (Acts 15:1)
C. Jehovah’s Witnesses – ATTEND ALL MEETINGS, SELL MAGAZINES (Awake,
Watchtower etc) (Romans 11:6 and Ephesians 2:8-10)
6. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIRS DO THEY “SELL”?
A. Cults appeal to “reason” and “rationality”
1. Hell is “unreasonable”
2. Eternal Punishment is “irrational”
3. Conciousness after death is “pagan”
B. Cults prosper in direct ratio to the fluctuating emphasis which the
Christian Church has placed on the teaching of Biblical doctrines to Christian
Laymen.
C. Mormons – Perfect Welfare System: Politically Right Wing
D. Witnesses – No political ties
E. Moonies, Krishnas – Alternative to Drugs, etc.
7. HOPSCOTCH THROUGH THE BIBLE
A. Satan is THE MASTER of this technique (Matthew 4:6)
If you refer back to the previously menntioned “OKAY to disobey God”
quotation of Satan’s and you further look for guidance you might get to the
scripture that says “Judas Hanged Himself” and reading still further arrive at
“Go now, and do likewise!”
B. Don’t get trapped. Look at the verses above and below the quoted verses
and ascertain
(1) the actual meaning of the verse and
(2) who is saying the verse and
(3) why the verse is being said.
8. THEY CHANGE THE DEFINITIONS OF WORDS
A. Watergate and Jeb Stuart Magruder when caught with $20,000.00 said it was
not a BRIBE, it was just a “MEANS” to an end.
B. To a Jehovah’s Witness, CHRIST is a man who died and is forever dead; but
somehow returned to heaven as MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL.
C. To a Mormon, GOSPEL means Mormonism and its Doctrines.
D. To a Christian Scientist, ATONEMENT means AT-ONE-MENT with God.
E. To the Science of Mind, SALVATION is when you finally realize that ALL IS
MIND.
9. THEY HAVE “ANOTHER Jesus”
10. FINAL AND ‘SADDEST’ OF ALL TRAITS
The saddest of all the traits that can signal a CULT is the OTHER JESUS
doctrine. They try to make you believe the cultist cares. They teach that they
love “Your” Jesus, and wish you to know him better – like they do.
In short, the major features
of our Jesus are:
I. Conceived by the Holy Ghost
and Son of God.
II. God the Son of the Holy
Trinity
III. Total and FULL payment for
sins even though He was
sinless