What defines a "cult"
 

AG wrote on another thread that UPCI was a boarderline "cult."

What is your definition of a cult?

I heard a preacher defined the following "red flags" of a cult by the following points.
1. They do not believe in the total efficacy of the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
2. They have another holy book that they put on equal or greater authority with the Bible.
3. They do not believe in the literal physical return of Jesus Christ.
4. They follow a charismatic leader that has extreme control over their lives (managing their money or marriages, or they accept his word on equal authority with the Bible).
5. They will isolate followers from other family members.

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

Points 4 and 5 (to me) really stand out as the main issues with cults. Other denominations, such as Mormons, have another book besides the bible, but I would not consider them a "cult". Cults tend to be lead by charismatic individuals -or individuals who are not so much charismatic but fear-inducing and controlling, or both.

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

i agree points 4 and 5 are worth considering.

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

Are you sure it was AG? Our AmazingGrace?

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

Abundant Grace... not Amazing... I think
Our AG (AmazingGrace) is UPCI, happily so.

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

Oh yeah, I forgot about the other one.

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

I've read similar things (1-5) in Larson's book of Cults, I believe it's called.
They define cults as such. (The book includes Mormons, JW's, Islam, etc... in it's list of cults and summarizes their beliefs)

I would say 1-2 or even 3 are just plain false religions or false doctrines.
4-5 are definitely cultish.

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

:toofunny

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

So, does UPCI doctrine state that people must be baptized for salvation? That would mean that number 1 might apply to them; that the blood of Jesus alone does not produce salvation but that it also must come thru water baptism.

Re: What defines a "cult"
 

Cult is short for culture. You have it by design or default. Often times the culture of a movement can be a good thing. The culture of a vibrant, relevant, progressive church is a GREAT thing. But the culture of a movement where everything is dictated by 1 or a group of leaders with no wiggle room can fall into the catagory of a cult. I don't consider the LDS a cult because I know too many of them and the ones I know their faith is solid in God. When a culture is led by the supremacy of a MAN and not the supremacy of God that qualifies. I don't think the UPCI is a cult either. Though in the LDS church and the UPCI church there are the extremes that border cultish. Having rules that dictate a heaven or hell path that is NOT FIRMLY founded on scripture is cultish. I choose to believe that most in the leadership of the UPCI are not cult leaders cause most of them really are led and used of God. Though I go to a UPCI church I am not a part of the organization and in its current state never will be. It boils down to teaching that is made a law in any religion that is outside the bible borders on cultish. But the deal-sealer to me is that the leader does not give credit to the Bible being the inspired word and they do not teach the supremacy of God's word. IMO