Interesting Article: The Marks of a Cult

[bbyrd009]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

Once men really begin to believe they are hearing straight from God, and can be corrected by no one else, that is when you run.... run... run... as fast as you can .....

Ok, let me rephrase then:

Once men really begin to believe they are hearing straight from God, and can be corrected by no one else, you will see a fig tree bud.

I believe these are both true, but for the first, "What is the chaff to the wheat?"

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

I bet any person being a member of a baptist church for a generation and leaves for a Oneness church will be treated by those baptists the same way

This is very true. We left the Baptist church that we raised our family in for a Oneness church and were never spoken to again by anyone except when they simply could not avoid us for some reason... The felt we have lost our minds when we received the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues and were possessed. Or that is what my mother who still went to church there told me they thought.

[Michael The Disciple]

Very flawed article.

Here the Apostle John tells what HE considered a cult.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:6

If one varies from the Apostles doctrine they are a cult.

[The Matt]

I can't help but think the OP posted this description with my kind of church in mind...

[bbyrd009]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Very flawed article.

Here the Apostle John tells what HE considered a cult.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:6

If one varies from the Apostles doctrine they are a cult.

That seems harsh the first, for a description of attributes of a cult which could be called an expansion of your quote? Does it fail in any particulars to you? And I'm sure you would admit that although your quote is valid, was speaking to a similar but different point. Surely you would agree that even the Apostles' Doctrine should be a living part of the Word?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by bbyrd009

That seems harsh the first, for a description of attributes of a cult which could be called an expansion of your quote? Does it fail in any particulars to you? And I'm sure you would admit that although your quote is valid, was speaking to a similar but different point. Surely you would agree that even the Apostles' Doctrine should be a living part of the Word?

The Apostles doctrine IS the word. We must conform to IT or we make ourselves into a "cult". We are not allowed to have private interpretation of the word. The Church is to follow the faith once delivered to the saints.

[bbyrd009]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

The Apostles doctrine IS the word. We must conform to IT or we make ourselves into a "cult". We are not allowed to have private interpretation of the word. The Church is to follow the faith once delivered to the saints.

Surely, however there are dispensations, and times, and the current ongoing debate about...everything, and my knowledge that we are here to bring a Kingdom, which may be restated "grow a new thing" imo, we're planting seed, there is a crop, I could go on, tells me that Grace should overlay what sure sounds almost like Law to me in such a way as to by definition be a new and unusual thing, while certainly still conforming to the spirit of your quote.

I'm sure we can agree that the fruit of any branch can't long be hidden, there, and I see the Church coming into an age where it might even be argued that your quote will more spiritually be adhered to, while possibly not following the characterization you seem to imply. (unless your like a Mennonite or something, in which case I agree with you totally, lol)

I think we'll end up at a semantics, or possibly doctrinal discussion about some defs in

"The Church is to follow the faith once delivered to the saints,"

mostly.

[Jay]

Yawn...Seen this repeatedly over the years. I have reached the point that this type of thing is actually rather boring and mundane. We can thank the cult hunters for this. The simple fact of the matter is that most people who wish to call us cultists do not know what they are talking about. In fact, many times you can not even get them to see that we use more than one Scripture (many more) to support our doctine.

Again as I said, this is more than slightly boring. If anyone could create a better argument, then I might get interested.

[bbyrd009]

Hmm, to that I would say that I wasn't aware of whichever argument you mean? I see a list of attributes of a cult that seems thoughtful at least, and we have Michael, who for some reason seems to dislike it. That's all (I) know?

[crakjak]

Jesus is our example, He has made all the difference. He came to be the Savior of all humanity, and at that He will succeed. He reserved his rebuke for those "religious leaders" that abused the folks, manipulated them for their own power and control, thinking the were doing what God want them to do. But they like many religious leaders today miss the whole point of God's purpose.

Again I recommend every believer to read "Spiritual Terrorism" 'Spiritual Abuse from the Womb to the Tomb', by Boyd C. Purcell Ph.D. spiritual abusers, terrorisers, and killers are clearly identified. Some of it is kind hard to read, but if you will persist you will be enlightened and your spiritual life greatly enchanced. He was kicked our of his pastorate, became a hospice chaplin, read his stories of counseling many at the end of life, dealing with the baggage of lives of sin and of religious indoctrinations of all sorts. He helps them come to understand God as He really is, and to die in peace.