Cults
Religious Divisions [A Quick-and-Dirty Guide]
There’s certainly no shortage of divisions when it comes to Christianity–or religions in general.
So what’s the difference between Christianity and Islam?
Where does Mormonism fit into our faith?
What about the Amish?
And what makes a Presbyterian different than a Methodist?
All good questions. This little guide will help you hash the answers out.
Denominations
Movements that differ on doctrinal issues but hold to a common core of beliefs about God, Christ and the Bible.
A multiplicity of denominations doesn’t imply a problem. It simply suggests agreement on the essentials and disagreements on non-essentials.
Sects
Movements that agree with denominations on these matters but often place emphasis on certain topics that move them to the fringe of Christianity. Think the Amish’s radical separatism.
Sects only become a problem if the emphasis conflicts with core tenets.
Cults
Movements connected to Christianity in that they use Christian Scripture and appeal to Jesus but they also differ from the traditional faith in core areas–denial of the Trinity, rejection of part or all of the Bible or novel views about Christ.
Cults typically reveal a perversion of the core of a religion due to self-indulgent embellishments. Think Mormons or World Wide Church of God.
World Religions
Historic traditions that include Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism and share very little in common, especially when it comes to core tenets of the faith.
World religions suggest the existence of a native sense of the holy in man. And then we move to explain it. Christianity is the story of the source of that holiness redeeming, adopting and glorifying man.
So, how do you decide whether a religion is compatible with Christianity? Whether it’s a cult, sect or denomination?
Simple: It needs to pass two tests–doctrinal and experiential.
Doctrinal: Is it orthodox on the key issues? Experiential: Does it see a faith encounter with Christ alone as the pathway to being right with God?
How a religion answers these questions will determine whether it falls inside or outside orthodox Christianity.
Let me know what you think.
Seven Religious Movements with a Weakness for Prophecy
Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects of the Charismatic-Pentecostal movement is their claim to new revelation from God–the claim that God is still speaking to them.
The claim that “Jesus told me.” Or “The Lord told me.”
This thirst for supernatural experience with God and fresh word from God is not anything new.
It has quite a historical past.
In fact, it goes back to the very early stages of Christianity and continues until this day in movements that have a soft spot for the subjective.
Montanism
Montanus–a second century prophet–claimed he wrote the word of God. That he spoke the word of God. He claimed to have the final revelation of the Holy Spirit. This implied that something could be added to the teaching of Christ and the Apostle.
In other words, the Bible wasn’t sufficient.
Montanists also expected the imminent Second Coming of Christ. This belief, while not confined to Montanists, took a special form that gave their activities the character of a popular revival.
They also believed–via their prophets–that the heavenly Jerusalem was soon to descend on the Earth in a plain between the two villages of Pepuza and Tymion in Phrygia.
Roman Catholicism
Why do they believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary? Where do they find the immaculate conception? Where do they get praying for the dead? Purgatory? It doesn’t come out of Scripture. Comes out of their tradition, a tradition equal in authority to Scripture.
It was decided by the church, the pope or the council. Not God’s word.
So, where does the Bible end? It doesn’t. Popes and councils can still bring in new doctrines. Individuals can have new revelation from the Holy Spirit. There is no end to it.
Neo Orthodoxy
This theology believes that the Bible is NOT the objective word of God, but the subjective. It’s like saying God is marching up and down Scripture waiting to make the words come to life when someone reads them.
Neo-orthodox theologian Emil Brunner said that the spirit of God is imprisoned within the covers of the written Bible and he is released in your experience. Mystical. And God is giving new revelation.
Another neo-orthodox theologian, C. H. Dodd, said the Bible is not the last word. God has more to say. In other words, the inspiration of the Bible depends on subjective experience.
Mormons
A flesh and bones God. Universal resurrection. Jesus as the spirit brother of Lucifer. Where do you suppose they got these doctrines? Not from the Bible…
But from the Doctrine of Covenants. And The Pearl of Great Price. Where did these books come from? Joseph Smith said they were personally given to him by God.
Christian Science
Mary Baker Eddy–the founder of this cult–is considered the revelator of truth for this age. Her revelations come from God in addition to Scripture. This was written about Christian Science in the July 1975 Christian Science Journal: “Because it is not a human philosophy, but a divine revelation the divinity based reason and logic of Christan Science necessarily separates it from all other systems.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses Salvation by works. Negating the grace of God though Christ. Claim Jesus was a created being–not God’s son. How did they get this? They got it from God. Directly.
World Wide Church of God
This organization got it’s start from a vision by Mrs. Armstrong. An angel laid out the whole system for Mrs. Armstrong. She told her husband–Herbet W. Armstrong–and a new cult was born.
Listen. I do believe that the Holy Spirit guides us. Empowers us.
However, he doesn’t speak to us in audible words. He doesn’t give us specific commands. He isn’t breathing out anymore revelation.
Jude 3 says “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
Once for all. It was done. And the canon was closed.
Here’s the bottom line: You don’t need new revelation for directoin of your life. The Spirit will do that. And you don’t need new revelation for the virture of your life. The Scripture is able to make you perfect.
So, the only reason behind extra-biblical prophecy is so Satan can pollute the clear stream of Scripture and confound and confuse the otherwise discerning leading of the Holy Spirit in your life.
13 Quick Facts on 13 Christian Cults and Sects
Thought I forgot about this series, eh? Nope. Just let her simmer on the back burner.
Anyway, I still want to round her out with 13 posts.
So, I thought now would be a good time to pull all the articles out there into one tidy, little post…
And show you what’s on the horizon.
And just so you know, the point behind this series: Intellectual pleasure. Satisfaction. An odd curiosity?
See, until I started this series I knew very little about the differences between cults like Scientology or sects like Fundamentalism.
So, it’s good ground to cover.
Anyway, here’s where we’re at and where we’re going. Hope you’ll stay along for the ride.
Intro: Revising the American Religion Most of what you know as American Christianity is scarcely Christian in any traditional way.
Unitarians Secrets on Unitarianism–from what they think of the Trinity to famous Unitarians.
Rosicrucian File this under controversial. Conspiratorial. Bizarre. Trivial. Wherever you file it, know this: This is serious stuff some people lock-in on.
Fundamentalism Take a peek at this North American phenomenon.
Pentecostals Want to know who the 13 most famous Pentecostals of all time are? Read on.
Seventh-Day Adventists Why they observe Saturday as Sabbath and their connection to David Koresh.
Theosophy Their original purpose was to investigate, study and explain mediums and their claims. It’s changed a tad since 1875.
Scientology Quite likely the most ruthless, terroristic, litigious and lucrative cult the country has ever seen. [Good comments on this one.]
Spiritism 13 disturbing facts about this ancient religion.
Swedenborgians Founded in the 18th century after rationalist and mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, this cult enjoys a small, but exotic following.
World Wide Church of God Normally, cults crop up and just got creepier. The Worldwide Church of God, on the other hand, took a shocking turn for the better.
Mormons List of 13 must-read websites dedicated to exposing the differences between Mormonism and orthodox Christianity.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Thirteen key doctrines clothing store owner Charles Taze Russell taught through his religious society know as Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Christian Science [Before the end of the year. Maybe September. Could be sooner. You never know with me.]
Rosicrucians: 13 Facts about This Obscure Christian Cult
File this under controversial. Conspiratorial. Bizarre. Trivial.
Wherever you file it, know this: This is serious stuff some people lock-in on.
In the last two weeks I’ve showcased the Adventists and Unitarians. Two relatively close cousins to orthodox Christianity.
This Sunday I thought I’d go out to the far branches of her family tree and snoop in on a sect that nurses secret knowledge.
So, without anymore pussyfooting, let me introduce you to the Rosicrucians.
1. Historically, Rosicrucians consider Christian Rosenkreuz–a man who learned esoteric wisdom from Sufi or Zoroastrian teachers during a pilgrimage to the Middle East during the early 15th Century–to be their founder.
2. Rosenkreuz nurtured 8 disciples who were doctors and sworn bachelors. They promised to heal the sick for free, maintain secret fellowship and find replacements when they died.
3. Rosenkreuz’s legend emerged in three manifestos published in early 17th Century, the first being the Fama Fraternitatis.
4. This legend inspired a college of invisibles who existed to advance inspired arts and sciences, including a spiritual and symbolic alchemy.
5. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, some Christian groups styled themselves Rosicrucians, including Esoteric Christian Rosicrucians who professed Christ.
6. While in Germany in the fall of 1907, Max Heindel understood his mission to prepare mankind for a new phase in religion after a visit from a highly evolved entity identified as an Elder Brother of the Rosicrucian Order.
7. Around 1910 Heindel founded the Rosicrucian Fellowship on Mount Ecclesia in Oceanside, California, teaching the mysteries Jesus spoke about in Matthew 13:11 and Luke 8:10.
8. RFs teach that man is spirit and body, but the body is improving through a series of existences as the power of God are opened to his life.
9. Man is also unfolding latent spiritual powers through multiple rebirths.
10. Consequently, death is viewed as rebirth into a larger sphere. And life as a school that prepares the man for this birth.
11. Important to the RFs is the doctrine of the astral body, which evolves through multiple births.
12. Tucked into this philosophy is the idea of two Christs: One within and one without. The Savior Christ and the Cosmic Christ. The Cosmic helps the Savior emerge in our spirits.
13. Invisible Helpers–students of the Western Wisdom Teachings– continue Heindel’s work, namely preaching the gospel and healing the sick.
I had a lot of fun doing this because in a previous life I was a huge fan of Thomas Pynchon and his book The Crying of Lot 49. I’m serious. Tell me what you think. 
**Part of the Quick Facts on Christian Cults series.**
Reader Dissent: Christ Is Not God
Recently I’ve been talking to a very polite person named Maribel about the doctrine of the Trinity.
It all started when Maribel commented on the post about ancient creeds and how dead men define our beliefs.
At one point Maribel said, “I believe Jesus when he said he was the son of God.”
For some reason I thought that was a strange statement, especially in the context: The sentence before Maribel mentioned that both the Nicene and Athanasian creeds were influenced by Greek and pagan philosophy.
I couldn’t tell if she was for or against what I was saying.
After some time, I took it to mean she was for, because in the following line she said that the doctrine of Jesus being the only begotten son was a beautiful truth.
I decided to agree with her. And let it go.
That’s When the Ball Dropped
Four days later, Maribel drops me a line. It’s two videos she wants to share with me. Didn’t take me long to realize that my original assessment of her comments were wrong.
Mama mia…
When Maribel said, “The son of God,” she defined that to mean, not God, but created by God. Maribel is a Jehovah’s Witness.
Lessons Learned from This Dialog
Two things I want to point out. One is what J. Greshem Machen calls the fundamental priniciple of truthfulness in language.
Basically you violate this rule when a person makes a statement like “I believe Jesus is God” intending one thing while the audience believes it to mean something very different.
Usually this is done deceptively, in order to mislead.
That wasn’t Maribel’s intention. But it did emphasize to me how important precision in meaning is. Especially theological precision.
Bible Peppered with Christ’s Deity
The other thing deals with the deity of Christ–something Witnesses patently deny. Frankly, I don’t understand why, because throughout the Bible, Christ’s deity is a profound declaration.
For example, John declares Him to be God at least twice. God the Father addresses him as God. Furthermore, Jesus displays omnipresence, omnipotence, and immutability–attributes of God.
In addition, he forgives sins, receives worship and has absolute authority over all things.
But were not finished yet.
Christ encompasses the fullness of God in human flesh. He plainly said that he and the Father were one. And Jesus’ critics clearly understood Christ was claiming to be God on this and many other occasions.
And this is the deal closer for me:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17
There is too much of the deity of Christ embedded in New Testament scripture to safely harvest it out.
I say this with all respect, but Witnesses are notable for hijacking Scripture and camping on certain texts out of context. Take Dan Mages and 1 Timothy 2:5.
I’m not infallible and will confess there are probably some beliefs in which I hold onto dogmatically based on one or two scriptures out of context. I welcome the correction.
But I think the deity of Christ is abundantly and plainly taught in the Bible. And fundamental to being a Christian.
What Do You Think?
So why do Jehovah Witnesses find it so hard to accept this teaching? I think I know the answer, but I prefer to hear your thoughts. Anything I’m missing?
I know one thing: This discussion’s fueled my passion to know more about Jehovah Witnesses. For that, Maribel, thank you!
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