Cults

1
Cults

• REAP Training
• Dr. David Sills
• dsills_at_sbts.edu
• www.davidsills.org

2
What is a Cult?

• Psychologists define it as a group which deviates
  from cultural norms
• Walter R. Martin A cult, then, is a group of
  people polarized around someones interpretation
  of the Bible and is characterized by major
  deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to
  the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith,
  particularly the fact that God became man in
  Jesus Christ.

3
What is a cult?

• Cultus from the Latin meaning worship or
  praise-adoration.
• Oxford Dictionary a system of religious worship
  especially as expressed in ceremonies devotion
  or homage to a person or thing.
• Merriam-Webster religion regarded as unorthodox
  or spurious.

4
What is a cult?

• The primary characteristic of an aberrant
  Christian group is a founder/leader who claims
  exclusive and new revelation from God.
• Cultic-Christian groups try to establish
  themselves as the one true exclusive.
• They manipulate the Scriptures
• Very evangelistic.

5
What is the difference between a sect and a
cult?

• An aberrant group that considers itself to be
  teaching essentially the same as their other
  near-neighbor denominations, only more correctly
  Sect
• An aberrant group that considers itself to be
  distinct and who alone has the truth necessary
  for salvation Cult

6
Marks of a Cult - x

• Addition
• They add to the Word of God.
• - - Subtraction - -
• They subtract from Jesus Christ and seek to make
  Him something less than God or elevate man with
  ability to become like Him
• X x Multiplication x x
• They multiply the requirements for salvation
• Division
• They divide the loyalty of their members between
  God and leaders. They make devotion to the sect
  a test of faith and consider adherence the
  vehicle for salvation

7
Cult Zeal

• Mormons have well over ten million members with
  55,000 missionaries in over 160 countries. Of
  27,000 BYU students, 15,000 have been/will be
  missionaries.
• Each missionary converts six per year
• 300,000 baptisms/year from other denominations
  and religions
• Jehovahs Witnesses have 975,000 members in USA
  and 5 million globally. Annually, these numbers
  produce over a billion visiting hours.
• Mormons have 55,000 full-time missionaries, and
  the Jehovah's Witnesses have the equivalent of
  270,000. The combined total for the Christian
  church is only 180,000 http//www.wholesomewor
  ds.org/missions/msnews2.html

8
Other Cult Characteristics

• Speculation and Date-setting
• Dogmatic stands on biblical obscurities
• Financial exploitation of followers
• Denial of eternal punishment
• Fostering paranoia (UFO sect)
• Ambiguous hope or assurance of salvation is used
  as technique for loyalty.