Jehovah Witnesses and LDS

Interesting. I consider Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons as much Christians as I do Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants, Southern Baptists ... long list.

I have read the bible from the JW. It is not much different then the one of the modern ones (NIV). The Mormons have new prophesies, have they not? Well considering 2K years with no word from God, maybe there was a new prophet? Who knows?

How does one know which ones are the true Christians on this earth? Please do not answer that with a post, it is bound to end up in flame wars. - Just stop and think for a moment, and answer that question to yourself.

One of my heroes once said:
If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be - a Christian. - Mark Twain.

Introduction to the Jehovah's Witnesses
Almost everyone, at one time or another, has been called on by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Many people, believers and unbelievers, know that their teaching is wrong, but not usually in what respects. It is not sufficient to not answer the door or tell them to go away when they call as they will come back again and again. To quote the Bible, John 8:32 says, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free". They do not have the truth, although they think they have. To be able to minister to them effectively when they come knocking on your door, it is important to know exactly what their beliefs are, where they get them from, and the real Scriptures and reasons to show them that their beliefs are wrong. They will quote scriptures to support their beliefs, although these are almost exclusively from their own Bible translation and are usually taken out of context by ignoring surrounding scriptures to make up the full picture of God's word. These scriptures often bear little resemblance to the same scripture in other Bibles, the translators of the Witnesses unique Bible having mistranslated it from the original Greek or Hebrew texts by breaking the rules of Greek grammar, and changing or adding words to passages to make it fit their beliefs - examples of this you will find throughout this document. Some of their teaching has even been taken directly from other cults or sects, such as the 'annihilation of the wicked' idea which has been pinched directly from Adventism; although they will deny these links. They will refer to themselves as 'Christians', but when examining this claim, it is clear that they are not. They also claim to be the ?only true religion?, as do many other cults, but this too can be shown to be false.

It is important to let them know where you and they stand if you wish to discuss their beliefs and the truth that the Bible shows with them. You need to be very aware of your beliefs and how to support this, as they give a convincing and difficult to break argument that they have the truth and you do not. Their usual method of ?recruitment? is to suggest that they come round for a Bible study (using their own translation, of course), then after several such meetings suggest that you 'may like' to come along to one of their meetings, which leads to more meeting invitations, then eventually when the time comes that you have 'entered into the kingdom' fully, only then do you find out the whole of their beliefs, as until then they seem very reluctant to disclose them all.

The more people that they come across with the true Christian message and the truth that comes with it, eventually seeds of doubt will be sown in their minds, and they will begin to question whether what they actually have found is true, which in turn may turn them away from their deceit and into the glorious Truth which can be found in Christ Jesus. Although it is unlikely that you will be able to break through to them enough to 'save' them there and then, if they have called on people that day and have been given the Christian message a dozen or so times, their faith may just be rocky enough for you to make them see the light! At all times, we should show our love towards them, although they are believing deceit, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-44 "You have heard that it was said, love your friends, hate your enemies. But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you". Be gentle but firm with them, remember, as what they believe is as valuable to them as our faith is to us, and to destroy it without offering the only true alternative is dangerous.

They call mainly during the day, I believe, as normally many vulnerable people are at home, often alone, such as the unemployed (who will often be depressed, bored, lonely or all 3), young or single mothers, and the elderly; and not during the evening when the whole family might be around for an objective discussion. By selecting lonely people, the 'friendship' they offer is subtly used as a fear against leaving later - if they leave, they will find themselves totally cut off from everyone they have met through the Jehovah's Witnesses (which by now is probably the only people that they know and will talk to them), and this fear of being lonely again often forces people to keep going. By demonstrating Christian love to these people, it can sometimes be enough to break this fear. The fact that Jesus loves them, and the friendly invitation we can give them, rather than slamming the door in their faces, also helps our case. By convincingly portraying that they have found the answer, many of these vulnerable people - who often don't know any kind of answer except "um, never thought about it much" - find themselves unable to withstand their arguments and are convincingly led into their deceit. If you have an answer, they will often point to things in the original Greek or Hebrew texts (which, they of course will have translated to suit their arguments) to try and prove you wrong, thus taking advantage of most peoples lack of knowledge of Greek or Hebrew language. However, having several Bible translations handy to show that none of your translations have their message is a useful defence.

They call on you in pairs (apart from the fact that Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs) because if one of them does not know the answer to your question the other usually does, and it is difficult to break through their patter. On initial visits, one is usually an experienced Witness and the other a 'trainee', and you will soon work out which is which - if you direct your questions at the trainee, the trainee will soon get confused and they will soon both leave. After a few visits, if they feel that you are more of a challenge than they can cope with, they will send the 'heavy mob' (!) round - usually one or two of the 'elders', or someone who has been a Witness a long time, to try and out-argue you. If you find yourself getting stuck into an argument which you do not sufficiently know the answer to or scriptures to support it, there is no shame in telling them that you do not know the complete answer immediately and need to look it up, and perhaps even to ask them to come back later, as we cannot be expected to know everything. Remember that they 'learn' a subject each week and they then have to go and spread that message over the following weeks, so it is totally fresh in their mind, and they will rarely willingly stray off that subject.

They do not learn the Bible freely as we are able to and need to, but in their weekly 'Bible studies' they are essentially told what to read, how it is to be interpreted and why it is 'true'. From this they get what can be likened to 'trigger responses' to questions and answers you may have (like a pushy door-to-door salesman) which can be quite hard to break through - although they seem to know everything off the top of their heads, they 'remember' scriptures like a theatrical script to be repeated rather than understood, interpreted and applied to your life. Each week's learning is then to be 'spread' over the next weeks, so a good start is to try and steer them away from their original subject of conversation onto something of your choosing. They will be able to detect when they are losing the conversation, and will make their excuses and leave, if you can begin to convince them that your faith is strong and they are in deceit.

They will leave colourful, glossy brochures or their magazines such as Awake! or Watchtower, with some nice, general interest Readers Digest-type articles thrown in to mask the teaching enclosed, but good quality printing and pretty pictures cannot hide lies. One brochure, "Why is life so full of problems?" on the outside cover has a beautiful full-colour scene, of trees, blue sky, smiling faces, and people cuddling wild animals, whereas on the inside we have black and white pictures of a starving child, an old lady being mugged, industrial pollution and the 1995 massacre in Rwanda, with the cheerful message "Serious problems grow worse - why? The world's religions have failed". I usually accept their brochures as a matter of courtesy (it also helps to find out more about them), but in return make them take a Christian tract in exchange. However, they are taught that someone accepting a tract means that they have to call on you again, although it may not be the same people that call, and is worth remembering if you are or are not happy to talk further with them.

Two good points to begin with when talking to them are firstly your testimony of how you came to Jesus (although they will argue scriptures, they cannot easily disprove personal experiences, however 'coincidental' they may seem) and ask them how and why they became Jehovah's Witnesses; and secondly tell them of Jesus' love for all of us including them and what He has done for you in your life, as it is clear that they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, although not surprising considering their teaching about Him. Do pray with/for them if you are able to, although this will often encourage them to leave (useful if you would like them to leave!)!

They have an obvious 'hierarchy' system which you will eventually work your way through if you keep asking them back and discussing the errors of their beliefs in depth. This starts at the bottom with trainees and 'new converts' who basically will only drop leaflets and are told not enter into deep discussion with you. Next are two or three levels of 'middle members' who generally are ranked depending on how long they have been a Witness, beginning at the lowest who will only talk with you about the week's learnt subject, up to the top level who will try and tackle you on most subjects. Each level, if they are tackled on a subject they are insufficiently taught on, will make their excuses and leave, then upon return to the Kingdom Hall simply seek the answers from the next 'level' and arrange for one of the next level members, who does 'know the answer' to come round. If, however, you can out-argue them, then the Elders will start coming round in pairs to you. That is usually the top level that they will take you on at and give up (blacklist) you, and you will be classed as 'wicked and ungodly' as you do not accept their message. Above that, there are a team of 'Regional Overseeing Ministers' who are responsible for the 'well being' of a particular region, who may be brought to see you if you are a really stubborn challenge and they think that they can still win you for their 'kingdom'. After each visit, they will make notes about you to pass back to the 'senior members' to try and find a weakness in your faith, which they will then tackle you on next time, and by appearing to have all the answers they think that they can win you.

In this document I have outlined some of the main Jehovah's Witnesses teaching, where they get this from, and some scriptures that disprove their beliefs; undoubtedly you will be able to add many more. Although most of the scriptures I quote are reproduced simply to support the arguments and to enable the document to be read independantly, you are encouraged to 'check them out' and find the translations in your own Bibles whilst reading through to make everything clear in your own mind and with your translation's wording ready for you to tackle them. However strong your arguments seem to be, remember that the Holy Spirit is the one that will ultimately lead them to the truth, and be sensitive to Him yourself for any 'pointers' whilst talking to them.


Keypoint Ministries

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
By Rick Branch

Founder: Charles Taze Russell

Founding Date: 1879

Official Publication: The Watchtower and Awake! magazines are published semi-monthly. They also publish one to two doctrinal study books each year.

Organization Structure: Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the organization is lead by a president and a group of men known as The Governing Body. This group oversees every aspect of the organization including the material that is written for the periodicals and the study books.

Unique Terms: The local congregation is called a Kingdom Hall. The Watchtower sometimes refers to itself as a Theocratic Organization or an organization which is directed by God.

Other Names: Jehovah's Witnesses.

HISTORY
Born in 1852, Charles Taze Russell founded the Zion's Watch Tower in 1879 and later incorporated the group under the name Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884. Because of his rejection of the doctrine of Hell, he would go on to reject nearly every other Christian doctrine as well as add many physically and spiritually dangerous doctrines of his own making. Many of these unique and bizarre teachings were to be found in his six volume series titled, Studies in the Scriptures.

Beginning with only a few followers in the 1880's, Russell began to spread his message to the world. In 1893 the first "national assembly" was held in Chicago. It was attended by "about 360" followers of Russell's teachings. At the conclusion of the assembly, Russell explains, "The Calvary Baptist Church of Chicago very kindly granted us the use of their baptistery; and, in all, 70 symbolized their baptism into Christ's death by immersion into water" (Jehovah's Witnesses In The Divine Purpose, p. 33). It was from this first national assembly that the idea for local assemblies grew into today's practice.

Russell died in 1916 and was replaced by the second president, Joseph F. Rutherford. "A process of replacing Russell's writings with Rutherford's began in 1921 with the publication of Rutherford's Harp of God. Between 1921 and 1941, Rutherford was to write twenty books and numerous pamphlets, which would slowly revise the doctrine and structure left him by Russell" (Encyclopedia of American Religions, G. Melton, Vol. 1, p. 485).

One of Rutherford's books that caused a great amount of controversy was the seventh volume of the Studies in the Scriptures. As a result of this replacing process, Rutherford had many critics. Some of the former followers of Russell's theology left the group and began their own organization. This was the beginning of groups such as the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement and later the Dawn Bible Students Association. Because of the confusion being caused by these and other new groups, the name of the organization was officially changed in 1931 to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's Witnesses In the Divine Purpose, p. 125-127).

It was under Rutherford's leadership that the organization began to experience its phenomenal growth. In 1928, the organization recorded 44,000 members and by his death in 1942, their membership had grown to over 115,000. Part of this growth can be attributed to Rutherford's insistence that the world was about to end and Armageddon was to happen any day.

The next president, Nathan H. Knorr, would streamline the organization and begin a worldwide outreach strategy that has survived into the 1990's. In 1943, he began the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. This was to be the forerunner of the Jehovah's Witnesses teaching methods of today. It was also under Knorr's leadership that the New World Translation was published. This translation, published in six volumes between 1950-1960, supports many Jehovah's Witnesses doctrines while ignoring accepted rules of language translation. At Knorr's death in 1977, the Watchtower had over 2.2 million members (Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1978, p. 30).

Under the leadership of Frederick W. Franz, fourth president, the Watchtower reached a total membership of over four million members. With Franz death in 1992, the current president, Milton G. Henschel, took the helm.

DOCTRINE
TRINITY: Joseph Rutherford made it quite clear that the Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. He stated, "The origin of the Trinity doctrine is traced back to the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians and other ancient mythologists. It will not be disputed by Jews and Christians that these ancient peoples worshiped demon gods and that God's typical nation of Israel was warned not to mingle with them because of this. It follows, then, that God was not the author of this doctrine. The obvious conclusion is, therefore, that Satan is the originator of the Trinity doctrine."

Nevertheless, sincere persons who want to know the true God and serve him find it a bit difficult to love and worship a complicated, freakish-looking, three-headed God. The clergy who inject such ideas will contradict themselves in the very next breath by stating that God made man in his own image; for certainly no one has ever seen a three-headed human creature" (Let God Be True, 2nd ed., pp. 101-102).

GOD THE FATHER: Known as Jehovah, the Watchtower considers Him to be the only true eternal God, the Almighty. They write, "There was, therefore, a time when Jehovah was all alone in universal space" (Let God Be True, p. 25). Being alone, the first creative act of Jehovah was to create his Son.

GOD THE SON: The Watchtower has consistently denied the deity of Christ. Under Knorr's leadership the Watchtower proclaimed, "Thus, for example, the Bible shows that there is only one God, the Most High, the Almighty. And that the Son, as the First-born, the Only-begotten and `the creation by God,' had a beginning" (From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, p. 164).

They further stated, "It proves that Michael the archangel is no other than the only-begotten Son of God, now Jesus Christ. The very name Michael means `Who is like God?' and indicates that Jehovah God is without like or equal and that Michael his archangel is his great Champion and Vindicator" (New Heavens and a New Earth, pp. 30-31).

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT: Similar to many other cults, Jehovah's Witnesses deny the deity of the Holy Spirit. They have written, "But the holy spirit has no personal name. The reason for this is that the holy spirit is not an intelligent person. It is the impersonal, invisible active force that finds its source and reservoir in Jehovah God and that he uses to accomplish his will even at great distances, over light years of space" (Let Your Name Be Sanctified, p. 269).

MAN'S DESTINY: According to Jehovah's Witness theology, a person has one of three possible destinies. The Anointed (144,000) will be in heaven to reign with Jehovah God. The rest of the faithful Jehovah's Witnesses (not of the 144,000) will live forever on a paradise Earth. Both of these classifications are determined to a great extent on membership in the Watchtower organization as well as going door-to-door spreading the message of the Watchtower. Those people who are not members of the Watchtower organization will be destroyed by Jehovah God and cease to exist. There is no concept of eternal punishment or hell in Watchtower theology (Let God Be True, pp. 90-95, 289).

Other Doctrines
1) Since its very inception, the Watchtower has made false prophecies about the end of the world. Predicting the end in one form or another for the years 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975 and 1989 has caused its membership to maintain a steady upward trend.

2) Rejecting the medical practices of vaccinations, organ transplants and blood transfusions, the Watchtower has caused the deaths of many of its members throughout its history. Interestingly, vaccinations and organ transplants have now been acknowledged by the Watchtower as acceptable practices, contradicting their previous doctrinal position.

3) The Watchtower has maintained a long standing policy of denying its members any involvement in political causes or service in the Armed Forces.

4) Believing many customs in traditional families to be pagan in nature, the Watchtower rejects the practices of celebrating personal birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Mothers' and Fathers' day as well as most other holidays.

BIBLICAL RESPONSE
1) While the Jehovah's Witnesses believe there is only one true God, they deny the biblical concept of the Trinity which teaches that the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. One God: Isa. 43:10; 44:6-8; 45:5-6, 18, 22; 1 Cor. 8:4. Father is God: 2 Peter 1:17; Phil. 2:11. Son is God: John 1:1; John 8:58; Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:6-9; Heb. 1:8. Holy Spirit is God: Acts 5:3-4.

2) Contrary to Watchtower theology, Jesus is not a created being or an angel, but rather is the Creator. John 1:2-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 22:8-9.

3) The Holy Spirit is not only God but also clearly has personality according to the Bible. John 16:13-14; Acts 8:29, 13:2.

4) A person does not gain favor with God by being a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses and going door-to-door. Rather, salvation is dependent upon one's relationship with Jesus Christ. John 3:3, 16-20; Acts 4:12; Rom. 3:24-26; 1 John 1:7-10.

5) The Bible is clear that everyone will exist eternally , either in a place known as heaven or in a place of eternal torment. Heaven: John 14:1-3; Rev. 6:9. Hell: Matt. 23:33, 25:41, 45; Rev. 20:14.

RESOURCES
Watchman Fellowship Witnessing Tape and Study Manuals
1) Jehovah's Witnesses and the Dating Game, documents many of the false prophecies of the Watchtower. Photocopies of actual Watchtower documents.

2) Doctrines Unto Destruction, looks at the changes in doctrinal issues including their medical prohibitions. Photocopies of actual Watchtower documents.

3) New World Translation: Is It The Word Of God?, examines photocopies of the Watchtower's translation of the Bible and unmasks the many errors in this poor translation.

4) The Watchtower Strikes Again!, exposes through use of photocopies the deceptive practices of the Jehovah's Witnesses as they attempt to deny the biblical doctrine of the Trinity.

Christian Books
1) Index of Watchtower Errors, David Reed, editor. This 138 page book, organized in a topical format, summarized what Jehovah's Witness leaders have taught on numerous topics from hundreds of sources.

2) Jehovah's Witnesses: Answered Verse by Verse, David Reed. After demonstrating how Jehovah's Witnesses twist the scriptures, this 139 page book helps Christians answer the Witnesses' unbiblical arguments with clear and concise scriptural responses.

3) Crisis of Conscience, Raymond Franz. Nephew to the fourth president of the Watchtower and former Governing Body member, Franz provides fascinating insights on the inner workings of the organization. 396 pages.

4) Why You Should Believe in the Trinity, Robert Bowman, Jr. Written largely as a response to the Watchtower's 32 page booklet, Should You Believe in the Trinity?, this much-needed reply gives helpful biblical and historical Christian defense of the Triune nature of God. 157 pages including indexes.

5) The Watchtower Files, Duane Magnani. This helpful book contains full-page reproductions of over 150 Watchtower publications. The accompanying dialogue provides suggested discussion formats for Christians witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses. 303 pages including indexes.


Watchman Fellowship

great post gunny

btw just to put my 2 cents in if you are marked as "ungodly" by them they will no longer visit your house so always try and keep them interested so they will return and don't come on to strong or you may loose your oppertunity to witness to them or others again

Originally posted by Project 86
"Please show scripture to back up your belief. Otherwise, you are no better than the JWs and the LDS."

Edprobe, you been shown 100's of scriptures on other posts and still refuse to believe Jesus was God. Don't ask for the same one's now unless you honestly are going to read them and not post your same rebutals again. People have made a great case for this belief and I pray that someday you accept Jesus as God. God bless you.

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Project 86,

From whom did you learn that Jesus is God?

Jesus SAID he is a MAN (John 8:40). Jesus also SAID that the FATHER (alone) is the ONLY true God (John 17:3,1).

Is your source of information (that Jesus is God) more TRUTHFUL than Jesus?

Apostle John WROTE that anyone who does NOT abide in the DOCTRINE of Christ does NOT have God (2 John 1:9).

Can you live with the thought that you DON'T have God?

Ed

Originally posted by Lynn
The Jesus that the LDS believe in is a mortal man who just happened to be very good and achieved Godhood. They also believe that they can achieve Godhood. This is not a Christian belief. Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God, fully man and fully God. You may not agree. That's ok, we can disagree.

As far as their attainment of eternal life goes.....I do not judge their salvation. That is up to God. Its not my job and I wouldn't want it.

lynn

Click to expand...

Lynn,

Your definition of a CHRISTIAN is NOT Biblical. A CHRISTIAN is a DISCIPLE of Christ (Acts 11:26) and a DISCIPLE of Christ is one who BELIEVES in Jesus and ABIDES in his word (John 8:31).

One who BELIEVES that Jesus is God is NOT a Christian because according to Jesus himself, he is a MAN (John 8:40) and the FATHER (alone) is the ONLY true God (John 17:3). In other words, one who believes that Jesus is God is NOT a DISCIPLE of Christ because he does NOT believe in Jesus and does NOT abide in his word.

As far as attainment of eternal life is concerned, those who BELIEVE in Jesus are  NOT condemned. But those who do NOT  believe are CONDEMNED already (John 3:18).

Ed

 

What is a Cult?
The term "cult" is not intended as a pejorative, inflammatory, or injurious word. The term is used simply as a means of categorizing certain religious or semireligious groups in modern America.


A cult may be defined from both a sociological and a theological perspective. Sociologically speaking, a cult is a religious or semireligious sect or group whose members are controlled or dominated almost entirely ;by a single individual or organization. A sociological definition of a cult generally includes (but is not limited to) the authoritarian, manipulative, and sometimes communal features of cults. Cults that fall into this category include the Hare Krishnas, The Children of God, and the Unification Church.

Theologically speaking, a cult is a religious group that claims to be Christian but in fact is not Christian because it denies one or more of the essential doctrines of historic, orthodox Christianity (as defined in the major historic creeds of Christianity). Groups that fall into this category include the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses.


What are some specific doctrinal characteristics of the cults?
In terms of doctrinal characteristics of cults, one will typically find an emphasis on new revelation from God, a denial of the sole authority of the Bible, a distorted view of God and Jesus, and/or a denial of salvation by Grace.

New Revelation. Many cult leaders claim to have a direct pipeline to God. The teachings of the cult often change and hence, they need new "revelations" to justify such changes. Mormons, for example, once excluded African-Americans from the priesthood. When social pressure was exerted against the Mormon church for this blatant form of racism, the Mormon president received a new "revelation" reversing the previous decree.

Denial of the sole authority of the Bible. Many cults deny the sole authority of the Bible. Christian Scientists, for example, elevate Mary Baker Eddy's book Science and Health to supreme authority. Members of the Unification Church elevate Reverend Moon's Divine Principle to supreme authority.

A distorted view of God and Jesus. Many cults set forth a distorted view of God and Jesus. The Jehovah's Witnesses deny both the Trinity and the absolute deity of Christ, saying that Christ is a lesser god than the Father (who is God Almighty). The Mormons say Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer. The Baha'is say Jesus was just one of many prophets of God. The Jesus of the spiritists is just an advanced medium.

Denial of salvation by grace. Cults typically deny salvation by grace, thus distorting the purity of the gospel. The Mormons, for example, emphasize the necessity of becoming more and more perfect in this life. The Jehovah's Witnesses emphasize the importance of distributing Watchtower literature door-to-door as a part of "working out" their salvation.

What are some specific sociological characteristics of the cults? Sociological characteristics of cults include such things as authoritarianism, exclusivism, dogmatism, isolationism, and threats of satanic attack.

Authoritarianism. Authoritarianism involves the acceptance of an authority figure who often uses mind-control techniques on group members. As prophet and/or founder, this leaders word is considered ultimate and final. The late David Koresh of the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas, is a tragic example. Members of this cult followed Koresh to the point of death.

Exclusivism. Cults often believe, "We alone have the truth." The Mormons believe they are the exclusive community of the saved on earth. The Jehovah's Witnesses believe they are the exclusive community of Jehovah on earth.

Extreme dogmatism. Closely related to the above, many cults are extremely dogmatic and this dogmatism is often expressed institutionally. For example, the Mormons claim to be the only true church on earth. The Jehovah's Witnesses claim that the Watchtower is the sole voice of Jehovah on earth.

Isolationism. The more extreme cults sometimes create fortified boundaries, often precipitating tragic endings, such as the disaster in Waco, Texas, with the Branch Davidian cult.

Threats of satanic attack. The Watchtower Society is typical of many cults in that it warns new followers that friends and relatives may very well be used by Satan to try to dissuade them from remaining with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Hence, when a friend or relative actually does try to dissuade a new member in this way, it makes the Watchtower Society appear to be a true prophet. This, in turn, encourages the new convert to be even more loyal to the Watchtower Society. The Watchtower's warning hence serves as an effective way of keeping new converts so they can be thoroughly indoctrinated into the cult.

Are sincere cultists lost?
Yes, they are. A person can sincerely take a pill that is unknowingly laced with cyanide. All the sincerity in the world is not going to stop that cyanide from killing the person. In the same way, a person can participate in a cult that, unknown to him, teaches all kinds of deadly doctrines. And all the sincerity in the world won't prevent him from going into eternity without Christ. Sincere cultists are indeed sincerely lost.

Paul noted in Romans 10 that the Christ-rejecting Jews were sincerely wrong in their attempt to get a right standing with God by good works. Sincerely believing something doesn't guarantee its truth.

The preceding discussion is from The Complete Book of Bible Answers - Answering the Tough Questions by Ron Rhodes pp.319-322. Harvest House Publishers, 1997.

CULTS


What is a cult?


A cult is a perversion, a distortion of biblical Christianity, and as such, rejects


the historic teachings of the Christian Church. The apostle Paul warned there


would be false Christs and a false gospel that would attempt to deceive


the true church and the world:

For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully... for such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ and no wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds (2Corinthians 11:13-15).

Walter Martin gives us a good definition of a cult when he says:

A cult , then, is a group of people polarized around someone's 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.

WHAT IS A CULT?

INTRODUCTION

Walter Martin in The Kingdom of the Cults, defines a cult as "any religious group which differs significantly in some one or more respects as to belief or practice from those religious groups which are regarded as the normative expressions of religion in our total culture. I may add to this that a cult might also be defined as a group of people gathered about a specific person or person's mis-interpretation of the Bible" (11). It is by this definition that Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Christian Science, etc. are cults. It is worthwhile to note that while many groups are classified as a cult, they insist that they be classified as "Christians" but their Bible twisting doctrine proves otherwise. It is also good to note that every Christian's purpose in witnessing to those affiliated with cults is in no way to judge people's character but the doctrine that they espouse. My purpose is to let Christians know the doctrines of this cult so they can provide a "ready defense" (1 Peter 3:15) and to have cult members see the truth because it will set them free (John 8:32).

Norman L. Geisler and Ron Rhodes in When Cultists Ask says, "There are three different dimensions of a cult - doctrinal, sociological, and moral... Keep in mind, though, that not every cult manifests every single trait we discuss" (10). Let us look at the three dimensions and the traits within them. These are how you can identify a cult.

DOCTRINAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A CULT

There are four characteristics in the doctrinal dimension of a cult. They are: New Revelation, Denial of the Sole Authority of the Bible, A Distorted View of God and Jesus, and Denial of Salvation by Grace. Lets go through each of them:

New Revelation - Cult's teachings often change and new revelations are needed to justify the changes.

Denial of the Sole Authority of the Bible - In order of the cults to push their idea of new revelation, they need to reject the sole authority of the Bible and put it on the same or in fact lower level as the new revelation.

A Distorted View of God and Jesus - Many cults do see Jesus as who he is - the Son of God who is fully God at the same time. They believe Jesus to a lower degree like a god but not the God. Cults reject the Trinity and they reject the existence of the Holy Spirit. Cults also reject the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Denial of Salvation by Grace - Cults reject the idea of salvation by grace. They mostly hold to salvation by works.

SOCIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A CULT

There are seven characteristics in the sociological dimension of a cult. They are: Authoritarianism, Exclusivism, Dogmatism, Close-mindedness, Susceptibility, Isolationism, and Antagonism. Lets go through each of them:

Authoritarianism - This is the acceptance of a authority figure who often uses mind-control techniques on their followers for control. The word of these authority figures (founder or prophet) are considered ultimate.

Exclusivism - Cults usually believe that they alone have the truth as opposed to other Christian denominations. Some cults practice communal living (some religious groups that practice communal living are not cults) to make it easier to maintain control over cult members.

Dogmatism - Cults believe that they alone have the truth and they are the only ones to interpret the Bible correctly.

Close-mindedness - Cult members are so devoted to their cult that they are unwilling to even consider any other point of view even if they know they are wrong.

Susceptibility - Many people that join cults are gullible and some are psychologically vulnerable. This goes hand in hand with close-mindedness in that they will ignore anything that contradicts their claims while practicing blind faith that is absent of sound reasoning.

Isolationism - Extreme cults create fortified boundaries and are hard on those who are thinking or are attempting to desert. Isolationism creates fear among cult members to obey their leaders giving them even more control.

Antagonism - Isolationism leads to antagonism toward the outside world. Other Christian groups are considered evil and bad.

MORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A CULT

There are four characteristics of the moral dimension of a cult. They are: Legalism, Sexual Perversion, Physical Abuse, and Intolerance toward Others. Lets go through each of them:

Legalism - Since cults reject salvation by grace, they often practice legalism. This is a setting down of rigid rules that are not Biblical. This is also for the leaders to control their members.

Sexual Perversion - In cults there are huge cases of sexual perversion. Some cults allow polygamy (more than one wife). Some cults sexually lure people into their cult. The leaders of some cults have been reported to having sex with a great deal of women in their cult including young girls.

Physical Abuse - Some cults are guilty of engaging in physical abuse. Many ex-cult members accuse their former leaders of beating, depriving of sleep and food as a way of control. Many times these attacks are directed at children. There is also psychological abuse (fear, isolation, intimidation). The ultimate physical abuse is killing members by making them drink poison or another way.

Intolerance toward Others - Many cults have a low tolerance toward people of other groups. This is seen in antagonism and sometimes leads to killings.

It is good to note again that not every cult has all of these characteristics. But every cults has at least one or more of the characteristics listed here! My purpose in this article was to perhaps give you an introduction to cults. God Bless!

WORKS CITED

Geisler, Norman L. and Rhodes, Ron. When Cultists Ask. Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1997.
Martin, Walter. The Kingdom of the Cults. Minneapolis, Bethany House Publishers, 1985.

Jesus is Lord Ministries

I work with Jehovahs Witnesses, and talk with them frequently and so far their beliefs are consistent with the bible.

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Their believes are not consistent with the Bible. The Watchtower Society prints their Bibles and their Bibles are Jehovah Wittness Bibles.

One of the things they don't believe is that Jesus Christ is God. They also don't believe that there is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus Christ.

 

There are many other believes they are not consistent in, I will not go into it right now, but if you go to a search engine and search for "former Jehovah Witnesses" you will find many webpages of newly born again Christians, who are former Jehovah Witnesses. These webpages will show you how Jehovah Witnesses are twisting scriptures to make it fit their organisation.

Characteristics of a cult

Josh McDowell

Extensive travel throughout the United States and abroad, has made us aware of certain features that characterize the cults. These include:

New Truth

Many cults promote the false idea that God has revealed something special to them. This is usually truth that has never before been reveal?ed and supersedes and contradicts all previous revelations. Sun Myung Moon's claim is that the mission of Christ was left unfinished and the world is now ready for the completion of Christ's work on earth.

The Unification Church teaches that the Rev. Moon is bringing truth previously unrevealed. Moon has said, "We are the only people who truly understand the heart of Jesus, the anguish of Jesus, and the hope of Jesus" (Rev. Moon, The Way of the World, Holy Spirit [wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth]'n for the Unification of World Christianity, Vol. VIII, No. 4, April, 1976).

The Mormon Church teaches that Christianity was in apostasy for some 18 centuries until God revealed new "truth" to Joseph Smith, Jr., restoring the true gospel that had been lost. Today the Mormon church has its living prophets who receive divine revelation from God, continual?ly bringing new "truth" to the world.

These and other cults justify their existence by claiming they have

something more than just the Bible and its "inadequate message."

The cults have no objective, independent way to test their teachings and practices. It's almost as though they feel just a firm assertion of their own exclusivity is sufficient proof of their anointing by God. However, as members of the universal Christian church, we can and should test all of our teachings and practices objectively and independently by God's

Some cults make no claim to new truth or extra‑biblical revelation, but believe they alone have the key to interpreting the mysteries in the Bible. The Scriptures are their only acknowledged source of authority, but they are interpreted unreasonably and in a way different from that of orthodox Christianity.



They testify that the historic beliefs and inter?pretations of Scripture are based upon a misunderstanding of the Bible or were pagan in origin. An example of this is found in the writings of Herbert W. Armstrong:



... I found that the popular church teachings and practices were not based on the Bible. They had originated... in paganism. The amazing, unbelievable TRUTH was, the sources of these popular beliefs and practices of professing Christianity was quite largely, paganism and human reasoning and custom, not the Bible! (Herbert W. Armstrong, The Autobiography of Herbert W Arm?strong, Pasadena: Ambassador College Press, 1967, p. 298, 294).



The Bible is then reinterpreted, usually out of context, to justify the peculiar doctrines of the cult. Without an objective and reasonable way to understand what the Bible teaches, the cult member is at the mercy of the theological whims of the cult leader.



A Non‑biblical Source of Authority

Some cults have sacred writings or a source of authority that supersedes the Bible. The Mormon Church says, "We believe the Bible to be the Word of God in so far as it is translated correctly. . ." (Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, Article 8). Although this sounds like the Mormons trust the Bible, they, in fact, believe it has been changed and corrupted. Listen to what the Mormon apostle Talmage has said:

There will be, there can be no absolutely reliable translation of these or other Scriptures unless it is effected through the gift of translation, as one of the endowments of the Holy Ghost ... Let the Bible then be read reverently and with prayerful care, the reader ever seeking the light of the Spirit that he may discern between the truth and the errors of men (James E. Talmage, The Ar?ticles of Faith, Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1968, p. 237).

Such a statement opens the door for their additional sacred books, i.e., The Book of Mormon, The Pearl of Great Price and Doctrines and Covenants, as greater authoritative sources. Thus, the Bible is not truly their final source of authority.

In Christian Science, the Bible is characterized as being mistaken and corrupt and inferior to the writings of Mary Baker Eddy.

The Unification Church believes the Bible to be incomplete, while Rev. Moon's Divine Principle is the true authoritative source.

Other groups such as The Way International and the Worldwide Church of God claim the Bible to be their final authority when in actuality their authority is the Bible as interpreted by the cult leader. Regardless of whether the Bible is superseded by other works or reinterpreted by a cult leader, a sure mark of a cult is that the final authority on spiritual mat?ters rests on something other than the plain teaching of Holy Scripture.

Another Jesus

One characteristic that is found in all cults is false teaching about the person of Jesus Christ in the light of historical biblical Christianity. The Apostle Paul warned about following after "another Jesus" (2 Corinthians 11:4) who is not the same Jesus who is revealed in Scripture. The "Jesus" of the cults is always someone less than the Bible's eternal God who became flesh, lived here on earth, and died for our sins.

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was God in human flesh, second person of the Holy Trinity, who lived a sinless life on earth and died as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus rose bodily from the dead. Fifty days afterward He ascended into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding on behalf of believers. He will, one day, return bodily to planet earth and judge the living and the dead while setting up His eternal Kingdom.

The Jesus of the cults is not the Jesus of the Bible.

According to the theology of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus did not ex?ist as God from all eternity but was rather the first creation of Jehovah God. Before coming to earth, He was Michael the Archangel, the head of all the angels. He is not God.

The Mormon Church does not accept the unique deity of Jesus Christ. He is, to them, one of many gods, the "first‑born spirit child," spiritually conceived by a sexual union between the heavenly Father and a heaven?ly mother. He was also the spirit‑brother of Lucifer in His preexistent state. His incarnation was accomplished by the physical union of the heavenly Father and the human Mary.

No matter what the particular beliefs of any cult may be, the one com?mon denominator they all possess is a denial of the biblical teaching on the deity of Jesus Christ.

Rejection of Orthodox Christianity

Characteristic of many cultic groups is a frontal attack on orthodox Christianity They argue that the church has departed from the true faith. Helena P. Blavatsky, founder of Theosophy, had this to say of orthodox Christianity:

The name has been used in a manner so intolerant and dogmatic, especially in our day, that Christianity is now the religion of arrogance, par excellence, a stepping‑stone for ambition, a sinecure for wealth, shame, and power; a con?venient screen for hypocrisy (H. P. Blavatsky, Studies in Occultism, Theosophical University Press, n.d., p. 138).

Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism, said he was given this assessment of the Christian Church when he inquired of the Lord as to which church to join:

... I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong;

and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomina?tion in His sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that "they draw near to Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me, they teach for doc?trines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof" (Joseph Smith, Jr., The Pearl of Great Price, 2:18‑19).



Double‑Talk

A feature of some cultic groups is that they say one thing publicly but internally believe something totally different. Many organizations call themselves Christians when in fact they deny the fundamentals of the faith.

The Mormon Church is an example of this kind of double‑talk. The first article of faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints reads, "We believe ... in His Son, Jesus Christ." This gives the impres?sion Mormons are Christians since they believe in Jesus Christ. However, when we understand the semantics of what they mean by Jesus Christ, we discover they are far removed from orthodox Christianity. Never?theless, the impression the Mormon Church gives from their advertis?ing is that they are another denomination or sect of Christianity. One, therefore, must be on the alert for organizations that advertise themselves as "Christians" but whose internal teachings disagree with Scripture.

Non‑biblical Teaching on the Nature of God (Trinity)

Another characteristic of all non‑Christian cults is either an inadequate view or outright denial of the Holy Trinity. The biblical doctrine of the Trinity, one God in three Persons, is usually attacked as being pagan or satanic in origin.

The Jehovah's Witnesses are an example of this. They say, "There is no authority in the Word of God for the doctrine of the trinity of the Godhead" (Charles Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, V, Brooklyn: In?ternational Bible Students, 1912, p. 54). "The plain truth is that this is another of Satan's attempts to keep the God‑fearing person from learn?ing the truth of Jehovah and His Son Christ Jesus" (Let God Be True, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1946, p. 93).

The Way International takes a similar position.," Long before the foun?ding of Christianity, the idea of a triune god or a god‑in‑three‑persons was a common belief in ancient religions. Although many of these religions had many minor deities, they distinctly acknowledged that there was one supreme god who consisted of three persons or essences. The Babylonians used an equilateral triangle to represent this three‑in‑one god, now the symbol of the modern three‑in‑one believers" (Jesus Christ Is Not God, Victor Paul Wierville, New Knoxville, Ohio: American Chris?tian Press, 1975, p. 11).

Cults, therefore, are marked by their deviation on the doctrine of the Trinity and the nature of God.

Cont'd

Chracteristics of a cult Cont'd

Josh Mcdowell



Changing Theology

Cult doctrines are continually in a state of flux and have no sure foun?dation on which to anchor their hope. Adherents of a particular cult will learn a doctrine only to find that doctrine later changed or contradicted by further revelation. Most cults will deny this, with the possible excep?tion of the Unification Church. Recently they admitted their theology was in a state of flux.

The Jehovah?s Witnesses, for example, used to believe vaccinations were sinful. Anyone who allowed himself to be vaccinated would lose his good standing in the organization. Today this is no longer taught.

Christianity Today, in an article interviewing William Cetnar (a former high official in the Jehovah's Witnesses), says:

The controversial ban on receiving blood transfusions will probably be lifted after Franz's death, [Frederick Franz, 87, is the president of the Jehovah's Witnesses] Cetnar thinks.

A new date for the end of the world (JWs have previously predicted Christ's return seven times) is likely to be announced, possibly 1988.

By sheer mathematical necessity, some change will have to be made in the JW doctrine that Christ will return before an elect 144,000 Witnesses have died. The 144,000 places were filled by those living in 1914 and few remain alive today. But Christ is supposed to return before the entire generation has died (Christianity Today, Nov. 20, 1981, p. 70).



The Mormon Church is equally guilty of changing doctrine. The most famous is its belief and practice, later prohibited, of polygamy.

Strong Leadership

Cults are usually characterized by central leader figures who consider themselves messengers of God with unique access to the Almighty. Since the leader has such a special relationship with God, he can dictate the theology and behavior of the cult. Consequently, he exercises enormous influence over the group. This is true, for example, in the Unification Church, The Way International and the Worldwide Church of God.

This strong leadership leads the cult follower into total dependence upon the cult for belief, behavior and lifestyle. When this falls into the hands of a particularly corrupt leader, the results can be tragic, as with Jim Jones and the People's Temple tragedy. The more dramatic the claims of a cult leader, the more the possibility of a tragic conclusion.

Salvation by Works

One teaching that is totally absent from all the cults is the gospel of the grace of God. No one is taught in the cults that he can be saved from eternal damnation by simply placing his faith in Jesus Christ. It is always belief in Jesus Christ and "do this" or "follow that." All cults attach something to the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. It might be baptism, obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, or something else, but it is never taught that faith in Christ alone will save anyone.

Herbert W. Armstrong, founder and leader of the Worldwide Church of God, exemplifies this:

Salvation, then, is a process! But how the God of this world would blind your eyes to that! He tries to deceive you into thinking all there is to it is just "accepting Christ" with "no works"‑ and presto‑chango, you are pronounced "saved." But the Bible reveals that none is yet saved (Herbert W. Armstrong, Why Were You Born? p.11).

False Prophecy

Another feature of the cults is they often promulgate false prophecy. Cult leaders, who believe they have been divinely called by God, have made bold predictions of future events, supposedly revealed by the inspiration of God. Unfortunately, for the cult leaders, these predictions of future events do not come to pass. The one who prophesied is exposed as a false prophet.

Writing in 1967, Herbert W. Armstrong, (leader of the Worldwide Church of God), said, "Now other prophecies reveal we are to soon have (probably in about four years) such drought and famine, that disease epidemics will follow, taking millions of lives... Well, we have been get?ting foretastes of them! That condition is coming! And I do not mean in 400 years ‑ nor in 40 years ‑ but in the very next four or five! " (Herbert W. Armstrong, The United States and British Commonwealth in Proph?ecy. Pasadena: Ambassador College Press, 1967, p. 184).

The Jehovah's Witnesses have a well‑established record of making false prophecies. This pattern was established by their founder and first presi?dent, Charles T. Russell, who conclusively prophesied the end of the world for 1914. judge for yourself (I John 4:1).

The Founder Speaks

1. "ALL PRESENT GOVERNMENTS WILL BE OVERTHROWN AND DISSOLVED" IN 1914- The Time Is At Hand, pp. 98‑99 (1889)

2.1914 "THE FARTHEST LIMIT OF THE RULE OF IMPERFECT

MAN." The Time Is At Hand, p. 77 (1906 ed) *

3. "THE RE‑ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL IN THE LAND OF

PALESTINE Thy Kingdom Come, p. 244, EARTHLY JERUSALEM TO BE RESTORED TO DIVINE FAVOR. ‑The Time Is At Hand, p.77

4. "THE FULL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE EARTH AT A.D. 1914." Thy Kingdom Come, p. 126 (1891) * "ON THE RUINS OF PRESENT INSTITUTIONS."- The Time Is At Hand, p. 77 (1912 ed)*

5. CHRIST WAS SPIRITUALLY PRESENT IN 1874. ‑Thy Kingdom

Come, pp. 127‑129, "AND WILL BE PRESENT AS EARTH'S NEW RULER" IN 1914;‑‑ The Time Is At Hand, p. 77

6. "BEFORE THE END OF A.D. 1914, THE LAST MEMBER OF THE 'BODY OF CHRIST' WILL BE GLORIFIED WITH THE HEAD." The Time Is At Hand, p. 77, (1906 ed)*

*The Watchtower Society in later editions made changes in what Russell stated here in an attempt to cover up his erroneous predictions.



Conclusion

While not every group that possesses these characteristics can be label?ed a cult, beware of a group that embraces some of these features. The sure mark of a cult is what it does with the person of Jesus Christ. All cults ultimately deny the fact that Jesus Christ is God the Son, second Person of the Holy Trinity, and mankind's only hope.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE CULTS FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE TO AID THE BELIEVER IN FACING ONE OF THE GREATEST DANGERS CONFRONTING THE CHURCH TODAY
What is A Cult?

The media views such groups as Jim Jones' People's Temple and Rev. Moon's Unification Church as cults, but not groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).

Psychologists define a cult as a group which deviates from cultural norms.

The dictionary defines a cult as "a group of followers."

For the Christian, Dr. Walter R. Martin states:

"A cult, then, is a group of people polarized around someone's 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." (The Rise of the Cults, page 12).

The Marks Of The Cults

The four basic operations of math, when applied in the following manner to any religious group, will aid Christians in detecting theological errors which characterize a cult.

+ ADDITION +

Does the religious group under consideration add to the Word of God through indispensable publications that claim to give the Bible's clear meaning or through present-day direct revelation from God?

- SUBTRACTION -

Does the examined group subtract from the person of the Lord Jesus Christ by making Him less "God " than His Father or by elevating man one day to become like Him?

x MULTIPLICATION x

Does the sect under consideration multiply the requirements for salvation by making works a necessary condition for redemption?

÷ DIVISION ÷

Does the religious group in question divide the loyalty of its members between God and itself and its leaders? Also, does the sect make devotion to the organization a test of faith and consider adherence to itself the vehicle of salvation for the follower?

Adding To The Word Of God

Christians regard the Bible as the sole final authority in God's revelation to mankind and its meaning clear. While most cults will regard the Bible as the Word of God, a major pattern in these sects is their addition to the Word of God.

Jehovah's Witnesses claim that one cannot understand the Bible without their publications. The May 1, 1957, Watchtower magazine states: "God has not arranged for that Word to speak independently or to shine forth life-giving truths by itself" (page 274).

Mormons in their publication The Pearl of Great Price announce, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly" (page 64). The Mormons further regard their Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price as more reliable Scriptures than the Bible.

The Unification Church claims, in its Divine Principle, that "The Bible, however, is not the truth itself, but a textbook teaching the truth. . . we must not regard the textbook as absolute in every detail." (page 9).

Christian Scientists believe that "a material and mortal sense stole into the divine record, with its own hue darkening to some extent the inspired pages" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, page 139). Thus the writings of Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy are used to remove the hue that "darkens the inspired pages."

Subtracting From The Person Of Christ

The hallmark of the Christian faith is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament authors wrote, the Apostolic Fathers believed, and the Church today affirms the Deity of Jesus Christ. A re-occurring major deviation from biblical Christianity, adhered to by the cults, is a defective Christology. Some sects attempt to have a "Jesus" who worked his way to Godhood, while others only give him the status of an angel.

Jehovah's Witnesses claim that the Lord Jesus is not Almighty God, but rather may be called "a god" because of His divine-like qualities. The Truth Shall Make You Free states: "Being the only begotten Son of God and 'the firstborn of every creature,' the Word would be a prince among all other creatures. In this office he bore another name in heaven, which name is Michael" (page 49).

Mormons appear to announce the Christian teaching that Jesus is God, however, a radical twist is presented. Namely that Jesus was both spiritually and physically begotten by God the Father. Jesus supposedly worked His way to Godhood as His Father before Him and as thousands will do after Him. The Articles of Faith states: "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may be" (page 430).

The Way International emphatically makes known its Christology through the title of its founder's book, Jesus Christ is Not God. This publication states that, "Jesus Christ is not God, but the Son of God. They are not 'co-eternal, without beginning or end, and co-equal.' Jesus Christ was not literally with God in the beginning; neither does he have all the assets of God" (page 5).

The Unification Church also looks to a "Jesus" who is less than very God. Rev. Moon, in The Divine Principle, announces, "Jesus, being one body with God, may be called a second God (image of God), but he can by no means be God Himself" (page 211).

Multiplying The Requirements For Salvation

For the Christian, God's grace is the vehicle for salvation. The Bible declares, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Eph. 2:8,9). However, in the cults, works play a major role in achieving salvation.

The system of salvation for many of the major non-Christian groups can be better understood by the formula:

FAITH + WORKS = SALVATION

The biblical plan can be described by the formula:

FAITH = SALVATION + WORKS

Mormons achieve their ultimate salvation through a series of work-related actions. For a person to enter the highest degree of glory (where one becomes a "God") one must, in addition to faith and repentance, be baptized, tithe, perform temple duties, be married in a Mormon temple, and rid from their life such things as the drinking of coffee and alcoholic beverages.

Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to look to "anointed" brothers (and leaders) of its organization to gain eternal life (see The Watchtower, August 1, 1981, page 26). They must do this because the Watchtower has removed from them Christ's role as mediator. The April 1, 1979, Watchtower states: "Jesus is the mediator only for anointed Christians" (page 31).

The Unification Church employs a concept similar to the Hindu teaching of Karma. This "paying of indemnity" is stressed in The Divine Principle and Its Application, in stating that, "God is constantly urging and inspiring man to pay off his debt quickly so that man can return to him" (page 48).

Christian Scientists also disparage the atoning work of Christ. Science and Health with a Key to the Scriptures announces: "Final deliverance from error, whereby we rejoice in immortality, boundless freedom, and sinless sense, is not reached through paths of flowers nor by pinning one's faith without works to another's vicarious effort" (page 22).

Dividing The Follower's Loyalty

A Christian's allegiance is to be directed to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul instructs "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men" (1 Cor. 7:23). Those who are followers of the cults will be repeatedly required to divide their loyalty between their church and its leaders and God.

Additonal Patterns In The Cults

A recurring trend found within many cults is speculation and date-setting, particularly concerning the return of Christ. This enables the sect to be able to enlist new members or converts and also to gain stronger allegiance from its present followers.
Obscure biblical attention through an authoritative and dogmatic stand on debatable or minor Bible issues that have no bearing on our salvation.
Financial exploitation of followers by the cult that goes beyond the voluntary giving system of the New Testament to a coercive control of the member's finances. A price may be applied to healing, whether physical or spiritual, to spiritual progress, or to salvation itself.
The denial of eternal punishment can become a leading attraction for the cults. The cultic trend is to deny the existence of hell directly by opting for annihilation or offering a second chance to unbelievers or proclaiming that God will in effect save everyone regardless of where one has placed his trust while on earth.
Another pattern is the fostering of paranoia by citing one group or element of society as planning a conspiracy for world takeover. Also an isolationist attitude, that is an "us against the world" elitist stance taken by the group.
A characteristic which has plagued many a cult group is that of doctrinal changes. Numerous groups have found shifts in theology to take place after the death of one leader and the replacement by the successor or have made alterations because of inner strife or outside social pressure.
Ties to spiritualistic practices is another trait that may be found in several cults. Such activity includes clairvoyance, automatic writings, claimed angelic direction, and alleged help in spiritual matters from departed loved ones.
The uncertain or ambiguous hope of salvation is an additional deceitfully clever device utilized by the cults. A person who never really has the certainty of possessing eternal life can be continually manipulated into striving for unrealizable goals. Fear becomes the motivator of one's actions.

Personal Freedom Outreach

Going by the definition of 'Cult', the first Christians where a cult until they became a large religion.

It added demon possession in the repertoire of teachings.

It took away circumcision.

It changes the Jewish Laws.

It requires to be born again under Christ.

It killed people who committed trivial sins. Acts 5:1-10

Matthew 7:4-5 (NIV)
How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

I other words I still say I see JW as Christians. Sure they are far from perfect

Originally posted by Hank

I other words I still say I see JW as Christians.

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Jehovah Witnesses, LDS, Iglesia ni Cristo, etc... deny the diety of Jesus Christ. Christians embrace the deity of Jesus Christ for God's Word states this fact.

Jehovah Witnesses is a works based salvation. Jesus Christ's death, shed blood and ressurection is not sufficient for salvation according to JW doctrine. Man must contribute or add his own works to obtain salvation.

This doctrine makes God weak and ineffective, dependent on sinful man for help in saving man.

Rejection of Jesus as God, rejection of the Trinity, and rejection of salvation by Jesus Christ alone by grace alone is the theme that is dominant amongst all cults that claim secret knowledge revealed by a founder or leader of their particular teaching and preaching of a gospel contrary to The Gospel Of Jesus Christ contained within God'a Word.

No. How can they be Christians when they follow a false Christ?

MikeMcK said:

No. How can they be Christians when they follow a false Christ?

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You'd be amazed at how many Christians say exactly this about YOU. If this were an easy answer, you wouldn't have tens of thousands of different organized forms of Christianity.

Do this....think about how sure you are of your faith. Now imagine one of those people being just as sure about theirs. That's how it's done.

tcampen said:

You'd be amazed at how many Christians say exactly this about YOU. If this were an easy answer, you wouldn't have tens of thousands of different organized forms of Christianity.

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There aren't "tens of thousands of different organized forms of Christianity", there are two. Those who hold to the essentials of orthodoxy and those who don't. Of those who don't, many are not Christian to begin with.

Do this....think about how sure you are of your faith. Now imagine one of those people being just as sure about theirs. That's how it's done.

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The difference is, of course, that I can demonstrate where my beliefs are taught in scrupture. Mormons and JW's can't.

Alida said:

 

Their believes are not consistent with the Bible. The Watchtower Society prints their Bibles and their Bibles are Jehovah Wittness Bibles.
Jehovah's Witnesses will use other Bibles and usually own several translations but prefer the NWT. I myself learned the Truth from a KJV and often use the ASV when speaking to someone who objects to the NWT.
One of the things they don't believe is that Jesus Christ is God. They also don't believe that there is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus Christ.
This is absurd. Jehovah's Witnesses believe only in Salvation through Jesus Christ and all prayers are directed to Jehohah in Jesus name. No we don't believe Jesus is God He himself said he wasn't that only his Father Jehovah should be Worshipped.


There are many other believes they are not consistent in, I will not go into it right now, but if you go to a search engine and search for "former Jehovah Witnesses" you will find many webpages of newly born again Christians, who are former Jehovah Witnesses. These webpages will show you how Jehovah Witnesses are twisting scriptures to make it fit their organisation.

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This is quite possibly because they either never had a proper understanding to begin with or are retaliating against the Organization for being disfellowshipped the most common cause of which is fornication and being unrepentant about it.also lying cheating and stealing are not allowed

As far as being saved no one is once saved always saved look at Judas. James states that Faith without works is dead so it stands to reason that more than just a cursory faith is needed to be saved and even then the scriptures point out that probably one might be saved not definetly