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Cults
- Thread starter mambutuu
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Got this from my church mag that just came out:
hope it helps:
According to the New Oxford Dictionary Of English, a "cult" is:
1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object
2. a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.
The word is derived from the Latin noun "cultus", which is related to the Latin verb "colere", which means "to worship or give reverence to a deity".
We can use the term "cult" in this sense to refer to any aberrant group of religious believers like the Jehovah's Witnesses. In most instances, culfic groups within a main religion such as Buddhism or Christianity believe strongly that THEIR group's way is the one and only way to get to heaven or to attain enlightenment, to the exclusion of all others.
There will also be a set of beliefs that members are to follow to the letter. In the context of the Christian world, a cult would claim that its beliefs are in harmony with Christianity, but in reality, they deny or misinterpret essential Bible doctrines.
Ronald M. Enroth, Professor of Sociology at Westmont College in California and author of many books and articles on cults, identified some interesting characteristics and types of cults.
Characteristics
Authoritarian
Only one, or a small group of individuals provide, authoritarian leadership.
Exclusive
Believe that they are the only group who have been given new special insights or revelation that no one else ever had. As a result, all other groups are in error.
Legalistic
Controls almost every aspect of its followers' lives, such as daily reports on where they had their meals.
Subjective
Unhealthy emphasis is placed on experience and emotions such that its members stop thinking for themselves.
Persecution Conscious
Persistent belief that their group is singled out for persecution, sometimes leading to a siege mentality.
Sanction Oriented
Demands total obedience failing which harsh punishments are meted out.
Cult categories
Eastern
Mystical Groups that believe in Pantheism - a belief system which identifies God with the universe or regards the universe as a manifestation of God. A
Aberrant
Christian Groups that claim to be Bible based but are not so in practice and belief.
Eclectic
Groups like the Unification Church (also known as Moonies) that combine traditions from several religions.
Established Cults
Bible-mimicking, cultic religious movements that have achieved mainstream status. Examples of such cults are Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science,
Extremist/ Political/ Social Movements
Groups like the Aryan Nation, White Aryan Resistance and the Ku Klux Klan.
hope it helps:
According to the New Oxford Dictionary Of English, a "cult" is:
1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object
2. a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.
The word is derived from the Latin noun "cultus", which is related to the Latin verb "colere", which means "to worship or give reverence to a deity".
We can use the term "cult" in this sense to refer to any aberrant group of religious believers like the Jehovah's Witnesses. In most instances, culfic groups within a main religion such as Buddhism or Christianity believe strongly that THEIR group's way is the one and only way to get to heaven or to attain enlightenment, to the exclusion of all others.
There will also be a set of beliefs that members are to follow to the letter. In the context of the Christian world, a cult would claim that its beliefs are in harmony with Christianity, but in reality, they deny or misinterpret essential Bible doctrines.
Ronald M. Enroth, Professor of Sociology at Westmont College in California and author of many books and articles on cults, identified some interesting characteristics and types of cults.
Characteristics
Authoritarian
Only one, or a small group of individuals provide, authoritarian leadership.
Exclusive
Believe that they are the only group who have been given new special insights or revelation that no one else ever had. As a result, all other groups are in error.
Legalistic
Controls almost every aspect of its followers' lives, such as daily reports on where they had their meals.
Subjective
Unhealthy emphasis is placed on experience and emotions such that its members stop thinking for themselves.
Persecution Conscious
Persistent belief that their group is singled out for persecution, sometimes leading to a siege mentality.
Sanction Oriented
Demands total obedience failing which harsh punishments are meted out.
Cult categories
Eastern
Mystical Groups that believe in Pantheism - a belief system which identifies God with the universe or regards the universe as a manifestation of God. A
Aberrant
Christian Groups that claim to be Bible based but are not so in practice and belief.
Eclectic
Groups like the Unification Church (also known as Moonies) that combine traditions from several religions.
Established Cults
Bible-mimicking, cultic religious movements that have achieved mainstream status. Examples of such cults are Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science,
Extremist/ Political/ Social Movements
Groups like the Aryan Nation, White Aryan Resistance and the Ku Klux Klan.
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Basically I agree with Andrew's definitions and insights. In its 'purest' form, the term 'cult' could apply to any reigious movement - including orthodox Christianity - as it simply implies a system and/or lifestyle of belief in and worship of a particular person/idea or whatever. However, in most common usage, the term implies something sinister or 'illigitimate' - thus, form a Christan viewpoint, any sect which honours a particular person or concept over and above God, as incarnated in Jesus Christ.
There are many characteristics of such groups, most of which Andrew touches on - the 'control' element of leaders over members being one of the most sinister (and one which does infiltrate some otherwise relatively orthodox Christian groups - of which I myself was a member for several years).
I go into much greater detail at my own website - http://www.geocities.com/truelightmin/cultpage.html - where you will also find links to various evangelical Christian organisations specialising in the study of various aberrant groups, and to the "Christian
Counter Cult Webring" (which I manage).
Anthony
There are many characteristics of such groups, most of which Andrew touches on - the 'control' element of leaders over members being one of the most sinister (and one which does infiltrate some otherwise relatively orthodox Christian groups - of which I myself was a member for several years).
I go into much greater detail at my own website - http://www.geocities.com/truelightmin/cultpage.html - where you will also find links to various evangelical Christian organisations specialising in the study of various aberrant groups, and to the "Christian
Counter Cult Webring" (which I manage).
Anthony
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