Re: [TruthTalk] Cults

[Marlin Halverson]

Is 7th Day Adventist a cult?  Some Christians say it is, some say it is not.  There was a time in England when the official Christian government approved church put to death a child's parents for teaching their child to recite the Lord's Prayer in English.  The parents were burned at the stake.   The point is that the majority has always persecuted the minorities.  Instead of murdering them, today we just label people who are different as cultists.    Defining what is a cult is a task in itself.  What I have found is that those pointing the fingers manifest the very elements that they are accusing others of having, simply because they oppose the beliefs of the others that differ from their own.   This link came up on top of about 171,000 for the words "cult definition" in a Google search:   http://www.spiritwatch.org/cultdef.htm   One member of the Cult Awareness Network admitted to me that there is a cult of cult watchers when I posed the question to her.  She laughed, but her answer was serious.   The contentious spirit I have witnessed from some of the contributors in this group is the very thing that will drive some into groups that have "cult" like behavior.  They will retreat into the comfort of a sympathetic group, instead of being encouraged to keep their eyes on Jesus Christ.   This is the danger of groups.  If God's people are not encouraged to look directly to God, they may end up following fallible men.  I believe that the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, mentioned in the book of Revelation, has something to do with its Greek meaning: the "lords ruling over the laity."    http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/nicoltn.html (A study about the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.)   While God calls participants with this doctrine His Church, he hates their deeds, because it is idolatry to follow men instead of Jesus Christ.  I am already joined to Jesus Christ, and am part of His Church at large.  It does not make sense for me to "join" a "church."     Another idol is the fear of what other men think, a fear of being labeled "weird," or a "fool."  It is better to fear God than men.  This is "group control," another form of manipulation.  This puts others before God.  I guess this is better than the days when other Christians would label you a witch and burn you at the stake.   Love,   Marlin ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, November 11, 2002 7:11 PM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Xmas