The Olivet Discourse: A Christian Cult Study

The word “Cult” has not always had such a negative connotation attached to it. Many religions would’ve been considered cults when they first began. By the end of the 19th century many visionaries had revealed radically new religious systems, claiming immunity to the impurities of the old ones (Powers, 1997). These were no more than a group of people organizing themselves in worship and devotion for a person, object, or movement. They practiced rituals different to other “mainstream” religions, and were therefore considered cults.

Moses: Like the other monotheistic faiths, my people believe in one God, and only one. The Greek, for example, believe in more than one God; this makes them polytheistic.

Cultic activity has taken place since the practice of religion was established thousands of years ago. Since then, literally thousands of denominations have been inoculated throughout the world, especially in the United States. A cult, according to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is a system of religious beliefs and rituals. By definition, this includes organizations such as Baptists, Catholics as well as Satanists and Witches. While this maybe true, cults have been popularly perceived as Separatists who are consumed by the belief of apocalyptic events, and the leader is someone who believes he or she is chosen by God or some other deity to lead those who are to follow him or her. One group that fits this description is the

including the virgin birth and the bodily resurrection of Christ” ( Moran 191 ). This made

Cults have existed throughout history since the beginning of time. A cult is defined in Webster’s dictionary as a “system of religious worship with a devoted attachment to a person, principle, etc.” Over the past thirty years numerous religious cults have caused “ tens of thousands to abandon their families, friends, education’s, and careers to follow the teaching of a leader they will never meet”(Beck 78).

Mormonism Mormonism is a very diverse religion and has a lot of beliefs contrary to other religions. It began in the 1820’s by a man named Joseph Smith. This was just in the same time period as the second great awakening, so that could have very well had an affect on the religion’s foundation. Smith claims having a vision from God after praying to which denomination he should join. In this vision Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ as two different beings. Instead of where christianity God is all one being or known as the trinity, God the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. He made claims the Lord told him to make his own denomination and to not have anything to do with any other because they were all wrong. Joseph Smith started

The Church of Scientology is a secretive organisation that keeps its followers tight under its extremely protective wings. Knowledge of the church is becoming more widespread than ever before and awareness is growing of the way the church is run and how it snares its followers. There is a great deal of controversy around how loosely the term ‘religion’ covers this church. Some feel its practices do not equate to that of any other mainstream religion whatsoever and that, consequently, it is a cult. However, Scientology members are angered when the term ‘cult’ is used to define their system of belief and claim that it should

I appreciate your contribution to this week's topic "Cults." You indicated, "That demonstrates impartiality, and openness, and willingness to engage in discussion the individual. The individual already believes he or she may be right, or that their possible doubts are because of their personal lack of faith." To further elaborate on your point, it appears that most cult members are extremely witty and lose the love and hope of being, thus "the members" covet to be in a group, to feel a sense of love, hope, and belonging. What these cult members do not know is that, they are headed for destruction and calamity. No man or woman will ever be able to fulfill the emptiness without God's presence. Muck declares, in contemporary cultures, there

The prophetic testimony of Peter (1:16-21) a. Christ is a fact in history and in our lives b. God's Word is a Light to the darkness of the world c. Allow His Word to shine in your heart d. Real prophecy and knowledge comes from God, not our agendas Chapter 2: The Problem of False Teachers I. False doctrines are extremely destructive (2:1-3) a. False teachers will come, or, are already here b. False teachers like secrecy, and work to undermine the real work of Christ c. Number of followers is no sign of authenticity d. They use deception and manipulation II.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines cult as: "a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also: its body of adherents." Indeed, any religion involving unconditional worship and unquestioning obedience to God could be labeled as a cult (using the derogatory suggestion of the word), since such a religion would have that high level of dependency, obedience, and unwavering compliance ascribed to cults by definition. Many mainstream religions still require their members to believe in God unquestioningly, to have faith that he is good and that what he does is good, to consider one's own wants and needs as unimportant while accepting the will of God as paramount. All of these are certainly characteristics commonly attributed to cults, but while it would not be unreasonable to apply this definition of a cult to any dogmatic religion that requires strict compliance with God's word and will as a condition of membership, the notion of applying the word "cult" to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or any other major world religion today is considered absurd. There are those who make this very claim: that those who worship God fit the classic depiction of cult members in their dogmatism, unswerving

There is not a set, universal definition of a cult. When looking at multiple sources or even making a quick search on the internet, many contradictory statements and definitions are brought about, most of them carrying a negative connotation. Upon hearing the word “cult,” one tends to associate it with satanic rituals, black magic, murder, and many other dark, mysterious things. In its simplest form, a cult seems to be a group of people with a charismatic leader. However, this definition is not complete. The definition of a cult can be subdivided into two categories: the benign or positive cult, and the bad or destructive cult. In a benign cult, the leader will share leadership with other group members. The cult as a whole

Cults have been around in various degrees throughout human history. These generally begin in small groups of devotion, and while most of them stay within their small groups, others can manifest into larger religions. However, due to extremist behaviors, cults have a tendency to carry a negative connotation. A cult is defined by the Meriam-Webster dictionary as an unorthodox/spurious religion with great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work.

[2 The word Trinity is the Christian doctrine of the Godhead.] The Trinity is considered a divine mystery beyond comprehension. The word trinity itself is never actually used in the bible, but is clearly see in the scriptures. Old testament one of the old testament verses that share the trinity is Gen 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” The first story of creation supports the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and at the very least, it does not oppose the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. A New testament passage that supports the trinity is John 1:1-11 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life,and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.” I chose each of these verses, because they line up very well.

One could read the Bible in its original Hebrew and Greek texts, while simultaneously investigating every English translation available and not find the word Trinity even once in any language. Certainly the concept, when compared to any other, is revolutionary in nature. Everything about God is revolutionary. This paper will illustrate that no one Person of the Trinity is above another. Also, focus will be placed on the relationship of the three Persons while explaining their function in relation to each Other. It is true the word Trinity does not exist in the Holy Bible, but the truth of the Trinity is present. This is not a manipulation; this is not even something our finite minds presume. The explicit and overwhelming paradigm of the Triune God expressed in the Bible is obvious to the Christian. Hodge has declared, “To the eye of an uneducated man the heavens are a chaos of stars. The astronomer sees order and system in this confusion . . . all are so arranged that no one interferes with any other, but each is directed according to one comprehensive and magnificent conception.” God has declared in the Bible, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 [ESV]) This concept is vital to understand if we are to indeed know God for who He is and have a relationship with Him. Our relationship with God is the most important and intimate relationship we could ever have and is only possible when we fully understand the attributes

The Savior’s Atonement cannot become commonplace in our teaching, in our conversation, or in our hearts. It is sacred and holy, for it was through this “great and last sacrifice” that Jesus the Christ brought “salvation to all those who shall believe on his name.”6