Cults?!

So I find this an interesting subject. I've heard the term thrown around before I came to CC. Honestly I have seen the term thrown around here more than most places. I wonder if people actually understand what a cult is. So maybe, before we use a term, we need to understand what the term means. According to the world outside the church, we are all part of a cult. But I don't mean the secular definition. Biblically what constitutes a cult? Use Scripture where possible, and tell my why a person should be considered part of a cult.

Cults could have many definitions. You really can't go by 'dictionary definitions' to find the meaning of a religous cult. And I don't think anyone can define a 'religious cult'. Most likely they'll define a 'religious cult' as a religious sect that doesn't believe what they believe.

Decades ago, when the Supreme Court was initially faced with the 'definition of pornography' they said they couldn't give it an exact definition. What they did say is that, 'You'll know pornography when you see it.'

The same applies to a 'religious cult'. When you observe/study Jim Jones and his People's Temple of Jonestown, there'll be no doubt that what you are seeing is a cult. Jonestown Part 1: Who was the Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones? - Bing video

Or, The Heaven's Gate Cult who all committed suicide when the Hale Bopp comet appeared: Friends and family speak out about Heaven’s Gate cult tragedy l GMA - Bing video

Or David Koresh and his Branch Davidians:Branch Davidians - YouTube

Actually, there are too many examples of extreme cults to count.

So, don't try and define a cult, there is no exact definition. For sure, a cult is not a religious sect that believes differently from you. AS I STATED, YOU'LL KNOW A CULT WHEN YOU SEE IT, AND THERE WILL BE NO MISTAKING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This will sound extreme, but I honestly believe before God Almighty that every "church" that I've ever stepped foot in over the course of my entire lifetime was/still is a "cult". Primarily in that none of them even came close to teaching what the Bible actually teaches, but there were a lot of other bizarre things to consider as well.

For example, I got married on the beach in Florida in February of 2001, and then my wife (my ex, now) and I moved back up to New Jersey near the end of September of that same year or slightly after the whole 9-11 Twin Towers thing went down. While we were in Florida, she and I worked for a cleaning company for a few months, and we actually started up our own cleaning business when we moved back to New Jersey. I should mention that I used to preach on the streets of New York and New Jersey before moving to Florida for those few months, and that I also preached briefly on the streets in Florida as well.

Well, when we started our cleaning business, I began contacting "churches" in the area to see if they wanted to hire us to clean their buildings. When I called one particular "church", the receptionist put me through to one of the "church" elders, and he and I spoke for several minutes. He asked me about my business, and I explained that to him while also mentioning to him that I was a street preacher. He, in turn, told me that their "church" was not only looking to hire someone to clean their building, but that they were also looking for an evangelist/street preacher to help bring people to their "church". He then asked me to come to their service that Sunday while telling me that he was going to arrange a meeting between me and the pastor after the service that day.

Sooooo, Sunday rolled around, and I got to the "church" early as was my norm. The very first thing that I saw as I entered the building was a grown man fully garbed in a clown costume. You know, funny hat, orange wig, white face, red nose, polka dot outfit, striped socks, and big goofy shoes. You get the picture. While seeking to console myself, I thought, "Well, they're probably having some sort of event for the children here today", and off I went into the "church" sanctuary. After I endured their so-called "praise and worship", an elder grabbed a microphone, and said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our guest speaker today, Koko the clown".

Mind you, this was the regular Sunday morning ADULT SERVICE.

So, Koko did his schtick.

You know, he pulled some lightbulbs out of the "pastor's" ear, and other things like that.

By then, I was starting to get a bit hot under the color, but, don't forget, I had my scheduled meeting with the "pastor" after the service, and I had some real "cleaning" to do at this point.

The service finally ended (THANK GOD!), and the elder who I spoke to on the phone approached me and asked me what I thought of the service.

In his defense, I probably should have had A BIG RED WARNING LABEL affixed to my forehead, but, hey, he asked, so I told him.

He got infuriated with me, and told me that their "church" doesn't believe in things like "repentance" and "the fear of the Lord", and that they REGULARLY bring in clowns to "preach" to the congregation.

Needless to say, I never had the meeting with the "pastor".

THIS is what they wanted me to draw people on the streets to via my street preaching.

Anyhow, that's just one of hundreds of true horror stories that I could share.

Unbelievable. Just . . . unbelievable.

Like I said, just one of hundreds of true horror stories I could share.

And just like the Sadducees, Pharisees, and teachers of the law (from yesterday), these "churches" absolutely believe that they possess the Truth.

John 9:39-41 NKJV - 39 And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." 40 Then [some] of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?" 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.

and that they REGULARLY bring in clowns to "preach" to the congregation.

It's scary.

I literally cannot read my Bible without recalling some bizarre encounter that I've had with a professing "Christian" over the years, and several of them were "pastors" and even "deans" of Bible colleges. One "pastor", who later became a "bishop" who oversaw several "churches", shoved me up against a wall after hurling an ethnic slur at me.

Anyhow, I still pray for these people when they pop up in my mind (not that particular "pastor/bishop" because he died last year), and I fear for their souls exceedingly.

This is a quote for the centuries.

Wow, I am very sorry that that happened to you. On the other hand, the blessing is realizing how utterly blind people really can be and are. It is moments like these that help us to take the Truth seriously . . . very seriously. There is always a gift somewhere in the midst of the travesties.

Incidentally, this was a "church" that went by their city's name followed by "Assembly of God".

Whether or not they were officially aligned with other AOG churches I don't know. The "church" where the "pastor" shoved me against the wall initially went by their city's name followed by "Assembly of God", but I know that they weren't officially aligned with the AOG churches, and they eventually changed their church's name to something else.

AS I STATED, YOU'LL KNOW A CULT WHEN YOU SEE IT, AND THERE WILL BE NO MISTAKING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AofG has plenty of clowns.

So I find this an interesting subject. I've heard the term thrown around before I came to CC. Honestly I have seen the term thrown around here more than most places. I wonder if people actually understand what a cult is. So maybe, before we use a term, we need to understand what the term means. According to the world outside the church, we are all part of a cult. But I don't mean the secular definition. Biblically what constitutes a cult? Use Scripture where possible, and tell my why a person should be considered part of a cult.