| Author | Message | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12023 Registered: 12-2003  |
I received this from a friend this week; I thought you all might relate to it. A few years ago, the Rev. Jess Moody published in the Los Angeles Times, a simple tongue-in-cheek guideline. Here it is: Q. How can I tell if a religion is a cult? A. There are several ways: (1) It has one person (mortal) as the final authority. (2) It has another book to explain the Bible and that book will be given the same authority as the Bible. (3) It may be the enemy of the sciences. (4) It will pervert the Trinity or the nature of Christ, calling Him a prophet, an archangel, a half-way house between God and man - but never God incarnate. It may deny His humanity. (5) It will give undue emphasis to certain Scriptures and de-emphasize the rest. (6) It will limit personal freedom -- in the name of submission to authority. (7) It will get into your personal life with abnormal taboos. (8) It will get much of your money. Hmmm--sounds familiar... Colleen | ||
| Believer247 Registered user Username: Believer247 Post Number: 201 Registered: 3-2009 |
Hmmm....Adventism fits every point of his description. | ||
| Dljc Registered user Username: Dljc Post Number: 213 Registered: 7-2010 |
Here's a good link that talks about how they work. Interesting stuff: "Mind Control is a suite of psychological techniques that cult leaders attempt to control their members with." "A cult needs to recruit and operate using deception. Why? Because if people knew their true practices and beliefs beforehand then they would not join. A cult needs to hide the truth from you until they think you are ready to accept it." "Cult leadership is feared. To disagree with leadership is the same as disagreeing with God. The cult leaders will claim to have direct authority from God to control almost all aspects of your life. If the cult is not a religious group then questioning the leaders or program will still be seen as a sign of rebellion and stupidity." http://www.cultwatch.com/hcwindex.html | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8797 Registered: 3-2004  |
Sounds like adventism fits each descriptor. Diana L | ||
| Wiredog Registered user Username: Wiredog Post Number: 48 Registered: 8-2010  |
While I was looking up the issue of fallacies (i.e., a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning in argumentation) because of the comments and messages I am getting on fB one fallacy is listed as a form often used by groups that seek to maintain conformity. The response, "Well No Church is perfect tell me when you find one." uses that exact fallacy called, Appealing to Common Practice. I believe CULTS most often insist of conformity from thier devotees! (Message edited by wiredog on November 25, 2010) | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 930 Registered: 2-2008  |
These are excellent Colleen! The scary thing is that they do and expect all of the above in the name of God. How do you compete with that? To give up on Ellen White is to give up on God. Maybe that's why it's so hard for them to give up believing that Satan is the scapegoat... ... for them to give up on their heresies (IJ, Scapegoat, etc) is to give up on God. I don't think that they see that they can give up on Ellen White without giving up on God. The two are linked. Wiredog... I've heard this so many times!!!! "Well No Church is perfect tell me when you find one." I just didn't realize that this is part of cult mentality. Dljc, this is very TRUE about the adventist church: A cult needs to recruit and operate using deception. Why? Because if people knew their true practices and beliefs beforehand then they would not join. A cult needs to hide the truth from you until they think you are ready to accept it." I remember one Christmas taking high schoolers on a Sabbath out into neighborhoods for them to distribute videos. Just before we left, one of the church elders reviewed the entire cover of the video to make sure that the adventist church wasn't listed anywhere on the cover. Even then, I wanted to ask him why it mattered whether our name was on the cover or not. I didn't say anything to him at that time... but it did have an impact on me forever. One simple little action. vivian | ||
| Dljc Registered user Username: Dljc Post Number: 215 Registered: 7-2010 |
Vivian, This raises the question [or should as the receiver of the information]. If it's the Good News you are sharing with me, why don't you want me to know where to learn more? Our church gives out Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas baskets to families in need. Usually there is a note in the box of groceries where they came from [what the name of the church is]. We don't do it to recruit folks, but we want them to know where they can come to hear the Good News. | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 931 Registered: 2-2008 |
Dljc, I can't remember exactly where I heard this next statement. The context is though I had asked someone why they wouldn't want a person (to whom they were "witnessing" to) know that they were sda. This person said that people may reject them and their effort in bringing them to Christ if they knew that they were sda. So they hide their identity of being sda in order to bring people to their version of Christ... again, if someone's entire belief rests on a foundation that EGW is from God and that rejecting her is rejecting God. How does that link get broken? Brainwash is complete. I know it's a work to only be completed by God... but are there ways that can facilitate that link to be broken? vivian | ||
| Dljc Registered user Username: Dljc Post Number: 216 Registered: 7-2010 |
My own personal opinion is, there should be no deception involved. For example, we have a men's fellowship that meets every month. I'm not going to give the name, but I've talked to people (unbelievers) who have been to a meeting or two, and they complain as though they've been deceived by what the intent of the meetings are and what they are about. The name is what is deceptive and it gives the impression you are networking with a certain group possibly to be able to get work. I went to one of the meetings knowing what they were all about. Then I've talked to "unsuspecting" individuals later. I don't believe we should be deceptive in any form when it comes to introducing someone to Him. In my humble opinion it defeats the purpose. The only thing I can suggest to break that link is to inform people to the fact that there are those from the SDA church or JW's that are handing out material. For the unsuspecting person that may be on the receiving end of that material to be aware that it's out there and the foundation it's built off of. Mormon's have Joseph Smith, JW's have the Watchtower, and SDA's have Ellen. Christians have Christ that's all we need! | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 933 Registered: 2-2008 |
"Mormon's have Joseph Smith, JW's have the Watchtower, and SDA's have Ellen. Christians have Christ that's all we need!" love that Dljc! vivian | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8802 Registered: 3-2004 |
Yes, Yes, Yes, Christians have Christ and HE is ALL we need. Amen!!!!! Diana L |
