Is my religious group a cult?

by truth.ceeker 4 Replies latest jw friends

  • truth.ceeker
    truth.ceeker

    I read this in the paper and thought about sharing it with you. Although it can be applied to several groups, one comes to mind that is relevant to this board.

    Reader wonders if religious group is a cult

    Dear Dr. Graham:
    Several years ago we were going through a very rough time, and this religious group came to our door and welcomed us and helped us to get on our feet. But secretly, I've started to wonder if we are in a cult. How can I find out? The only books I have about them are the ones they publish.
    -- Mrs. W.W.
    Dear Mrs. W.W.:

    Cults don't welcome questions about ther beliefs, and if they find out you're having doubts I'm sure they'll try to discourage you from seeking answers on your own. In fact, one of the characteristics of cults is that they believe they, and they alone are right and all other groups are wrong.

    But don't let that discourage you. God loves you, and you can depend on Jesus' promise:
    Mat 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
    God wants you to come to know him in a personal way, and he wants you to have assurance of your salvation.

    Where can you find answers? First, God wants you to know the truth - and he has given it to you in his word, the Bible. Begin by readin gone of th eGospels (I suggest John), for through it you will learn about Jesus Christ, who was God's only son, sent from Heaven to save us from our sins. You will also discover that by putting your faith and trust in him, God will freely forgive you and give you the gift of eternal life.

    As a footnote, you might also fin dit helpful to get a book that compares what your group teaches with what the Bible says. Your local Christian bookstore can help you with this. Don't be afriad to turn to Christ and open your heart to him, for he alone can give you the lasting freedom and joy.

    -- Dr. Billy Graham

    I know if has some sound of preachiness to it, but picking out some of the tidbits can be used for encounters with witnesses.

    ..truth.ceeker..

  • worldtraveller
    worldtraveller

    As long as you can leave intact, but if there is no (free) exit strategy, then it is a cult.

  • sweetface2233
    sweetface2233

    If you are compelled enough to ask the question, then you already know the answer.

  • B_Deserter
    B_Deserter

    When he said that cults believe they're right and everyone else is wrong it struck me as kind of hypocritical. After all, Graham teaches that same thing. Those who don't follow his requirements to be "saved" are damned to hell.

  • Layla33
    Layla33

    I think any place that uses something called "group-think", that has an elusive dictatorship, that discourages questions and free will, that controls your behavior up to how you live your life and tells you how to think and interact with other humans is a cult.

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