 What's the difference between real
Christianity
and a cult ?
"There are a lot of genuine people out there with some very odd beliefs: those that believe there are
aliens out there who are going to come back and collect them, those that believe you shouldn't step on an ant, because it could have been your uncle in a past life,
those that believe nothing, and then those that believe that a certain Jewish guy from the first century was the Son of God, and died for our sins, and rose from the dead three days later....."
Real Christianity is based on facts and historical evidence |
The news regularly features stories on bizarre religious groups who have seriously harmed their followers. Like the statement above, lots of people think that
Christianity is just another weird cult which has become respectable with the passing of time. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Real Christianity is
based on facts and historical evidence which can be checked out by anyone serious enough to take the time to do it. But it is true that there are a lot of bad religious
experiences out there for those who aren't savvy, in these days when we can believe whatever we want. And if you think it won't happen to you, think again; the people
who run cults are generally very clever, well organised, and
if you think it won't happen to you, think again |
target the more intelligent members of society.
So what is a cult anyway? And how do you make sure you don't get caught up with a really dodgy group? The word cult is a bit confusing - different
people interpret it with different meanings. Generally it usually means one of the two following things: either a small group with loyal followers and unorthodox beliefs
(referred to as a minority group for the rest of this article), or a religious group whose beliefs or practices are dangerous and questionably moral (referred to as a DRG or Dangerous Religious Group for the rest of
this article).
What is defined as a cult also depends on what you are used to, for example the Salvation Army would probably be regarded as a cult group in Russia, though over here it is regarded as perfectly respectable.
Spotting the weird ideas of a minority group is quite easy as long as you have a good basic understanding of what the Bible teaches about the major issues of the Christian faith(ok, I know, that's a
lifetimes study in itself - so get started - there's no time like the present !! Ignorance is no defence !!) They can seem quite harmless - but usually their teachings are seriously biased somewhere.
So how do you recognise a Dangerous Religious Group (or DRG)?
The following things usually give them away:
Controlling and authoritarian leadership; frequently the leader is seen as a messiah type figure whose word is not to be questioned, and frequently the leadership will expect or demand to be consulted
about individual members lifestyle choices eg. changing a job or getting married. The leader will not be responsible to anyone outside the group (Elders, bishops and rabbis in mainstream groups are all
responsible to someone above them, outside the immediate group).
Questioning or disagreeing with the teachings of the group is seen as threatening, disloyal or even as a moral assault.
The group has an elitist view of life, and sees others outside the group as wrong, deficient, or unredeemed.
The group creates a very strong "us and them" mentality in relation to the outside world, and the group isolates itself in various ways from the outside world, perceiving it as an enemy. Frequently this
results in group members being isolated deliberately even from their own family. The group sees itself as more important than any of the individual members, and very strong peer pressure is asserted to make
sure that the members obey the rules.
If they say they believe the Bible or another holy book, then frequently you will find that they base most of their teachings on just one small portion of that book, or a very slanted view (usually the leader's
view) of the book.
These sorts of practices frequently result in emotional and psychological trauma of various kinds, and sometimes allow serious abuses to take place. More info about these specific things is available at AFF's website - www.csj.org, among other places.
So how do I avoid getting caught in a DRG or minority group?
If you are out looking for a church, always do the following things:
Ask them what they believe are the key teachings of the Bible - do their beliefs tally with the bible, and with yours ? Don't just join a church or group because the people "seem nice enough".
Ask for a copy of their statement of faith/creed and a copy of their constitution. If they don't have any of these things, they are laying themselves wide open to becoming a DRG, if they aren't one
already, and you really don't want to get involved.
Read any information carefully (and between the lines) - many established cult groups are very careful to make sure that their official published teachings are very vaguely worded so that no one will take offence.
Find out if they are members of a denomination, or affiliated to a wider group. Often (but sadly not always) these types of groups are safer, as leaders are responsible to people outside of the immediate church group.
Last but not least, don't be in a hurry to join. Make sure you've been to lots of church activities/services and have got to know people before you commit. Don't cave in to pressure from
members to join immediately, or contribute financially - this in itself is often a sign of a DRG.
Remember, if the church you are interested in is a good bone fide group, they won't mind you asking difficult questions or insisting on seeing some credentials !!
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