How To Make Your Own Cult (And Incur The Wrath of God)

I. Definition of a Cult… In general Christian terms, a cult is a break off group of the orthodox Christian faith which denies the essentials truths of the Christian faith while proclaiming itself as the true religion while denouncing the church. The term is also used of groups who still maintain orthodoxy but are charged with extreme legalism and control of its members.

Secular use of the term For the unbelieving world, as they view cults the issue of orthodoxy and heresy are meaningless. Cults are antisocial religious groups which can be dangerous to themselves and society at large. They see the leader as a egomaniac who uses mind control, a violation of personal choice, rejection of one’s family, and a wasting of one’s life as extremely dangerous.

II. Ten of the top worse cults ever

1. Mormonism Leader: Joseph Smith Inception: 1830 Contend that they are the only true church which was restored through Joseph Smith

2. Jehovah Witnesses Leader: Charles Taze Russell Inception: 1870’s Teach that Christ was not God but a god. Their claim is that they are the true followers of Jehovah

3. Christian Science Leader: Mary Eddy Baker Inception: 1879 Emphasizes healing through the mind and the restoration of the true church.

4. United Pentecostal Church Leader: Howard A. Goss Inception: 1945 Believes that tongues is required for salvation, denies the trinity, and one must be baptized in Jesus’ name alone.

5. Unification Church (Moonies) Leader: Sun Myung Moon Inception: 1954 Teaches that Jesus failed on the cross and Moon is now the mediator between God and man.

6. Scientology Leader: L Ron Hubbard Inception: 1950 A do-it-yourself kit program on religion sprinkled with Christian overtones. Big money cult.

7. The Family (Children of God) Leader: Moses David Berg Inception: 1968 A strange mix of Christian beliefs using free sex as a means to evangelize. Many lives ruined by this cult.

8. Branch Davidians Leader: David Koresh Inception: 1980’S Taught impending apostolic destruction and terror and practice sexual abuse. In 1994 the ATF raided the Waco, TX compound resulting in 80 member’s death.

9. People’s Temple Leader: Jim Jones Inception: 1955 Jones was a master at mind control. He taught a religious socialism. Famous for the Kool-Aid suicide in Guyana in 1978 where 918 lost their lives.

10. Heaven’s Gate Leader: Marshall Applewhite Inception: Early 1970’s Believed that the earth going to be recycled and that suicide was their only hope of survival. In 1997, 39 committed suicide.

III. The Threefold Foundation of Cults SexLies Money

A. Sex And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; II Peter 2:2 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 4

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Jude 7 that they were saying to you, "In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." Jude 18

Examples Jim Jones used his female followers at will for his sexual exploits Moses David Berg trained his female followers to go out and recruit new members by sleeping with prospects. He also had large group sexual encounters and he personally was a pedophile. David Koresh told husbands that God told him that they were no longer to sleep with their wives, he was to be with them.

B. Lies "Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams," declares the Lord, "and related them, and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit," declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:32 "So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you; Jeremiah 27:14 And He said, "See to it that you be not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is at hand'; do not go after them. Luke 21:8

A major characteristic of cults is the element of fiction Joseph Smith: The angel Moroni appears to him and reveals golden tablets buried in Wayne County New York L Ron Hubbard: 75 millions years ago Xenu massacred inhabitants of 76 planets, froze them, and brought them to earth.

Where do these lies ultimately come from? Answer: Satan himself But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, I Timothy 4:1

Why is the use of lies such an effective strategy? Answer: It confuses the false with the real During WWII, Adolf Hitler worked out a plan to bring down England’s economy in order to conquer the nation more quickly with less spilled blood. Counterfeit currency was to be dropped over England and the confusion over real currency and false would do the rest. Fortunately, the plan was never realized.

C. Money who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain. Titus 1:11 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. II Peter 2:3

Paul’s knew this and took no money to give credence to his message 7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to serve you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia, they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so. II Corinthians 11

IV. The Bible’s warning against false teachers and cults

But first, the audacity… How dare a person make false claims that he or she is speaking for God. The motivation is always pride. In the most severe cases, the cult leader himself has a lust to be a god himself, to control others, to be revered, worshiped, praised, gain wealth, and engage in sexual exploits. But make no mistake about it. The cult leader has help from the demonic world to foster on the innocent victims this hellish crime.

and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Acts 20:30 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. Romans 16:18

For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. II Corinthians 2:17 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds. II Corinthians 11:15

But it was because of the false brethren who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. Galatians 2:4 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; Ephesians 4:14

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; Philippians 3:2 If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, I Timothy 6:3-4

The Most Significant Elements of a Christian Cult

1. A Charismatic Psychopathic Leader A. The following fifteen characteristics of a cult leader is taken from the book Captive Hearts, Captive Minds. The authors Madeleine Tobias and Janja Lalich profile fifteen traits which they compiled from researchers Hervey Cleckley and Robert Hare.

1.Glibness / Superficial charm 2.Manipulative and Conning 3.Grandiose Sense of Self 4.Pathological Lying 5.Lack of Remorse, Shame, or Guilt

6.Shallow Emotions 7.Incapacity for Love 8.Need for Stimulation 9.Callousness / lack of empathy 10. Poor Behavioral Controls / Impulsive Nature

11.Early Behavior Problems / juvenile delinquency 12.Irresponsibility / Unreliability 13.Promiscuous Sexual behavior / infidelity 14.Lack of realistic life plan / parasitic lifestyle 15.Criminal or entrepreneurial versatility

B. Violation of the Third Commandment Dennis Prager interprets the third commandment as doing evil and carrying God’s name into it… “Going back to the original Hebrew, he [Prager] translates the Commandment as "do not carry the name of the Lord thy God in vain". Not "take" or "invoke" the name, but carry it, lift it up. Like a flag. Prager's interpretation is that the Commandment proscribes committing evil acts in the name of the Lord.

(The New International Version gets pretty close with their translation "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God".) With this interpretation, Prager then points the finger at those who commit acts of terror in the name of religion. He notes that while the Nazis committed murder (violating the Sixth Commandment), Islamist terrorists violate not only the Sixth but the Third (the unforgiveable) Commandment, as they not only kill people but drag G-d's name into it.”

C. A hideous evil To make up one’s own religion or cult in the name of God and harm others and lead them away from the truth is worthy of eternal damming judgment… “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.” Luke 17:2

2. Gullible prospects to join the cult Weak minded At a crossroads of life Vulnerable Unfulfilled needs Need for a human leader Looking for something Susceptible to mind control Uneducated in the ways of God

The Bible on one profile of a cult follower For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. II Timothy 3:6-7

Profile Weak women – Emotionally, spiritually Weighed down – Unresolved guilt Various impulses – Inability to control life, additions, and lusts Inability to ascertain truth