Cult Comparison Chart

[Kire]

This chart is a simplification of various groups and their beliefs. It is, to be realistic, an oversimplification. But it gives the reader an idea of where the groups stand.

http://www.carm.org/cults/cultgrid.htm

[satya]

1. Nicely done. Thanks! n/t

[anitar1]

2. Very interesting, Thanks. n/t

[LiberalVoice]

3. Under Resurrection

Does a "No" mean that Jesus was not resurrected or will not be resurrected?

[Dead_Parrot]

4. Interesting...

I'd question:
a) If Jesus founded the Christian church - Wasn't it Paul?
b) Why they list members as "Those who are saved" rather than "Members of their church". Must make headcounts a bit tricky.

[Why Syzygy]

6. Actually

the new testament (in biblical terms) tells that Jesus founded his church upon a "rock", named "Peter".
That's where the first catholic so called priest allegedly got his calling... as PETER THE ROCK.

It sickens me. But that's what we have.

[funflower]

5. Not sure I agree with your definition of "cult"

A "cult" need not be religious, and not all religious belief systems are "cultish."

A "cult" is about power and mind control and giving up independent thought to follow and serve a living person who is accountable to no one. A "cult" can be as small as a pair or as large as a nation. Someone who believes the Bible is the final authority is not necessarily in a cult. Someone who believes one person's interpretation of the Bible is the final authority is in a cult. Political ideology can also lead to cultish relationships. China during the Cultural Revolution exhibited cultish behavior. A family that obeys the father down to the last thought exhibits cultish behavior.

Cults are about sick power relationships. Belief systems, religious or not, are only a tool used by the cult leader to control his followers.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. I agree

I wish you'd show us your definition of 'cult' because, like the previous poster, my definition is that it is allegiance to a living person, giving that person all your wealth, control over your life, and definately excluding others.

Islam is not unified in belief, thought, and practice. For example, Sunnis pray 5 times a day; Shia 3;Sufis-well, that depends on the order. Though there may be cults within Islam (as per my definition), I think it is a misnomer to label the entire faith a cult. Realize that many Wahhabists consider Sufis heretics, and persecute them and do not allow them to meet and perform their spiritual practices (which involve singing and dancing, both frowned upon by Wahhabists).

[noamnety]

9. It fits the definition

1. a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
b. The followers of such a religion or sect.
2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
5. a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
b. The object of such devotion.
6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=cult

It's a valid use of the word cult. The word has bad associations, in part because of definition 1 above, but that doesn't negate the other definitions.

[Kire]

10. I thought about this...

...long after I had posted it, though.

I agree with you , but I was just using the title of the web page as provided by CARM....so it's not "my" definition.

[ET Awful]

7. Well, I can spot one glaring error right away

Jehovah's Witnesses do believe in the resurrection of Christ (having been raised in a Jehovah's Witness family until we all left when I was 15 or so, I can say this with a good deal of certainty).

Their description of "Christianity" is also somewhat lacking. As an example, their insistence that it's not Christianity if it doesn't teach the trinity. Utter nonsense.

We could also go into their degrading of all other factions of Christianity such as their tearing down of the Catholic church, etc.

A quick perusal of their front page reads more like Jack Chick on valium than anything else. . . basically saying that nobody that believes anything the slightest bit opposed to their doctrine has any hope whatsoever.

[trotsky]

11. Yeah, elsewhere on the site

they bash evolution with the same old tired creationist crap.

I'd take pretty much anything from this site with a HUGE grain of salt.