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Religions or cults.

I don't view Christianity itself as a cult, but Christianity itself can be used to form a cult under the right leadership (David Koresh comes to mind). Most of the Christian churches I have seen have no strict rules on who can join, nor rules which must be followed in order to remain a member. It's a strictly voluntary come-and-go-as-you-please organization in my experience. So I'd say that no, Christianity isn't a cult, but the doctrine can be used by manipulative individuals as a part of forming a cult organization.

They aren't so come as you please for certain people.
 
They aren't so come as you please for certain people.

Which Christian churches have a rule that excludes individuals?
I've never seen one whose leadership asked someone to leave, or restricted anyone from being a member.
 
Which Christian churches have a rule that excludes individuals?
I've never seen one whose leadership asked someone to leave, or restricted anyone from being a member.
Catholicism, Lutherans, assembly of God, Pentecostals, hit or miss with Baptist. Many single denomination churches, it isn't uncommon for churches to have a membership.
 
Catholicism, Lutherans, assembly of God, Pentecostals, hit or miss with Baptist. Many single denomination churches, it isn't uncommon for churches to have a membership.

I know churches have a membership. I'm asking which specific churches restrict membership. Not denominations, but specific churches. I haven't had that experience, and it was over 30 years ago that I was religious. I would think that things are better now, with regard to that issue, than they were in my childhood.
 
All people do that by sinning. The church is supposed to offer a place for them. At least Jesus said so.

All people do that by sinning. The church is supposed to offer a place for them. At least Jesus said so.

There is a difference between BLATANT and WIFUL sinning from sinning.


Matt 18
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.


2 Thessalonians 3:14
14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.


1 Tim 1
The Charge to Timothy Renewed
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.


2 Tim 2
17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.





The goal of excommunication is restoration (Galatians 6:1). Being officially ostracised from the church, the sinner might be brought to repentance. If either Hymanaeus or Alexander later realized that he had sinned against God, he could repent and come back to the church for forgiveness and reinstatement. The same was true for the man in the Corinthian church—in fact, he later did return and was restored (2 Corinthians 2:6–11).

Scripturally, excluding a person from the church is preceded by admonition and counsel; it is only employed in the case of bona fide heresy, obdurate divisiveness, or sexual sin; and it is a last resort. After excommunication, the relationship between the former member and the church naturally changes; however, the church still has the responsibility to pray for the one being disciplined and to extending forgiveness when repentance is evident.

Shunning, as defined by a refusal to speak to someone or by a total severing of all ties, goes beyond what the Bible advocates.


Read more: What does the Bible say about shunning?
 
I know churches have a membership. I'm asking which specific churches restrict membership. Not denominations, but specific churches. I haven't had that experience, and it was over 30 years ago that I was religious. I would think that things are better now, with regard to that issue, than they were in my childhood.
All Catholic churches, they still practice excommunication, all churches in the wels synod. It's been quite some time since I have been to a Methodist church or a Presbyterian church. I don't know if they have different synods.
 
Catholicism, Lutherans, assembly of God, Pentecostals, hit or miss with Baptist. Many single denomination churches, it isn't uncommon for churches to have a membership.

I'm Baptist. We have a membership....but non-members are also welcome. In fact, the Pastor begins by welcoming them.

Members take care of the upkeep of the church. That includes the finance needed to keep it running.

Our Pastor says that too to our non-member guests, that there's no obligation for them to give.
That's the obligation we have as members.
Membership is voluntary. We have regulars who've been going to our church long before I became a member, and they're still not official members. Non-members don't have to give a tithe if they don't want to.
In our church, amount of tithe is voluntary - there is no specific amount.


I've yet to know of a Christian Church who refuse entry to non-members.

We're commissioned to spread the word to everyone.
Missionaries go out of their comfort zones preaching far and wide, and yet a church will refuse those who willingly enters the church to hear about the gospel? Does that make any sense at all? That's a red flag for a cult!


To refuse entry to anyone, especially a non-believer, would be very un-Christian - that church would be a cult.
 
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I'm Baptist. We have a membership....but non-members are also welcome. In fact, the Pastor begins by welcoming them.

I've yet to know of a Christian Church who refuse entry to non-members. We're commissioned to spread the word to the everyone.

To refuse entry to anyone, especially a non-believer, would be very un-Christian - that church would be a cult.
The idea of a membership to something Christ said was universal is a bit contradictory.
 
All Catholic churches, they still practice excommunication, all churches in the wels synod. It's been quite some time since I have been to a Methodist church or a Presbyterian church. I don't know if they have different synods.

Admittedly, I wasn't raised Catholic, so my personal experience with them is very little. My impression is that they excommunicate based on pretty grievous defiance of doctrinal standards, but that they don't restrict who may become members of the church. My impression was that you were saying churches exclude individuals from becoming members, and coming and going as they please, with regard to attendance, or the choice of whether or not to even remain a member.

I wouldn't consider excommunication from the Catholic church to be any sort of evidence that they are a cult. Now, if they required association with ONLY other believers of the same faith, and forbade certain activities in order to be a church member, then I could see how you might say that.
 
Admittedly, I wasn't raised Catholic, so my personal experience with them is very little. My impression is that they excommunicate based on pretty grievous defiance of doctrinal standards, but that they don't restrict who may become members of the church. My impression was that you were saying churches exclude individuals from becoming members, and coming and going as they please, with regard to attendance, or the choice of whether or not to even remain a member.

I wouldn't consider excommunication from the Catholic church to be any sort of evidence that they are a cult. Now, if they required association with ONLY other believers of the same faith, and forbade certain activities in order to be a church member, then I could see how you might say that.
Crimen sollicitationis is some ridiculous manipulation they used to cover up sex abuse cases. They went as far as threatening excommunication to families if children who were sexually abused by clergy.

There are some nasty skeletons in that particular closet.
 
A religion worships an idea while a cult worships an entity. Yes that makes Christianity a cult.
 
I've researched very dangerous religious cults. One thing they all seem to have in common is that they recruit young impressionable people and then move them far from home to seperate them from their family and friends so that they can brainwash them without interferance. They become the recruit's surrogate family and take advantage of them.
 
So sin isn't willful? Than how is it sin?

If churches aren't for sinners, there are an awful lot of liars.

Read the verses given.
 
The idea of a membership to something Christ said was universal is a bit contradictory.


How is that contradictory?
What exactly is it that Christ said is, "universal?" Explain.
 
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Read the verses given.
“I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven, no matter how terrible those things are. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven. That sin will be held against you forever.” — Mark 3:28-29 (CEV)
 
“I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven, no matter how terrible those things are. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven. That sin will be held against you forever.” — Mark 3:28-29 (CEV)

“I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven


He didn't say, it WILL be forgiven. There is a caveat to being forgiven. Confessing your sin, and repentance.



We're talking about excommunication or something similar to that. Read the verses about excommunication.
 
How is that contradictory?
What exactly is it that Christ said is, "universal?" Explain.
The term Kath oles appears all through out Luke 4:14; Luke 23:5; Acts 9:31; Acts 9:42; Acts 10:37.

Which is translated to mean literally throughout all, or universal.
 
The term Kath oles appears all through out Luke 4:14; Luke 23:5; Acts 9:31; Acts 9:42; Acts 10:37.

Which is translated to mean literally throughout all, or universal.

Eh? I don't follow. You'll have to explain it to me.

What is it you think that's universal? Be specific. I'd like to know your answer to that.
 
“I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven


He didn't say, it WILL be forgiven. There is a caveat to being forgiven. Confessing your sin, and repentance.



We're talking about excommunication or something similar to that. Read the verses about excommunication.
Stop preaching.

We are talking about coercion and blackmail. Anybody that can ****ing read knows what the bible says, if they don't obey it, it is their soul in the day of judgement.

It's you feeling you need to be involved in my salvation some how that this thread is about. You can't even save yourself.

So enough with the sermons quit derailing my thread with your justifications and either leave or contribute to the subject.

Don't post any more bible verses, thus discussion has nothing to do with the bible.
 
Eh? I don't follow. You'll have to explain it to me.

What is it you think that's universal? Be specific. I'd like to know your answer to that.

Do some homework, and then make an appropriate thread to discuss theology.

This is off topic.
 
Stop preaching.

We are talking about coercion and blackmail. Anybody that can ****ing read knows what the bible says, if they don't obey it, it is their soul in the day of judgement.

It's you feeling you need to be involved in my salvation some how that this thread is about. You can't even save yourself.

So enough with the sermons quit derailing my thread with your justifications and either leave or contribute to the subject.

Don't post any more bible verses, thus discussion has nothing to do with the bible.


I'm not preaching!


We're talking about the difference between wilful sinning and just sinning, in relation to ex-communication (which is related to your OP).

You responded with:

Originally Posted by CLAX1911 View Post

All people do that by sinning. The church is supposed to offer a place for them. At least Jesus said so.

I gave you verses that shows excommunication in the Scriptures. And you responded with something "universal" and had given that verse which actually don't support what you seem to be trying to say - that it's okay to sin as long as you ask forgiveness. At least that's what I'm getting from your implication. I'm simply explaining and showing what your quoted verse is actually saying.


Your topic talks about religion cults - specifically, Christian - and the definition what a Christian cult would be, is given. Of course we'll touch on biblical verses!

The corruption of the Scriptures is what makes a Christian cult!


If we believe that repentance is not necessary - then we fall into a cultist belief, don't we?
 
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Do some homework, and then make an appropriate thread to discuss theology.

This is off topic.


You were the one who brought it up, not me.

Never mind if you don't want to explain.
 
I'm not preaching!


We're talking about the difference between wilful sinning and just sinning, in relation to ex-communication (which is related to your OP).
No ma'am. I was talking about cults. And what separates them from religion.

I don't give a flying **** about your sermons on willful sinning.
 
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