CULTWATCH Claims Examined

Excerpts of this post came from the http://www.whoisahnsahnghong.com/ site. I thought it was rather interesting and controversial- why don't you see for yourself!

Recently I came across a post of Mr. Cultwatch (Or Ted, Cheese, Matthew. Whatever he calls himself), that he posted on one of his forums. In this post he tries to discredit some claims made by a member of the Church of God. But his answers make no sense, once again, he is just trying to use some philosophical circles to confuse readers and lead them astray from the truth. In this post we will analyze his claims, let's see:

Anybody who studies the Bible and how the early church operated can then understand that they fit the description of a so called "cult".

To be classified as a destructive cult you have to use coercive tactics. Cult experts usually ignore Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, etc. Instead they scrutinize groups that do not follow mainstream organized religion, however, most religions base their belief systems upon the teachings of the early church.

Then let's see if they qualify to be labeled as a cult?

1.) First he says that because the early church was cultic, then the World Mission Society Church of God is true!

NO. The World Mission Society Church of God is true because its teachings are true and taken from the words and commands of God.

Even though there are so many religions today which appear to be cultic, it does not mean that they are true. If their teachings are not the same as the early Church established by Christ, then they are not true.

For example, the early Church kept the Sabbath Day.(Lk 4:16)(Ac 17:2, Ac 18:4). How about churches today? Sunday worship has no mention in the Bible, nor does Christmas. The Early Christians kept the Passover(Mt 26:17-28)(1 Co 5:7, 1 Co 11:23)

Most churches today don’t keep the Passover, instead, they keep communion and Eucharist, things which are not mentioned in the Bible even once.

Now you tell me, what is correct? To follow the Bible or to follow man's teachings and interpretations, which are not found in the Bible.

The World Mission Society Church of God is the true church, because it keeps Gods commands by neither adding to them nor taking away from them.

Another claim is that experts ignore major religions today because they do not use coercive tactics.

but what are coercive tactics?

by going to his other website i came across what coercive tactics are.

let us analyze these claims:

(a) The group will have an ELITIST view of itself in relation to others, and a UNIQUE CAUSE. i.e THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES RIGHT - everyone else is wrong. THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES DOING GOD’S WILL - everyone else is in apostasy.

Which Religions doesn’t do this???? Do you see people going around saying, “My Religion is Wrong, what i believe is not true, your way is the right way” Disputes among Muslims, Christians have occurred for centuries because of this…. then isn’t that one of the Characteristics of a Cult????

(b) Concerned only with recruiting and growing, they will promote their cause actively, and in doing so, abuse God-given personal rights, individual spiritual gifts, individual talents and individual freedoms. This abuse can be THEOLOGICAL, SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL & PSYCHOLOGICAL.

Then what do you call the Roman Catholic Church Holy Inquisition????

Isnt that what the inquisition was all about; recruiting and growing, abusing people by telling them convert or die. Are people blind and not see the 70 million people that were murdered during this period.

What about when Islam was expanding?? Didn’t they do the same thing???? Didn’t Muslims go around killing people just for the fact that they were not Muslim?

It seems that most major faith meet this description, then they should all be lables as cults!

1. "Their leader/s may claim a special, exclusive ministry, revelation or position of authority given by God. "

• Then the Pope is guilty as sin! I mean isn’t that what the Pope's title is for; he has special exclusive ministry and supposedly has a position of authority given by God. Who says he does?
• What about Mohammad? Nobody ever saw the angel Gabriel talk to him, but people believe that he was given a special revelation by God.
• What about Buddha? Doesn't he claim to have a special revelation from God? All religions do that, otherwise people wouldn’t follow them.
  

2. "They believe they are the only true church and take a critical stance regarding the Christian church while at the same time praising and exalting their own group, leader/s and work."

Well Didn’t the Catholics do that with Judaism, and the Muslims do that with Christianity????????????

3. "They use intimidation or psychological manipulation to keep members loyal to their ranks. This could be in the form of subtle threats of dire calamity sent by God if they leave; certain death at Armageddon/last days, being shunned by their family and friends, etc."

OK! if you don’t keep what we order, you are excommunicated; this is Catholic Church teaching.

All the Cardinals and the Priests and the High ranks in the Church cannot do whatever they want since they run the risk of being excommunicated by the Catholic Church.

People have always thought of the end of the world and brought up this topic. What about all the predictions that the world will end in 2012 and news reports about the Mayan calendar?

By this logic, I guess NBC is a cult too!

4. "Members will be expected to give substantial financial support to the group. This could be compulsory tithing (which is checked); signing over all their property on entering the group; coercive methods of instilling guilt on those who have not contributed; selling magazines, flowers or other goods for the group as part of their ministry."

Again, what Church does not do this???????

It's also amazing how some churches say that the law is abolished, but tithing is OK... If you don’t keep the law, then don’t keep tithing either... The inquisition and Crusades were exactly about this…MONEY.

5. "There will be great emphasis on loyalty to the group and its teachings. The lives of members will be totally absorbed into the group’s activities. They will have little or no time to think for themselves because of physical and emotional exhaustion. Free time is spent doing “chosen activities”- ie playing chess, knitting etc. This is also a vital part of the mind control process."

In the time of the Spanish Inquisition, attendance was kept in Sunday Mass and all the Catholic feasts. If they did not attend they were put in front of the Inquisition tribunal. They were judged as if they had committed the worst crime ever.

Also, every day at 12:00pm when the bell sounded, all activity was stopped in order for the people to pray when sun was at its highest point(Sun-Day, Sun God worshiping)

6. "There will be total control over almost all aspects of the private lives of members. This control can be direct through communal living, or constant and repetitious teaching on how to be a true Christian or being obedient to leadership. Members will look to their leaders for guidance in everything they do."

• 
  Isn’t that what confession in the Catholic faith is? Repetitious teachin! What about praying with a rosary, giving 100 hail Marys, and 200 our fathers to be forgiven of your sin. isn’t that repetitive????
• What about in Buddhism the 300 days prayer???
• or in Islam the prayer times with the rug??? i mean to me that is very repetitive.

We could go on and on, and examine all the claims which perfectly fit to other faiths. All religions have cult-like behaviors. Does that make them all true??? no.

Once again, for this reason God left us the Bible. If the teachings of a faith are not in accordance with the teachings of the Bible, then it is a false cult.

Thanks and Praise to Christ Ahnsahnghong for revealing all the true teachings of the Bible, the same ones that were kept by the early Church.