Miscellaneous Cults
Dr. Jim Denison
“A cult…is a group of people polarized around someone’s interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, particularly the fact that God became man in Christ Jesus” (Walter Martin, The Rise of the Cults).
Basic traits:
Authority figure
Extrabiblical text
Unorthodox theology, somewhat related to Christianity
General characteristics:
Presents a Jesus different from that of orthodox faith
Claims new truth
Offers new, non-orthodox interpretations of Scripture
Cites non-biblical authority source(s)
Rejects major tenets of orthodox Christianity
Generally develops a changing, often contradictory theology
Strong leadership, usually centered in a single person or group of persons
Almost always offers a salvation by works
Generally makes unsubstantiated prophetic claims
Hare Krishna: International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
History
15 century A.D.: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu developed The Doctrines of Krishnaism from the Hindu sect of Vishnuism
Believed that Krishna is the chief God who manifested himself one time as Vishnu (opposite of classical Hinduism)
Teaches that every individual must go through reincarnation to rid himself of the debt of karma
Krishnaism made Hinduism appealing to the masses by personalizing god and our interaction with him
Came to America by means of Abhay Charan De Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1965
Founded ISKCON and led it until his death in 1978
Today a wealthy organization, with about 10,000 members in America
Beliefs
God: Krishna, who “creates all and enjoys all” was in the beginning
No real distinction between him and his creation
Jesus Christ is only Krishna’s son
Man: part of creation; can be absorbed into reality
Central focus: this relationship
Salvation: by self-denial and a series of works as prescribed by the cult
Eternal destiny: absorption into reality after karma is cleansed and payment made
Transcendental Meditation (The Science of Creative Intelligence)
History
Founded by Mahesh Brasad Warma, later known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born in India around 1910)
After graduating from Allahabad University in 1942 with a physics degree, Mahesh became the disciple of the Indian religious leader Guru Dev; he taught Mahesh a meditation technique taken from the Vedas (part of the Hindu scripture)
The Maharishi founded the Spiritual Regeneration Movement in India, 1958; came to America in 1959 and set up his organization here; today several million people in the U.S. and around the world have been taught these meditation techniques
Claims
Will improve health, self-image, productivity, intelligence, and creativity
Supposed to have no religious basis or bias
In fact, has been ruled by a New Jersey federal court to be religious in nature, and thus enjoined from use in public schools (Civil Action No. 76-341)
Maharishi claims that TM will make everyone “infallible,” and derides the use of logic and rational investigation
Beliefs
God: a “supreme being,” identified with nature, who dwells in the heart of every person
Jesus Christ never suffered or could suffer; the theology of atonement is a misunderstanding of the life of Christ
Man: in his true nature, the impersonal God
Central focus: self-realization through Hindu meditation techniques
Salvation: Hindu concept of oneness with reality
Eternal destiny: oneness with reality
Children of God (the Family of Love)
History
Founded by David Brandt Berg (born Oakland, CA, Feb. 18, 1919)
His mother was a prominent evangelist, his father a minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance
David Berg became a pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, first in Arizona in 1949; left after a falling-out with the church leadership in 1950, and became embittered against all organized religion
In 1968 he and his family moved to Huntington Beach, CA and developed a small following of people, basically from the counter-culture
Convinced in 1969 that a great earthquake was imminent and California would slide into the Pacific Ocean, he and about 50 followers left California for Arizona; several years later the movement scattered across the country in small groups
Today the “Family of Love” (their current name) boast about 25,000 members including children; Berg (Moses David, Father David, or King David) lives in Europe, oversees the group, and writes letters
Beliefs
Authority source: the letters of Moses David (“MO letters”); he is the prophet for this generation, and his correspondence is the literal guide for the movement
Theology: there has never been a statement of belief issued by the Children of God; can infer from Berg’s statements:
Jesus: created by God; no “Trinity”
Revolution: the group forsakes all “for Jesus,” giving up all material possessions to the group and forsaking their allegiance to families; it advocates a revolutionary take-over of the current cultural systems
Sex: Berg maintains concubines; the top leaders have sexual affairs with the girls in the group; “all things common” (Acts 2.44) applies to wives and husbands; will use sex to entice people to join or contribute to the cult (“Flirty Fishing”)
Unity (Unity School of Christianity)
History
Founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore (Charles born 1854, St. Cloud, MN; he and Myrtle married in 1881)
Myrtle was “healed” of tuberculosis and malaria in 1886 at a lecture led by E. B. Weeks
His statement: “I am a child of God and therefore I do not inherit sickness”
Myrtle believed the statement and recited it over and over; eventually she was healed
Charles studied this and other eastern religions in detail, practiced his wife’s meditation technique, and experiencing the healing of his withered leg
Then he joined Myrtle in founding the Unity School of Christianity
Following the Fillmores’ deaths (hers 1931, his 1948), the leadership of Unity was taken over by their two sons, Lowell and Rickert, and subsequently experienced rapid growth