Religious Cults & Sects – Characteristics – Check Accusation Above All

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Yes, there are many cults and sects in the religious sense. But what are they, what characteristics do they have, and, above all, is any such designation truly justified? The accusation that it’s a “cultic sect” is quickly thrown at us, because, after all, others say so, too.

What is the scale?

In the Christian religious sphere, it is now easy to label a “different” religious community as a cult or sect. If this claim is not supported by any evidence to substantiate the accusation in any way, then the suspicion arises that it is primarily an attempt at defamation.

The word “cult” comes from the Latin “cultus” and in ancient times was usually associated with a form of worship of the gods. The term “sect” also comes from the Latin (“secta”) and means something like doctrine, party, or school of thought. A “sect” distinguishes itself from the “prevailing beliefs” through its doctrine, ritual, or dogma.

However, anyone who describes a religion or denomination as such a cult or sect today usually applies the standard of “normality” to their own doctrine, perhaps even one that is widely believed, and thus pushes any doctrine that deviates from it to the margins of “cultic.” It is particularly piquant when the counter is simply pointed out that a particular denomination is considered a cult or sect (“it is said”), but without providing any indication as to who is saying this or why. In this case, the person is simply parroting what they have read or heard. “Many say this, so I say this too.”

The only standard that can be used is the Gospel

It’s not about the “evaluation” of fundamentally different religions, such as Islam, Buddhism, or Hinduism, but rather about the teachings and traditions within those faith communities that call themselves Christian. There can only be one standard here, if one calls oneself Christian, namely the Gospel or the Bible.

A deviation from the (flexible) “norm”

Accusations of being a cult or sect can certainly also act as a means of pressure, although this may not necessarily be the primary intention. Ecumenism is a prime example of this. Who wants to be an “outsider” and possibly be labeled an oddball or even a sect? It’s better to get involved and receive the desired recognition. But there’s a huge catch. Logically, the teachings of ecumenism cannot correspond to the truth of the Gospel, since in this “colorful diversity,” a compromise or common denominator must ultimately be found. Hence the motto newly created in the course of ecumenism: “Reconciled Diversity.”

For this reason, it is equally simple logic that, for example, the “Charta Oecumenica” agreement, in which the Working Group of Christian Churches (ACK) is also heavily involved, simply ignores, indeed must outright ignore, a weighty statement of the Gospel. Namely, that the eternal gospel (Revelation 14:6) was already made known to man in its purity at the time of the apostles, Galatians 1:6-7:

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.“

Visible evidence of an already active ecumenical spirit is also the attitude that the church and its proclaimed teachings must be guided or shaped according to business considerations, rather than spreading the pure, unadulterated Word of God. One wants to have “full houses,” and new business ideas that appeal to people must take hold. Paul also had something to say about this (Galatians 1:10):
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.“

The gospel was established in the 1st century

Nothing was changed from the previous gospel. With Jesus’ prophecy to John, the Book of Revelation was finally added, so that the “servants of Jesus” could know what “must quickly take place.” The last words in Revelation 22 also testify to the resulting conclusion of the gospel, both verbally and in writing. This was before the year 100 AD. Everything that was added afterward was either subsequently “discovered writings” from the period between the last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, and the ministry of Jesus Christ, or newly developed stories from the 2nd century AD onward.

The beliefs and self-commitments of the ecumenical participants now represent the majority and thus also the new “norm.” Deviants from these are “eccentrics,” and if this is no longer sufficient, then they even become a cult, or even fundamentalists.

Those who shout loudest against “sects”

Cult within religion can be identified by certain practices during prayer, the performance of rituals, sacrifices, music, mysticism, and liturgy in general. If these are not based on the Gospel, they are human ideas and have been treated as a tradition for generations. At this point, the Church of Rome stands out, again clearly stating that in cases of contradiction between tradition and the Gospel, tradition is to prevail.

If there is one church that is quick to use the words “cult” and “heresy,” it is the Roman Catholic Church, or rather the papacy. This Roman organization is not just a simple member of the Charta Oecumenica, but has submitted this agreement, together with the Conference of European Churches, to the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (Charta Oecumenica). Since the Roman Church considers itself the “Mother of all Churches,” it stands to reason that it also prefers closeness to its “daughters” and is therefore also a member of the ACK. (Source).

Characteristics of a cult – a sect

A sect, the Gospel here as a standard, is characterized by the following characteristics, among others:

• The religious community has its own textbook, which presents its own interpretation of the Bible and also exclusive, binding doctrines.
• Only qualified members are allowed to interpret the Bible for the “subjects,” that is, the rank and file and the laity.
• They have a leadership class of members who lead their subordinates and claim that they are never wrong in their teachings.
• At the top of the church is a central leader who ranks above all other members.
• Instead of constantly keeping Jesus Christ at the center, they are primarily concerned with mortals and the dead.
• They have a sophisticated, works-based system of salvation, which also has various exclusivities or distinguishing features.

Exclusivity in Catholicism

The Roman Catholic Church also exhibits all of the above characteristics. This religious institution, which emerged from Roman imperial paganism, also exhibits some quite exclusive characteristics, such as the following:

• Church doctrine states that there is no salvation outside of their church. They present themselves as the prerequisite for any hope of salvation, rather than keeping Jesus Christ at the center.
• They claim to be the mother of all churches, the only true church founded by Christ, and all other churches are false or inferior to them.
• They claim to be the only church that can trace its roots back to the 1st century. Peter was the first pope.
• Many of their religious rituals have their origins in paganism, not Christianity.

As always, using the Gospel as a standard, there is no better example of a “cult-like cult” than the Roman Catholic Church. The deviations from the Gospel in Catholicism are so enormous that it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to even describe its teachings as the opposite of the Gospel (Info). In Greek, one would say “anti eu-angélion.”

In this sense, the Church of Rome, the greatest foghorn in history when it comes to the proclaimed accusation of sectarianism and heresy, including their destruction, is also the largest practiced religious cult in human history.

Really check everything yourself

When (high-ranking) clergy of the Catholic Church use the words “Jesus” or “Christ,” it is by no means certain whether Jesus Christ, the Word of God, the only begotten Son of God, is actually meant, but rather a cult figure disguised in the garb of Christianity. (Info).

When loud warnings against “cults, sects, and heretics” are once again heard from the spires, cathedral domes, and pulpits of this church and its faithful daughters, and when calls are again made for merciless persecution in the fight for the “unity of the Church,” then once again according to the principle, “catch the thief!” Therefore, don’t just repeat everything, but examine it for yourself. This with the only standard in hand: the Gospel.

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)