
Christian Cults
We have provided a brief sypnosis of most of the major Christian cults
below
For those interested in more works by Robert King, please browse our articles or books section.
This page on cults is not meant to be exhaustive, but to merely provide useful information on major
cults and heretical groups or those who are readers have requested information on. This page will continue to
expand and grow with additional information as time permits and more requests are made.
Jehovah
Witnesses
Mormons
Belief Comparison Chart
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE INFORMATION ON OTHER HERETICAL GROUPS NOT YET LISTED BELOW, PLEASE EMAIL
US WITH YOUR REQUEST AT biblecommentator@aol.com.
Jehovah Witnesses
Jehovah Witnesses are part of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, which began with Charles
Taze Russell, who was originally heavily influenced by Seven Day Adventist doctrine before developing his own
theology. Russell began to distribute his publication of Zion's Watchtower and Herald of Christ's Presence
in 1879. After the death of Russell in 1916, Joseph Franklin Rutherford took his place as leader of the new
movement which was by now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in 1917. Rutherford died in
1942.
From Russell to Rutherford and beyond, much of the theology of the organization has changed
numerous times. Some of the most crucial existing beliefs are that Jesus is not God, but instead the first
created being, Michael the Archangel; that the Holy Spirit is merely an active force of God rather than a real
person; and that Jesus was raised as a spiritual being since his physical body was dematerialized forever.
They also believe that Jehovah Witnesses should not celebrate birthdays, serve in the military or receive blood
transfusions. They also venture off into other insignificant claims such as the belief that Jesus died on a
wooden stake rather than on a cross.
Mormons
Mormons, also known as the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was founded by Joseph
Smith around 1830, and then led by Brigham Young after Joseph Smith was killed. Joseph Smith claimed to have
had a series of revelations, which included the appearance of both God the Father and God the Son. He insists
he was lead to some buried gold plates by an angel which Joseph then translated with the Urim & Thummim, and
then returned the gold plates to the ground under threat of death. The translation was what is now the Book
of Mormon. The basic premise of the Book of Mormon is the story of two civilizations that came to the
American continent, including one during the time of the Tower of Babel and the other from Israel prior to the
Babylonian captivity around 600 B.C. While the first group were destroyed because of wickedness, the second
group later divided into the two groups of the Nephites and the Lamanites, who were at war with each other.
The Nephites are portrayed as the good group, which even received appearances of Jesus and then believed the
Gospel. The Lamanites, on the other hand, were cursed and received a darker skin. The Lamanites
eventually wiped out the Nephites and the American Indians are their descendants. The Book of Mormon claims
equal inspiration and authority with the Bible. The original Mormons also practiced polygamy, a practice the
group later denounced.
Some of the most bizarre beliefs of the Mormons are that God the Father was once a man like us;
that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones; that Mary actually had real sexual intercourse with God the
Father; that Adam is Michael the Archangel; that Jesus was a polygamist (Mary, Martha, and Mary Magdalene); that
Jesus was the actual brother of Lucifer; and that we have the potential to become gods populating our own planets
even as God the Father was once like us. Mormonism has so many strange and bizarre beliefs that it is
impossible to list them all here. In addition, there is also quite a bit of confusion between what Joseph
Smith, Brigham Young, and others have taught, and what the church actually affirms as its beliefs. Hopefully,
the above information is sufficient to show how far their doctrine strays from true Christianity.
There are also other branches of Mormonism which are not covered here. The information above
is relevant only to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
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Belief Comparison
Chart
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Doctrine
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True Christian
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Jehovah Witness
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Mormon
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God
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One Being in 3 Persons, eternal
without beginning or end, only real God that exists.
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One Being as 1 Person, eternal without
beginning or end, only real God that exists.
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There are many existing and potential gods. |
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God the Father
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Eternal deity without beginning or end, 1st person of the
Godhead. |
see above. |
Elohim, the God who created this world, who was once a man
even as we are, merely an exalted man. Also identified with Adam by Brigham
Young. |
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Jesus Christ
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Eternal deity without beginning or end
who later became man, 2nd person of the Godhead.
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First created being who later became
man, they identify him with Michael the Archangel.
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Jehovah as distinguished from Elohim above. Son of
God the Father, brother of Lucifer, who later became man. |
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The Holy Spirit
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Eternal deity without beginning or end, 3rd person of the
Godhead. |
A mere impersonal active force of God. |
Though some writings seem to imply that the Holy Spirit as
a divine energy is distinguished from the Holy Ghost as a third personage, Mormons I
have spoken to identify the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost as but different names for a
third personage. |
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Michael the Archangel
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An Archangel
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Jesus
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Adam
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