Hi Yuyutsu

well.. I think 'orthodoxy' can vary in minor things.. for example in Baptism.

All Orthodox/mainstream denominations believe that when person comes to Christ, they should be baptize as this is a very scriptural issue.

Where they sometimes differ is the mode of baptism. Some 'sprinkle'..others 'immerse'.. some 'baptize children' then 'confirm' later. But none of them would say that Baptism saves a person.. for example. The Church of Christ comes closest to this, and is regarded as a cult by some evangelicals.

YABBY.. lucky u gave that smiley I was about to get the thought police and hunt ya down :)

Gibo: "They were the only church in the QLD country town I lived in that could be found preaching on the post office corner each week, year after year. That says something fro grit and courage."

Or possibly something about obsession and disconnection from reality, not to mention a lack of consideration for others who had to put up with their droning.

"Its a shame you poisoned your kids with that rubbish Antiseptic.
Not too late to change. May The Lord Help you."

Off you go and pay the Pastor, then. I'm sure he could do with the money...

Boaz,

You are correct in that orthodoxy can have slight variations, but I don't see how it fits in this issue about cults.

Cults can be orthodox or otherwise. For example, suppose some charismatic person in a remote part of China gathers around him followers who look at him with bleary eyes. He brings them a bible, which they never saw before, claims that it is not only sacred, but also a very secret book and what he teaches them is exactly what you believe as a Christian, including the last fine detail about baptism and confirmation, eucharist and confession, but he simply does not tell them that such a belief exists anywhere else in the world - on the contrary, he tells them never to venture out of their village or open the radio because everything outside is controlled by Satan. He makes his followers work hard for him 18 hours a day, they consider him a saint and constantly adore and adorn him, they even believe that having sex with a saint is different than having "ordinary" sex and brings with it salvation rather than sin, so he is "married" to all the women in the group.

You get it... the words do not matter, it is not what one professes that matters, but how one actually lives!

TRTL.
Philo never challenged me.
He spoke against what the Bible said.
The Word is the reference because "all scripture is inspired by God" to its writers.
Philo, to all appearences, is certainly no born again christian.
He came across as RC or some other cult.

Antiseptic.
You join a long line of writers here who have no knowledge of the christian churches whatsoever.
Sure we will pay the pastor and put our tithes into the running of the churches we fellowship in. The more we put in, the further Christs message goes.
Most pastors I know do other jobs other than take out of the churches funds.
Its only a few of the bigger church pastors who get wages.

Dear Yuyutsu

your last point about the leader in a remote area has certainly been done by some.. David Koresh of Waco infame comes to mind.

I was going to say that this approach comes unhinged when the people who can also read the Bible, would recognize the errent behavior of their leader....but sadly.. even tragically, many people will simply accept the passionate and charismatically delivered 'special insights' that their leader brings to the Bible itself.

Henceforth, they don't see the plain meaning but re-interpret that through the lenze of 'his public statements/teaching' on the matter.

It doesn't change the 'cult' nature of the group, but it won't appear as a cult to those mezmerized by the leader inside the cult itself.

The most pernicious element in all this, is that these 'leaders' don't usually come up with their evil teaching at the beginning. They come across as passionate and sincere people who are driven the the selfless conviction of bringing truth to others.. which is why they gather a following I assume.

It gets even weirder when a cult splits into a sub cult :) and the original mob consider themselves 'orthodox' and the offshoot a'heresy/cult'.

Its at times like those when I just retreat to my Angofera Costata and Eucalpytus Citriadora filled garden and contemplate the greatness of the Almighty :)... I love the lemon scent from the Citriadora.