It’s not uncommon for atheists to call all religions a cult. But that couldn’t be more incorrect. I want to address each of these claims from the picture above that was posted as a comment on one of our recent Facebook posts. The claim that Christianity in and of itself is a cult is a serious one, and we should take these points seriously.
Before addressing the claim that Christianity is a cult, we have to ask ourselves, what is a cult? The first definition that comes up if you search for the definition of a cult is a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object. If we take this definition, then Christianity is a cult. We are a group of people devoted to following Jesus Christ, and any religion could be called such. The problem is that in today’s society, the word cult has a darker and much more sinister undertone. When we think of a cult, we picture widespread abuse, theft, brainwashing, compounds, and so much more. This is the type of cult reflected in the picture above, and this is what most of today’s world thinks of when talking about cults. They are not simply groups devoted to following a person.
Now that we understand what we mean by cult, I’ll address each point in order;
- The leader is always right. The first question we have to ask is, who does the creator of the picture consider the leader? If we are talking about a pastor of a church, like I suspect, then this is absolutely a problem. The Bible is clear: we are all sinners. Any person claiming they are an absolute authority and can not be wrong is not following Biblical Christianity. On the other hand, if we are to look to God as our leader like Biblical Christianity tells us to, then, of course, the leader is always right. If God wasn’t always right, He wouldn’t be God.
- Criticism of the leader or questioning is considered persecution. As Christians, the Lord tells us we will be persecuted. But what is the Biblical idea of persecution? If we look at Acts chapter 4, we see Peter and John being confronted by the Sadducees. They are taken and thrown in prison for the night until they can stand before the council. Once they speak to the council, they are threatened and sent away, being told to stop speaking about Jesus. Of course, they do not. Now, we can look ahead to Acts chapter 5, starting at verse 17. The Apostles are taken in again and threatened once more. The Sadducees intended to kill them but were convinced to let them go, but this time they flogged them before threatening them again. The Apostles leave, praising God that they have been worthy to suffer for His name. The Bible makes it clear to us that persecution will come, but harsh words and personal attacks aren’t persecution, according to Biblical Christianity. Real persecution is the threat of physical punishment and death.
- Anything the leader does is justified, no matter how harmful it may be. This is another point where we must question who the leader is their talking about. If a pastor, the same points I made for number one still apply. We will hurt people, and we have to be able to admit when we are wrong, especially when it’s harmful. Now, if the leader is God, I would argue all the justification needed for any of His actions is the fact that He is God. He has the right and authority to do what He sees fit. The amazing thing about Christianity, though, is that our God will reason with us. He shows us His character, why He does what He does, and what His plans are. This doesn’t mean everything will be easy to accept, but it does show that God loves us and wants us to know Him.
- The leader is the only source of truth, and everyone else is lying. This is a real issue in Christianity, and any person who will tell you they are the only ones who can teach you the Word of God is a liar. All of us are fallible humans, and we will make mistakes. I would bet that all of us believe something that is incorrect, but when we look to God as our leader, we are looking to the one who is always correct. If God was not always correct, He wouldn’t be God.
- Followers must be blindly devoted to the leader and never question him. Too many Christians believe this! That is the point of this ministry! God welcomes your questions. We serve a God that is big enough to answer any questions, doubts, or fears. He does not expect us to follow Him blindly. Sadly, there are people who claim to be Christian who believe they can never question, and even worse, there are leaders who tell their congregations that they must never question. This is a cult, and I will stand by anyone who calls it wrong.
- The members won’t recognize they belong to a cult. I can hear it now. “Of course you’d say it’s not a cult! You’re a Christian! Anyone outside of Christianity can see that it is!” All I can say is that you can call anything a cult when you redefine the word. My argument is that Biblical Christianity is not how the majority of people view cults, as an abusive and parasitic organization taking everything from their members. If you want to define a cult as a group of people dedicated to following a person, then sure. Christians are a group of people dedicated to following Jesus.
- Dues are paid every week to the leader. If you are required to pay dues to your church every week, then I agree there is a problem. Tithing was a part of the law that Christians are not required to continue following. We are now told to give with a cheerful heart. We give to support the ministry and to help people, not because we are commanded to.
I hope that my response to this picture will help you to understand and work through claims you see like this in the future. It can be scary when people throw out emotionally charged statements like “Christianity is a cult.” The good news is God isn’t scared. Come to Him with your fears and He will give you rest. If you have any questions feel free to reach out and message us or schedule a time to discuss whatever on your mind on the front page of the website!