The problem with many of the new religions and cults is that they have the ability to sound very Christian when you are talking to the members. To talk to a Mormon, they will say they believe in the virgin birth, resurrection of Jesus and the blood atonement. When you dig deeper you find they are really speaking a different language. Most of the Christians avoid Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses because they think they will be outmatched by the cultists Bible knowledge. I would say without a doubt, the average Christian would be tied in a Biblical pretzel when trying to witness to one of these people. They twist scripture and (in the words of Walter Martin), "will lead you from Dan to Beersheba so you will loose the original thought you had intended to convey to them". There is no use talking with a JW about whether the soul is in hell or eternal damnation. You can argue all day about where the righteous go upon death. It does no good to discuss whether Christ died on a cross or on a stake. What you need to do is get them to the real Jesus. This book is not intended as a primer in witnessing to cults, but I want to make you aware of what the problem is. There are some great books and other resources available for that purpose. Walter Martin wrote a book called, "Kingdom of the Cults" and Josh McDowell wrote, "A Ready Defense" to name just a few.

      As with other events noted in this book, many new religions and movements were formed in the 19th Century. Many SEEM to be Christian, many do wonderful works, many have some of the greatest people as members. When you compare their doctrine against the Bible EVERY ONE OF THEM FAIL. They do not hold the Bible as sacred scripture from Genesis to Revelation. As noted in the Bible section, many have their own Bible, twisted as they need for their views. Many have written their own books that they claim supercede the Bible in authority. When did man ever display more talent than God? When has man ever been consistent in his thinking? When has man ever had thorough knowledge like God? Instead of trying to take mans' view to the Bible, we should look at the Bible first and ask what was God trying to say to us when He inspired it. But first you need the right Bible, not a polluted paraphrase as I see many church members using today. Could that be an indication of the great falling away that Revelation talks about?

      Is the Roman Catholic Church a cult? I have been asked that before and I have to stop and think; are their people polarized against the true church of Jesus Christ? Do they have a belief system that is outside of the Bible? Do they set one man as head of the religion that is the divine intercessor or the supreme authority when Bible doctrine is in question? Do they have their own Bible that is different than the accepted Bible in Christendom? Do they claim to be the only religion that is THE true religion in order to get to heaven? You who are Catholic can probably answer that question, but for those of you who know nothing about the Catholic religion, let me try to answer.

      Yes, they are polarized against the followers of Jesus Christ, all the while claiming to be a Christian church. The Catholic Church and the Popes have killed many Protestants and other religions in the name of God. Please read Foxe's 'Book of Martyrs". Yes they have the Pope as head over the church whose word equals the Bible and church tradition, sometimes his word supercedes the Bible. They have their own Bible, the Douay-Rheims, which contain the Apocrypha writings. These are not considered inspired writings and are not in the canon of the Bible. A Roman Catholic decision in 1546 (the Council of Trent) accepted as canonical, and added to the Bible, the apocryphal books of "Tobit," "Judith," "Wisdom," "Ecclesiasticus," "Baruch," "I and II Maccabees". Yes they claim to be THE only true religion, if you are not Catholic they say you are destined for hell. That seems to fit the definition of a cult. Add that to the fact that they sell indulgences, say prayers for the dead (forbidden in the Bible), hold masses for people who are in "Purgatory" (found only in the Apocrypha), worship Mary (worship God only), their need for Penance (as if Christ did not pay it all), baptize infants (Baptists were called Anti-Baptists originally because they opposed baby baptism), bow to graven images (forbidden by the 2nd Commandment, which was removed by Catholics), crucify Christ again (the Eucharist is more than a symbol, it is the real body of Christ), confess sins to a priest (Christ alone is our intercessor), and require celibacy for priests (Deacons, preachers, elders are told to have only one wife).

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