avoiceforothers's Blog

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnes, for they shall be satisfied. Matt. 5:6



VOM Interview with Estela Lunez Perez: Spokesperson for the 33 Indian Evangelical Prisoners and their families of the Acteal Massacre in 1997 (Chiapas, Mexico)



At the end of September, we (VOM/Equipo en Mexico) learned that Estela Luna Perez was carrying out a demonstration in the Parque Central in Tuxtla Gutierrez, capital of the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. She was accompanied by 50 other Tzotzil Indian women, 20 of their children, and 10 men.



They hoped that they would be able to get the attention of the governor, Juan Sabines. She told us that he seemed to pay attention to her complaints on behalf of the 33 familes who have family members falsely accused and imprisoned, some of them sentenced for up to 36 years; at last he promised to build them houses and make sure that they get the government support due to them. Angry and feeling let down again, she told him, "We don't want anymore words and promises from the government...we are tired of all the lies and the promises made to us by the government and the lawyers. She then accused the governor of wanting to exchange material possessions for the liberty of the prisoners. When he told her that he would look into the "situation", she said she would be watching to see if it were true, or just another ruse.



The day I arrived at her house, about 10 days later, she had been "visited" earlier by the PGR with a search warrant and an order of arrest for her 30 year old brother(the only male family member not imprisoned), whom the authorities were just now accusing of being armed the day of their demonstartion in Tuxtla. Estela's 70+ year old father, 2 older brothers, and a brother-in-law were all arrested together in 1997 in the police round-up. Now the authorities were making a formal complaint that her brother had organized the demonstration and had been armed at the time. Estela was crying, and in a panic thinking that the police had come to take away the last male in the household.

It appeared to be a tactic to both check out the actual situation in Acteal, and "scare off" or pressure the group of Tzotzil demonstrators to back off.



She started sharing with us her sad story about how they had also come to be victims of the incredibly complicated Case of Acteal. Her father is more than 70 years old, and has been imprisoned for 11 years now. He suffers from prostrate problems; both of her brothers suffer from medical problems also: asthma and diabetes, which are common amongst the prisoners who receive little immediate medical attention, she said. An uncle, who was also in the group rounded-up and imprisoned, was finally released because of his bad health, but died recently. Estela started crying, saying that if her father were ever released it would probably be only to come home to die. Her mother is also suffering with bad health, and there are more than 100 children who are severly malnourished.



She says that: 1. They are mostly women who are struggling to provide for their children, 2. There is a real lack in both spiritual and physical support for them and for those who are imprisoned in Cintalapa, hours away,3. Making it difficult to maintain contact with them. 4. A missionary, from a small community over an hour+ away, goes about once a month to visit them; 5. The government has not fulfilled the promises it made to them for assistance and support.



I asked her, if she really believed that her father and brothers were innocent, and she answered without pausing, "Yes, because that day they were all working together in the coffee fields together. That's why when the police were calling everyone to present themselves for questioning, they went out to the highway and got into the trucks...they weren't afraid of the consecuences and got into the trucks of their own free will; they were confident because they hadn't done anything wrong."



I then asked her if she thought it would be possibble to live along side of the Zapatistas and the surviving family members of those who were massacred, if her people were ever released from prison. "Yes," she told me. "They all walk around here freely and that has nothing to do with us". Hard to imagine that that could be possible. A well informed source told us that these principally Zapatista Indian communities are still watched carefully by both the Zapatistas and the government army and political forces. Many of these families were removed from their ancestral lands and lost their houses to the Zapatistas; there are still families who have not been relocated to a place of their own.

The Zapatista propaganda and the ritualistic mourning, with extremely volatile emotional feelings of anger/hate contributed to by the "counseling" of retired archbishop Samuel Ruiz is kept at a peak level all year long... with special memorial masses and demonstrations the 22nd of every month, and the anniversary gatherings of Zapatista supporters from around the world every December 22nd serving to incite continuing hatred and the need for vengeance and political advantage for the leftist rebel movement. On the other hand, VOM ministers forgiveness and love through Christ and the testimonies of others who have suffered even worse trials, to those who have been abused and persecuted for their faith. It does not seek to take advantage of the anger one feels, but hopes to gain for Christ those who oppose the free preaching of the gospel.



Our evangelical brothers are "political prisoners" not because of their participation in either movement: Zapatista or paramilitary. (Our informed source said that many of them might have simpathized with the Zapatista movement, but did not get involved with them because of their violent manner of doing things). But they ended up as "political prisoners" in the sense that they are trapped between the rebel Zapatista movement who don't want them in their midst, and the state/federal governments that want to avoid another armed confrontation at all cost. Not to mention that the authorities may actually be covering up their complicity in the %##@asination and/or cover-up of 45 principally women and children in Acteal 1997.



It is an embarrassment and a DISGRACE that not only the justice system failed our brothers in Christ; but also that, year after year, the Body of Christ has insisted, in general, on ignoring them...feeling uncomfortable with the entire mess, and for being deceived as well by all the propaganda.



(For more technical information that is reliable look for Protestante Digital(Sorry it's in Spanish)...Forget about Wikipedia...I already looked it up, and the information is straight out of the Zapatista propaganda files. Youtube carries much of the leftist propaganda en videos, and the "official" version that is questionable.)



On the way out of Acteal, and looking over my shoulder as we talked in whispers, I spoke with Estela about how we could help, and she said they would be willing to work with us, BUT the last words Estela said to me were,"Ya (Finished!) No government houses! No help from the government! We only want our men who were accused falsely and sentenced to prison unjustly, released!"



We are opening a campaign of moral and spiritual support for both the prisoners and their families this month... following the example of the ministry Open Doors that has been their main legal, spiritual, and physical support from the beginning, and The Voice of the Martyrs that directs campaigns in it's program of PrisonerAlert by sending postcards or letters to those who are imprisoned. Watch for the next Blog and blast for further information for how you can make a difference, after you've lifted these brothers and sisters before the Lord in prayer.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ...I'm forwarding on to you my recent answer to a young man here on Godtube...who very innocently asked me how things are in Mexico. Since he is Catholic, we have discussed,sometimes heatedly, the cases of religious intolerance and persecution here in Mexico, which are normally, sad to say, Catholic against Evangelical/non-Catholic. I'll leave my response intact... my concerns and observations about the seriousness of the situation here, after 20 years being part of Mexico, are not an exaggeration...I tend to underplay. Please, as Mexico is getting ready to celebrate her Patriot Days...September 14th,15th Independence Day,...keep her and her people in prayer.



To: corpuschristi15

Date:Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 03:33 PM



Dear Kyle...nice to hear from you...there are many groups from both Catholic and non-Catholic groups/evangelicals who come to Mexico each year...it's an ideal spot for summer ministry programs for youth, even families, and for short term missions..or social service in the name of Jesus Christ. I didn't have a specific group come through...we are a small team just getting statred...but many do come through.

We specifically encourage those who are being persecuted for being evangelicals by the majority who would be what they call here traditional Catholics...it would be more accurate to say tribal Catholicism because of the mixture of pagan Indian culture and rites blended with the basics of Catholicism. I taught catechism for years so I can tell you it's a type that wouldn't seem too familiar to you. The archbishops in Chiapas are focusing by orders of Pope Benedict, on re-evangelizing the Indians, and calling for them to reason on a more civilized level in dealing with justice/punishment and those who choose to worship in a different Christian church. They really have to, because the rest of the evangelical world is drawing the federal governments attention to the religious injustice that happens here and the RC Church has come under attack for not doing more to correct and teach her people. I'm very sorry to say that the antagonism here in Latin America between Catholic and non- Catholic is rampant and very aggressive. The Voice of the Martyrs is interdenominational, and ministers that you must love and forgive others who hate you, as Jesus did. It's not a very popular part of the gospel to preach...and the Mexicans tell me it can't be done...I tell them we have no choice...we will be and are forgiven to the extent that we are willing to forgive others...that's what the Our Father's Prayer says right?

As for how things are in Mexico right now, it's pretty bad...we are in the middle of a very violent war of opposing drug (narcos) traffickers ...the state I live in is one of the worst...people step back out of "respect" (that means a healthy fear) when I say I'm from Sinaloa...Our narcos were "fairly" civil...but are in a war with several other bands,principally backed by the Zetas( former military personel trained by US special forces in the fight against the drug cartels...)who especially like to torture and decapitate their victims. I live outside of Mazatlan...yesterday there was a major shoot out on the principal highway, from which one of our pastors,only for the grace of God , escaped after witnessing a young man murdered before his eyes...There were helicopters, police, the army... big show. Two young men from my neighborhood were kidnapped(snatched/levantados) by an armed group outside of town Thursday, and were found decapitated along with 2 others not yet identified. They were our neighbors when we first moved here...little kids. Died at 21 and 26 years of age...a few of many in the past few months in Mexico who have been eliminated by one or other rival cartel. I'll go this afternoon to the wake...I can't imagine how their mother will survive this. It makes me sick and angry!

We had a shoot out here in front of my house,last weekend...11pm...I was chatting with my neighbor...one shot rang out...we didn't move. We're used to hearing it. At the 2nd, she shouted run for cover...and I tried to get in my daughters's house downstairs...so as not to draw attention to those shooting on the corner. I figured they were coming our way since the house in front of us is a local major drug supplier. Well, my son-in-law had already locked the door and gone to bed...At the 3rd shot...I hit the floor on the porch and kept on banging on the door for him to open the OOPS ($$$!!) door. He almost died when he opened it and found me on the floor...he automatically went on hands and knees to grab his 3 year old son, and I went looking for my daughter...who was crying in the shower outside, because she got trapped in the patio when she heard the shooting...and then somebody jump over the wall with the police hot after them. We huddled in the corner for awhile, until the police gave us word it was safe to come out. Had nothing to do with the narcos in front...was some guys smoking marijuana on top of one of the roofs, who took a pot(pun intended)shot at the cops...since dozens of cops have been tortured and killed in the last few months , they shot back...and I don't blame them.

I just wrote a comment on the local newspaper news story about the 2 young men decapitated...everyone here is so ready to blame everybody else...when everyone is responsable for what has been developing here for decades...And my best advice is 2nd Chronicles 7:14... REPENT: one by one,parents,neighbors, eachers,priests, pastors,politicians,businessmen,police,lawyers...NO ONE LEFT OUT...Silent protests don't work...it's a chickens way out...tolerance and minding your own business don't work...It's repentance and changed hearts that are needed...NOW, or Mexico will be under military rule in a short time...NO JOKE!

Sorry to hit you so hard ...you happened to be the first that I was able to express my feelings with...Love in Christ, Linda in Mexico



2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 09:39 PM.

New Independent Mission for The Voice of the Martyrs in Mexico

Si habla español, por favor de enviar me una invtacion de amistad a mi nueva pagina en español...unavozenmexico...y buscame alli...



Dear brothers and sisters in Christ I am so pleased and proud (well at least a little pride is permitted when it's for the Lord's glory and the benefit of His people), to inform you that we have been given the information necessary to form an independent mission office of The Voice of the Martyrs in Mexico...and hoping that within the year we will be indeed be certified as such. In the meantime we are an acting independent office, and will be working at forming our first executive board, plant 3 offices...one in Mexico City in the hands of our well known spokesperson and media/journalist liason, Oscar Moha Vargas, the Matriz (mother/founder's)International Liason and Volunteers Voice Network Office outside of a major west coast resort area in Mexico in my team's hands, and an office in the major conflict zone of San Cristobal Chiapas...in southern Mexico. We will be planning our major activities for the year, and our international projects. We are starting out in zeros...because we have all the information and the urgent need to do something NOW, and we will start looking at our funding options...Latin America is notorious for it's inability to support it's own pastors, let alone donate to outside ministries, but Brother Oscar and I are believing that the grand vison we have is from the Lord and that this will be different. We have a wonderful example in what is done in other international offices, and know that since there is such a need here to support and encourage the persecuted brothers, and that it's time that the Mexican Evangelical churches also started taking some responsability in caring for her own. I hope maybe we can start some kind of matching funds programs for funding projects, both on Mexican soil and in other places of special interest to our team...like Sudan, Colombia, North Korea, China, the H-mong of southeast Asia, Pakistan,India, and Israel.

I will be sending out bulletins on a more regular basis, but wanted to let you know that I have set up a Spanish speaking page here at Godtube so I can send out my blasts more easily in Spanish...unavozenmexico... I also find myself rather behind in responding to your letters, and want you to know that if you want more personal attention, I will send you my email address...I have one for my English and another for my Spanish speaking friends just to make it easier to keep up...my Spanish speaking friends have had to take a back seat lately, and I hate to have that happen. I have also lost some of you in the shuffle that I was writing to on a regular basis because I don't have my office under much control...I want to do better...so don't let me lose one of you in the crack...I do really appreciate each of you as friends but have been rather distracted lately...I hope to improve that with your help if you are interested in the more regular friendship instead of just being on someone's list...Will be posting info in my blog in the next few days...we have a major meeting this weekend to make our first formal decisions...please keep us in your prayers... And if you are interested in participating in a more personal way, let me know...after all you have an in with the executive director!!! Love in Christ...Linda



Genesis 4:10

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Can You be deceived??? Personal Freedom Outreach ...www.pfo.org <br />

Thessolonians 2:3 " Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and then the man of sin is revealed,the son of perdition."<br />

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WOULD YOU/ HAVE YOU BEEN DECEIVED BY THIS MAN AND HIS TEACHINGS???<br />

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Posted by Gerusalem Order on July 3, 2008 at 3:35pm<br />

Truth<br />

Truth is not born through-Government-World orders, natural or spiritual. Truth is not born through any religious organization or Order. You can not follow any order or procedure for deliverance until it is granted from the father of us all. That, which is written declares it, read it in the scriptures that declare him or in nature which reveals him.<br />

Gerusalem Order is not a man made order to be governed by man. Gerusalem means God ruling in peace from the center of all that submits to him, the father of us all. Mans' only involvement is to declare him. The church is not to rise up any man, woman or standard to look to for salvation or deliverance. Salvation and deliverance is only in the hand of the almighty and his son Jesus Christ, which the scripture declares. They are both alive and their presence is in the earth. If this is so and it is, then why is there a necessity to raise up leadership when it is all ready in existence? If God in the beginning did not need men over men then why does he need them now? He doesn't! Its plain and simple, we all need to come into his presence for instruction. The only reason any order is raised up in the earth declaring God from God is for the purpose of spearheading the state of mankind into the kingdom of God.<br />

All other Orders shall give an account for their actions. Gerusalem Order is raised up to declare the original restoration through Higher Vision, that all men are restored by and through faith which all the righteousness of God comes through. This goes to show that the government of God is all ready established in the earth. It is invisible not visible; men from the beginning always wanted visible means of Government, through the hardness and Impenitent heart, God gave lee way for the man and the man govern by sight or visible means. The true church of God does not look or walk by sight-read it: 2Corinthians 5:1-10, ROM 8:24, 2Corinthians 4:18, Luke 17:20-21, 2Corinthians 3rd Chapter, 1Corinthians 2:14, Heb 10:16-18.<br />

Then why the natural visible order of things? The natural visible order of things is there only for the natural fallen state of man for he can not know God, the invisible thing of God. Read it 1Corinthians 2:14. The natural man always walks by sight; unseen things are foolishness unto him. This is why his eyes, ears and senses are never satisfied. Through the mercy and love of God for the man, God has allowed the natural as an incubator to transfer into the kingdom of God. All those involved in Gerusalem Order are to encourage all into the invisible things of God, which comes through faith (Higher Vision). Any person that raises up to draw men after themselves shall stand accountable to God and is not under or in Gerusalem Order. All men and women and children under Gerusalem Order are to be open to the instruction and direction of the invisible government of God for instruction in directing all people into the kingdom of God. They are to put all at the disposal of God, natural and spiritual means, doing so with their whole body, soul and spirit.<br />

All mankind in the earth was made in the image of God, even though they are mingled with the beast nature, also good and evil which has blinded them in part to the true image of God. God is able to work through their conscience to draw them to Jesus the Christ for instruction toward deliverance by reconciling them. I am also raised up to point you toward reconciliation to Jesus the Christ by the step by step procedure of the Gerusalem Order instruction Manual (Eating from the tree of Life). It is the natural means to the natural man in awareness for transformation. Only those that are drawn of God can recognize the contents of being from God. It is God's gift of help to all that hunger and thirst for truth. May God grant you entrance until you are one with Gerusalem: God ruling in peace from your center-restoration will radiate peace from your center.<br />

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Write for your free copy of the Gerusalem Order Instruction Manual for Higher Vision (Eating from the Tree of Life) and begin your restoration. <br />

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Move to trash <br />

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This a summary of an article published on Personal Freedom Outreach<br />

www.pfo.org If you would like to read the whole article its called "Can you be deceived? Why are people duped and how not to be."...by.G.Richard Fisher<br />

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We as humans beings are vulnerable to deception, don't forget that. Daily we must guard ourselves, and protect ourselves, and be on alert for false teachings, false signs, wonders, rumors etc<br />

We are only (or more likely) able to be deceived if the deception looks some what like the real thing. Deceivers will imitate the genuine as closely as possible.<br />

For example: If you wanted to pass off a fake $100 dollar bill you wouldn't put donald duck's face on it. You will make it look as close as possible to the real thing.<br />

Religious frauds are believed because we want to believe them. We want these claime to be true. These miraculous stories, fantastic stories.<br />

We place in our hearts what we treasure, hold dear.So when you hold dear these deceptions we now have a vested interest in them which leads to the blinders staying on. We often only see what we want to see.<br />

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The Bible says God holds both the deceiver and the deceived accountable. Lamentations 2:14 and first chapter of Zephaniah.<br />

In todays world with peoples' belief in ongoing revelation and a diminished belief in the sufficiencey of the Bible we are predisposed to credulity. We are gullible. We will believe anything with just a little bit of evidence or none at all.<br />

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 "But I fear,lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received , or a different gospel which you have not accepted- you may well put up with it!" and 2 cor.11:13,14<br />

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"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light."<br />

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Internet myths are circulating and growing like a fungus. A person can be "ordained" online for no charge in 20 seconds. And anybody can buy a degree.<br />

We can easily be duped if we do not have a hold on and really know God's word. There are reports coming from all over of legs getting longer,people loosing large amounts of weight, bald men growing hair. Most with no proof, documentation, witnesses.<br />

There are many given false hopes for healing by these people. Joni Erickson Tada a quadraplegic, talked about her experiance with going to healing services with Katherine Kuhlman. How she wanted and prayed to be healed. But every time she got close to getting to the altar,the time ran that she was allowed up there. How she saw others like her leaving disapointed, and she wondered how many of them were going to reject Christ. Giving false hope is worse than no hope at all.<br />

And interestingly many of these healers have died of major illnesses or are ill or their family members are ill. Why can't they heal themselves? Why would God be more concerned with superficial healings like baldness or leg lengthening than healing real serious illness?.<br />

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Inventory & Resource Tool/ 12 Reasons We Can Be Deceived... why we are so gullible:<br />

1. The foundation of Christianity is belief. We want to believe all these spectacular "works". But our objects of faith must be God and His word.<br />

Dr. Bruce Bikel said " Too often what's passed for unity is really compromise. It is better to be divided by truth than united in error."<br />

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2. We are comanded to love. Love tends to be accepting and is willing to overlook things. However love that is not structured in truth is sentimental and is so wishy-washy it can be manipulated and washed astray. Love is a commitment to truth and love will not tolerate false teachings or lies which in the end hurt and lead astray others. Biblical love insists on truth and doctrine.<br />

3.We have a tendency to want to believe christian leaders (generally we should) Hebrews 13:7<br />

But we should also be alert to their conduct as well. We should not follow blindly.<br />

4.We can be brainwashed by religious television and we are being told that to question is "heresy hunting". We are being conned by being threatened with the possibility of commiting blasphemy against the Holy Spirit even though we are just trying to be discerning.We should not be manipulated by a guilt trip laid on us for questioning heresy.<br />

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5. Its hard for us to imagine Christian magazines like Charisma peddling deception and that such wonderful ministries (as being advertised) aren't on the up and up. It's hard to believe that "Christian " bookstores can be part of the problem.Books teaching occult teachings are being labeled Christian classics.<br />

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6. Perverted and unbiblical views that forgiveness means we put up with and we overlook everything, even ongoing sin and disgrace.The word "repentance" is being milked and used to justify all means of evil. True repentence will issue out in Biblical change.<br />

7.There is an enemy of our soul who goes about like a roaring lion.<br />

8. Scripture depicts there will be a falling away from the faith because of seducing spirits etc. 1 timothy 4:1-2, 2 timothy 4: 1-4,Mt.24:24<br />

9. We are being conditioned by our culture and tv. so nothing shocks us.<br />

10. We have become a culture of hero worshippers and celebrity seekers. Evangelical heros, popular writers and speakers, are given total allegience and followed like rock stars.<br />

11. We have substituted having a growing and serious relationship with God for entertainment and television religion. Prov. 27:17<br />

12. People have become cliche bound. We are easily susceptible to any one who says "GOD TOLD ME" THE LORD SAID" or THE LORD SPOKE TO ME" etc. I feel, I sense, have replaced IT IS WRITTEN.<br />

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Here are some guidlines to help you discern.<br />

Its called SHARP<br />

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S= Search the scriptures daily, read it in it's context.<br />

H=Hold fast to God and pray for wisdom and discernment<br />

A= Accept no claims of men at face value no matter what.<br />

R= require documents, 2 or 3 witnesses. proof,. Do not assume something is true because some one says so or its in a book or video. Even sincere believers may be misinformed and passing on misinformation.<br />

P=Pursue only refutable ministries, teaching, comentaries. Insist on doctrinal statements.and financial reports. Take seriously doc. reports of false teachings, mismanagement, outlandish claims, poor doctrine.<br />

Even the secular press can only report what is there. It is unfortunate that they have become the watchdog of scammers. The church should be doing the job.<br />

â¼ Reply to This

Resume from Let Us Reason Ministries...



DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF A CULT- A GROUP BOUND TOGETHER IN A INTENSE DEVOTION TO A PERSON, IDEAL OR THING; A SYSTEM OF BELIEFS AND RITUALS THAT ARE BOGUS. In other words they are practicing a false system of spirituality while claiming to be authentic.

There are two ways a cult operates in falsehood. Theologically and sociologically. From belief and practice. Some are theologically dangerous others are sociologically dangerous. Not all cults are harmful to someoneâ³ physical well being, but they are harmful spiritually if they mislead someone in their relationship to God through another gospel. They will all have control or manipulation over people in some fashion. They will hold the person to this particular group or church often with fear convincing them that there is no where else to go, no one else has the truth like they do.

There are two categories of cults, non -Christian and Christian cults. The Christian cult claims to have the truth of Christ and salvation but they deny one or more of the core doctrines of the Christian faith. To simplify an identification of a Christian cult it would be noticeable in several categories. Who is Jesus, the way of salvation, what is your final source of authority and how they relate to others. They want to call themselves Christian without adhering to the tenets of the historic "doctrinal " faith. They change the major core teachings to mean something other than they are defined in the Bible and by the history of the church. The cults do not agree with the historic (Biblical) Christian faith.

The Bible does not use the word "cult." However the Bible does address religious errors in teaching and practice. It does not take these teachers lightly and it does not excuse those who teach them. The Bible applies to them words such as "heresy," "heretic," "false teachers," "false prophets," "false apostles, and "false Christ's". Those who teach contrary to the core teachings may say of themselves "we are not a "cult" but this does not change the fact that they are in this category. The Bible reprimands heresy, false teachings, false doctrines, and false prophecy and tells us to refute, reproof, correct, and expose it by defending the truth (Jude 3). This can often take place publicly as they teach their falsehood publicly. Those who claim to be Christian that are found to teach heresy will often be the strongest opponents against those who point out their false teachings. They want to censure them so they can continue to teach unchallenged. It is for this reason cults do not like be too noticed and will not debate or discuss the issues brought up publicly.

Both cult's and a sect adhere to a distinctive doctrine that oftentimes is majoring on the minors. Sect's on the other hand refer to a religious denomination or a group of people that broke from another body they were involved with to form their own. For example there are sects in Islam and Mormonism (like the RLDS). The term sect can at time have similarities to a cult but its identification does not help someone identify how severe a deviation from the original they are. This is especially true with those who claim their Christianity is exclusive only to themselves being the only way as the one true Church.



What are some of the teachings that cults hold in common?

1. THEY DEIFY MAN...

TEACHING THAT MAN MAY BECOME GOD, OR IS A PART OF GOD. MAN NEEDS TO BE A PART OF A CERTAIN GROUP OR CHURCH TO LEARN NEW REVELATION OR KNOWLEDGE TO PROGRESS TO GODHOOD. SOMEONE, USUALLY THE LEADER WILL SAY THEY ARE GOD OR HAS THE CHRIST SPIRIT IN A GREATER WAY. THAT THEY ARE COMMISSIONED OR APPOINTED TO BE THE LEADER BY GOD.



2.THEY HUMANIZE GOD...

SOME GROUPS DENY THAT GOD IS ETERNAL. SOME BELIEVE IN MANY GODS, OR THAT ALL IS GOD (PANTHEISM). OTHER GROUPS SUCH AS JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES TEACH THAT GOD'S NATURE OR STATE OF BEING MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AND REASONABLE TO BE TRUE. IN OTHER WORDS, IF FINITE MAN CANNOT UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT GOD THEN IT IS NOT TRUE. THIS TECHNIQUE SUBTLY ELEVATES MAN'S MENTAL ABILITY TO THAT OF GOD.



3.THEY MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE SIN...

THE BIBLICAL CONCEPT OF SIN IS NOT TAUGHT, OR IS COMPLETELY ELIMINATED BY SOME GROUPS. THIS IS SEEN IN CHRISTIAN SCIENCE, MIND SCIENCE, RELIGIOUS SCIENCE, AND NEW AGE GROUPS. MEANINGS THAT ARE BIBLICAL ARE CHANGED TO THEIR OWN PERSONAL INTERPRETATIONS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO THE CONTEXT OR ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE AUTHOR.



4.THEY MINIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BIBLE...

MOST ORGANIZED HERESIES (CULTS) USE "ANOINTED" INFORMATION, BOOKS, MAGAZINES OR SCRIPTURES. THESE ARE BELIEVED TO BE JUST AS OR MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE BIBLE. THEY ARE INDISPENSABLE IN UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE. SOME GROUPS STRONGLY DISCOURAGE THEIR MEMBERS FROM READING THE BIBLE ALONE, AND SOME DO NOT BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD ALONE. OTHERS USE THE BIBLE WITH THEIR OWN UNIQUE INTERPRETATION UNKNOWN EVER IN THE CHURCH HISTORY OR ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH WHAT WAS CONSIDERED HERESY.



5. THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF SALVATION...

MANY ORGANIZED HERESIES TEACH A "GRACE PLUS WORKS" SALVATION. MANY TEACH THAT MAN POSSESSES AT LEAST SOME ABILITY TO EARN ETERNAL LIFE BY THEIR OWN WORKS BY GRACE PERFECTED THROUGH THEIR WORKS. SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST ON CALVARY IS DENIED. THE CROSS IS NOT SUFFICIENT. A SYSTEM OF GOOD WORKS, DICTATED BY THE GROUP, HELPS THE MEMBERS EARN ETERNAL LIFE . MEMBERSHIP IN THEIR ORGANIZATION OR CHURCH IS A REQUIREMENT FOR SALVATION IN MOST OF THESE CULTS.



6. THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT JESUS...

VIRTUALLY ALL ORGANIZED HERESIES DENY THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST, THEY TEACH THAT JESUS IS NOT THE TRUE GOD MANIFEST IN HUMAN FORM BUT SOMETHING LESS, SUCH AS A CREATED BEING, AN ANGEL, A PROPHET, AN ASCENDED MASTER OR JUST "a god" (SECONDARY). SOME TEACH WE TOO CAN BE THE VERY SAME AS JESUS. IN THIS WAY THEY CHANGE THE CLEAR TEACHING OF THE BIBLE OF HIM BEING THE UNIQUE (ONLY BEGOTTEN) SON OF GOD.



7. THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SPIRIT...

MOST ORGANIZED HERESIES TEACH THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT GOD BUT AN IMPERSONAL FORCE OR ENERGY THAT EMANATES FROM GOD TO PERFORM CERTAIN FUNCTIONS, MUCH LIKE THE ENERGY FLOWING FROM A BATTERY TO START A CAR. SOME TEACH THAT IT PERMEATES EVERYTHING AND WE CAN BREATHE IT IN. PRACTICES OF SPIRITISM INCLUDING VISITS BY SPIRIT BEINGS ARE COMMON IN THE NEW AGE AND THEY HAVE COUNTERFEIT MIRACLES TO VALIDATE THEMSELVES.



8. THEY BELIEVE THEY ARE THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH...

THE ONE MARK OF AN ORGANIZED HERESY THAT IS THE MOST COMMON IS THEIR CLAIM TO BE THE ONLY GROUP OR CHURCH ORDAINED BY GOD. THEY ALONE SPEAK FOR GOD ON EARTH TODAY. GOD DIRECTS ONLY THEIR ORGANIZATION, OR CHURCH. THIS IS DONE EITHER THROUGH A LEADER WHO HAS ALL THE SAY OR A GROUP. IF ANYONE COMES TO YOU CLAIMING THEY REPRESENT THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST OR GOD, AND DENY THAT ANYONE ELSE OUTSIDE THEMSELVES CAN BE PART, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT FROM GOD. ALL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES WILL RECOGNIZE OTHERS THAT HOLD THE SAME CORE TEACHINGS THAT THEY DO, THAT WERE ALWAYS PART OF THE HISTORIC CHRISTIAN FAITH.



THE CORE BELIEFS UNITE ONE IN CHRIST AS THERE IS A CERTAIN CRITERIA FOR BIBLICAL DOCTRINE. THIS HAS BEEN HELD SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE SCRIPTURES WRITTEN BY THE APOSTLES AND TAUGHT BY THE CHURCH.





THIS A SUMMARY OF A LARGER ARTICLE FROM LET US REASON MINISTRIES