A Christian’s View – The Theology of Voting for Mitt Romney for President
Part Three of Five – The Danger of Cults
In Part Two, we looked at how to recognize cults. Here, in Part Three, we’ll look at The Danger of Cults.
The Danger of Cults
Whatever definition, it is clear that to the Christian faith, cults are dangerous. Dangerous because a cult distorts the Word of God and serves to lead others down a path that could lead to an eternity away from God. To support a cult – even tacit support, even the failure to speak out against a cult – could create the same consequence. To be clear, politics does not accomplish that, but a faith that is counter to the Word of God, especially as it distorts the salvation process, does. Cults twist the Word of God. What could be more dangerous – abhorrent – than that? Being involved in a cult, supporting a cult in any manner is playing with fire – literally.
Dr. Geisler notes that “Cults often prey on vulnerable people.”[1] Those people who are the most vulnerable should be protected the most – the young, the elderly, the socially oppressed, the emotionally oppressed, those who have never heard the true Gospel or, who have, but for a variety of circumstances been driven away. Shame on those who would do such things – who would employ such tactics. This is one reason that the New Testament church was warned multiple times about teaching and protecting sound doctrine:
1 Tim 1:8-11
We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers — and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
1 Tim 4:16
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
2 Tim 4:3-5
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Titus 1:9
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Titus 2: 1
You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
Without a strong doctrinal background, we can all be counted among the vulnerable. Following is a list of some Mormon teachings documented from Mormon authors.
- There are many gods, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163)
- There is a mother goddess, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 443)
- God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 516)
- God used to be a man on another planet, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321)
- After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 345-347, 354)
- God resides near a star called Kolob, (Pearl of Great Price, pages 34-35; Mormon Doctrine, p. 428.)
- The Trinity is three separate gods, (James Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 35)
- God is increasing in knowledge, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 120)
- God has the form of a man, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 3).
- God the Father has a body of flesh and bones, (Doctrine and Covenants, 130:22)
- We were first begotten as spirit children in heaven and then born naturally on earth, (Journal of Discourse, Vol. 4, p. 218).[2]
Next, in Part Four, we’ll look at the Christian Approach to Mormonism and Mormons.
Doug
Douglas S. Holden © December30, 2011. All Rights reserved.
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