If joining one of the existing 40,000 denominations of Christianity gives you the warm fuzzies, then by all means, get involved. There's many great things happening in local churches all over the world and as a bonus you are connected to a 2000-year old social system which offers many, many programs and opportunities to plug into. And too, it offers the appeal of security - the appeal above all appeals for human beings.
Cults have gotten a lot of bad press, and maybe rightly so. David Koresch and the Branch Davidians, Jim Jones, the Moonies, Charles Manson and others have grafted a very negative image on the minds of most Americans regarding cults. Some other newer cults in the last century include the Mormons, the Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientology, Wicca and the Nation of Islam.
We get the word "cult" from the Latin word "colere" which means to "cultivate" or more simply to "grow." We also get the word "culture" from the same root. The Latin word "colere" also means to worship or venerate.
Christianity started out as a Jewish cult of 120 followers of Jewish rabboni Yeshua ben Yusef. They were originally called, somewhat derisively, as the "Nazarenes" and then they became "Hodos" which is Greek for the Way or more literally The Road, or figuratively The Journey.
If joining one of the existing 40,000 denominations of Christianity gives you the warm fuzzies, then by all means, get involved. There's many great things happening in local churches all over the world and as a bonus you are connected to a 2000-year old social system which offers many, many programs and oppurtunies to plug into. And too, it offers the appeal of security - the appeal above all appeals for human beings.
Many people are so jaded by organized religion that they have become a "church of one" and pursue their own path. Can't blame them, can we, after hearing endless stories of sexual abuse and pastors fleecing the flocks. Not to mention doctrinal madness and Bible-bashing fundies.
So should you start a cult or join one? Up to you, it's your walk with God. Cults aren't invented anyway, they grow on their own. Religions evolve naturally, usually out of the seeds planted by some religious genius who never intended to start a religion or cult in the first place, but his loyal and often zealous believers formed a religious cult based on his or her teachings. History shows this is true if we lo
ok at the lives of Paul, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad, Baha'ullah, Nanak and many others.
Seek first the family of God and its righteousness and all things will be added onto you. Seek peace and pursue it. Seek and you shall find. Seek the higher things and the lesser things will be found in your seeking. Peace and love always.
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