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→Definitions of "cult": Add McDowell's and Stewarts' list of characteristics
{{QuoteBox|The word "cult" is not in the Bible but its direct corollary is heresy or heretic. Other Biblical terms are false teachers, false prophets and false brethren.<ref>[http://www.wfial.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=artGeneral.article_1 What is a Cult?] (Watchman Fellowship)</ref>}}
{{QuoteBox|The word "cult" is not in the Bible but its direct corollary is heresy or heretic. Other Biblical terms are false teachers, false prophets and false brethren.<ref>[http://www.wfial.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=artGeneral.article_1 What is a Cult?] (Watchman Fellowship)</ref>}}
[[Josh McDowell]] and Don Stewart list typical characteristics of cults, although not all cults have all these characteristics.<ref>McDowell, Josh, and Stewart, Don, "Handbook of Today's Religions", Here's Life, 1983, ISBN 978-0840735010</ref>
*recent origin {{fact}}
* They claim to have a new revelation from God.
*autocratic rule by a single charismatic leader
* They claim to have an exclusive interpretation of Scripture.
*extraordinary demands on converts (such as that they surrender all their property to the cult) and
* They have a source of authority that supercedes the Bible.
*a maniacal focus on proselytizing and winning new converts.
* They have a view of Jesus contrary to biblical teaching.
* They reject orthodox Christianity as having departed from what it should be.
* They say one thing publicly but something different internally.
* They reject or have a distorted view of the [[trinity]].
* They keep changing their teaching.
* They have a strong leader who considers himself the messenger of God.
* They require "works", and never teach that salvation is simply by placing one's faith in Christ.
* They make false prophecies.
There have been cults which have claimed to be [[Christian]], as well as cults which claim some other religious affiliation, or no affiliation at all. One notable example of a cult is the "People's Temple" operated by [[Jim Jones]] . Jones' insistence that all his true followers drink poisoned fruit punch led to the deaths of 913 of his converts at their enclave of [[Jonestown]] in [[Guyana]].
== Examples ==
There have been cults which have claimed to be [[Christian]], as well as cults which claim some other religious affiliation, or no affiliation at all. One notable example of a cult is the "People's Temple" operated by [[Jim Jones]]. Jones' insistence that all his true followers drink poisoned fruit punch led to the deaths of 913 of his converts at their enclave of [[Jonestown]] in [[Guyana]].
== "Deprogramming" ==
== "Deprogramming" ==