Journal: Michigan Theological Journal
Volume: MTJ 03:1 (Spring 1992)
Article: Current Trends Of The Everchanging Cults
Author: William A. BeVier

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MTJ 3:1 (Spring 1992) p. 81

Current Trends Of The Everchanging Cults

William A. BeVier

Many people in the United States are aware of the existence of groups termed “cults,” but most of these people do not have daily contact with them and could not provide a definition of what one is. For this article the following definition of a cult will apply to any group professing an affinity with Christianity but not holding to a Biblical position on the person and/or work of Christ.1 Distinction should be made between cults, sects, denominations, and false religions. This article relates only to “cults.”

Cults are constantly changing, which provides the thesis for this article. One method repeatedly used in business marketing is that if a product’s sales are declining, repackage it slightly, add another ingredient, call it “new and improved,” and again try to sell it. It appears some of the cults are trying the same tactic today.

The four major cults (i.e., Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Science) are using this marketing technique from the business, world, and Christians need to be aware of it.2 Others have noticed this same development, e.g., The Biblical Evangelist.3 This publication called attention to an article by Parrott and Perrin entitled “The NEW Denominations.” On a chart listing

MTJ 3:1 (Spring 1992) p. 82

“conservative denominations and movements”4 appeared the Mormons, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Seventh-day Adventists.

During the past decade or so, all the major cults have had problems in this country attracting and retaining members. Now they are trying modified approaches to reach people and gain acceptance by being rid of their label as “cult.” They all still focus on “religious” people who don’t really know much about the Bible, and who really don’t know much about the cult being presented to them.

Mormons

The Mormons, or as they prefer “Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints,” received bad publicity and public criticism in recent years through the media on several counts. The reported discovery of old letters written by early leaders in Mormonism, which contradicted Joseph Smith, Jr.’s accounts of finding and translating the “golden plates” didn’t help.5 Then several Mormons were killed under mysterious circumstances in Salt Lake City just after it was reported they were going to expose information about the Church. The...

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