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Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions: Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Mind Sciences, Baha'I, Zen, Unitarianism
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731 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 11, 2016
Well, what can I say. I'm a Christian, and I believe that the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles is the basis of a relationship with God. In other words, is true. I also believe that God DID NOT call me to be the arbiter of who gets to believe what, I think He can handle that. In America Freedom of religion is critical. The Christians who have held office here have never tried to turn this country into a theocracy even as (most/many) of them try to live in a Christian manner.
This book opens with a statement that Biblical Christianity is the only true religion. I agree with this, though I don't try to ram my beliefs down the throats of others. I mean if you're Buddhist you believe it's "the correct way" right? Otherwise why would you be Buddhist? If you're Islamic I assume you believe that Islam is the true religion otherwise you wouldn't be Islamic, correct? The same is true of anyone. if you profess a religion I assume you believe it to be the correct religion. Even if your belief system proclaims that all religious systems lead to God, you believe that to be the correct belief and disagree with those of us who hold to a "single belief system". The key here as I said is that in America we are not only free to believe and practice our beliefs and to disagree with one another, we are guaranteed protection in our beliefs. So as I agree with the opening or introduction of this book, I find their definition of what is "Biblical Christianity" a bit, strained. In the book are listed churches that I disagree with and whose beliefs I find I just can't accept. Unfortunately, if I go with the books views...a couple of my own beliefs put me outside their narrow definition of Christianity.
Some here will of course find themselves in total agreement with the book and it's..."judgments" but many if not most will find the views a bit (as I said) narrow.
Bottom line, I don't believe that what the authors and editors hold to as "Christian" isn't...but in some cases they would hold that beliefs I hold would be "Unchristian". (I would go into what but I doubt many care and most would look at it and see it as a minor disagreement).
I'm reminded here of an illustration a speaker used a a "Promise Keeper's" "convention" a few years ago. I don't remember who the speaker was but he illustrated the Christian Church (as a whole) as a ship. Some Christians are on the deck of the ship enjoying the spray in their face and rejoicing, some are down in the bowels of the ship with a magnifying glass looking at the bolts and welds of the ship...and some think their group are the only ones on the ship.
A book to be read for interest and for an "overview" of some cults, sects, smaller and unusual religions. Note I said "overview". The "overviews" are very surface and should not be taken as "scholarly". I go two stars for the "interest" factor. I would use this only as an entry look at any religion..the obviously cultic and the more mainline alike.
This book opens with a statement that Biblical Christianity is the only true religion. I agree with this, though I don't try to ram my beliefs down the throats of others. I mean if you're Buddhist you believe it's "the correct way" right? Otherwise why would you be Buddhist? If you're Islamic I assume you believe that Islam is the true religion otherwise you wouldn't be Islamic, correct? The same is true of anyone. if you profess a religion I assume you believe it to be the correct religion. Even if your belief system proclaims that all religious systems lead to God, you believe that to be the correct belief and disagree with those of us who hold to a "single belief system". The key here as I said is that in America we are not only free to believe and practice our beliefs and to disagree with one another, we are guaranteed protection in our beliefs. So as I agree with the opening or introduction of this book, I find their definition of what is "Biblical Christianity" a bit, strained. In the book are listed churches that I disagree with and whose beliefs I find I just can't accept. Unfortunately, if I go with the books views...a couple of my own beliefs put me outside their narrow definition of Christianity.
Some here will of course find themselves in total agreement with the book and it's..."judgments" but many if not most will find the views a bit (as I said) narrow.
Bottom line, I don't believe that what the authors and editors hold to as "Christian" isn't...but in some cases they would hold that beliefs I hold would be "Unchristian". (I would go into what but I doubt many care and most would look at it and see it as a minor disagreement).
I'm reminded here of an illustration a speaker used a a "Promise Keeper's" "convention" a few years ago. I don't remember who the speaker was but he illustrated the Christian Church (as a whole) as a ship. Some Christians are on the deck of the ship enjoying the spray in their face and rejoicing, some are down in the bowels of the ship with a magnifying glass looking at the bolts and welds of the ship...and some think their group are the only ones on the ship.
A book to be read for interest and for an "overview" of some cults, sects, smaller and unusual religions. Note I said "overview". The "overviews" are very surface and should not be taken as "scholarly". I go two stars for the "interest" factor. I would use this only as an entry look at any religion..the obviously cultic and the more mainline alike.
January 30, 2023
Wow. What a horrible book. Picked this up at goodwill because I thought it would be an interesting resource to learn about different forms of spirituality and religions. This is the most biased piece of shit I’ve ever read in my life. Got about 50 pages in and I can’t do it anymore.
The “encyclopedia” is about how all of these forms of spirituality are wrong because they differ from Christianity.
One characteristic of a cult to them is “being rejecting or hostile to Christianity”. This means that “humanism, nihilism, escapism, eclecticism, spiritism, polytheism, liberal theology, mental science, Hinduism, paganism, Gnosticism, rationalism, and pantheism” are cults in their eyes. Basically anything that isn’t Christianity = bad and wrong and cult.
Don’t pick this up unless you are a Christian that wants to only read how fucked up every other religion and belief system is, and if you want to raise up your perceived moral high ground some more. Legit tossing this in the trash instead of re-donating because of how shit this is. AVOID.
The “encyclopedia” is about how all of these forms of spirituality are wrong because they differ from Christianity.
One characteristic of a cult to them is “being rejecting or hostile to Christianity”. This means that “humanism, nihilism, escapism, eclecticism, spiritism, polytheism, liberal theology, mental science, Hinduism, paganism, Gnosticism, rationalism, and pantheism” are cults in their eyes. Basically anything that isn’t Christianity = bad and wrong and cult.
Don’t pick this up unless you are a Christian that wants to only read how fucked up every other religion and belief system is, and if you want to raise up your perceived moral high ground some more. Legit tossing this in the trash instead of re-donating because of how shit this is. AVOID.
February 12, 2015
I was expecting a resource book. This is so blatantly biased against any faith not ankerbergist or evangelical christian that it is worthless as a resource.
May 7, 2024
Any time I have questions about a religious belief system or a cult, I turn to this book. It explains things in a very thorough manner. It gives the basics of name, purpose, claim, source of authority, and doctrinal summary before explaining the history and theology, and ending with a critique and dialogue. The end of each entry includes all references used to compile the information, showing readers that the words are not personal opinion and unfounded beliefs, but are sourced from a variety of references that can be trusted, establishing value in each page. It is very impressive as well as extremely informative. An excellent reference to help someone understand different cults and other religions.
November 14, 2021
The very title of this book says it all. It’s biased against religions that the author deems to be untrue. He’s always been that way. Don’t bother with this garbage.
September 8, 2008
Decent but definitely dated survey and critique of about 55 cults (which Christian heresies are a part of) and new religions. The pastor would benefit having this book in his library but must make sure that additional study on each position is done, especially as it relates to Eastern Religions. Keith Ward's Concepts of God would be a helpful companion and check against creating straw men. But the book is valuable just for the history of each position.
The authors are better equipped, says me, to deal with Western cults and religions. They're Westerners, after all! Westerners have been notoriously sophomoric in their critiques of the Eastern religions, in their Eastern forms. There are, of course, Western versions of Eastern religions. I call this view "Weasternism." Those are easier to critique, and usually embody the thoughts we attribute to pure Eastern religions, viz., (the) Buddhism(s) and (the) Hinduism(s). Anyway, taking my caveat into account, this book is still useful to have in your library or your church's. I mean, it even critiques Sweedenborgism! You might be tempted to think that the book isn't very practical. I mean, wht the heck is Sweedenborgism? Yeah, that's what I thought too until I ran into a guy a couple of years ago who was a full on supporter of Sweedenborg ideas. Though I had to do a lot of further study, this book still gave me an adequate history of Sweedenborgism and a rough working terminology and intro to Sweedenborg ideas. Thus for the sheer amount of cults and religions this book deals with, and the command to be ready to give every man an reason for the hope within, you should cautiously add this book to your library, knowing that your opponent gets to describe his own beliefs for you, not necessarily Ankerberg and Weldon.
The authors are better equipped, says me, to deal with Western cults and religions. They're Westerners, after all! Westerners have been notoriously sophomoric in their critiques of the Eastern religions, in their Eastern forms. There are, of course, Western versions of Eastern religions. I call this view "Weasternism." Those are easier to critique, and usually embody the thoughts we attribute to pure Eastern religions, viz., (the) Buddhism(s) and (the) Hinduism(s). Anyway, taking my caveat into account, this book is still useful to have in your library or your church's. I mean, it even critiques Sweedenborgism! You might be tempted to think that the book isn't very practical. I mean, wht the heck is Sweedenborgism? Yeah, that's what I thought too until I ran into a guy a couple of years ago who was a full on supporter of Sweedenborg ideas. Though I had to do a lot of further study, this book still gave me an adequate history of Sweedenborgism and a rough working terminology and intro to Sweedenborg ideas. Thus for the sheer amount of cults and religions this book deals with, and the command to be ready to give every man an reason for the hope within, you should cautiously add this book to your library, knowing that your opponent gets to describe his own beliefs for you, not necessarily Ankerberg and Weldon.
September 3, 2011
I'm all for exploring other religions, but this had way too much of a Christian slant for it to even feel reliable.
Want to read
January 10, 2013Great reference and resource.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews