I can't speak on the cult side of it, but the big difference between JH and Mormon from Christians is the lack of belief in the holy trinity, which by definition is one of the cornerstones of the faith and technically makes mormons and JW a non-christian religion.

1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies. 2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult. 3. the object of such devotion. 4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc. 5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols. 6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader. 7. the members of such a religion or sect. 8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific. Which definition of "cult" are you referring to?

For practical purposes, a cult is a very small religion. If a cult gains enough adherents it will be regarded as a religion eventually.

Because their belief system strays pretty far from what we typically think of as a Christian chuch (be it Catholic or Protestant).

Nothing at all.

Cult=religion not yet holding seats in government.

Generally, what makes a religious group "cultish" is that it encourages, or even forces, its members to cut themselves off from members of society which are not part of their group. The most obvious is when converts have to cut of contact with their families, but cutting off contact with "ordinary" society is a bad sign.

Those groups would not agree that they are. So I would would say it is who is doing the defining. +5

a cult doesn't have to be small group. look at cat-holics, muslems, JW's, Mormons, Buddist, hendos.

That they spend the bulk of their time trying to prove that they're not cults. And that each and every one of them started off as a doomsday cult, which never occured.

Cults are secretive and closed, usually with a single charismatic leader. To my knowledge, all 3 groups mentioned have meetings which are open to the public and will tell you whatever you want to know about their beliefs. In fact, LDS' and JWs will come to your house and share far more than you ever wanted know about what they believe and why. Cults don't operate like that.

Some people just consider any religion that does not believe what they believe to be a cult. If a religion was popular, that would lead me to believe that they were not teaching the truth. http://bible.cc/acts/28-22.htm / http://bible.cc/matthew/24-9.htm (2Tim3:12; 1Pet2:11-12; John15:18-20; John17:14-16; Acts8:1) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Tim3:12;1Pet2:11-12;John15:18-20;John17:14-16;Acts8:1;&version=77;49;9;16;45;

what makes a group 'cultists' are the people doing the labeling....if it's not your thing don't go and move on....I am none of the 3 btw...

What makes any of the others any less of a cult?

Seventh Day Adventist and Mormon are actually registered religions. Jehovah Witness is not.

Only one thing, they have the lowest numbers.

Jesus Christ and his followers were a cult. More so than any mentioned here. The difference is, Jesus was the truth, while all the others only have some of the truth and a bunch of man made dogma. The three mentioned here probably have more truth than most other main stream religions. The Catholics and Protestants have horrendous histories. The Baptist and Pentecostals have strange practices. It is true, the bigger the church is the more comfortable people feel about it. But the three mentioned are pretty big organizations. People call other groups cults mostly based on the fact that they disagree with them. If you are raised Catholic, you think everybody else is wrong and strange. To label someone a cult is a weapon to deter other people from taking that particular group seriously or to scare them away. It's a put down, "Oh, they're a cult."XXX Well it's mostly ridiculous. There have been cases where the people were wacko and obsessed, where they ended up killing themselves or causing themselves to get killed as a self fulfilled prophecy. But when you try to put groups you don't agree with in that category, it's just a travesty. I saw someone mention that if you don't believe in the Holy Trinity then you're in a cult. That's ridiculous. Find the Holy Trinity in the Bible and show it to me. I guarantee I can shoot that argument down. If you study the Bible with no outside influences you would never come up with a Holy Trinity. It's a pagan concept adopted by the Catholics. People are so misinformed, and those are the ones who usually do the labeling.

Becuase their message and facts are super faulty. The mormons makes no sense at all. Like, at all. LoL. Its written in old english, bad old english...which they werent even speaking at the time, the cities that are mentioned in the book of mormon...the pyramids, and cities mentioned there is NO EVIDENCE whatso ever, no remains...nothing. Its just faulty, and full of deciet. Seven Day adventist...they are correct about saturday...but the sports thing, and the dancing...and all that, is kinda nonsense...and it takes it just alittle bit to far. Jahovah witness, says that that Jesus ressurected only in the spirit and not in the flesh...EVEN THOUGH He appeared to people, and showed himself. They also think he is just a reflection of God, and Jesus is also the arch angel michael... So........................That, is why they are cults. It is only mass confusion, unfactual facts...and nonsense. They all believe in the bible, but either take it to extreme...OR...dont even teach what is actually in the bible. - that is what we call antichrist. Well...7th day adventists arent that bad, just...take things to litteral or misinturpret.

There are different definitions of cult. Usually you'll find people who treat the definitions scientifically, or call themselves experts on cults, will have a list of factors that make up cults. And I am not sure the groups you've listed would be a cult in those definitions. But a lot of groups still call them cults, because the weird beliefs of wider groups are shared by - well, a wide group. The weird beliefs of the smaller groups are seen as weird by the wider groups, and therefore THOSE weird beliefs are "cultish".

They don't have the same God or Jesus of the Bible. To be breif; JW God the father Bible Father Son Holy Ghost. 7SA Jesus Micheal a angel. Bible God. Mormons Jesus born from sex. Bible Virgin birth And I could go on and on about all 3, but they are not the only ones, I guess(in a nutshell, real Christanity is Orthadoxy) BIBLE FAITH IN THE REAL CHRIST

Study different religions it will become clear.

I think most woulds say it's due to "Secret Acts/rituals" which occur in ascension to higher church office and weddings. It's strange, they all have (In most cases) the same bible, but how they've perceived it and what they believe it says, are quite different. Personally, I wouldn't call them cults anymore then I'd call some of the Muslim sects cult, it's just different to perceptions of religion as a whole.

I know more about the JW's so I'll leave it to others to explain the 7DA's and Mormons. The JW's resulted from a few, I think sincere people who were not happy with their church and they took it upon themselves to look at the bible, seemingly with the assumption all the answers could be found therein. That in and of itself gets them cult status in some peoples thinking. Disfellowshipping gets JW's a lot a bad press. That is when someone is an unrepentant sinner, the rest of the group are supposed to ignore them. They also guard their association (based on the bible)and take it to mean, don't hang out with anyone who is not a member in good standing. Above all the JW's get bad press because they follow the gospel's admonition to abstain from blood.So, that means they will not accept a blood transfusion. All the above were more severe in the early days of the JW's. Like many other religions as they grow they moderate. I last heard the blood issue was to be considered a matter of conscience, that is it was left ultimately to the members to decide. I feel the above gives them points on the cult continuum. But, I don't like to call them a cult because it's such a loaded word. I don't think JW's are dangerous.

Beliefs have nothing to do with whether a group is a cult or not. What distinguishes a cult is whether it employs deception in recruiting and uses threats or intimidation to retain members. Also, most cults have all powerful, charismatic leaders. Do the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Mormons, and Jehovah Witnesses use deception when they recruit? Do they threaten or intimidate members who try to leave? Do they claim that their leaders are all-knowing? If so, they're cults. If not, they're not.Note that threatening people with eternal damnation counts as threatening.

I have heard at different times from different people that if you believe these scriptures, you may be a cult. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John15:19;James4:4;2Cor10:3-4;rom12:17-19;1cor5:11-13;&version=77;47;31;49;51; /././ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John17:3;1Cor8:5-6;1cor11:3;1cor15:50;&version=77;47;31;49;51; /././ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mat28:19-20;Acts5:42;Acts20:20;;James2:24-26;2Tim3:16;&version=77;47;31;49;51; /././ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezek18:4;Rom6:23;Rom6:7;&version=77;47;31;49;51; (John15:19;James4:4;2Cor10:3-4;rom12:17-19;1cor5:11-13) (John17:3;1Cor8:5-6;1cor11:3;1cor15:50) (Mat28:19-20;Acts5:42;Acts20:20;;James2:24-26;2Tim3:16) (Ezek18:4;Rom6:23;Rom6:7)

The biggest reason is because the Orthodox Christians got together and decided what a Cult was. Using as their criteria any and all of those religions which do not meet with their agenda. And by their standards, the Church which Jesus organized while he was on earth would also be a "Cult." But I'm sure most Orthodox Christians do not know this. So much for opinions...Later

I dont think the 7th day adventists fit in the catagories.

the all-knowing WIKI has an answer for you ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_religious_movement

A cult is any denomination or "ism" which teaches or promotes an alternative or parallel route or pathway to salvation other than through acceptance by faith in Jesus Christ as the ONLY true and living Son of GOD.

I don't know about the 7th Day Adventists but there is (I believe I remember reading) a passage in the New Testament that says something like- Do not go door to door, uninvited. Well, both the mormons and jw's both do this so they are in direct violation of Christian teachings. I would say this alone, is enough to make them cults. Because they can't read LOL.

Au Contraire.....First, both the Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses are cults, in relation to the Christian church, because their belief system widely departs from the distinguishing beliefs of the Christian church. I am not a Seventh Day Adventist, and they are certainly a fundamental church, but they are part of the Christian church because the beliefs they hold soundly uphold the beliefs that make a Christian church Christian. If you wish to see these beliefs go to http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/. They list about 25 beliefs here. Not all are essential, but numbers 1,2,3,4,5,9 and 10 most certainly are. If a group does not hold at least these 7 essentials of belief, and call themselves Christian, then they are a cult. This would most certainly include Mormons and Jehovahs Witnessess. Their arguments are confusing, but at the end of the day, they deny these distinguishing beliefs. This would also include most of the great well know religions of the world, Hinduism, Buddism, etc. Now before some go into paroxysms of hate and denunciation, I am not suggesting that anyone should be shot. Simply noting that since their belief systems are widely divergent from the Christian belief system...they are not Christian. Perhaps a religion, but certainly not the Christian religion. The Mormons and the Jehovahs Witnesses, however, claim to be Christian and then redefine their words to appear like they are Christians while denying the Christian essentials. Bottom line, they are cults.

They are not, the term "cult" is often used as a synonyme of "unpopular" or "unusual" both of which are not necessarily negative when it comes to spirituality.

American Heritage Dictionary NOUN: 1. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. 2. The followers of such a religion or sect. 2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual. 3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual. 4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease. 5. 1. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing. 2. The object of such devotion. 6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest. It's funny how most of this could apply to any religious organization including the Amish, Jews, and Catholics. I always thought that any group that wouldn't let "outsiders" in was a cult. Or that they discouraged you from communication outside of your "group". I know the SDA church does not do this. I've heard that Jehovah Witnesses do though. And the Mormons seemed are very secretive about their practices.

Look on web for JW's cults. also JW's jokes

Jesus said something like "Who lights a candle and then puts it under a bushel?" If the mormons have THE TRUE CHURCH then why did their converts have to agree to have their throats cut if they gave up the secrets of the church? Or is this just another myth bantered about by the mormon-bashers.? I would say this alone, makes the mormons a cult. I don't know much about the other two.

J.W's are not a cult...because they / WE stick to Bible truths and not any ideas of man. As to the comment by ' the Kingcobra63' , there is no Biblical support for the trinity teaching... which requires equality...between Jehovah God and jesus [ father and son] there is NO equality...the son is lesser than the father...even though they think the same, they are two separate identities,,,and Jesus prayed to his father, accepting the lesser role. And the father [Jehovah] gave credit to his son... (Matthew 24:36)

Zippo! Actually one of the most compelling things that makes me an atheist is that every single religion in the world (out of hundreds if not thousands) claims to be the ONLY real religion and the only religion that, if followed, will keep one from the fires of hell. Does that sound more like the words of someone selling "snake oil" (or a timeshare) or the words of a person who has attained an enlightened religious state? It basically is all I need to see that religion is all about power and wealth and nothing about true enlightenment.

As gar as Im concerned

As far as I'm concerned there are 3 huge cults: Jehovahs Witness, Mormons, and Scientology. The one thing they all share is segregation from society. They dont want their members socializing with non-members let alone marrying. They may seem friendly while trying to lure you in but are you goi g to dinner with them or hanging out or going to the movies? No you are not. They discourage their memberships from actual contact with anyone outside their cult and that includes your own family and friends. Women are expected to know their place. Its not something they advertise but the nuances are there and once inside you find the reality that men run the show. All 3 cults got their start under very odd events. You can Google them. They are just shady groups that you are best to stay clear of.

You are misinformed. The Seventh-Day Adventists are extremely devoted to the Bible. In fact, they are the most unique denomination with 25 million active and growing rapidly. The Adventists perspective is to teach The Holy Bible, The Sabbath, Diet, Equality, Prophecy and most importantly Jesus! which is the ONLY name under Heaven to confess. Acts 4:12 "Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." https://www.adventist.org/en/

not sure