[TheRealThing]

I’m through discussing this too. But I want to clarify something you said that I stated. You said you was “tired of arguing with me that Christianity was a cult.”
I never said Christianity was a cult. I said it started out as a cult, same as all religions. It outgrew it’s cult status rather quickly though. Christianity is not a cult and hasn’t been for a LONG time. Just like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and other mainstream religions outgrew their cult status many hundreds of years ago. Every religion has to start somewhere and at some time. None of the big religions we see today were always big religions. At one time in their history they were only small gatherings that grew into much bigger followings and spread geographically.
What determines the numbers to change description from cult to religion status is hazy though. Usually the judgement is made as to what is an accepted mainstream religion that’s large enough and widespread enough to be called a religion.

Point taken and I hope you understand that I was in no way being personal. As I said, God needs no defending, nor does His Son, and neither was His Church ever a cult because, after all, we are talking about God here are we not? However though you pointed out that there are many definitions for what constitutes a cult, in the case of the birth of Christianity I cannot see a reasonable correlation for any definition other than the one I offered.

With that in mind a quick overview of the definitions you offered followed by my response;

> “The term cult usually refers to a social group defined by its religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goals.”

In the case of Christianity (as that may apply to how It got started), The Lord personally called His Apostles to join Him on a one-on-one voluntary basis. As such, the original 12 who followed Him in fulltime service would not constitute a social group by any perspective. From fishermen to tax collectors, the Apostles were from widely diverse backgrounds vocationally, socially, or by virtue of their faith. Further, the teachings, goals and beliefs of Jesus contradicted everything being taught by the Orthodoxy of the day. So, the Apostles did not yet share His belief, but they felt an irresistible urging to understand Him. And that is the way with truth, for the pure of heart it's pull is irresistible.

> Here’s another: “A particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to rites and ceremonies.”

No rites or ceremony were ever associated with Christianity except the one He established on the eve of His incarceration by the Roman soldiers and religious leaders of the day. That being the Lord's Supper.

> Here’s another: “A group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around sacred symbols.”

Patently obvious on it's face that there is no way this one could be applicable.

> One more: “An instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers.”

For this one, owing to the fact that He fed 5,000 people in one sitting, one could make the argument that The Lord had a great many admirers. If that situation did exist however, it was a loose admiration at best and only for a very short time, because from the time of His capture in Gethsemane to His death on the cross, even His disciples deserted Him.

Still though, men are to worship their Creator. To say that any amount of admiration for the Son of God is excessive be it in the flesh or in spirit, and given that He performed countless miracles in servitude of the people, such as healing the sick. And finally in His greatest act of selflessness, to lay down His life on the cross so that all men could live, is/was cultish or in any way excessive or misplaced, is an impossible argument to make. In any case, Christianity stands alone. The other religions of the world however well intended are unfortunately for those adherents, false. Christ is risen, His is to offer men eternal life if they will accept Him as Lord. To make that one choice is the reason all men were created.