Customer Reviews

The Four Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Anthony Hoekema was a brilliant theologian. I would caution other readers not to readily dismiss this book or any other simply because one reads things dissimilar to one's prior understanding. Hoekema points out that cults so often have leaders (groups or individuals) who are elevated to a level of unquestioned authority based on supposed private or exclusive revelation from God concerning salvation and other critically important concerns. Members aren't encouraged to , and are often disuaded from thinking for themselves...after all they don't operate on the same spiritual plane as their more enlightened leaders, or so they're told. God's grace becomes all but non-existent, Christ's righteousness imputed to believers is either forgotten, denied or downplayed, and legalistic obedience to LAW (commandment keeping to ensure salvation, etc.) fills the void.
God used this book to bring me out of my association with the unbiblical cult of
the Jehovah's Witnesses over twenty-five years ago. Read this book. Check out Hoekema's references and determine what is true by comparing the teachings of these groups with that of inspired Scripture. Think for yourself!

I am now in my late 80's. This book first came out in 1963. For roughly forty years (mid 1960's to around 2005) I was part of a woman's bible study group of around 200 members. Our backgrounds were composed of the following religious pipelines. Around 50 were former Roman Catholic, about 30 who were former C. Science, around 15 who were former Muslim, roughly 40 who were former J.W.'s, 25 who were former Seventh Day Adventist and around 40 who were formerly Mormon's (and as such naturally none of us were Christians during those early portions of our lives). We all now range in age from early 60's to late 80's. We were previously just religious unbelievers. In a number of the individuals mentioned above (particularly the ones formerly in the four major cults) this book was instrumental in exposing the fallacy of those organizations and subsequently becoming Christians. If you want some advice from the older generation, this publication is one for your personal library.

Most of the negative feedback on this book comes from people who are offended at the proposition that they have been deceived. Very few people have the courage to stand back and compare the clear teachings of the Bible with the teachings of their particular "denomination".

The author has done an excellent job, especially in identifying Seventh Day Adventists as a cult. A number of authors on this subject have left them out and at least one has deleted them from his newest editions. The S.D.A. has ALL the earmarks of a cult and I know this first hand. I was a pastor in a small town in California which had a large Adventist population. Like most other Christians, I thought the only difference I had with them was our day of worship. Boy, did I find out otherwise. While one reviewer is technically correct is saying that the S.D.A. church wasn't founded at the time of the Great Disappointment, he is wrong is saying that no "Adventists" were involved. They did take part as followers of William Miller. Ellen Harmon (later White) and her family were dismissed from their Methodist church because of their "strange beliefs", so they were not really Methodists, either. At that time were not observing the Saturday Sabbath. That would not come until Ellen White had one of her "visions" in which she came to the conclusion that the Sabbath must be kept (it never is according to Old Testament regulations and that's because it was intended ONLY for the Jews!). She had this vision so that she and her husband could get the patronage of a wealthy retired sea captain, Joseph Bates . . . and it worked. At a time when most Protestant churches were teaching that the papacy was the mark of the beast, Bates began teaching that the "mark" was Sunday-keeping. Ellen and her husband James jumped on his band-wagon, got his financial support and the Seventh Day Adventists were born.

Also, regarding this book, I was raised a Christian Scientist and my grandfather was the "reader" of a large metropolitan church. I was pleased to see the expose on this group. Even though their numbers have dropped from almost 300,000 in the early 1900 to their current 100,000 they are an insidious cult which appeal to the intellectuals of today. They should be called "Anti-Christian Science Fiction".

Very well written, detailed cross references and footnotes.

This book clearly points out the manner these four cults have taken to distort bibical verse to meet thier own views.

An important book.The Four Major Cults: Christian Science; Jehovah's Witnesses; Mormonism; Seventh-day Adventism

Well researched polemic revealing all the internal flaws of the Four Major Cults. History, doctrines and source quotations are skillfully used to show why Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Christian Science, and Seventh Day Adventism cannot claim orthodoxy. One of the best counter-cult books I have used.

Well, Seventh-Day Adventist have their Ellen G. White, Jehovah's Witnesses have their Charles Taze Russell, Mormons have their Joseph Smith, and Christian Scientists have their Mary Baker Eddy. And, all of those founders, of their respective religions, have spewed failed prophecies, and their members zealously follow the cult that they have created, which continues today. This book will help you understand the lies that they tell. But, a good translation of the Bible(I use NKJV) will be the book that conquers the lies of these cults. This book will lead you to the Bible verses, that will help you accomplish it. Study and never be afraid of a JWl, SDA, Mormon, or CS, again!

this book give me all the answers on the questions that puzzled me for a long time.really good

Before I'm labeled "brainwashed", I have read and personally owned this particular book for over 25 years. Being Seventh-day Adventist since the age of 19, I've read and heard just about all of the negatives. And despite our doctrines of the sabbath, the state of the dead, the heavenly sanctuary, investigative judgement and the Spirit of prophecy to name a few, we are quite the fundamental Christian church. Fundamental beliefs we hold as essential such as; Salvation by Grace through faith, the infallible Word of God, the Deity of Christ, the three persons of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection of Christ, the literal second coming of Christ, baptism by immersion, the final judgement, a literal Heaven, and the final punishment of the wicked, Satan, and his fallen angels in the lake of fire. Now compare Adventism's Christian fundamental beliefs with any one of the other three and see if they even come close. Study each individual denomination's official manual, then decide. One of the reasons so many newer books on cults totally omit Seventh-day Adventists from the list. And we as Seventh-day Adventist believers need no further justification of our faith, but that of our love for Jesus and His Word.

This is a book that everyone should read who is likely to come across these groups (and who doesn't?).

It is unusual in that it takes an unaggressive and fair-minded look at the teachings of each group in turn, together with an indication of where they differ from Christianity.

There are also chapters on the general nature of cults and how to approach cult members.

It is the first book I turn to when I wish to read up on these groups.