Cult Comparison Chart

by Matt Slick
12/03/08

This chart is a simplification of various groups and their beliefs. It is, to be realistic, an oversimplification. But it gives the reader an idea of where the groups stand.

Group Name	Founder	The Gospel	The Church	God	Jesus	Salvation	Jesus' Resur-rection	Scripture and writings associated with group
Christianity (The Truth to compare against)	Jesus Christ	That Jesus saves from sin	Those who are saved	Trinity: 3 Persons in one God	God in flesh	by Grace	Jesus rose in the same body he died in.	The Bible alone
Christad- elphianism	John Thomas (1805-1871) founded 1848	Faith in Christ and baptism	Members of their church	One God as one person	Created being. A man with a sin nature	Baptism is required	Yes	The Bible is inspired. Elpis Israel, Eureka written by founder.
Christian Science	Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910)	Religious beliefs of Jesus' teachings, not the atonement.	A collection of spiritual ideas	Impersonal Universal Presence	A man in tune with the Divine Consciousness, not the Christ.	Correct thinking	No	Bible, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Miscellany
Islam	Muh-ammad	Faith in Allah and works	n/a	One God: Allah. Non Trinitarian	Created being. A prophet. Not God.	by Allah's grace and man's works	No.	Qur'an, Hadith
Jehovah's Witnesses	Charles T. Russell (1852-1916) founded 1879	Jesus opened the door for us to earn our salvation	Members of their church	One Person	Created being. Michael the archangel who became a man	Keeping the command-ments, being in their Organization	No	Bible, Studies in the Scriptures, presently the Watchtower and Awake Magazines
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints (Mormons)	Joseph Smith (1805-1844) founded 1830	Jesus' atonement plus the Laws and ordinances of the gospel	Members of their church	Triad - 3 gods.	Created being. The brother of the devil and of all people	Resurrected by grace, saved by doing works.	Yes	The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price
Oneness Pentecostal	N/A	Faith in Christ and baptism	Members of their church	One Person modalism	God in flesh	By faith and baptism "in Jesus' name" in their church	Yes	The Bible
Theosophy	Madame Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891) founded 1875	n/a	n/a	God is a principle	Created being. A great teacher	*	No	The Secret Doctrine, Isis Unveiled, The Key to Theosophy, and The Voice of the Silence
Unity	Charles Fillmore (1854-1948) founded 1889	The overall principles of Unity	A collection of spiritual ideas	Impersonal Universal Power	Created being. A man, not the Christ	Adopting the correct Unity thought principles	No	Bible, Unity Magazine, Metaphysical Bible Dictionary.
Way International	Victor Paul Weirwell (1917-1985)	Earned	Members of their church	One Person	Created being. A man, not God in flesh	By works	Yes	Bible, Jesus Christ is Not God, Power for Abundant Living