Comprehensive textbook covering worlds most pervasive cults and fringe religions
Includes biblical responses to cults non-Christian teachings
The Challenge of the Cults and New ReligionsBy Ron Rhodes Zondervan 2001 384 pages
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While cults and fringe religious groups tend to escape public scrutiny, these seemingly benign sects have become increasingly populated and potent. According to Dr. Paul Martin, director of Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center, a source of counseling for ex-cultists, at least 185,000 Americans join a destructive cult each year.
Ron Rhodes, a professor of cult apologetics, has written a comprehensive textbook defining cults and exploring the history, tenets and responses to the 12 largest international groups. While acknowledging that calculating cultic participation is difficult, Rhodes says there may be as many as 5,000 cults worldwide with as many as 150 million participants.
He discusses Mormons and Jehovahs Witnessesthe two largest with at least 14 million followersas well as New Age, Scientology, Hindu-based cults, Bahai, Freemasonry and Satanism.