Are the Gideons the only legitimate Christian organization distributing Christian literature thats not a cult?

Amazing to me is how that word, "cult" is used liberally by many as a term to describe someone who doesn't believe the exact same way you do yourself. Its used liberally and without consideration to the values, beliefs of others. With this liberal definition, there are many cults. Democrats and Republicans would be "cults" to each other. The Boy Scouts of America would be a "brainwashing cult." Alcoholics Anonymous would be a "brainwashing cult." Watch out for the YWCA, its a cult. You could go on and on.

ANY social group or organization has bylaws and requirements for membership, and according to your misguided definition, would be a "controlling group."

So what's the difference between someone who studies math to a level where they graduate with a degree in mathematics. Are they brainwashed by math? I don't have a degree in mathematics so I would never tell someone who has one they are brainwashed.

In a similar sense Jehovah's Witnesses are Jehovah's Witnesses because they chose of their own free will to study the bible. Eventually what they studied made so much sense they dedicated their life to doing what Jehovah wants. We're not perfect people. We have weaknesses just like anyone else, but we strive every day to live our life as Jehovah wants. Just like a person with a degree in mathematics works everyday on math problems, we put our knowledge of bible principles to work every day.

So I ask you would a person with a degree in mathematics be in a brainwashed cult? So why would you say Jehovah Witnesses are in a brainwashed cult?

I can assure you when I became one of Jehovah's Witnesses on July 6, 1992 I did so of my own free will. I chose this life the same as a person choosing a degree in mathematics.

Unless your religion agrees with God's word, that is, in the very basics, they do not go to war, do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not agree with homosexuality, do not celebrate pagan festivals and pretend they are praising the one true God, do not add a couple of extra gods to placate the past pagan religions - then how dare you call JWs a cult.

I always think its a joke that Christendom will go on about the JWs having their own bible translation when Christendom has removed God's name nearly 7000 times from their bible versions. Now, do you think God approves of that adulteration of his Word? Meanwhile, the JW translation taken from the Greek and Hebrew scriptures rather than rehashing the later corrupted versions, has been independently acknowledged as the most accurate version available.

Just think of the basics there - if your religion does any of those things which God has condemned how on earth can you think you have the truth? Satan has blinded you.

As a former Gideon, myself, I can answer this. The Gideons are not a cult. They are an international organization of primarily business people whose primary concern is making the "WORD" available to as many people as possible. The "word" takes shape as a KJ Bible, and editions of the psalms, the NT, and other scripture. These are distributed as hard cover Bibles (hotel rooms) and as smaller "handbooks" distributed to service people, prisoners or other groups who might be uplifted or informed by scripture.

Gideons are non-denominational; they don't preach to recipients; they just hand out what they have, no questions asked. But they DO make presentations in churches, making a pitch for funds during the time a sermon would normally be delivered. On that day, the collection is usually handed over to the Gideon making the presentation.

Gideons also have an annual "pastor's appreciation banquet," in which pastors receive a free meal, and hear a brief presentation about the work of the Gideons and a request for time to make their appeal to the pastor's church.

Each Saturday morning, members of local Gideon chapters gather for prayer and breakfast at a hotel which will give them space for their meeting, with the expectation of serving them breakfast, afterwards.

Steal a Gideon Bible from a hotel? You betcha! We pray for that. Not to worry, we'll replace it.

Feel free to ask me more questions about the Gideons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_magazines_by_...

I don't see any Gideon literature in the top ten but guess who holds the top two spots at almost 90,000,000 a month? You should look up what classifies a religion as a cult? Now a sect is one thing.

The first century Christians were called a sect because they were different. And we are hated because we are different and stand out for not killing other people in war, or celebrating birthdays, or pagan holidays or preaching about Jesus our saviour

(Acts 28:22) . . .But we think it proper to hear from you what your thoughts are, for truly as regards this sect it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”

The Foreign Bible Society, Joseph Storehouses, East Aid

Most of the old Operation Underground people are now dead in the Killing fields of Cambodia but I supported them. I knew 2 years before it got into the newspapers

How are you defining cult? I am pretty sure Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons have tax exempt status.

Nephihah nailed it with the synonymous nature of the Cult word, and the "N" word. Right on the head, however it seems that the analogy went right over your head. I would encourage you to grow up, the grade school tactics of name calling are not befitting an adult.

American Bible society http://www.americanbible.org/

Open Doors smuggles Bibles to closed countries http://www.opendoorsusa.org/

The Mormon Bible is a regular King James. They just don't respect it as much as the BOM.

The JWs have their own translation, but you can go on line and get all the verses they changed.

cult: n., group coony doesn't believe, that he wants others to fear and hate as much as he does.