Hi, I'm new here. I'm sorry if this has been discussed somewhat recently. I'm on a time crunch, but really need some accurate information fast.

My husband has immediate family that we believe belong to the ICOC. We know for sure that they refer to it as Church of Christ, but we're not completely sure about it being International and I refuse to ask them because it will raise suspicision and probably start a lenghty religious debate and in the past, those debates turned ugly real fast. I'll tell you what I do know.

This family joined "that church" in the early 90's. From what I've heard, whatever the church tells them to do, they do. They were even given a choice of cities at one point in the mid 90's and instructed to move their family there to start up a new congregation. So, this family moved away from their immediate family and relatives to an adjoining state to start this new branch of the church. We've all been told that we're going to hell. Any religious arguement has led to direct quoting from the bible. They've been in financial difficulty since joining that church because of the tithing. I also know that they don't baptize babies and only baptize by immersion. They have sponsors--might be called a disciple?? They definitely have a born-again date. I read here briefly about using rental space for services. My husband is almost positive that this family's church has never had an "official" building that they've built/purchased.

I've gotta go. I plan to post more later, but I hope this is enough to get some information for now. Thanks for anything you can provide...links, information, etc!

You first have to be weary where you are getting your information.

I know people in the ICOC and they love it. They preach from the bible and do there best to follow what Jesus said. Not everyone within the church finds it bad. From what I heard a number of the ICOC have even chaged the ways they used to do stuff.

Coming from a Mainstream COC, i often find the services dreary, dull, the congreagation are just happy to sit in the pew once a week and think that is enough. ( not all but some) i myself have attended a ICOC and found it a breath of fresh air, i loved the sermon, and the people were so lovely. They came up and said hello and chatted. I recall it was so hard to even get a hello from some people from the mainline COC.

But if you and your husband have some concern, swallow your fear and ask them. If they lie that says alot about them and hopefully they will tell you the truth. I can also recall someone said look at there music book as on the first page it will have Bostom Movment or something of that regards printed in there.

Many people go off and plant new churches. I dont think people are forced to go, they are lead by God to go. Even missionaries have to leave their families for the harvest, Is that wrong?

I would hope a religious argument people looked at the bible. I would actually appraictate i more cause at least they were using the bible as a guide and not just their own opinions.

As for renting out buildings, it's only a building some maniline churches do the same as they cant afford to purchase proper buildings for worship, and at the end of the day its not where you worship but how you worship. ( With a sincere heart for God)

I hope I have been helpful. You really have to be careful before you go running around calling a group a cult or not.
I did hear a big clue about finding the ICOC churches is that they take the name of the city they are in, is this the case for your families church?

I made a post here and wondered why it hasnt been approved???

I do not want to mock your obvious pain but....what?!?!?!?!/ There are people in this country whose relatives are preparing for the end times with underground bunkers and who....despite Master's degrees....believe that space aliens are going to rescue them from the coming armegeddon.......
OK.
Now you are whining because your relatives read from the Bible and are helping to build a church?
Forgive me for my sarcasm. It is likely that I have simply misunderstood. I am certain there is more to the situation. Just out of curiosity....what is the problem?

I'm so sorry to be argumentative but .... one more thing. These people moved? Oh. They moved and you didn't want them to. They moved to a city and you thought they should have stayed where they were? OK. Then, these people won't baptize babies? oh. You think they should baptize babies and they won't? So they won't baptize babies and they don't live where you want them to? OK. So now you claim they have financial problems.....I don't know anyone who doesn't. No really I think it's fabulous that, in this economy apparently everyone that you know(except this family) is doing well financially....wow. OK. HI. I tuned into this web sit because......I HAVE A BROTHER WITH A MASTERS DEGREE WHO THINKS HE IS A HEB(HIghly evolved being)THAT THE SPACE ALIENS ARE GOING TO RESCUE FROM ARMEGGEDON .............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's put things in perspective. Do you have ANY BLEEPIN IDEA WHAT A CULT IS............!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I agree Sallie, the ICOC is not a cult. It's a group of believers who want to follow Jesus and what he says.

If reading the bible and doing what is says makes one cultish, than i must be cultish also.

Hey Sallie,let's be kind to each other.If this is your church and you think it is being misrepresented, fair enough.
But a cult can have a bible in one hand.
The Branch Davidians/Waco fame, believed in the bible, and everyone moved to start a new church in a new city "because God told them too"And we all know how that turned out.

From what iamworried says, this church is seperating the family from each other ( the rest of the family is going to hell) is taking large sums of money ( they are in financial distress from having to make huge tithes) and they are now being forced to move away from their family.

And from what you say, your masters degree brother believes in aliens and wants to build a bunker.
Maybe neither of you have any real reason to be worried. And maybe both of you do.Generally it is kinder to give other people room to grieve their losses, rather than decide that they have not suffered enough to be allowed to complain.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/2007 01:00AM by yasmin.

Hi. The Rick Ross web site defines the word 'cult'. Just curious...have you read up on what defines a cult. OK. I'm not an expert but there are like...8 criteria. OK...a family who does not baptize infants...um...OK. That would make most of humanity cult members. OK...a family who moved? Um....UH....I think just about every American over the age of 20 fits that criteria.
Making fun of actual people whose loved ones are brainwashed...BRAINWASHED by individuals who pretend they have had LITERAL CONVERSATIONS with god, or christ or an alien....OK MAKING FUN OF THEM.....by comparing people who read the Bible to cult members is sick......
If you don't have a REAL problem then don't make fun of people who do.
Wanna be nice????? How about CARING about people who have real problems. How about NOT mocking them.

Also, iamworried wrote one post. It is a joke. She is mocking people. You don't see that?

Also, the cult that my sociopathic mother raised us in...much like the Branch Davidians/Waco ....started off as a mainstream Christian church...but then...um...the 'leaders' started to have divine chit chats with some gods and um...you know....stuff happened. So unless your loved ones are chasing after people who chit chat with aliens/gods/whatever.....get a grip!