By their Fruit, you will Know them!

This article was taken from Answers.com; (Thanks to Phillip Garcia for the photo):

One incident between the two groups transpired on April 18, 2005 when they clashed inside a Jollibee outlet in Apalit town during an apparent unauthorized religious debate. Local police on orders of the town mayor went to the restaurant and tried to stop the holding of the debate for lack of a mayor's permit. Apalit Mayor Tirso Lacanilao had instructed the town's chief of police to transfer the venue of the debate either at the ADD convention center or at the INC chapel in an effort to prevent any trouble. ADD leaders, however, insisted on pushing through with the debate telling the police that "hindi naman magkakagulo (there will be no trouble)." Shortly after that, a free-for-all erupted when shouting and cursing from an ADD follower identified, as "Mataro" led to a free-for-all, .

On April 27, 2008, Mataro, who was the host of UNTV program, was shot dead by two unknown assailants in San Simon, Pampanga. MCGI members have accused the INC of being behind the murder as Mataro's TV program, "D'Xman" (short for "The Ex-Manalista"), was critical of the Iglesia ni Cristo doctrines. Murder charges were filed against the principal suspects in the killing. Nickson Icao and Felizardo "Ka Zaldy" Lumagham, both of Macabebe, Pampanga and who claim to be members of INC, were charged before the San Fernando prosecutors office.

More shocking and unbelievable stories can be found posted in ADD blogs and some critics of the cult completely supported with newspaper clippings (try google.com). The management of the Iglesia ni Cristo seem to condone those evil practices within its members. In fact, there was no official statement coming from their church to which they confirm nor deny the authenticity of those members involved in criminal acts done in the name of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Since the beginning of the Iglesia ni Cristo when its name was still called Iglesia ni Kristo, the Catholic Church was its target attacking every doctrine and practices it has. As an offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventists, most of their anti-Catholic attacks were borrowed or completely copied from them.

As member of the true Church of Christ which is the Catholic Church according to their Pasugo I am compelled to defend this Church that the Lord had established. Christ himself from the lies of Felix Manalo and his Iglesia ni Cristo. I have chosen to post a fair share of my Catholic knowledge of my Catholic faith in the light of the Holy Scripture, Sacred Tradition which was taught in the Magisterium. I have never personally attacked members of the Iglesia ni Cristo nor I have engaged myself in any manner that reflects not my Catholic faith. I maintained objectivity in my honest quest for knowledge. All my concern does not in anyway harm any family of any member of the Iglesia ni Cristo, nor I demean any individual, their families or their friends in that respect. My objective purpose is to join the resounding voices of those courageous authors of Wikipedia, Let's Examine Iglesia ni Cristo, Catholic Answers, Got Questions, About Iglesia ni Cristo, Freedom of Mind, The Rock, Flagspot, The Bereans, Britannica, UK Apologetics, Encyclopedia.com and a lot more, no more than questioning a historical man who have built a church and named it Iglesia ni Cristo.

What do they have to prove that the true Church of Christ which they admit it's the Catholic Church completely apostatized? So far, we have heard nothing from them except that you have to watch their TV program for an answer or they would invite you to pay a visit to one of their temples which is impractical for people living miles and miles away from the Philippines. They have no published official teaching nor do they have official website that everybody can examine their beliefs up-close even to those living in remote areas. Ang pagkaalam ko hindi nagtatangi ang Dios, malayo o malapit.

What a pity! Indeed they're a cult!

Why are they considered a cult?

A cult by definition is "a religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader." In this case, Felix Manalo is defended by Iglesia ni Cristo members over the Jesus Christ of the Bible.

What are the characteristics of a cult?

According to CSJ a cult should be fall on these categories:

1. The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
2. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
3. Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
4. The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
5. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
6. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
7. The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
8. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
9. The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt iin order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
10. Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
11. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
12. The group is preoccupied with making money.
13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
15. The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

Let Us Reason Ministries have more ample categories how we can spot a cult:

1. COMMAND OVER THE GROUP IN INTIMATE MATTERS
2. GROUP TRUST
3. A DOUBLE STANDARD
4. TAKES LICENSE WITH GOD'S WORD
5. MISPLACED LOYALTY
6. ISOLATION
7. AN "US AGAINST THEM" ATTITUDE AND PHILOSOPHY
8. FOCUS ON AN IMAGINED ENEMY
9. END-TIME REVELATION
10. MOTIVATIONAL TEACHING
11. RULES OF SILENCE
12. YOU JUST BECOME THE PROBLEM
13. CONVERSION TECHNIQUES
14. REVELATION KNOWLEDGE
15. MYSTICAL ALTERED STATES
16. LEADERS HAVE A PRIDEFUL UNTEACHABLE SPIRIT
17. PRIDE OF THE GROUP
18. BRAINWASHING
19. DEVOTION TO CONVERT OTHERS TO THEIR GROUP AND ITS BELIEF SYSTEM
20. DISTORTED TITHING OR EXCESSIVE GIVING
21. ATTEMPTING TO BRING IN THE KINGDOM NOW
22. TOTAL COMMITMENT
23. INDIVIDUALITY IS SACRIFICED FOR THE GROUP
24. INCONSISTENT DISCIPLINED LIFE
25. MARTYRDOM COMPLEX
26. CURSES and THREATS

Still a better one from this site. A cult is:

1. Devaluation of the Bible.
2. Devaluation of the nature of God.
3. Denial of the Trinity.
4. Devaluation of the Person of Christ.
5. Devaluation of the life and work of Christ.
6. Non-biblical teachings about the Holy Spirit.
7. Exalted view of human nature.
8. False basis of salvation.
9. Non-biblical teachings about the after-life.
10. Demonic activity denied or overemphasized.
11. Deceptive recruiting practices.
12. Dynamic and authoritarian leadership.
13. Elitism.
14. Cultic vocabulary.
15. Alienation from family and friends.
16. Legalism.
17. Induced fatigue.
18. Anti-intellectual.
19. Thought stopping.
20. No professional clergy.
21. Doctrine in flux/ false prophesies.
22. Financial exploitation.
23. Mind control.

And before your eyes, by their fruits you will know what kind of people they are.