Cult Classic

           I find rereading Exodus unexpectedly interesting. It struck me that the Lord in Exodus is giving all of these rules all his followers should obey. They sound like ultimatums. “If you don’t do this, this will happen...” It threw me off: it made me feel like Christianity was cultish WHILE reading the Bible. The little things were made sound so black and white—life or death. To be close to God, in my experience, I understand following a proper, Christian way of living is good. You do not, however, have to do everything right in order to be a good Christian. 

 

            One of the themes that made me keep thinking about this is how all the people, after being given the Ten Commandments, get frightened by the thunder and lightening from the mountain. They are able to express this to Moses: “Speak to us yourself and we will listen, but do not have God speak to us or we will die” (Exodus 19:16). In a cult, there is generally one leader whom everyone is scared of and will do anything to make happy. Hearing how terrified the people waiting for God’s commandments are is disturbing. 

            The way God is speaking in the Bible would be less accepted, at least in most of America and the European world because people have more rights and choice today. Today there is more choice in what an individual can do or say he or she believes. I think this is a good thing; it allows people to be themselves more. This, I think, means that faith is able to be more truthful today. For me, I feel guilty when I do something that I “shouldn’t” do as a Christian, but I am not worried about the threat of death. If I was worried that I might die as a result of my actions, I would likely be more scared and more of a “perfect Christian” simply because I am scared instead of this being a result of my beliefs.