Why The MCGI Is A Cult

In this entry I will give the numerous truths that show why Eli Soriano's MCGI (Members, Church of God International) is a cult (like it was not obvious already). I guess it's only fair to explain the basis of this claim using the template that existing cults follow. This is to show that I am not doing this merely to defame or persecute Soriano, but to help open the eyes of the multitudes he has deceived into his fold. I could care less about Soriano and his defenders but the urging of the Holy Spirit is stronger than anything else. And it alone takes the fear, hate, apprehension, and bias away from pursuing this endeavor.

The first characteristic of a cult is the inclination to hold the leader's word as superior to the Bible. Cults will deny what God says in His Word as completely true especially if it goes against their doctrines. They use God's very own words to inject doubt into the minds of followers by weaving half-truths and ambiguity one after the other taken from the same Bible. The explanation and interpretation if Scripture is exclusive to the leader of the cult. Members are not permitted to do so on their own. There is no permission for self study. This is why all questions are directed to the leader. Moreover, they look at their leader as infallible.

The idea that their leader is the "sent" and therefore the "only" person qualified to interpret scripture is as unbiblical as it is cultic. Questioning the leader's word is like going against God himself. Eventually, the followers change their theological point of authority away from God's full and final written Word, the Bible, to the cult leader's own unique, self-promoting opinions about the Bible. They will still use the Bible for convenience. But everything is lip service now. They can try all they want, but Soriano's cult members will have to keep fooling their own minds to deny what this identifier says about their cult. Because it is spot on.

Cults teach that salvation depends upon something other than the Atonement for sins through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. For cults, Jesus' sacrifice is not enough to save them from sin and to complete this, human works is injected into their doctrine. The cult's message of salvation is clouded with obedience to requirements declared by its leader, instead of relying on the grace of God alone for salvation. Because of this, there is no guarantee of salvation for the member. The member is continually bound to obligations instead of being spiritually free. Obligations also lead to financial exploitation where the member is brainwashed that money contributed to the cause will be reciprocated substantially.

In order to gain favor with the market they target, they will use ambiguous doctrines meant to deceive rather than enlighten. They will cater to itching ears and say what is popular or what the public wants to hear. Hidden behind these propaganda lies the doctrinal beliefs they will impart once the listener has decided to become part of the cult.

It is a fact that cults will claim at one point or another, that they are the only true church and all other churches are false. They will denounce other groups, even badmouthing specific groups (particularly those that expose their falsehoods). Regardless of the cult, they all claim this exclusivity with God as the only ones who will enter into heaven. A condition is thereafter set, that to become saved, you MUST join their cult. Moreover the leader will surely say that it will be impossible to serve God without becoming a member. That's another bull's-eye for Soriano's MCGI.

Further still, the group leader will claim to be no mere man. He will label himself as the messiah (like Apollo Quiboloy), the sent, the angel of the Lord (like Felix Manalo), a god (like Eliseo Soriano), etc. This is followed with declarations that all others are dishonest, deceitful, from the devil, all the while it is they who exhibit all manner of Satanic characters.

They will welcome blogs like this and call it persecution. Soriano in particular will claim he is being attacked for righteousness sake. He will consider this as evidence that what he teaches is the only and true body of Christ. A member then, will find the weight of the world on his shoulders should he decide to leave the cult. The poor soul will be conditioned to think that to leave the group is to leave God Himself.

There will always be a special discovery like holy literature, communion with the dead, angels, or even God. Sometimes it's a continuing revelation that only the leader is privileged to hear. Such revelations come from hallucinations, visions, dreams, private discoveries, etc.

The last and most important characteristic of a cult in which Soriano's MCGI is again spot on, is wrong understanding of Christ's nature. A cult will usually deny the true deity of Christ, His true humanity, His true origin, or the true union of the two natures in one Person. They will either demote Christ, make Him subordinate, or worse, make Him a creation and not the creator.

My interactions with members of Soriano's cult has always led me conclude that these poor people are like prisoners to the lies of Soriano. He always uses out-of-context scripture as proofs for their doctrines. They focus on one verse or passage of the Bible to the exclusion of others, then limit their understanding to the shallowness and wanton disregard for the true context of Scripture that Soriano spews out. Because of this, the ignorant remain ignorant. The prisoners in MCGI, remain prisoners in MCGI. And they are willingly allowing Soriano to fill their heads with falsehoods. Keeping them from finding the true person of Jesus Christ in the Bible. Keeping themselves from being set free.