Rating: 
Summary: A Good Resource
Review: Linda Drake's review of August 2nd, is more biased than the book she claims to have read and is commenting on. Kingdom of the Cults is well researched and easy to use. Ravi Zacharias is the perfect choice to re-edit the material in this volume. The late Dr. Walter Martin took great care in researching and documenting the material he originally prepared for the first edition of this classic work. On his website you can read about people who were saved form the cults he writes about.
This book is very valuable and worth the price.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read.
Review: Martin has written one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure to read. However there are flaws to the book, and thats why I docked it one star. This is one of the few books, that really tells things the way they are, for the most part. In the first few chapters Martin shows the mindset of the cultist. He writes that the cultist is close minded and has contradictions in his beliefs that he does not address and simply passes over. Martin then goes on to give examples of this mindset by looking over the contradictions in the various cults. For instance, Mormons say that God has flesh and bones, while Christ himself said God is spirit. He does an outstanding job of showing the contradictions of the various religions he criticizes. Martin then says that God is not the author of confusion. However, there are flaws. While Martin is right that the search for truth should involve being open minded and avoiding contradiction, he doesnt go far enough with his analysis. I believe Martin was a fundamentalist christian. By his definition then of a cult, his own religion can be called a cult. Protestants do not believe that Christ is present in the eucharist, whereby Christ himself said he was. They do not believe in honoring Mary, yet Mary herself said that all generations will call her blessed. Catholics themselves can be called a cult, since they claim that one needs to be baptized to be saved, yet a verse in Romans says that whoever calls on the name of the lord will be saved. In fact, by Martins standard probably everything in the world can be called a cult. For instance, orthodox science denies the evidence of alternative medicine even though their are thousands of testimonials to its effectiveness. One could go on and on. It shows that we live in an imperfect world. Many claim to truth, but in fact many have only parts of the truth, thinking they have all the truth. They dont. Martin sets a high standard for truth, and this is as it should be. Keeping this in mind and the flaws of the book, this is a very good book.
Rating: 
Summary: Some Heresies Protected
Review: Martin ignores and gives a free pass to Roman Catholicism and Freemasonry. What a travesty not to call out Catholics out of that pagan religion with christian names that has a history of Massacres against true christians Read Will Durants "Story Of Civilization," Dave Hunts "A Women Rides The Beast," and "History of Protestantism," by J.A. Wylie. Masonry is nothing but a Satanic organization but you wont know that until you reach the 30th degree or higher Read Albert Pikes "Morals And Dogma." and William Schoenbelen's "Masonry Beyond The Light." Martin and his predecessor Hank Hanagraff have ignored the most dangerous cults and spent so much time on blatantly ridiculuous cults such as Scientology , Bahai. What do you expect from someone who has a friend who is a Jesuit priest, Although Martin has already been judged by his works. (...)
Rating:
Summary: The Standard
Review: Most of the reviews I have read on this page are either written by angry cultists or liberals (1 star) or the defensive conservatives (5 stars). The angry opponents are partly right -- Martin can be obnoxious at points and his credentials were given slight spin. The conservatives are partly right -- this is an undeniably great book by an expert who writes with zest.Education -- Martin got a graduate degree (MA) from NYU in philosophy. He also did graduate work at an accredited seminary. But, yes, his doctorate was from a diploma mill. Regardless, he spent 40 years reading, debating and pouring over everything the cultists wrote. He really knew his stuff. The book is just flat out a good read. Really interesting. The facts are generally very well researched. His style is obnoxious at points -- especially if its your group who he is exposing -- but his facts are right. You get the sense that he enjoys exposing the lies of these cults just a little too much. Bottom line -- It remains the standard of its kind. It was required reading 15 years ago for a comparative religions course I took at a secular university, taught by a very liberal professor. I have refered back to it often over the years and have found it to be very helpful. Frankly, its fun -- reads like a novel at places. Kind of a "guilty pleasure." The CD that comes with this revised edition is a nice extra. And the updates are good. I wish they had updated the bibliography. The addition of the
Rating: 
Summary: Kingdom of a Fundamentalist
Review: No surprises here in this book. It is unforuantly typical of the Born Again Evangelical Fundamental intolerant mind-set. The writer if this book is not out to merely warn us of groups who drink posion cool-aid or display anti-social behaviors but to tag the label "CULT!" on ANYone and EVERYone who simply does not embrace the Born Again Evangelical Fundamental set of doctrines as "orthodox" and "true". Who makes his "CULT!" list? ANYone who basically is NOT Born Again Protestant! No, his warnings of a cult are NOT based on dangerous anti-social signs but rather merely on the basis if a religion is trinitarian or not and whether they accept the name Jesus Christ in place of Yahweh, Jehovah or if one happens to call their Savior Krishna or Buddha instead of Jesus. If you happen to be devote Born Again Evangelical Protestant..then obviously you will agree with everything the writer says in here and you'll love it! But if you happen to be ANY relgion OTHER than Born Again Protestant..then you be insulted. If you truely want an UN-biast defination of alternative religions in America in which YOU can CHOOSE for yourself what YOU think is a "CULT" or not then I would recomend instead that you read the book, "Alternative Religions in America" BY Timothy Miller..fot this writer has NO religious angenda or biast.
Rating:
Summary: Inaccurate resource
Review: That this book is still being used as a resource for accurate information on "cults" is unfortunate. Skewed to promote the fundamentalist Christian perspective, "Kingdom of the Cults" uses divisive, charged language to accomplish its purpose. Information presented is blatantly biased, based on inaccurate research and incorrect information. It is an inappropriate resource for those seeking correct information on the thoughtful religions it attempts to explain.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the best book on the subject... ever!
Review: The book is fantastic. Without a doubt it gathers extreemly high and extreemly low reviews. The book explains the difference between what the Bible says a Christian is, and those groups the world sees calling themselves Christian's but who are truly wolves in sheeps clothes. There is no finer, difinative writing on the differences in beliefs today. Every one who claims Christ should have this book on hand to educate themselves about what else is going on in the world. Indeed, non-Christians, and many who say they are but deny His simple teachings will take offense at this direct analysis of belief.
Rating:
Summary: SIMPLY OUTSTANDING
Review: There is no better book available anywhere on this important
and vital topic of identifying cults and deceptions within
(and without) historic Christianity.
Dr.Martin's book is both readable and scholarly. I highly
recommend it to every Bible student, every Christian, and
even any and every nonchristian!
Exactly what is involved in a religious group or institution
that *seriously* departs from "sound doctrine."?
Read this book and find out. It's a real eye-opener. Leonardo/pastor/missionary/teacher.
Rating:
Summary: comprehensive
Review: This book explains alot in academic terms and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you like this I would suggest a thought provoking companion piece the beautifully written memoir, Seductive Poison. It is the intensely personal story of a young woman caught in a cult. Truly unputdownable.
Rating:
Summary: Well balanced, well documented... Just the facts!
Review: This book has become a standard in the field of Christian apologetics - in the understanding, refutation, and evangelization of cults and other non-Christian religions. And for good cause. For it's author and editor, have attempted not merely to point-the-finger at other religions and religious belief systems, but to provide substantiated and documented proof of their history, and their teachings - the good, the bad, and the ugly. And though it has been accused by other religions and religious organizations of being mean-spirited, or non-tolerant, the manner in which the material is presented, forwards no harsh words or inflammatory rhetoric. It presents the facts, from documented sources (often, from the religious writings of the group itself), and draws conclusions from those facts. I consider this text to be one of the best in the field.
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