Christianity Is A Cult! (Short Video For The TL;DR crowd)

[stromboli]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGPKlUI9o9Y

[Solitary]

I've always wondered what the difference was between a cult and a religion.

Janja Lalich, Ph.D. & Michael D. Langone, Ph.D.



Concerted efforts at influence and control lie at the core of cultic groups, programs, and relationships. Many members, former members, and supporters of cults are not fully aware of the extent to which members may have been manipulated, exploited, even abused. The following list of social-structural, social-psychological, and interpersonal behavioral patterns commonly found in cultic environments may be helpful in assessing a particular group or relationship.

Compare these patterns to the situation you were in (or in which you, a family member, or friend is currently involved). This list may help you determine if there is cause for concern. Bear in mind that this list is not meant to be a “cult scale” or a definitive checklist to determine if a specific group is a cult. This is not so much a diagnostic instrument as it is an analytical tool.

‪ 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. Is this not what all religions do?

‪ Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished. Same here.

‪ 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). This is what they do in monasteries and many Christian religions.   

‪ The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marryâ€"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). Ditto!

‪ 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 avatarâ€"or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity). And why they use special dress.

‪ The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society. Catholics verses Protestants, and Christians verses Islam.

‪ The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations). If this were true, a lot of priests would be in prison.

‪ 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).

‪ The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion. No comment because it is so obvious of all religions.

‪ 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. This is the only one I don't see in all religions.


All the rest are obvious of religions.
‪ The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.

‪ The group is preoccupied with making money.

‪ Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.

‪ Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

‪ 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.

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck it is most likely a duck.

[Mike Cl]

I've always wondered what the difference was between a cult and a religion.
If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck it is most likely a duck.

Only one religion is not a cult.  And that is the one you belong to when you label other religions as a cult.  The word really is meaningless. 

Kind of like the word terrorist.  Everybody from the beginning of time that used violence or the threat of violence as a means to an end, is using terror  to gain an advantage.  Every single one is a terrorist.  Which makes the word empty and useless.  Like cult.

[Solitary]

Even when they are originally not a cult like Buddhism, they become one sooner or later. Or should I say originally a way of life, and then becomes a religion.   :undecided: