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Old 02-25-2009, 08:18 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,723,405 times
Reputation: 2851

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Quote:
Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay View Post
mm42 and DeaconJ, you are evidently well acquainted with your dictionaries but choosing to appear less well acquainted with present-day American vernacular. My comment (top) was intended to allude to the fact that the original meaning of "cult" was not pejorative. I suspect you both already know that's not the currently popular meaning. Dictionaries list the popular usage plainly intended by the OP, e.g Merriam-Webster has " a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious". Insisting on the original meaning of "cult" is like insisting "gay" simply means "happy and excited". You might as well try to hold back the ocean's tide.
And, I believe we were both correcting the OP with the most often used definition of the word...the definition listed first? Just because a lot of people seem to think that "cult" is a bad word or a negative association doesn't make it so...your definition was added in recent years, but it is the third definition listed - not the most widely recognized definition of the word.

According to Webster's...
Quote:
1 a: happily excited: merry b: keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits.
2 a: bright, lively b: brilliant in color
3 : given to social pressures
4 a: homosexual b: of, relating to, or used by homosexuals

 
Old 02-25-2009, 08:18 PM
 
18 posts, read 141,432 times
Reputation: 14
This post is silly. Sorry for being blunt.

This is a huge church. I'm sure all churches, groups etc have their nuts and you might have encountered a couple.

Most people would describe this church as a singles club. The person you spoke to who calls it a cult has no clue. Like someone calling Pres Bush a raging liberal. As far off as humanly possible.
 
Old 02-25-2009, 08:23 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,723,405 times
Reputation: 2851
Quote:
Originally Posted by LovinDecatur View Post
What, you're using this to attack the way that all Atlantans think? Unbelievable. That church probably represents 1% of 1% of 1% of this city. Please.
I've started to ignore that person...he takes ANY opportunity to disparage Atlanta and runs with it. It's tiresome.
 
Old 02-25-2009, 09:19 PM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,302 posts, read 43,751,651 times
Reputation: 16413
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeaconJ View Post
I've started to ignore that person...he takes ANY opportunity to disparage Atlanta and runs with it. It's tiresome.
I checked out the posting history and I agree.
 
Old 02-25-2009, 09:27 PM
 
Location: West Cobb County, GA (Atlanta metro)
9,191 posts, read 33,761,178 times
Reputation: 5308
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeaconJ View Post
6. There is no need for you to associate with these people that you feel are pressuring you to join their church or that you feel might convert your children. First of all, I would recommend politely informing them that you are happy with your religion and you would appreciate it if they would back off with the conversion attempts. If that doesn't change anything, stop associating with them - you are free to associate or not associate with whoever you choose, no matter where you live.
I would agree with this.

To my knowledge, even the most oddball churches in Atlanta do not hold guns to people's heads and go, "Join us... or else". If the particular pack of friends you've found are the type who like to push towards their church constantly - just find new friends. You don't need to surround yourself with people who drink funny punch. People who are honestly just into their faiths will back off when you politely say "no".

The "cult" argument can go back and forth forever. Personally I think a more accurate classification is that most churches today are businesses more than anything else. Sell a product, make money, influence political leaders, push for social-control laws, yadda yadda... a business. If you wish to participate in that business, it's your call. If not, that should be fine, too.
 
Old 02-25-2009, 09:51 PM
 
722 posts, read 3,303,753 times
Reputation: 325
Quote:
Originally Posted by WonderingSomething1974 View Post
Hello all! First poster here. I just moved to Atlanta from Cleveland, Ohio. I had lived there my whole life, but my husband simply could not earn a living. There are no jobs in the midwest everyone is moving south or west, and that includes companies!

Anyways, to give you a little background about Cleveland, almost 90% of the Christians up there are Catholic (myself included). There is a Catholic church/school on every street corner, and you rarely meet people of protestant faiths (minus Lutherans - seems to be the largest protestant denomination up there).

Anyways, when I moved to Atlanta,it was my first time in the South. I moved into a neighborhood in Buckhead - Castlewood. My neighbors were great - but I noticed very quickly that there are not many Catholics down here as in the MW. Which was fine - I go to Christ the King and love it.

One thing irked me though - many of my nieghbors and many people I have associated with in Buckhead go to Buckhead Church. They kept trying to get me to go, and they said as a Catholic I would love it, and that many Catholics go there and so on.

I thought I would give it a try. I was very displeased with it - and was alarmed when the people there pressured me to get baptized and "born again." One person there even told me that Catholics will not be "saved."

I finally confided in a southern Catholic I knew and she told me the "truth" - She said that the church has no rules, does its own thing, (Hence no denomination name in the title - just "Buckhead Church") and is know locally by some as a cult. She said they especially like to convert Catholics, and they especially attractyoung people becuase of live music, no rules, and a contemporary feel.

I am scared that if I raise my children in Buckhead that they will be persuaded to go to this church. Should I move, or be worried?

Ugh, I know how you feel. My aunt and uncle go to Northpoint church in the Alpharetta, which Buckhead Church is an affiliate of and it is certainly an uncomfortable experience for me. I'm episcopalian so I'm not used to the rock music and the 'jesuswejus" prayer accomapnied by background music. While I certain'y don't judge them for worshipping differently I am wary of how large and powerful they have gotten. These mega churches, run by Andy Stanley, dominate the northern suburbs and they even have a church geared towards college students here in Athens. I went with my friend once and I was very put off. They asked at least three times in the service for us to give money, even at one time asking us poor college students to donate 100$. Everyone at these churches is very nice but it almost seems like a big facade they put on in order to rope you in. I feel bad writing this because I know it's not right to judge, but I just don't think it's right how they make such a spectacle out of worship and how they have gotten sooo powerful. My aunt and uncle talk about Andy Stanley as if he is some sort of prophet. (I'm not that impressed by him if you want my opinion) I don't believe churches should suck in members and cash like a corporation or the government, that's what jesus was fighting against, but that's how I see this brand of churches
 
Old 02-26-2009, 08:45 AM
 
Location: Atlanta
54 posts, read 167,653 times
Reputation: 32
Quote:
Originally Posted by WonderingSomething1974 View Post
Hello all! First poster here. I just moved to Atlanta from Cleveland, Ohio. I had lived there my whole life, but my husband simply could not earn a living. There are no jobs in the midwest everyone is moving south or west, and that includes companies!

Anyways, to give you a little background about Cleveland, almost 90% of the Christians up there are Catholic (myself included). There is a Catholic church/school on every street corner, and you rarely meet people of protestant faiths (minus Lutherans - seems to be the largest protestant denomination up there).

Anyways, when I moved to Atlanta,it was my first time in the South. I moved into a neighborhood in Buckhead - Castlewood. My neighbors were great - but I noticed very quickly that there are not many Catholics down here as in the MW. Which was fine - I go to Christ the King and love it.

One thing irked me though - many of my nieghbors and many people I have associated with in Buckhead go to Buckhead Church. They kept trying to get me to go, and they said as a Catholic I would love it, and that many Catholics go there and so on.

I thought I would give it a try. I was very displeased with it - and was alarmed when the people there pressured me to get baptized and "born again." One person there even told me that Catholics will not be "saved."

I finally confided in a southern Catholic I knew and she told me the "truth" - She said that the church has no rules, does its own thing, (Hence no denomination name in the title - just "Buckhead Church") and is know locally by some as a cult. She said they especially like to convert Catholics, and they especially attractyoung people becuase of live music, no rules, and a contemporary feel.

I am scared that if I raise my children in Buckhead that they will be persuaded to go to this church. Should I move, or be worried?
Are you serious? I live in Buckhead and I have yet to be persuaded to come to this church, or any church for that matter. I have to admit I am like laughing about this right now. You make it sound as if people in Buckhead will like stalk your children.
To be honest I have been to Catholic Churches and they are pretty scary to me. All that chanting and smoke slinging and goth looking buildings. Not too mention bead rubbing. Moderator removed - inappropriate comments (insulting). No need for this.
Yes I think this sounds extremely funny! I think I would be more concerned with that...then someone trying to dip you and your kids in some water. LOL.

Last edited by atlantagreg30127; 02-26-2009 at 09:30 AM..
 
Old 02-26-2009, 10:12 AM
 
3,493 posts, read 7,886,167 times
Reputation: 7234
As an adult living in the area, I'm not too concerned about the appeal of the Buckhead Church. We have a church that my family attends regularly and I'm not interested in changing churches.

However, my teenage children get a lot of encouragement/pressure from their friends to come check out the Buckhead Church. I know several families where the teens go to the Buckhead Church and the parents continue to attend their traditional church. We do not allow our kids to go to any other separate church - our family decision is that church is family time and we will all attend together. Fortunately, our church has a strong and growing youth program so our teens are content - even eager - attenders, but I know that many families struggle with the decision "Is it better for your teens to go to the Buckhead Church, or no church at all".

We are comfortable with the decision that our family has made regarding this issue, but if you have teens attending public or private school in the Buckhead area, be prepared for this discussion.
 
Old 02-26-2009, 12:56 PM
 
288 posts, read 954,903 times
Reputation: 76
Yall seem to love Websters and Merriam. Here are some other meanings from another source for you to digest:

Urban Dictionary: cult

Some of you are making it sound like #2. on the list shown.

 
Old 02-26-2009, 12:58 PM
 
Location: Atlanta, GA
1,499 posts, read 5,077,874 times
Reputation: 1099
Granted, I now live in Gwinnett, but I have lived in metro Atlanta for a number of years, and both my wife and I have spent much time living and working in Buckhead, and I had never even heard of this church before reading these posts, nor do we know anyone in Buckhead that attends the church - there must be alot more people who don't attend this church than do.
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