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I guess it depends on who Jesus is? If I call him God, and you call him the Mexican gardener, are we both Christians?
It doesn't matter what term we use, if we both believe that the central figure of the gospels lived, came from God and resurrected from really being dead, then we are fulfilling the only valid criterion for being regarded as a christian, so far as I can see.
If of course, I say that he was no more than a gardener or carpenter or Jewish rabbi, then I am no more a Christian than Jefferson was, though he told himself that he was...sorta.
How do you define a cult, is it a group that believes different than you do? Is it a group that teaches different that you do?
Allot of people define a cult as a group that will exploit your weakness, offer you a solution, promise you unconditional love, get a new identity based on your new found group, and then expect you to support the group financially.
Now what belief system doesn't follow these steps.
How do you define a cult, is it a group that believes different than you do? Is it a group that teaches different that you do?
Allot of people define a cult as a group that will exploit your weakness, offer you a solution, promise you unconditional love, get a new identity based on your new found group, and then expect you to support the group financially.
Now what belief system doesn't follow these steps.
Harder for me to define a cult than even to define 'religion' (though I think I may have cracked it). In a way, you are right. Even the rationalist worldview I espouse will:
exploit your weakness, offer you a solution, (point up the flaws in 'commonsense' thinking and show how to correct it)
promise you unconditional love, (well, at least strongly suggest that it will better for you in the long run)
get a new identity based on your new found group, (something in your mentality and outlook is going to change, for sure)
and then expect you to support the group financially. (Hadron colliders don't grow on trees)
The only difference I can see is that cults teach what is not true and will not listen to what is.
If you can argue that what I am in is a cult ..sorta..or a belief - system if hardly a religion, then I can say it is one designed to get at the truth and to listen to new truths. And that beats the others into a cocket hat.
Harder for me to define a cult than even to define 'religion' (though I think I may have cracked it). In a way, you are right. Even the rationalist worldview I espouse will:
exploit your weakness, offer you a solution, (point up the flaws in 'commonsense' thinking and show how to correct it)
promise you unconditional love, (well, at least strongly suggest that it will better for you in the long run)
get a new identity based on your new found group, (something in your mentality and outlook is going to change, for sure)
and then expect you to support the group financially. (Hadron colliders don't grow on trees)
The only difference I can see is that cults teach what is not true and will not listen to what is.
If you can argue that what I am in is a cult ..sorta..or a belief - system if hardly a religion, then I can say it is one designed to get at the truth and to listen to new truths. And that beats the others into a cocket hat.
And I forgot one more thing as "signs" for a cult, they lift their leader up to the status of worship or deity.
The ones that come to mind: David Koresh, Shoko Asahara, Jim Jones, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, and the guy from the Heaven Gate group. What all these had in common they all professed that only they had the truth. So if you look at the characteristics of these groups ever mainstream Christianity could be classified as a cult and at one time it was concidered just that.
Just a common cult. Much like the Scientology crowd...who attempt to give the money cult legitimacy by sticking the word "church" on their title.
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