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To me, a cult (in the religious sense) is a group that essentially tries to control every aspect of a person's life and that does so primarily by fear and isolation. Cult members are strongly discouraged, if not strictly forbidden, to have anything to do with people outside the group. Their access to information is greatly restricted, too. They are prohibited from reading "unauthorized" material and from gaining any information that would cause them to doubt the legitimacy of the group. They are not to question authority, or to take a differing position on any issue. There is always the threat of shunning hanging over their heads, and they are conditioned to believe that survival outside the group would be almost impossible for them. Also important is the concept that life on the outside is itself something to fear. In other words, there is safety only within the group. When you get right down to it, it's not what the group believes that makes it a cult, but how its leader goes about making sure its beliefs are not questioned.
To me, a cult (in the religious sense) is a group that essentially tries to control every aspect of a person's life and that does so primarily by fear and isolation.
Cult members are strongly discouraged, if not strictly forbidden, to have anything to do with people outside the group. Their access to information is greatly restricted, too.
They are prohibited from reading "unauthorized" material and from gaining any information that would cause them to doubt the legitimacy of the group. They are not to question authority, or to take a differing position on any issue.
There is always the threat of shunning hanging over their heads, and they are conditioned to believe that survival outside the group would be almost impossible for them.
Also important is the concept that life on the outside is itself something to fear.
In other words, there is safety only within the group. When you get right down to it, it's not what the group believes that makes it a cult, but how its leader goes about making sure its beliefs are not questioned.
To me, a cult (in the religious sense) is a group that essentially tries to control every aspect of a person's life and that does so primarily by fear and isolation. Cult members are strongly discouraged, if not strictly forbidden, to have anything to do with people outside the group. Their access to information is greatly restricted, too. They are prohibited from reading "unauthorized" material and from gaining any information that would cause them to doubt the legitimacy of the group. They are not to question authority, or to take a differing position on any issue. There is always the threat of shunning hanging over their heads, and they are conditioned to believe that survival outside the group would be almost impossible for them. Also important is the concept that life on the outside is itself something to fear. In other words, there is safety only within the group. When you get right down to it, it's not what the group believes that makes it a cult, but how its leader goes about making sure its beliefs are not questioned.
I agree, pretty much, but it's all relative. No one told me I couldn't survive on my own apart from protestant fundamentalism, but there were subtle messages implying this that were pretty much constant. Not the least of which is the "I'm nothing without God" false humility meme.
No one wanted an hour by hour account of my day to day activities and there was no council to be called before to lambaste me for missing my morning devotionals. But all the concern about being sufficiently faithful / right / correct / spiritual / consecrated had an effect that was in many ways quite similar to some sort of overt controlling oversight -- just more deniable.
How free is a Mormon, really, to not do mission work by a certain point in their life? To not attend stake meetings regularly? Probably as free as I was not to be in regular attendance or not to volunteer for committees or to teach vacation bible school. Which was that I could be considered a third-class member of the group, a freeloader on the "pillars of the church", the 20% that makes 80% of things happen. Which means I might not get a pat on the back and "well done, thou good and faithful servant" upon entry to heaven. Maybe the mansion prepared for me would be a "McMansion" in an okay suburb of the New Jerusalem, instead of a palatial estate in the Heavenly Hamptons?
A cult is where the lives of its members revolve around the cult leader and nothing gets leaked out. No one is allowed to do their own thing a bit like a dictatorship where everyone has to obey the dictator ie the leader. The leader is likened to God the invisible.
To me, a cult (in the religious sense) is a group that essentially tries to control every aspect of a person's life and that does so primarily by fear and isolation. Cult members are strongly discouraged, if not strictly forbidden, to have anything to do with people outside the group. Their access to information is greatly restricted, too. They are prohibited from reading "unauthorized" material and from gaining any information that would cause them to doubt the legitimacy of the group. They are not to question authority, or to take a differing position on any issue. There is always the threat of shunning hanging over their heads, and they are conditioned to believe that survival outside the group would be almost impossible for them. Also important is the concept that life on the outside is itself something to fear. In other words, there is safety only within the group. When you get right down to it, it's not what the group believes that makes it a cult, but how its leader goes about making sure its beliefs are not questioned.
I agree. With the exception that some cults DO interact with people.....to gain recruits. Or ask for money.
What specific characteristics does a religious group need to have in order to be considered a cult?
I believe I used to belong to a cult...
-- we were the one true church, the elect, if you will
-- all 10 of us met in a house, 3 times a week, for several hours each service
-- it was expected you don't miss church for anything, you know, put god first
-- the leader had special wisdom from god
-- it was expected that you sought approval from the leader for decisions unrelated to religion (expenses, housing, career choices, etc)
-- a sexually abusive and power hungry leader
I'm noticing most of those have to do with the leaders. Whether or not a religious group is a cult depends more on the leader and culture of the group rather than the beliefs of that particular group.
A Cult is any group that disagrees with a persons beliefs.
To Jews Christianity was a Cult.
To Catholics Mormon's are.
To Baptists 7th Day are
and on and on...
The use of the term of any group is used to sway an argument where no real evdience exists to counter an argument presented. basically an ad hominem attack showing the one using the term has no real answer to the point they are trying to refute.
To me, a cult (in the religious sense) is a group that essentially tries to control every aspect of a person's life and that does so primarily by fear and isolation. Cult members are strongly discouraged, if not strictly forbidden, to have anything to do with people outside the group. Their access to information is greatly restricted, too. They are prohibited from reading "unauthorized" material and from gaining any information that would cause them to doubt the legitimacy of the group. They are not to question authority, or to take a differing position on any issue. There is always the threat of shunning hanging over their heads, and they are conditioned to believe that survival outside the group would be almost impossible for them. Also important is the concept that life on the outside is itself something to fear. In other words, there is safety only within the group. When you get right down to it, it's not what the group believes that makes it a cult, but how its leader goes about making sure its beliefs are not questioned.
Well said, Katz! Control by others is anathema to the self-control God seeks from us. It is anti-Christ and anti-God to try to exert control over the lives of others. That is what makes cults dangerous and evil.
I agree. With the exception that some cults DO interact with people.....to gain recruits. Or ask for money.
True, but what I meant was that, for the rank and file members, access to information not approved by the group's leadership is pretty strictly monitored. A cult member would probably not be encouraged to join an interfaith discussion group, for instance, because -- heaven forbid -- his mind might be poisoned by ideas that conflict with the cult's.
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