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I have inserted 2 links, with snippets below them, into this post. The one on top is from a Christian site (they don't even know they are describing themselves), and the other is from an ex-Christian.
Why in the world does Christianity honor and worship somebody like Calvin, who had Michael Servitus burned to death because he didn't believe in the trinity? Christianity has the audacity to sit in their pews and point fingers at those "cults out there" who don't believe in their pagan views of God, and then they sit comfortably back in their seats waiting for God to rapture them out of here so they don't have to think about all the nonsense they are spewing out to the world. It's all rather ridiculous.
What are the hallmarks of a cult, again, and does much of Christianity fit the bill??
Absolute loyalty. Cults cannot operate unless there is unquestionable loyalty and allegiance to the sect’s doctrine, rules, and format. Enforcement of this rule can be through veiled threats or even actual physical punishment. The fear of eternal damnation is one of the strongest and effective tools used by the cult leader to demand 100% loyalty. Punitive actions are quickly administered to those who question or revolt against the leader’s doctrines or authority.
Moderator cut: snippet = two or three sentences from link
Fear of earning the displeasure or wrath of the cult’s deity.
Fear of NOT being considered enlightened
Fear of living in error
Fear of not being found worthy of the standards of the cult
You were created by god in his own image and likeness.
God is good and great and loves you more than you can understand.
You are, at birth, an evil sinner whom must one day beg god to forgive you.
You may be a tad confused by the relation of items A and C. Refer to items #1 and #5 on our list of cult member behaviors to see how belief in the above contradictory premise can be accepted without challenge by millions of people worldwide.
Many Christian groups have cult-like characteristics, probably not because they intentionally want them, but because they don't want to lose their numbers.
I guess I am a "Christian Anarchist" in this regard, since I believe that we must all listen to Christ in us, leading us into peace with others and righteousness in God.
Many Christian groups have cult-like characteristics, probably not because they intentionally want them, but because they don't want to lose their numbers.
I guess I am a "Christian Anarchist" in this regard, since I believe that we must all listen to Christ in us, leading us into peace with others and righteousness in God.
Blessings herefornow!
Brian
I just figure most of what's going on is a whole lot of fear. Christianity fears Islam (with good reason, much of the time), but Christians (specifically, the Catholics but following on their heels, the Protestants) are the ones who started the whole thing. Convert or die, if you know what I mean. They don't have anybody to blame but themselves. It's all a big shell game. Traditional Christianity doesn't have anything to do with the truth and Islam actually has a lot of similarities to Catholicism. You notice the darnedest things when you start paying attention....
Cult/noun/ French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate.
1. A particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. An instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3. The object of such devotion.
This describes just about every church of regular religious followers. Not that being in a cult necessarily evil. But those who spout off about there being only one way to worship, one "right" path, need to realize they are acting within a "cult". Demonizing other's beliefs is a key to seeing you have been brainwashed and are in fact part of a cult. Don't drink the kool-aid.
Here is the list, please name a religion that does not match most if not all of these key indicators of a cult.
Some are cult'ish with perhaps as few as 15 or 16 of these traits, others are full blown cults, matching all, and extreme in many.
" “If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.”
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