the word cult is a necessary term so that these groups can be differentiated from normal healthy groups. Sure, it is a shortcut, but so is every noun in existence. Calling you a woman is a shortcut for person with a vagina, among other things that difzferentiate you from a man. Cults, hard drugs, alcoholism, stealing, getting involved in organized crime, smoking, unsafe sex are all things to avoid. There is nothing normal about what this cult does to its people.
Why label it a cult?
by rebel8 49 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Frank75
However, I don't think applying the label is therapeutic for many people and in fact pushes them away from working on mental recovery further. The word makes them feel they are apostates, demonized, betrayers, who must be internally flawed in order to have been a victim of a cult.
Naturally our best efforts are served by avoiding language that puts up a barrier to helping someone out of the Jdubs.
This kind of courtesy can be employed initially in dealing with certain people but in time depending on how that is going, the message may need to get more blunt as AlanF said. It was necessary for me to shake out of the mind control. When he told me I was in a cult I denied it but at the same time acknowledged that certain dubs made the religion like a cult by the way they acted. Eventually I saw it was actually part of the construct/design of the religion from the top down.
Likewise those who believe in the bible and/or Jesus who feel that we must always be on some "Higher Road", pussy footing around the issues, are simply forgetting that Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple with whips, called the religious leaders liars and sons of the devil, whitewashed graves and offspring of vipers! Paul wanted those making trouble to be castrated and called them all sorts of names throughout his letters as well.
If those two people are considered examples of how to conduct ourselves, then we do well to ask what holds us back from following that example in this area
I say, "walk softly but carry a big stick!"
Frank75
-
brinjen
I guess it really all boils down to your experiences and what you define as a cult.
I say it is a cult, no question.
Just ordered a couple of books, Crisis Of Conscience and In Search Of Christian Freedom. Should have them in a couple of weeks, can't wait to start reading...
-
aquagirl
brilliant!!! what an excellent question!!!i love the responses too.we all seem to be coming from the same war..this thread is a good example of why i spend time at this thread.i wish you were all here!...id feed you sweet cheese blintzes and chamomile tea!!!!!!thanks to you all!!!!!maybe we should all start our own cult...hehheh,just kidding...
-
rebel8
Frank75, good point! If they are the role models then you are right to follow them.
Me being the nonbeliever I am, my role models are Aaron Beck and Emily Post, so I guess that's why my approach differs. :) -
Abaddon
A dog is a mammal with certain identifying characteristics.
A cult is a belief system with certain identifying characteristics.
A poison is a chemical with certain identifying charateristics.
A vitamin is a chemical with certain identifying characteristics.
Labels are useful; if dog, cults or poisons don't like them, tough. They are still cults, dogs or poisons.
-
dedpoet
Personally, I don't care what anyone calls the watchtower, whether it be
cult, sect, publishing company, whatever. I'm just happy that I'm not a
member of it anymore.I do think of it as a cult though
-
Gill
If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck then clearly it is a .....DUCK!
-
sammielee24
Personally I prefer to use the words cult, abuser, victim and survivor. The words incest, sexual assault, pedophilia. The are harsh. But what happened was harsh.
I suspect that people don't want to label events harsh because people have a hard time accepting how powerless they were. People have a great need to believe they had some ability to protect themselves. But until people accept the powerlessness of sexual abuse they tend to accept part of the blame on themselves (I should have told someone; I must have wanted it) Their ability to prevent assaults is nil most of the time.
to Lady Lee. Words have the power to change most effectively and you are so right. I hear people use the term 'molestation' or 'sexual abuse' often, when in fact if we were to simply say 'child rape' when a child is raped, the impact is true to the event that took place. Same is true of cult. It's a harsh word that implies harsh, controlling, illogical masses of robotic people willing to end their lives for their leaders - but why call the society something its not? Why not define it as something other than a mainstream religion? sammieswife.
-
flipper
Because it is a cult. Simple as that. They use mind control on their members. Need we say more? End of question. Peace, Mr. Flipper