Be Fair = Witnesses are NOT a cult!! What about Christians or democracy? (page 5)

real one

i am not a cult member.I go to church,fellowship with friends, go home and read my Bible....no one at my church tells me what to do nor do i tell them. we all do what our Bibles say not some man or men. everyone is an individual in my church

real one

how is that maxwell

sass_my_frass

Yes; many things are 'a cult'. I think that Amway and the army are a cult. I went to a chiropractor who I'm sure is running his own little marketing cult. My government department is a little inbred cult.

Inquisitor

no one at my church tells me what to do nor do i tell them

everyone is an individual in my church

Does your church welcome gay couples? Does it lend moral support to young women who have opted for an abortion? Does the equity-conscious church allow women to serve as pastors even as men do? Does your church speak up against other Christians (besides JWs) who do not show such displays of Christian tolerance and love?

Nobody needs to tell you what to do if protocol is already ingrained.

INQ

maxwell

real one, I assume by your question, you are asking how I can claim that "asking god to open your eyes is a characteristic of a cult by many definitions.

As I pointed out earlier, all one has to do is go to dictionary.com and type in cult. Of the many definitions you get,

"a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies."

Asking God to open ones eyes seems to be a part of many systems of religious worship.

"an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult. "

Some people consider God to be a person and other maybe an ideal.

"A system of religious belief and worship.

That which was the religion of Moses is the ceremonial or cult of the religion of Christ. --Coleridge."

R.Crusoe

Real One - I appreciate you may feel you are not part of a cult!

I also suggest that the reasons you gave could equally be applied to a member of the Gestapo, who will feel at home whilst happy there but be shot if choosing to defect and find a new life!

And we haven't yet considered the psychology of replacing ones false belief systems - which takes much longer than the time it takes to realise this organisation is not for you - in coming to more positive views of ones own life in a world more suited to your inner self!

JWs are relentless and ruthless with family and friends and humanitarian principles when it comes to any individual who chooses or is shunned by them!

Effectively it is a judicial life sentence against them, by self appointed godspeakers, where the only clause is to rejoin their dictat! Any family they have will effectively be told by the WT how to treat them the same way! How cruel and controlling! And don't justify this with an ancient text that had all manner of things culturally accepted at the time of its writing! And don't claim yours is the only way, as if you are superior in your allegiance, to all other humans on Earth! This is how haughty such ones are with the lives of others!

Confession

I only read a bit over a page and didn't see the point I wanted to make; forgive me if someone has...

I don't understand the contradiction between your thread title, "Witnesses are NOT a cult!" and what you wrote...

But look at the definition of "cult" and you will see it applies to any system of thought concieved by an individual or group to control others. Are christians a Jesus cult...yes. Communism a Marxist cult...democracy a Bush cult........look at the definition of cult it APPLIES TO ALL RELIGION AND POLITICS AND SCHOOLS OF THINKING.

So...if the word applies to any system of thought--to control others...then it is a cult, right? Just like the other groups are? Isn't your point more specifically made by saying, "They're a cult--just like other groups are a cult"?

I will often use this word--just so I can imnpress upon someone the seriousness of my position about the WTS, although I'll sometimes use "high-pressure group" as well.

sacolton

They are a cult. Any religion that forbids "individual thinking" is a sure sign of a cult. When 12 men in Brooklyn, New York dictate what you must think, say and do and if you should go against any of their teachings brings disfellowshipping. When 12 men proclaim that only they have the direct communication channel to God and all spiritual food comes from them - it's a cult.

greendawn

No matter how we define cult the JWs are one because they manifest the essential definition of a cult, rigorous control of personal life, prohibition of all and any criticism of the leadership and its ideology and a drastic separation from the rest of the world.

They are not the worst out there but they are bad enough. Eg if you don't preach or attend their meetings you will soon be marginalised and stigmatised as a weak brother. Even if otherwise a very upright and principled person and loyal,responsible parent.

Jeffro

Poztate:

The WT has often referred to all Christian religions as "the Cults of Christendom" This includes all mainstream churches such as the Roman Catholics.

I couldn't find a single instance of that phrase in JW literature of the last 50 years, though there are several references that indicate that Christendom includesmany sects and cults. What is the source of your statement that the WT often includes all of Christendom, including Catholicism, as a cult??

Be Fair = Witnesses are NOT a cult!! What about Christians or democracy?

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