Cult?
by bchapp 25 Replies latest jw friends
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tartarus
From Wikipedia:
"Cult" typically refers to a cohesive social group devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding population considers to be outside the mainstream."
By this definition any belief system that doesn't agree with the "mainstream" is a cult (by the way, what the heck is mainsteam today anyways?). Catholic church , which can be considered a "mainstream" religion, could also be defined as cult, for exapmle, 'cause it's against the use of condoms that's already accepted widely in the "mainstream". Some "cult researcher" (I believe he's former JW too) said that Walmart can be classified as cult, because of the way they treat their employees (morning stretch and exercise mandatory). Every religion (or "cult") will be outside the mainstream at least on one issue. So all religions and belief/value systems are "cults".
also, from the same Wikipedia article quoted above:
Some sociologists who study cults have argued that no one has yet been able to define “cult” in a way that identifies only those groups previously recognized to have beliefs or practices that run counter to generally accepted norms and values. Clearly, criteria for the identification of cults do exist, but they are problematic themselves.A little-known example is Alexander and Rollins' 1984 study, which concluded that the socially well-received group Alcoholics Anonymous is a cult by using the model of Lifton's thought reform techniques [3] and applying those to AA's group indoctrination methodology. [4] Despite the applicability of Lifton's model, researchers [5] point out the benefits that AA offer its members, which are plain even to non-members. [6] For many, this issue with the concept of cults might raise the question of why it is important to define any particular group as a cult; hence, the preference among anthropologists for "sect", or even the dated and out-of-fashion term, "sub-culture". An additional worry is the problem of how to identify those in a given society who should be privileged to decide which groups ought to be referred to as a cult or, using the more neutral term, as a "sect." Thus, it becomes an open question whether the study of cult groups is a valid topic for the self-critical and professionalized production of systematic knowledge.
Ultimately everyone decides for him/herself based on one's personal experience in JW's whether it's a "cult" or not.
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garybuss
You wrote: What are your thoughts on this?
The best thing a Jehovah's Witness ever said to me was "goodbye".
Asking a Jehovah's Witness about cults is like asking the chicken house weasel why he's got chicken feathers in his mouth. He's gonna say: "I didn't just eat a chicken!". Hahahaha!! -
Quirky1
Garybuss....LMAO!
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OUTLAW
That is simply not true..JW`s deny access to their meetings,to people they do not approve of..............."Terry" tried to go to an Assembly..He did`nt cause any trouble..Yet he was tossed out......................Some WBT$ literature is not available to the public,only JW`s.............It`s a CULT,plain and simple....................
...OUTLAW -
Quirky1
Now they are defining it even further by having their own personal study copy that is not available to the public.
...OUTLAW