An enlightning and disturbing story in today's Atlantic.
ginger
http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/06/the-seven-signs-youre-in-a-cult/361400/
Seven signs you're in a cult ( Is our religion "cult-like"?...)
by gingerbread 5 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
problemaddict
Ugh. I like the authors conclusion at the end of recounting the horror of everything that had happened. She viewed the "reasonable" group that he splintered from, as just as bad. Sure their actions did not go to the extreme, but they provided fertile ground for the seeds of crazytown.
-
Pistoff
Scary
-
Wild_Thing
There are many different definitions and signs of "cults" as there are religions. It seems to be a rather loaded word that get people on the defense or offense pretty quickly.
Even Jesus started what some would consider (and some considered at that time) a cult.
No one would argue that Witnesses are an unhealthy, high conrol religious group, though. (Except Witnesses, of course.) And they do fit the profile of some definitions of a cult, but not all.
-
bobert
An article like this is what made me leave the truth. When I first read it, I was pretty shocked.
-
gingerbread
Exactly bobert.
That is why I titled the post the way I did.
It just might get a person to think about the mechanisms and methods used by the Organization to control information and people.
I don't think of the Org as a cult ... but it is very cult-like.
As the Governing Body continues to assert it's power it could become a 'cult'.
Do they openly admit that they speak with God? decide who is good or evil in the group? attempt to control how members think and feel? force personal decisions to be made that are damaging to the members (medically, emotionally, financially or physically)?
It's a lot to consider.
ginger