How To Know If You're in a Cult! (page 2)

M.J.

Higher truth comes by closing your mind to all sources of information but one.

When certain feelings dictate your thought patterns you are considered strong. When your mind can reason without emotional strings attached you are considered weak.

gumby

Here would be an argument some might give.

What if the company you worked for asked you not refer to them as ripoffs that you think they are when they don't think they are? What if you told others your viewpoint anyway? Would they fire you?

That's how a cult would respond because your accusing them of something they think they are not, your exposing them to others, and it's the "demeaning remark" ....and accusation you make against them, in which they feel you are wrong.

What would the baptists do to you if you attended their church and went around telling all the memebers you thought this church was a cult?

Not an argument here....just seeing it from their side too.

Gumby

metatron

If you call Baptists or Republicans a cult, it's likely that they will ignore you as a nutjob because the accusation

sounds silly.

On the other hand, if you belong to a cult, they have to take it seriously because it's basically true and

what you're exposing endangers them.

metatron

M.J.

Yes, I see there can be a fine line between loyalty and psychological dependency. I think it's really a sliding scale. I think you have to evaluate things case-by-case and determine where you are on the spectrum. Then determine who is to blame.

Lostreality

so..angry....

gumby

One of the problems with this subject is the wide usage of the word and what it means.

Christianity is also considered (by some) to be a cult, because of a strict obiedience structure to a person .....that person being christ. "If you don't believe in Christ....you will die." Christians do not feel this way because they believe he was truely diety and is our maker, and to deny him brings death. Are they a cult.....or mearly "believers".

To me, it depends on what you believe a cult is.

Gumby

M.J.

Yes, "cult" in itself is a somewhat ambiguous term. Because of this, one must define what they're talking about when they use the word. Some use it to describe what they consider to be heresy. Others strictly apply it in a secular sense, to describe "a group that deliberately uses deception, manipulation and psychological abuse to control the thoughts and actions of its members as opposed to a group that acts morally and ethically." Yet the use of such a definition demands clarification of the terms "morally and ethically". Here's an interesting site which attempts to do just that:

http://www.csp.org/development/code.html

Here's a quote:

In any community, there are some who feel called to assist others along spiritual paths, and who are known as ministers, rabbis, pastors, curanderas, shamans, priests, or other titles. We call such people 'guides': those experienced in some practice, familiar with the terrain, and who act to facilitate the spiritual practices of others. A guide need not claim exclusive or definitive knowledge of the terrain.

Spiritual practices, and especially primary religious practices, carry risks. Therefore, when an individual chooses to practice with the assistance of a guide, both take on special responsibilities. The Council on Spiritual Practices proposes the following Code of Ethics for those who serve as spiritual guides.

Then it goes into 9 ethics guidelines for those who take on a role as a "spiritual guide".

Undaunted Danny

My server is 10% of speed so I can't do backup R+D.

Sooo,here goes from memory.The word cult is from latin and simply means to worship.

I exited 1-05-92 at that time,my description of Jehovah's Witnesses as a destructive abusive cult was met with resistance.

The EXJW groups that were coming together back then centered on John 6:68,"..look to Jesus not the manmade WBT$."

Recent history begins with notorious Charles Manson 'family' thrusting 'dangerous cult into the American Mainstream.

Then followed by Jim Jones and Heavens Gate.The first popular effort for catergorizing JW's as a cult was Steve Hassan in 1995 and he got the impressions from Randy Watters

The difficulty of exposing JW's as cult is still met with some resistance by outsiders because everybody already knows that they s**k and outsiders cannot comprehend.,how anyone can get caught up in such foolishness.

Steve Hassan sez;to anybody who says'they would never be so stupid as to join a cult'.Steve's reply.Do you WANNA BET!

Cults destroy: (1) Identity

(2) sanity

(3) Bank account ...... Undaunted Danny "official" Watchtower Whistle Blower www.DannyHaszard.com

ESTEE

Great thread, metatron!

MJ ... I appreciate your quiz. I did this quiz on myself with my new positive thinking group. I answered yes to one question ... Would it be difficult to leave? Yes, it would be difficult to leave this group because I just plain like it a lot and besides I don't want to leave! Yikes, I better watch out now! This could be another dang cult!!!

But seriously, great quiz!

ESTEE

M.J.

ESTEE: Thanks but can't take the credit for that one, it's from Shaun's most excellent JWfiles.com website. Check it out...

How To Know If You're in a Cult!

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