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Post by OpiateOfTheMasses on Mar 16, 2017 23:31:07 GMT
As far as I can tell the only difference is "respectability" or how established they are in society. I'm sure when Christianity started it would have been seen as a cult just like Scientology is still seen as a cult by many now. Or is it a religion? I genuinely don't know...
So is there a hard and fast rule that I'm not aware of? I know "religion" sure sounds a lot better than "cult" so people aren't going to want to say they're in a cult, but other than that...?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2017 23:35:21 GMT
I think that with a cult, you are required to pledge unconditional fealty to a human leader and are required to cut yourself off from those who are not members of the cult. But having said that, with Islam, to give an example, families do 'cut off' other family members who lead the faith. And that would have used to have been the case with Christianity as well. But then, with established religions, you also don't have any authority figures watching over you to ensure that you follow all the rules all the time, or punish you for failing to do so.
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Post by Aj_June on Mar 16, 2017 23:38:12 GMT
In popular culture and general belief....I think the mainstream ones are considered religion whereas less followed ones are called cults. Note: It's not my definition though. Sometimes, established sects of a religion may see some newer sects as cults. Once PD said to me that one man's religion may be another man's cult and vice verse. I think he had made a valid point. Ever since then I have not called JWs as followers of cults.
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Post by general313 on Mar 16, 2017 23:58:08 GMT
“The only difference between a cult and a religion is the amount of real estate they own” - Frank Zappa
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Post by awhina on Mar 17, 2017 0:39:16 GMT
As far as I can tell the only difference is "respectability" or how established they are in society. I'm sure when Christianity started it would have been seen as a cult just like Scientology is still seen as a cult by many now. Or is it a religion? I genuinely don't know... So is there a hard and fast rule that I'm not aware of? I know "religion" sure sounds a lot better than "cult" so people aren't going to want to say they're in a cult, but other than that...? Google is your friend. Characteristics of a cult include an authoritarian leader who separates adherents from family and friends, an emphasis on money, strange doctrines peculiar to the cult leader and s 'religion' based on his point of difference. David Koresh & his group are a good example.
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Post by awhina on Mar 17, 2017 0:41:56 GMT
I think that with a cult, you are required to pledge unconditional fealty to a human leader and are required to cut yourself off from those who are not members of the cult. But having said that, with Islam, to give an example, families do 'cut off' other family members who lead the faith. And that would have used to have been the case with Christianity as well. But then, with established religions, you also don't have any authority figures watching over you to ensure that you follow all the rules all the time, or punish you for failing to do so. You are lying. Cutting yourself off from family was never a rule in Christianity, rather the reverse.
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Post by elcalcetin on Mar 17, 2017 0:50:08 GMT
It's gotta be old to be a religion. Extra points if someone has died/been killed in the name of it.
Scientology? Pssh, that shit ain't old.
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Post by CoolJGS☺ on Mar 17, 2017 1:58:36 GMT
This is another topic that comes up all the time as if it's new.
There is a very easy way to tell a cult from a religion. I'm trying to decide whether to waste time explaining it again, but I'll think I wait for some more examples.
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Post by thorshairspray on Mar 17, 2017 2:02:57 GMT
"I'm not a fascist, I'm a priest. Fascists dress in black and go around telling people what to do, whereas...priests... "
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2017 2:04:44 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2017 2:20:13 GMT
I think that with a cult, you are required to pledge unconditional fealty to a human leader and are required to cut yourself off from those who are not members of the cult. But having said that, with Islam, to give an example, families do 'cut off' other family members who lead the faith. And that would have used to have been the case with Christianity as well. But then, with established religions, you also don't have any authority figures watching over you to ensure that you follow all the rules all the time, or punish you for failing to do so. You are lying. Cutting yourself off from family was never a rule in Christianity, rather the reverse. Lack of reading comprehension. Cutting yourself off from family who left the Christian faith was probably something that occurred commonly, and still does occur. In devoutly Christian areas, atheists still tend to be shunned, often even by their own Christian family members.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2017 2:27:22 GMT
The difference between a religion and a cult is time and popularity. Nothing more.
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Post by althea on Mar 17, 2017 2:44:50 GMT
As far as I can tell the only difference is "respectability" or how established they are in society. I'm sure when Christianity started it would have been seen as a cult just like Scientology is still seen as a cult by many now. Or is it a religion? I genuinely don't know... So is there a hard and fast rule that I'm not aware of? I know "religion" sure sounds a lot better than "cult" so people aren't going to want to say they're in a cult, but other than that...? In this day an age, I expect it comes down to something prosaic like their registering as a religion for taxation purposes. ...for example, I'm pretty sure Scientology doesn't count as a religion in that sense here, and it is written off as a crazy cult by a lot of people. As opposed to the Christians - and Muslims, and Jews, and pagans, and everyone else - who get tax breaks (and other sorts of legal exemptions) for being religious organisations that qualify under the legal definitions of a secular government and are registered as such.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2017 2:48:40 GMT
I always thought they were the same thing tbh..
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2017 4:02:21 GMT
I always thought they were the same thing tbh.. They are precisely the same until there is a True God. And, there is.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2017 6:33:57 GMT
"I'm not a fascist, I'm a priest. Fascists dress in black and go around telling people what to do, whereas...priests... " I hear you're a racist now?
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Post by awhina on Mar 17, 2017 7:57:29 GMT
You are lying. Cutting yourself off from family was never a rule in Christianity, rather the reverse. Lack of reading comprehension. Cutting yourself off from family who left the Christian faith was probably something that occurred commonly, and still does occur. In devoutly Christian areas, atheists still tend to be shunned, often even by their own Christian family members. Yeah that happens all the time in movies but not in reality. My atheist father was not cut off by his Christian sisters nor my agnostic mother by her family who were many of them clergy. The cousins who joined a cult (the JWs) cut the rest of us off. Christianity doesnt cut atheists off, cults do.
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Post by tickingmask on Mar 17, 2017 9:26:29 GMT
As far as I can tell the only difference is "respectability" or how established they are in society. As far as you can tell?
Is there not a website somewhere that defines the difference between a cult and a religion, which you can use as a frame of reference to argue whether or not Christianity started as a cult? With the entire internet at your disposal, I really don't see why you need to try and guess what the difference is.
(Edit): Here is a place where you could start: cultinformation.org.uk/
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Post by tickingmask on Mar 17, 2017 10:03:42 GMT
I'm trying to decide whether to waste time explaining it again I wouldn't bother. If the supposedly educated, open-minded and rational people who keep asking the question are too stupid, lazy and blinkered to actually do the tiny bit of research needed to determine the difference for themselves, then I've no doubt that any new attempt by you to explain it would be just as much of a waste of time as your previous attempts.
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Post by progressiveelement on Mar 17, 2017 12:10:37 GMT
Lack of reading comprehension. Cutting yourself off from family who left the Christian faith was probably something that occurred commonly, and still does occur. In devoutly Christian areas, atheists still tend to be shunned, often even by their own Christian family members. Yeah that happens all the time in movies but not in reality. My atheist father was not cut off by his Christian sisters nor my agnostic mother by her family who were many of them clergy. The cousins who joined a cult (the JWs) cut the rest of us off. Christianity doesnt cut atheists off, cults do. Seriously?
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