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proffessor_ben
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England
Apr 2002
time: 05:18
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That subgenius stuff is really funny.
Also some would say the only difference between a cult and a religion is numbers.
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chegitz guevara
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Ft. Lauderdale, FL Communist Party of Apolyton
Jun 2000
time: 00:18
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quote:
Originally posted by proffessor_ben
[. . .] some would say the only difference between a cult and a religion is numbers. |
They'd be wrong, however. The difference between a religion and a cult is mind control. Cults engage in various types of activity to keep people from excercising rational thought. A religion can become a cult, such as when they take control of a country. Wahabi-ism, that sect of Sunni Islam, for example, is a cult. Where it comes to power, it attempts to kill ideological differences.
Furthermore, cults don't have to be based on religious beliefs. I was a member of two political cults. Synanon, Synthetics Anonymous, is a cult (okay, one of the twelve steps is to call upon a higher power, but this is still a secular cult, as the higher power doesn't have to be religious). There are psychiatric cults. There are UFO cults. There are cults of the state, such as under Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. There are business cults, like Amway. There are fan cults, like the Trekkies. And there is a grey area, the military, which uses cult-like methods of establishing conformaty (but in this case it's necessary in order to get humans to do something they don't naturally want to do, go into combat).
For the most part, cults are pretty harmless. You waste time with them, waste some money, but are no worse for the wear. Your friends and family think you're a little odd (but you really shouldn't be associating with them anyway). Some of the more dangerous cults have you engage in sexual behavior, drugs, or other possibly harmful things. Sometimes they off-themselves. For the most part, however, cults will not only let you leave if you want, they'll kick you out (a horrible punishment to someone in a cult, actually) if you begin deviating from group-thought.
When I left (was ostracized by) my communist cults, if felt horribly lost at first. But later I realized that they weren't healthy political organizations, just little groups centered around one person or another for his own personal aggrandisement. (Vince has spoken!  ) I'm not too upset about it. I got a good education, found out who I am and what I'm made of, did stuff that I'm really proud of. Just wish I stood up for myself more, but now I do, so that's water under the bridge. 
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proffessor_ben
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England
Apr 2002
time: 05:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Boris Godunov
playing childish pranks with his miraculous powers.
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Who wouldn't?
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proffessor_ben
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England
Apr 2002
time: 05:18
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That make your own cult thing was almost good.
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Caligastia
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quote:
Originally posted by chegitz guevara
You are deluded. 
Seriously, you aren't deep enough in it to experience the cultishness yet, apparently. When you first meet the Scientologists, they're all nice and stuff too, but after you're in . . .
"Nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah, LEADER!" |
Believe me Chegitz, while there are small cults associated with the Urantia Book, this is not one of them. The majority of Urantia Book readers go to small, informal discussion groups. No rituals, no charismatic leaders, just open discussion about the book.
I have been going to the NYC discussion group for years now, and thats all it is, a discussion group. Questioning what is in the book is encouraged, no mind-control here.
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03-05-2002 04:40
Im sure you probably think Im deluded anyway.
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