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As a former and fairly ardent theist, I know quite a bit about it. I was simply stating that if you look up "cult" in dictionary.com or any other such source, what comes back is hard to distinguish from religion. The top definition is "a particular system of religious worship".
Ever look up "pagan" in the dictionary? Devil worshiper and/or hedonist is the first thing that pops up. Using a reference dictionary is a poor way of doing it. Instead look up what experts say, like anti-cult groups. Rick Ross: Frequently Asked Questions
And when I was a young, stupid kid I considered myself an atheist for awhile. Then I grew up and started reading and thinking for myself and changed my mind. Scratch an unorthodox believer who is interested in many different religions and you will more often then not find a former atheist.
Where you stand is obviously as someone who has never studied religion.
Christianity has a thing called "universalism" (lowercase "U", not to be confused with Universalism, as in Unitarian Universalism) which means that all religions are one. It is also a core concept of Hinduism, Buddhism, the Bahais, and Sikhism. Judaism teaches that the Covenant is between the Jews and God and makes no claims that other groups could not have a different covenant with God. Islam teaches that all "people of the book", i.e., followers of pre-Islamic religions that worship the creator, will be judged by God based on their merits. Deism, Taoism, new paganism and indigenous religions make no claim to absolutism and Gnosticism teaches that learned understanding, not following, is the path to liberation.
The only religions that lack this and think they are the "one true religion" is fundamentalist Christianity and hardcore atheism, who I call "Dawkin's Witnesses".
Lol, actually from where I stand I've probably studied to much religion. That might explain the common thread I see running through them all. I think you might need a reality check. But that is just my opinion. I still stand by what I said, since it pertains to my view, not yours.
Hardcore atheism...........ha ha ha ha LMAO! Thanks for the side stitch. I didn't realize that not believing in something had levels.
Last edited by PoppySead; 03-26-2013 at 07:50 PM..
"One person's cult is another's religion; all religions begin life as cults. An alternative definition is that a cult is a religion which you happen to dislike." Anthony Campbell
Exactly! The most tolerant until you throw in a JW or a Scientologist. Watch them go bizerco. IMO, until the world joins religious hands, its pretty much a segregated mosh pit.
Most religious organizations I've visited have one thing in common. They all think their groups going to the happy place and have no problem telling you that you probably aren't unless you join them. This can be the direct approach or the round about, either way.
Scientology is recognized as a religion in America as well as a handful of others. Its exempt from taxes, just like other churched organizations. They fight the cult stigma like the Mormons did, the Jehovahs Witnesses do and a few others because they are new, not because they are any more freaky. They believe in a reincarnation form of afterlife like Hinduism or Buddhism does but not exactly the same way. (Familiar story) Anyway, they have a few links to the past but are different.
Sounds pretty standard to me. Fifty years from now they will gain Mormon status and have a presidential candidate. Wooohooooo!!!
Ever look up "pagan" in the dictionary? Devil worshiper and/or hedonist is the first thing that pops up. Using a reference dictionary is a poor way of doing it. Instead look up what experts say, like anti-cult groups. Rick Ross: Frequently Asked Questions
And when I was a young, stupid kid I considered myself an atheist for awhile. Then I grew up and started reading and thinking for myself and changed my mind. Scratch an unorthodox believer who is interested in many different religions and you will more often then not find a former atheist.
Yep, we are all born atheists. Pure, and innocent before the influence starts. It's a nice time. I continued on with it since it seemed the most tolerant of the choices I'd been presented in my life time. For some reason the believers think everyone else besides themselves are stupid or wicked. To much pressure for me, I'm skipping that heart ache and staying naked and atheist, the same way I came out of the womb, til I die. After I'll see where I go. Should be a good time. I'll send you a spiritual postcard.
I can't say if scientology is a cult. Maybe a religion. Anyway, what the hell is scientology? Some folks tried to explain, but I really don't get it...
And when I was a young, stupid kid I considered myself an atheist for awhile. Then I grew up and started reading and thinking for myself and changed my mind. Scratch an unorthodox believer who is interested in many different religions and you will more often then not find a former atheist.
I would expect any true and thoughtful atheists who went theist to be pretty liberal and eclectic. No surprise there. You'd be wrong to assume that people don't leave theism because they're not thinking for themselves though. Quite the opposite.
People like M. Scott Peck have said that many people follow a path from unbelief back to a more liberal / enlightened belief in god eventually, and he (and I presume you) would regard someone remaining in atheism as "stuck" in a reaction against a more primitive religion, against magical thinking but going too far the other way. I bought that for awhile but no longer agree with it.
I am old and tired now, my Rationalizer (tm) is worn out, and my illusions have failed me. If there is a god worth bothering to know, or whose attention I'd want to attract, s/he/it has had plenty of time to make itself known. Such a being would know where to find me. Maybe you should send 'em my way. But the way you strut around crowing about how superior your intelligence is, my guess is your god is another one not worth knowing. It hasn't done you any favors.
Lol, actually from where I stand I've probably studied to much religion. That might explain the common thread I see running through them all. I think you might need a reality check. But that is just my opinion. I still stand by what I said, since it pertains to my view, not yours.
"Common thread in all religion?" Do tell, because after being a few classes shy of a BA in comparative religion, I have found very few threads common to ALL religions. Holy Books? No, most "tribal" belief systems have none and other religions, like Wicca, frown on such. Gods? Nope. Confucianism has no God, nor does Buddhism or Jainism. Organizations? No again. One can be a neo-pagan, be it Asatru, Wicca or Religio-Romano without ever meeting another follower, let alone joining an organization.
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Hardcore atheism...........ha ha ha ha LMAO! Thanks for the side stitch. I didn't realize that not believing in something had levels.
I would expect any true and thoughtful atheists who went theist to be pretty liberal and eclectic. No surprise there. You'd be wrong to assume that people don't leave theism because they're not thinking for themselves though. Quite the opposite.
People like M. Scott Peck have said that many people follow a path from unbelief back to a more liberal / enlightened belief in god eventually, and he (and I presume you) would regard someone remaining in atheism as "stuck" in a reaction against a more primitive religion, against magical thinking but going too far the other way. I bought that for awhile but no longer agree with it.
I am old and tired now, my Rationalizer (tm) is worn out, and my illusions have failed me. If there is a god worth bothering to know, or whose attention I'd want to attract, s/he/it has had plenty of time to make itself known. Such a being would know where to find me. Maybe you should send 'em my way. But the way you strut around crowing about how superior your intelligence is, my guess is your god is another one not worth knowing. It hasn't done you any favors.
I will quote the man who is the opposite of Richard Dawkins, Harris and the other "new" atheist idiots and who was one of the greatest thinking minds of all time:
"God is a metaphor for that which transcends all levels of intellectual thought. It's as simple as that."
-Joseph Campbell
And I never said I was smarter than anyone else. I just said that the old "all religions are cults and I hate my parents because they wont let me cut myself and I'm a emo kid and Richard Dawkins is God and God is stupid blah blah blah" line is absurd. Joseph Campbell was a superior intelligence to any "new" atheist today, of course, and I refer to the record on that.
People need to study what they are talking about or not talk. Don't like religion? Don't practice it. But when people make absurd, ignorant comments like "why does your dumb God let evil happen you dumb Baptist" I have to roll my eyes (if there is a literal creator I believe it is evil)
But without ignorance, the "new", vocal anti-theism wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
I saw this graph and couldn't help but wonder if people here would think of Scientology as a cult or a normal religion? Why or why not?
Actually I think the beliefs of Scientology are not all that much more unbelievable than the ones held by fundamental Christians...Neither are grounded in reality.
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I didn't realize that not believing in something had levels.
Wooohooooo!!!
I continued on with it since it seemed the most tolerant of the choices I'd been presented in my life time. For some reason the believers think everyone else besides themselves are stupid or wicked. To much pressure for me, I'm skipping that heart ache and staying naked and atheist, the same way I came out of the womb, til I die. After I'll see where I go. Should be a good time. I'll send you a spiritual postcard. 
Do tell, because after being a few classes shy of a BA in comparative religion, I have found very few threads common to ALL religions. Holy Books? No, most "tribal" belief systems have none and other religions, like Wicca, frown on such. Gods? Nope. Confucianism has no God, nor does Buddhism or Jainism. Organizations? No again. One can be a neo-pagan, be it Asatru, Wicca or Religio-Romano without ever meeting another follower, let alone joining an organization. 
