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Gringo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 09:41 AM
Original message
Poll question: What is a cult?
What is a cult?
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Caution Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 09:49 AM
Response to Original message
1. How to know if a group is a cult

What is a destructive cult from FACTNet
http://www.factnet.org/rancho5.htm?FACTNet

FACTNet while not a perfect organization ($cientology has really done a lot of damage to factnet) is still a great resource for those recovering from being in a cult, for those who have family involved in a cult and for those wishing to educate themselves about these groups.

http://www.factnet.org

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dofus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 09:50 AM
Response to Original message
2. A professor I know
who teaches about cults at UMKC and feels that an important component in defining a cult is that there be a tension between the cult and the outside society. Even though a lot of us want to define cults as those we don't agree with, he has an important point. It's also helps describe why groups like the Mormons have been able to move from being a cult to being a mainstream religion, because they get along with the outside society, despite what any other person not Mormon may think of their beliefs and practices. That said, there are "Mormon cults" such as the polygamists described by Jon Krakauer in "Banner of Heaven".
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scarlet_owl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 10:40 AM
Response to Original message
3. Any "religion" that keeps people away from
their families and "former lives". Also, if you cannot leave on your own free will, chances are you are in a cult. No, not all religions are cults. Religion fills very human needs, and while some organized religions are destructive, most serve people positively. I don't belong to any church or any one religion, but I consider myself a very religious and spiritual person.
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mark0rama Donating Member (930 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 01:44 PM
Response to Original message
4. I wish I could remember who said it, but
I've heard a cult described as any religion that had not yet achieved a certain level of financial clout.
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newyawker99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-08-03 10:16 AM
Response to Reply #4
9. Congrats mark0rama!! 200 posts
:toast:

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Gringo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 08:50 PM
Response to Original message
5. Kick
into the night crew
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HalfManHalfBiscuit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 09:07 PM
Response to Original message
6. $cientology
Space alien facist wackos. And you have to pay out of your ass or "volunteer" work yourself to death.

http://www.xenu.net/

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AlienGirl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 10:18 PM
Response to Original message
7. Our household!
Bwahahahaha! (Effie told me to put that. I don't think we're a cult. I think we're more of a COMMUNE!!)

Tucker
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nini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-07-03 10:26 PM
Response to Original message
8. The Republican Party
seriously....
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