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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 1:57 am
(This post was last modified: February 5, 2015 at 1:59 am by robvalue.)
(February 3, 2015 at 10:14 pm)Chad32 Wrote: A religion is a cult that has gotten enough followers to be considered mainstream.
This would be exactly my answer.
It's a socially acceptable delusion. It is no different to a cult as far as I'm concerned. Of course it depends exactly what definitions you're using, but I think all the elements are there.
As Sam Harris said (something like), a religion allows large numbers of people to believe something that only a crazy person would believe on their own.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 2:09 am
Religions are just cults that get to play victim when people criticize their ideas. Also, I think there are some tax benefits to think about.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 3:47 am
Clueless nailed it in post#15. The differences are more than just size.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 10:43 am
(February 3, 2015 at 10:05 pm)IanHulett Wrote: Are there any real differences between a religion and a cult?
Well, the old joke goes:
In a cult, there is a guy at the top that knows the whole thing is a scam. In a religion, that guy is dead.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 12:04 pm
(February 5, 2015 at 12:44 am)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: A cult can still be fun and hip.
From what I hear, the Manson Family started out pretty fun... :p
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 1:04 pm
Ah! I've realized the difference between religion and cult. One scores more at scrabble than the other. Other than that, I'm stumped.
Complete and utter bunch of cults.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 1:25 pm
(February 5, 2015 at 12:04 pm)Clueless Morgan Wrote: (February 5, 2015 at 12:44 am)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: A cult can still be fun and hip.
From what I hear, the Manson Family started out pretty fun... :p
Fun part, phase I:
drugs, music, sex
Not so fun part, phase II:
mass murder, prison time and death.
So people don't know when to quit.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 2:22 pm
(February 5, 2015 at 1:04 pm)robvalue Wrote: Ah! I've realized the difference between religion and cult. One scores more at scrabble than the other.
If you put the C in CULT on a double or triple letter score, CULT would score more... :p
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 3:12 pm
(February 4, 2015 at 9:58 am)FatAndFaithless Wrote: (February 4, 2015 at 9:48 am)ChadWooters Wrote: Cults have a controling inner circle of adherents, either a group or single person, that have a different set of doctrines than those in the outer circle.
Heh, would that make the Catholic Church a cult?
Yes in a way, the people outside the priesthood and up to the Pope are mostly in the dark about what the Catholic Church believes, unfortunately they are taught some very wrong practices.
GC
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.
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RE: Religion vs Cult - What are the differences?
February 5, 2015 at 3:19 pm
(February 5, 2015 at 3:12 pm)Godschild Wrote: (February 4, 2015 at 9:58 am)FatAndFaithless Wrote: Heh, would that make the Catholic Church a cult?
Yes in a way, the people outside the priesthood and up to the Pope are mostly in the dark about what the Catholic Church believes, unfortunately they are taught some very wrong practices.
GC Wow, GC and I actually agree on something. Maybe prof was right about the end of the world.
In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.
- Thomas Jefferson
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