Answer me this...

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 12 Jul 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

floracove	12 Jul 2002
O.K. Now I know what the answer would be if I were to ask it here at home, so what I would like to know is, "What is a cult?" Your thoughts, your opinions. And I hope that my question does not start any ill feelings from or to anyone, the reason being... That I listen to all of you and I do not judge you, I take it as your thoughts and opinions, based on what you know and what you've lived thru. It does not matter if I agree or not, it belongs to you... and if one of us can learn from or understand each other, then we are all so much the better.

Marion	12 Jul 2002
I have an ardent Christian friend who says very seriously that the Catholic Church is a cult. In fact I am thinking that he thinks that anything that isn't his form of 'pure' Christianity is a cult. His sister is doing mission work in Poland and I sent him over for a conference in Germany two years ago. He came back horrified. It would seem that Mary is held as equal to Christ and God the Father, in fact *horrified gasp* she is worshipped in Poland. He almost but did not use the word 'idolators'. Okay, now I personally think of Jim Jones and Jonestown as an example of a cult, and also those sun worshippers who set their own temple on fire in Montreal a while ago and all perished. That's where one charismatic person sort of makes up a religion based on odds and scraps and lures a bunch of people to follow him/her, sometimes to the death. I am sure there are more erudite definitions to be had and I look forward to reading them.

tigerlily	12 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Marion It would seem that Mary is held as equal to Christ and God the Father, in fact *horrified gasp* she is worshipped in Poland. He almost but did not use the word 'idolators'. LOL, yes, Catholizism is almost Goddess worship... In fact, a few years ago I read an article about some people who worship Mary as Goddess and the Holy Ghost as Sophia, so that you have a quaternity (?): God (Jehova?) the Father, Mary the Mother, Jesus the Son and Sophia the Daughter. I rather liked it. Of course, they were reagrded as a cult, too. I think the definition of a cult depends on who's making it. For monotheistic religions, every other religion is just a cult.

lunalafey	12 Jul 2002
well the dictionary I have says "A system of belief and worship; a subject of devoted study" so all of tarotholics, we are members of the tarot cult, yes? Also, a very good 80's bad that was ahead of thier time!

Geenius at Wrok	12 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by floracove "What is a cult?" To me, the word "cult" connotes a fringe religious group with a charismatic leader, especially one that somehow sets itself apart from mainstream society and actively enforces that separation. The dictionary definition is more general: "a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also, its body of adherents." That seems too general to me.

Rhiannon	12 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by floracove "What is a cult?" AOL users! *in monotone* "I love my AOL, I love hearing You've Got Mail, I can access everything, I don't know how to use Internet Explorer, If I get a cable modem can I still have AOL?, No I don't mind paying too much for access, I love my AOL....." Rhiannon :) Meant in fun and no offense to any AOL users here :*

Liliana	12 Jul 2002
Geenius said pretty much the same thing as I feel on what a cult is. Anything that ends in mass suicide likely was a cult ;) :THP

VGimlet	12 Jul 2002
I think of a cult as having one leader, who makes the all the rules, and decides what the group will believe in. It may or may not be religious, but it requires its members to separate themselves from society. To have no contact with family or friends, or anyone who doesn't belong to the group. To *never* question the rules of the group. To obey the leader without question, no matter what he tells them to do. Spooky.

Umbrae	12 Jul 2002
Cults take all your money and worldly possessions. You must forsake family and friends, as they have lied to you and made you the way you are. They humiliate you because you are bad, until you believe that they are good, and you deserved to be humiliated. Then they make you drink the Kool-Aide.

wavebreaker	12 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Cults take all your money and worldly possessions. You must forsake family and friends, as they have lied to you and made you the way you are. They humiliate you because you are bad, until you believe that they are good, and you deserved to be humiliated. Then they make you drink the Kool-Aide. I would call that a "sect". Or is that the same as a cult? I'm confused now... ;)

Sorceress_Jade	12 Jul 2002
M-W online: 1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP 2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents 3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents 4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator 5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion Cult – religion in all reality. So it really does depend on the perspective.

runehunt	12 Jul 2002
A cult? Most of todays major religions were once small cult. The difference between a cult and a religion is often nothing more than the number of members it has, and wether it is of international importance. Christianity started with 13 people. One leader and 12 followers and just LOOK at it today. **runehunt**

kayne	13 Jul 2002
I think of a cult the way Geenius described... Particularly if it requires members to give up their usual way of life for some guru or leader... also, if one person (like the leader) is getting very rich and it seems to be money driven... :TDEV$$$

Ravenswing	16 Jul 2002
a cult is the group you want to convince your sister she shouldn't belong to... note to tarotlady: sect is good, cult is bad laughing at the wind ravenswing

wavebreaker	16 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by stevepolsz note to tarotlady: sect is good, cult is bad I'd say it's the other way around: cult seems like a more general term to me, whereas a sect is a group of scary people you don't want to get involved with... Quote: Originally posted by Sorceress_Jade 1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP 2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents 3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents 4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator 5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion And this is what M-W online has to say about a sect: 1 a : a dissenting or schismatic religious body; especially : one regarded as extreme or heretical b : a religious denomination 2 archaic : SEX 1 3 a : a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader b : PARTY c : FACTION

The Answer me this... thread was originally posted on 12 Jul 2002 in the Chat board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Chat, or read more archived threads.