If JWs Are A Cult, I Believe Roman Catholicism Is Too (page 4)

Pole

All I can say is that if my country was (even only officially) 95% Jehovah's Witnesses I would probably have a tough time as a former witness here. In fact my country is 95% Catholic and I have no problems living here as a former Catholic.

Can you imagine a world with a billion Jehovah's Witnesses?

EDITED to add: This label/definition talk really makes no sense. Let's take a pragmatic view.

Pole

Stromboli

Hello Pole ,

Well you would be right if....

And when the catholics were like the JWs and they were 99.999999%, people had many troubles.....they used to kill people at that time.....then, when they couldn't kill them anymore, they prevented from working.... now they would pay to have you back

Nowadays could JWs be a billion? I don't think so....

Cult or no cult? well you're right who cares! they just ain't good...is that pragmatic?

Narkissos

If the Catholic Church qualifies as a "cult," any other brand of Christianity does.

Whatever (little) meaning the word "cult" may have it has over against "religion".

If every religion is a cult there is no point in using the word "cult" anymore. Just the conclusion "cults" (according to the common, sociological definition) would have people reach.

Stromboli

Hi Narkissos,

If every religion is a cult there is no point in using the word "cult" anymore

Why? If they fit the definition then you can say it indeed..

if every political party disgusts me there's no point in calling them disgusting anymore?

To me that's the point of the initial question.... If they fit the definition as well and many more religions do, what then...... what repercussions should that have on our idea of religion...

A good point indeed....

stopthepain

I agree with funnyderek,It doesn't matter what you call it.Any fanatical religous person is stupid.It is the effects that it has on "loved ones" around them that concerns me.The 2 rerligions have serious flaws in them.Witnesses are judgemental and picky,and get involved in your life.RC generally serve out of duty and it doesn't effect thier daily life.

If only people could decide whats right and wrong without the middle man,we'd all be better off.

Pole

Dang, looks like we have a favourite topic to debate, Stromboli :).

Cult or no cult? well you're right who cares! they just ain't good...is that pragmatic?

You mean most Catholics aren't good? Or most JW's aren't good? Or do you mean some of their doctrines?

Pole

Stromboli

Yeah Pole, It's funny because (for what I understood from prev posts) you don't really want to defend them and I just want to prove a point

You know what I mean... I have nothing against individuals... I'm talking about orgs and the piramidal structures and related practices...and the hypocrisy of the orgs...

If you take the RCC as seriously as JWs then it's a cult, thanksfully nobody (OK only few) take the RCC seriously So the definition of "cult" is loose as it's subjective. In the RCC nowadays you can choose not to believe everything they say whereas with JWs you have no choice. But the point is (as funkyderek said) if it doesn't perfectly fit the definition it doesn't mean it's harmless...and it does fit depending on the individual... do you really think that after years with JWs you should join an org with a leader dressed like that and when you meet him you have to kiss his gold ring? I know you don't (well hope...)

Pole

Stromboli,

Yeah I'd love to do some ring-kissing.

I have no argument to make here really other than - as you said it all depends on the person - but that's the point - the proportions. I've seen more good people destroyed by the cultish mentality among JWs than among Catholics or mainstream Protestants. I guess it's just easier to think for yourself as a Catholic. Much easier to get away with being reasonable in the crowd. Whether this is due to the size of the religion only and to the long and gory history of the RCC which taught them a lesson is another issue.

Pole

trevor

I agree with JamesThomas one of the sanest men on this board.

My definition of a cult is very broad and includes every thing which entraps us within a belief system that takes our focus of attention away from this moment of existence (the only truth we have).

Some years ago the WT said that all religions apart from theirs are cults. They couldn't be considered a cult as they were a continuation of the original organization started by Jesus.

I believe that all religion is destructive as it robs people of the opportunity to tune into reality and replaces truth with ideology.

Narkissos

IMO the contrast between "religion" and "cult", as it functions in general usage, is basically a matter of antiquity and social/ethnical/geographical implanting. This per se doesn't say anything about right or wrong, harmful or harmless. Of course the natural play of the "majority" / "minorities" relationship will make the term "cult" pejorative, linking it with "wrong" and "harmful". In turn this negative connotation can backfire against the ancient "religion" (as in Minimus' question) when it is no longer thought of as "right" and "harmless". But at this point the initial semantic distinction between "religion" and "cult" has been lost.

This semantic cycle of reminds me of the reversable dualism "God"/"idol" in monotheism:

(1) There is one God, all (other) gods are idols.

(2) Maybe God is an idol too.

The bashing word used by the dominant class backfires; and God is threatened by his own shadow.

If JWs Are A Cult, I Believe Roman Catholicism Is Too

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