Difference between Religious people and Cult members ?

by stuckinamovement 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  stuckinamovement

  In the words of Rabbi Shmuley.......

  "People who are in a relationship with G-d are humble and do their utmost to refrain from judging others. Their proximity to a perfect being reminds them of their own fallibility. Their experience of G-d's compassion leads them to be merciful and loving. But those who worship a religion are arrogant and think they have the only truth. They are dismissive of other people's beliefs and maintain that advancing the cause of their religion is more important than life itself. The rabbi in Israel who recently made the strange comment that soldiers should face a firing squad rather than listen to a woman sing is a classic example of this heresy.
  
  Those who worship their religion evince the classic characteristic of cult members. Whereas a real faith system is empowering and makes one strong and capable of operating outside their own faith community, cult members can only identify with other members of their group and require the environment of the cult in order to function. They don't have beliefs. Rather, they take orders."

  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-shmuley-boteach/are-mormons-any-weirder-t_b_1116390.html

  Well said in my opinion.

  SIAM
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  flipper

  STUCKINAMOVEMENT- Interesting quotes. Thanks for posting them. After reading both of Steve Hassan's books a few years ago I was impressed with his opinion of the differences between cults and religions. He stated that you know you are in a cult " when the locus of control has been taken away from you. " He added that in cults there is , " no acceptable way to leave a cult. " As opposed to some non-denominational religions who allow their members to leave without any repercussions or negative shunning or rejection. So- Thought I'd throw that little tidbit in there
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  stuckinamovement

  Thanks Flipper!, I thought it was interesting that he characterized it as "worshipping a religon". Looking back at it all, that is exactly what we did. We worshipped the structure of the religion, God was ancillary to it all.

  SIAM
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  flipper

  SIAM- Exactly. To most JW's these days- the WT leaders are God Jehovah & Jesus Christ all wrapped into one neat little package. It's nauseating
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  leavingwt
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  ilikecheese

  That's a good point, and very well stated. I also think the same can be said of any sort of church that focuses on legalism and the rules they have being most important, rather than love and forgiveness. People associate God with judging, never being good enough, guilt, and "following the rules" making you somehow better than those who you perceive don't. When you focus on the rules, it never ends well. That's why so many kids with legalistic parents (be it JW, Catholic, crazy Baptists, etc.) are more likely to leave, I think. Whereas if you go to a church that starts with love, forgiveness, and mercy, kids think of God as someone who loves them and forgives them even though they have a lot of problems, and it inspires them to share that love and forgiveness with everyone else. If God doesn't judge you as unfit and if Jesus doesn't, why would you judge others who are just the same as you? And those kids are more likely to remain religious. At least that's my observation.
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  Band on the Run

  He is impressive to hear. I don't recall ever having a rabbi before in quite the way he styles his remarks. There is a lot of common sense in them.
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  GLTirebiter

  I like the last line of his article:

  "All should be judged on their merits as people and politicians, whatever their faith and whatever their beliefs."

  Words we all should take to heart!
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  Unlearn

  If one is being honest, Christianity in general is a cult.
  We seem to forget that the 'population' of a group is NOT a determining factor regarding it's 'cult' status.
  
  Jesus Christ fit the criteria of 'cult leader' perfectly...almost as if he was created for the role.
  I don't think there is much difference at all between 'organized religion' folks and stereo-typical 'cultists'. Not at all.
  
  When one adopts an 'anity' or an 'ism' to contain their entire identity, they (by default) totally close off other possibilities of existence/belief/etc. and do themselves a horrible injustice. Whether they choose to realize it or not, it is INSTANTLY limiting.
  
  You are ETERNAL.
  No categorical label can contain all that you are and all that you can and will be.
  To think so is not 'divine' or godly: it is very, very 'human'.