1. believe what I say, not what experts say, not what your friends/family say, not what you see
2. give me your money, it'll pay off in the end
3. you've caught me being a sexual deviant, but you'd be honored if I did the same to your wife/daughters etc.
(05-04-2024, 11:42 AM)Nately120 Wrote: My generic big 3 of cult rules:
1. believe what I say, not what experts say, not what your friends/family say, not what you see
2. give me your money, it'll pay off in the end
3. you've caught me being a sexual deviant, but you'd be honored if I did the same to your wife/daughters etc.
(05-04-2024, 10:13 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Because holy shit man. I didn’t know it was this hardcore. This story was kind of shocking. And fits my criteria to be a cult to a T.
I feel like plenty exist that manage to function without collapse due to either commitment to secrecy or a general "benign" nature that draws little public scrutiny.
It's always been odd to be that the older and larger a belief system, the more benefit of the doubt it's entitled to. Every single major religion has done awful and socially distasteful things that are well documented. It rarely becomes an existential threat to the belief system in question, simply because it's too big or too old to fail. Too many people would have to admit that they'd been following lies and scams. Too many would have to admit that they and their families, in many cases for generations, were totally wrong about almost all core beliefs.
I stay aways from all of it. The benefit just isn't there. When money comes into the conversation, it's basically a tell. Don't care if it's the Catholic Church or Branch Davidians.
People only live so long. The knowledge they can accumulate, spiritual or otherwise is finite. No one had been told anything relating to spiritualism by any entity other than another talking monkey with a short lifespan in the history of ever. Question every bit of it.
(05-04-2024, 01:16 PM)samhain Wrote: I stay aways from all of it. The benefit just isn't there. When money comes into the conversation, it's basically a tell. Don't care if it's the Catholic Church or Branch Davidians.
Unfortunately, there is one very big one that's kind of hard to stay away from.
https://www.axios.com/2023/08/21/trump-republican-2024-voters-poll Among those who plan to vote for Trump, 71% feel that what he tells them is true — higher than the results for friends and family (63%), conservative media figures (56%) or religious leaders (42%).
That's some scary shit right there.
Also, why would they try to dig up any dirt on Biden, even making things up, when they will refuse to accept any wrongdoing by Trump? Because they know that we're not in a cult and that we might change our minds about Biden when they'll never change their minds about Trump until they completely break free. Anyone in their party that shows any form of an independent thought outside of their groupthink mentality is labeled a RINO.
According to the Cult Education Institute, there are specific warning signs to look out for when considering whether a group might be a cult. Cults are characterized by:2
-Absolute authoritarianism without accountability
-Zero tolerance for criticism or questions
-Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget
-Unreasonable fears about the outside world that often involve evil conspiracies and persecutions
-A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave
-Abuse of members
-Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group
-Followers feeling they are never able to be “good enough”
-A belief that the leader is right at all times
-A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or giving validation
-
Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on deceptive and authoritarian practices to make members dependent on and obedient to the group. Cults often cut members off from other forms of social and financial support and pose both physical and psychological risks to members of the group.1
(05-05-2024, 12:13 AM)basballguy Wrote: This thread is just a circle jerk to rail on religion. No productive conversation can come out of this
Nice. You didn't read anything in the post, make an assumption and continue with your assumptions, so you can blindly be happy and ignorant. The only circle jerking is being done by you. Don't look in the mirror though......might be disturbing.
(05-04-2024, 08:23 PM)pally Wrote: According to the Cult Education Institute, there are specific warning signs to look out for when considering whether a group might be a cult. Cults are characterized by:2
-Absolute authoritarianism without accountability
-Zero tolerance for criticism or questions
-Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget
-Unreasonable fears about the outside world that often involve evil conspiracies and persecutions
-A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave
-Abuse of members
-Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group
-Followers feeling they are never able to be “good enough”
-A belief that the leader is right at all times
-A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or giving validation
-
Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on deceptive and authoritarian practices to make members dependent on and obedient to the group. Cults often cut members off from other forms of social and financial support and pose both physical and psychological risks to members of the group.1
That's a very specific land comprehensive list.
In our current politics "both sides" accuse each other of cultism.
Would be fun to compare the Biden and Trump campaigns item by item to see if "both sides do it."
E.g. how would one measure a drive for "absolute authority without accountability"
or "zero tolerance for questions" that would move judgment beyond "opinion"?
(05-05-2024, 12:13 AM)basballguy Wrote: This thread is just a circle jerk to rail on religion. No productive conversation can come out of this
Who rags on religion more than the religious? One of the main tenets of most religions is that all other gods and religions are a bunch of horseshit and the believers are deluded and misguided cult members.
(05-04-2024, 08:23 PM)pally Wrote: According to the Cult Education Institute, there are specific warning signs to look out for when considering whether a group might be a cult. Cults are characterized by:2
-Absolute authoritarianism without accountability
-Zero tolerance for criticism or questions
-Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget
-Unreasonable fears about the outside world that often involve evil conspiracies and persecutions
-A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave
-Abuse of members
-Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group
-Followers feeling they are never able to be “good enough”
-A belief that the leader is right at all times
-A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or giving validation
-
Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on deceptive and authoritarian practices to make members dependent on and obedient to the group. Cults often cut members off from other forms of social and financial support and pose both physical and psychological risks to members of the group.1
Uhm,,,,
This could technically apply to almost every "group" of people out there... But I understand you are currently attempting to make it a MAGA/Trump/Religion thing only
(05-06-2024, 12:24 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Uhm,,,,
This could technically apply to almost every "group" of people out there... But I understand you are currently attempting to make it a MAGA/Trump/Religion thing only
I do not remember where I heard it but someone said once:
A religion is a very popular cult.
A cult is a not very popular religion.
I personally believe you can have a religion or political view without being part of a cult, but many people are cultish about their religions and politics.
More so than in other aspects of life.
Now Dead Heads? A lot of cultish people in there for example.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
(05-06-2024, 12:24 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Uhm,,,,
This could technically apply to almost every "group" of people out there... But I understand you are currently attempting to make it a MAGA/Trump/Religion thing only
The OP asked what defines a cult. I posted a list of what the Cult Education Institute uses to define one. I did not apply that criteria to any group in this discussion.
So please point out how I attempted to make it a MAGA/Trump/religion thing only.
(05-06-2024, 12:24 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Uhm,,,,
This could technically apply to almost every "group" of people out there... But I understand you are currently attempting to make it a MAGA/Trump/Religion thing only
True, if Joe Burrow threw a pick 6 and Lamar Jackson threw a TD I'd be the first to explain why Burrow did the right thing.
(05-06-2024, 12:43 PM)pally Wrote:
The OP asked what defines a cult. I posted a list of what the Cult Education Institute uses to define one. I did not apply that criteria to any group in this discussion.
So please point out how I attempted to make it a MAGA/Trump/religion thing only.
You didn't directly say it, but the OP posted 3 links involving Religion.
Do you expect anyone to believe that the intent was purely an innocent question?
(05-04-2024, 11:42 AM)Nately120 Wrote: My generic big 3 of cult rules:
1. believe what I say, not what experts say, not what your friends/family say, not what you see
2. give me your money, it'll pay off in the end
3. you've caught me being a sexual deviant, but you'd be honored if I did the same to your wife/daughters etc.
and #4, Its macho and strong to wear diapers as an adult.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
![[Image: giphy.gif]](https://media0.giphy.com/media/1kwsTjL8BNqlszNtnCE/giphy.gif)
