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We are sorry to inform you that you are in a cult

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Re: We are sorry to inform you that you are in a cult

#41

Post by whatshisface »

etchalon wrote: post #37
lazyeye wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A good indication of a cult is that there is a shopping list of specific core beliefs (say 20) you are expected to believe. And you believe 19 of them but on the 20th you have a slightly different view. If this causes you to be banished and ostracised, then it's probably a cult. JK Rowling would be an example of this.

"I completely agree with the core tenants of Buddhism, but I think I should be able to eat babies."

That's adding one (making a positive should-statement) not removing one.

Re: We are sorry to inform you that you are in a cult

#43

Post by etchalon »

whatshisface wrote: post #41
etchalon wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I completely agree with the core tenants of Buddhism, but I think I should be able to eat babies."

That's adding one (making a positive should-statement) not removing one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_precepts

Re: We are sorry to inform you that you are in a cult

#45

Post by prox »

While we always are part of a generalized belief system, some are open ended and some are closed ended. That is to say, if you are willing to postpone your “truth statements” in order to promote your own critical thinking and inquisitive behavior, you are probably open ended. If someone attacks your insert belief statement , and if you do not feel threatened, you are willing to entertain beliefs other than your own, without surrendering your individual capacity for critical thinking and curiosity, that is probably open ended belief.

There are many things we probably belief that we want to belief rather than are true. That does not have to be a problem. Problems usually arise when we make future statements that entail a salvation aspect. “Do this and everything will be better” , “follow me because I know better.” The more exclusionary the tone of this salvation message, the more cultish it will score.

Some good resources : https://www.igotout.org/resources

A recent book to imagine what it’s on the inside is the book Cult Trip : inside the world of coercion and control.

Re: We are sorry to inform you that you are in a cult

#46

Post by michaelmrose »

lazyeye wrote: post #33
partiallypro wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, apply it to your political party. I've come to see both parties can be very cultish as of late. If you leave the herd, you are immediately attacked even if it's for the smallest topic. People leave their families over it. When you start to think about it...it's starts to fall a bit into that. I think that is a more compelling argument than saying family itself is a cult, which is at the human core more than…

A good indication of a cult is that there is a shopping list of specific core beliefs (say 20) you are expected to believe. And you believe 19 of them but on the 20th you have a slightly different view. If this causes you to be banished and ostracised, then it's probably a cult. JK Rowling would be an example of this.

A cult isn't a diffuse set of through processes and standards generally held in common to different degrees by different parties. That is very nearly the opposite of a cult. If you see a word with negative connotations and you desire to throw it at the houses as if it were a stray rock it may be a sign you aren't reasoning clearly.

If someone was a hard core advocate for equality and justice where black and Hispanic people were concerned but held an irrational bigoted views about Jewish people their fellow advocates would count their bigotry more significant than their tolerance.

You are naturally free to have your own positions on the topics raised but there is absolutely nothing logically inconsistent with the position that what they regard as bigotry being cause for concern and reaction even if as you say she and they agree on 19 other topics.

Re: We are sorry to inform you that you are in a cult

#49

Post by latency-guy2 »

etchalon wrote: post #43
whatshisface wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's adding one (making a positive should-statement) not removing one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_precepts

I was in the process of making a longer comment, but I think I will leave it at this one:

Non-Violence or 'Ahmisa' being a core tenant of Buddhism (and many other religions), is the one I would pick as a more apt comparison. I don't think it is reasonable to commit no violence, especially if you consider all life precious - even if you restrict to only humans. Not all people think the same, in fact some people are far more willing to enact violence to reach their goals.

Is protecting yourself and your community not included in the definition of 'violence'? If 'Ahmisa' is to be understood as, yes all forms of violence are sinful - then I outright reject that idea. You must be willing to protect other people, and you must be willing to enforce, and further able to enforce that.

I don't think I have to enumerate all the ways history has proven that violence in the protection of others (and self) was/is necessary.

Re: We are sorry to inform you that you are in a cult

#50

Post by gorgoiler »

Very clever. The scariest monster remains unseen.

I try to live my life being open to challenging and being challenged by anything. But there are some things — needing money, clothes, electricity — which are hard to escape. I’ll try and have another go though, I promise.

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