Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Bobzammel · 03-06-2003, 08:10 PM

Here's an interesting page that Christianity, at least in it's pure biblical sense is as dangerous as any other cult--

http://www.mindspring.com/~bab5/BIB/cult.htm

Any thoughts?

Jayjay · 03-07-2003, 04:31 AM

Yup. Christianity as a whole is too generic to qualify as a cult, but the "born again" variety certainly fits the description.

Shake · 03-07-2003, 05:19 AM

Here's my 2�:

Thanks to EvolveFish for the image.

christ-on-a-stick · 03-07-2003, 09:03 AM

Yes.

Cults are unpopular religions, and religions are just very popular cults.

(paraphrased from someone else... can't find the quote at the moment.)

Consider an organization such as the Mormon church. What did people call it when it had only a few thousand members? A cult, of course. And a wacky one at that. (Granted mainstream Xians still call them a cult but that's beside the point - to them EVERYBODY ELSE is). Now, the Mormon church is considered a "religion" and a widespread and fast-growing one at that. So when did it cross that magical line? Methinks it has a lot to do with number of members. The wackiest of belief systems tends to gain "legitimacy' (even if begrudging) based on the numbers in their ranks.

As far as I'm concerned, they're all cults. Each as wacky as the next.

03-06-2003, 08:10 PM	#1
Bobzammel Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 276	Christianity: Does it qualify as a cult? Here's an interesting page that Christianity, at least in it's pure biblical sense is as dangerous as any other cult-- http://www.mindspring.com/~bab5/BIB/cult.htm Any thoughts?

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03-07-2003, 04:31 AM	#2
Jayjay Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Finland Posts: 6,261	Yup. Christianity as a whole is too generic to qualify as a cult, but the "born again" variety certainly fits the description.

03-07-2003, 05:19 AM	#3
Shake Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Folding@Home in upstate NY Posts: 14,394	Here's my 2�: Thanks to EvolveFish for the image.

03-07-2003, 09:03 AM	#4
christ-on-a-stick Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Durango, Colorado Posts: 7,116	Yes. Cults are unpopular religions, and religions are just very popular cults. (paraphrased from someone else... can't find the quote at the moment.) Consider an organization such as the Mormon church. What did people call it when it had only a few thousand members? A cult, of course. And a wacky one at that. (Granted mainstream Xians still call them a cult but that's beside the point - to them EVERYBODY ELSE is). Now, the Mormon church is considered a "religion" and a widespread and fast-growing one at that. So when did it cross that magical line? Methinks it has a lot to do with number of members. The wackiest of belief systems tends to gain "legitimacy' (even if begrudging) based on the numbers in their ranks. As far as I'm concerned, they're all cults. Each as wacky as the next.

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