Cults v Religion (split topic)

[Thumpalumpacus]

But how many Christians, in practice, do that?

I would argue, not many.  After all, they spend their money on feeding Junior, not "donating" it all to the Leader.

[NothingSacred]

But how many Christians, in practice, do that?

I would argue, not many.  After all, they spend their money on feeding Junior, not "donating" it all to the Leader.

I'd say most cult members dont follow word for word what their leader says. Most cults are built upon a system of rules or ideals that are impossible to follow.When the members fail they have to go looking to the leader for forgiveness. The power comes the guilt when members fail. The member might think wow I got junior that toy and got myself some shoes when I could have given that to the cult. I better give more next time or at least donate my time and or labor.[youtube:3rzuqd2j]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFncA6pm7T8[/youtube:3rzuqd2j]

[Tank]

[Thumpalumpacus]

But how many Christians, in practice, do that?

I would argue, not many.  After all, they spend their money on feeding Junior, not "donating" it all to the Leader.

I'd say most cult members dont follow word for word what their leader says. Most cults are built upon a system of rules or ideals that are impossible to follow.When the members fail they have to go looking to the leader for forgiveness. The power comes the guilt when members fail. The member might think wow I got junior that toy and got myself some shoes when I could have given that to the cult. I better give more next time or at least donate my time and or labor.

Perhaps, and perhaps not.  In cults where the members share a compound, the existence of both peer pressure and the presence of informers would tend to result in highly conformist behavior.  

You're right that guilt is a lever of power loved by cult-leaders, because it keeps members looking over their shoulders; and you're right that most religions rely on a level of guilt in order to compel favored behaviors.  It is the intensity of the practice, in my view, that helps to differentiate between a religion and a cult.

If one is to claim that the Catholic Church is a cult, it should be a bit more apparent that the tools of manipulation are being used to a cult-like intensity.  Please note that that is the specific issue I am addressing.  It is apparent from the criteria listed here that they are not.

[KebertX]

I disagree that Catholicism is a cult.  The heterogeneity of opinion within the church on big issues indicates that even its nominal big cheese wields less authority than we may think.

That is true, but you can't deny: It has the same basic structure of a really big cult.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I disagree that Catholicism is a cult.  The heterogeneity of opinion within the church on big issues indicates that even its nominal big cheese wields less authority than we may think.

That is true, but you can't deny: It has the same basic structure of a really big cult.

Yes, and atoms have the same basic structure as solar systems.  Yet the one isn't the other.  

The word "cult" has a specific meaning.  The Catholic faith doesn't fit that meaning.  Attempts to shoehorn it into that definition only redound to the deficit of the person making the attempt.