When does a group belief become a cult and why?

reply to post by DangerDeath


You are so correct if their was no hierachy division If their was Utopia a Borg society their would be no need for a cult.it would actualy be a cult.
So is a collective utopian society the answer.
Make civilization into one great global utopian cult.
It would never work without removing the EGO and stripping away individuality I dont like that model.
Therefore in my opinion cults will continue to prosper they just need monitoring.

reply to post by headlightone


Perhaps, if there are no egos, there is no species?

Personality, as what is shared by all, doesn't support the idea of a collective.

Personality is not a civilization, but it contains the experience of civilization.

Originally posted by headlightone
You are so correct if their was no hierachy division If their was Utopia a Borg society their would be no need for a cult.it would actualy be a cult.
So is a collective utopian society the answer.
Make civilization into one great global utopian cult.

ROFL! That's great! I hadn't even thought of it like that.

PJ

Originally posted by headlightone
reply to

 

Therefore in my opinion cults will continue to prosper they just need monitoring.

Well, for all your absolutely brilliant insights and perceptions in your last several posts, you hit a 'snag' here.

You know as well as I do that monitoring is ineffective: it is only useful after the fact (of suffering/abuse).

Which is why I advise everyone to do the impossible: Seek direct-connection with Your SoulSelf, find a way to consciously Turn It On. Without this, well, I have said it before...you are chicken meat.

Does anybody know what 'intuition' is, where it comes from, why it is with us at all times, waiting to be listened to, to be 'tapped?'

(No, I'm not talking about the inner & outer 'chatter' that all are well aware of.)

First of all, your comment that "most cults are new age in nature" is baloney. The vast majority of them are Christian.

Branch Davidians were by no means "new age." They were an offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventists... You should really do your research. The only thing "new age" about Jim Jones and the "People's Temple" was their belief in unity...

Honestly, it's amazing how much anti-"new age" propaganda and misleading information about the "new age" movement gets dispersed on this site.

[edit on 6-3-2009 by SpeakerofTruth]

Absolutely Amazing!

Chop off one Head, and Another Appears!

Oh, the light of illusion is so blinding.

Anybody scared yet...?

reply to post by SS,Naga



Really? Name one "cult" with exceptions to the wild eyed "Heaven's Gate" crew that was "new age" that has been in the news. Name one....I guarantee you that for any "new age cult" you can name, I can name 3 or 4 that are Christian based.


[edit on 6-3-2009 by SpeakerofTruth]

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth

The only thing "new age" about Jim Jones and the "People's Temple" was their belief in unity...

Belief in unity is "new age" belief?

Originally posted by DangerDeath

Belief in unity is "new age" belief?

It's a core principle of the "new age."

Here s a list of just a few Christian "cults." There are also a few "new age mentioned.

Cults

Honestly, to me, all of this is for naught. I think people should be let alone in regards to their beliefs... So, it's a "cult." Okay, are they threatening to you? If so, why?

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


I'm sorry, but "communion" is the idea of unity.

Orphic cult, which is a true source of Christianity, was also about communion (with god).

en.wikipedia.org...(religion)

prescribing an ascetic way of life which, together with secret initiation rites, was supposed to guarantee not only eventual release from the "grievous circle" but also communion with god(s)

[edit on 6-3-2009 by DangerDeath]

reply to post by DangerDeath


Communion is a Christian concept.... Unity is the concept that all things are one...

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


Could you please elaborate a little on this, especially "all things"?

reply to post by DangerDeath


Unity means that all things are from one source.... Communion is the "taking of the body of Christ." It is by no means the same as the unity principle.

Though not Christian-specific, the term "communion" has several denotations within the Christian traditions. It may refer to:

Communion (Christian), the relationship between Christians as individuals or Churches
Full communion is a term used when two (or more) distinct Christian Churches say they are sharing the same communion.
The Communion of Saints, a doctrine of Christianity mentioned in the Apostles' Creed
A group of related Christian churches or denominations
The Eucharist, the rite that Christians perform in fulfillment of Jesus' instruction to do in memory of him what he did at his Last Supper
The Communion rite, that part of the Eucharistic rite in which the consecrated bread and wine are distributed to participants
Communion (chant), the Gregorian chant that accompanies this rite
Closed communion is the practice of restricting the communion to members of a particular church or congregation.
Open communion is the practice of allowing members of other churches to share communion.

Communion

[edit on 6-3-2009 by SpeakerofTruth]

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Really? Name one "cult" with exceptions to the wild eyed "Heaven's Gate" crew that was "new age" that has been in the news. Name one....I guarantee you that for any "new age cult" you can name, I can name 3 or 4 that are Christian based.

Unfortunately this is true. I studied cult psychology for quite some years and this is the vast majority of the cases.

Also, those things qualifying as new age cults actually often have a heavy dose of christian theology wrapped into them, for example the Elizabeth Claire Prophet group.

I think this might be a side effect of the base psychology of something that is a binding-doctrinal approach. Most New Age stuff is just not that organized, and too "go with the flow"-ish in nature to sponsor as much 'controlling/binding' effects. Doesn't mean they never happen, of course.

For people interested in this subject (cult psychology), a very readable book you might like is "Lord of the Second Advent" by Steven Kempermen.

Best,
PJ

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Unity means that all things are from one source.... Communion is the "taking of the body of Christ." It is by no means the same as the unity principle.

I agree. To add to that explanation: communion implies separation; it is the act of rapport/sharing that is the focus there. You cannot commune with something if it is already you because you're all one.

That's not a bad thing, of course; communication+union is a good thing. Whatever road gets you there.

None, breathed the light, faint & faery, of the stars, and two.

For I am divided for love’s sake, for the chance of union.

This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.

Best,
PJ

[edit on 6-3-2009 by RedCairo]

RedCairo, finally someone who understands.

I am convinced that word "common" means union.
Indo European root: mei- 1: mei- to bind, tie

It is another matter how this word is used in various practices.

That all things are united by one, or in one considers the "common" source or principle (essence).

I wouldn't consider communion and unity different from that point of view.

But it is worth contemplating.
I was hoping you have some examples from new age cults to clarify this.

reply to post by RedCairo

I agree. To add to that explanation: communion implies separation; it is the act of rapport/sharing that is the focus there. You cannot commune with something if it is already you because you're all one.

Sharing is the focus of action which makes "things" united. Sharing is not separated from the whole. This doesn't mean it implies separation.

Eucharistic, participation, is an act of uniting. Here you have the idea of parts consisting a whole. But in communion you don't see parts.

Still, I think, this confusion in usage may be intentional.

This is what I think.

When you "break" communion into a ritual, you get this participation (evharistia).

Because communion is an act, it doesn't have duration (beginning, middle, end). It is instant, now.
Participation is a process (as a ritual).