It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by RedCairo
To a great degree, something being a cult is not like being dead or pregnant, it's not merely either/or. For example, the initial 'requirements' for something being a cult (as quoted in OP) involve money, but I have known tons of really obvious, textbook case cults that did not involve money, and whose recruitment if any was very limited.
Cultism is a spectrum, a sliding scale if you will; it starts with 'rapport' and goes toward 'group think' and continues into 'clique' and escalates into 'cult-ish' and finally into 'cult'.
One of my main hobbies is in a field where this kind of thing is rampant. It comes in degrees and most groups have some elements and not others, but in the end it comes down to "when leader-worship goes bad" (which is, you won't be surprised to know, easily correlated to when the leader is an egomaniac).
It's a rather sad thing. People really get sucked in so hard sometimes that you realize you just can't get them out. They need to be "deprogrammed" as much as any Moonie ever needed.
Originally posted by Paul_Richard
I am not a Scientologist.
I am a Solist Mystic.
If you want to learn more about that, as I am not at liberty to provide links in here, go to my profile, scroll down, and click on the left link to my Life Lessons page.
Solist Mysticism is a benign cult of people who strive to live by The Golden Rule, who use the innovative approach to raising consciousness called Heart Chakra Radiance - the effectiveness of which has been validated by people on an individual basis - and we channel spiritual guidance from discarnate Saints who have a fellowship which they call The Society Of Light.
Because when true gods and Gods emerge – along with The Original Creator who will be invited here by future Ascended Masters – it will end all the false god hierarchies of Group Entities. All the “ascended masters” of the cults on Terra will be exposed to be nothing more than discarnate collectives of angels at best, not true gods in any sense of the word
The following technique/process for raising consciousness was relearned by Supreme Elder Avadar - when he was a Magi in his formative years - with the help of discarnate Saints in the early 1980s. It is called Heart Chakra Radiance (HCR) and has also been referred to as Chakra Radiance and God Yoga. The reason why it was relearned in the body after many years is because it was discovered by him after a period of intense study of the Universal Memory or Akashic Records in the Higher Realms of Spirit. This occurred during his Interlife (or period in-between incarnations) after his life as a Cathar Parfait named Marie when he was more advanced as a Saint than he was after his life as Paul/Saul of Tarsus. HCR was slowly discovered as opposed to invented because it is essentially the approach that The Original Creator utilized in order to evolve into rarefied God Consciousness.
St Paul of Tarsus
Paul set the tone for Christianity, including emphasis on celibacy and theory of divine grace and salvation, as well as eliminating the circumcision requirement. It was Paul who called the New Testament euangelion, 'the gospel'.
Paul met James, the brother of Jesus, and Peter, the Apostle, in Jerusalem. He then went on to Antioch where he converted Gentiles. This helped make Christianity a universal religion.
1 e.) Recruitment/Solicitation:
i) You will not use your membership at The Above Network, LLC site(s) for any type of recruitment to any causes whatsoever. You will not post, use the chat feature or use the private message system to disseminate advertisements, chain letters, petitions, pyramid schemes, or any kind of solicitation for political action, social action, letter campaigns, or related online and/or offline coordinated actions of any kind.
You will not attempt to use your membership to encourage or lure other members in any way to other websites ...
Originally posted by Nichiren
reply to post by DangerDeath
Thank you for your links. I have learned a lot.
Orthodox Buddhism is an oxymoron IMHO. Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, clearly stated that everybody has to find his/her own way. Following "traditional" doctrine is an exercise in philosophy, not Buddhism. I know you disagree here, but I just wanted to present a different view.
Nichiren Buddhism is centered around the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni's last teaching before his death. I would say it's the most 'liberal" of the Sutras. It states that everybody, lay people and monks, can attain enlightenment in this lifetime. We don't need a priesthood (monks) to guide us there. No middleman needed. Theravada Buddhism has a different view.
PS: I think you may need to update your knowledge about your own branch of Buddhism re past lives and forest monks. Here is a Wiki quote:
"These powers include the attainment of Nibbana, mind-reading, supernatural power over material objects and their own material bodies, seeing and conversing with gods and beings living in hell, and remembering their past lives."
How can they remember it when, according to you, all that data is lost at death?
BTW: We should take this to private mail, since it's not related to the topic at hand.
[edit on 5-3-2009 by Nichiren]
Originally posted by IamNow
reply to post by violet
I was going to ask are cults allowed to recruit on ATS, but you answered my question “Thanks”
The next question is why are ATS allowing this, probably none of my business but I am just looking out for other people. Good job we have members like headlightone who picked up on this, I have seen things like this get out of controll and people end up getting hurt and confused.
Just my opinon on the matter.
Originally posted by Paul_Richard
Originally posted by Nichiren
reply to post by Paul_Richard
What attracted you to Scientology? Just curious ... In my part of the world we're hearing horror stories about dependency and financial exploitation.
Sorry for the miscommunication.
I am not a Scientologist.
I am a Solist Mystic.
If you want to learn more about that, as I am not at liberty to provide links in here, go to my profile, scroll down, and click on the left link to my Life Lessons page.
Our main technique for raising consciousness, which many do without being part of our International Fellowship, is called Heart Chakra Radiance (HCR).
We don't chant and our method of prayer is also somewhat different than traditional approaches.
Solist Mysticism is a benign cult of people who strive to live by The Golden Rule, who use the innovative approach to raising consciousness called Heart Chakra Radiance - the effectiveness of which has been validated by people on an individual basis - and we channel spiritual guidance from discarnate Saints who have a fellowship which they call The Society Of Light.
Originally posted by SS,Naga
So, what was established is that not just children, but all others, especially the younger generation (teens, twenties), should have access to training in the spiritual-related fields. Even basics are a requisite. Yes, yes, can of worms.