Let’s talk about religion… again

 


First, it’s okay with me if someone subscribes to a religion.  I really don’t care.  Thing is, I don’t like how many religious people think of themselves as “holier than thou” types; like they know something others don’t (especially the atheist/non-religious types).  Truth is, the religious don’t know anything more than the rest of us Earthlings.  Yet they try to pass their religion off as some kind of “divine truth.”  It isn’t.  It’s just a personal belief.

Now, let’s take a slight detour here.  Let’s talk about “cults”; something else I see as sitting on the “religion continuum.”


The word “cult” is seen as a derogatory term.  Telling someone that they “belong to a cult” is considered an insult, by anyone with an understanding of the word.  (And now I’m getting to the punchline.)  That’s why I found it kind of comical when my super-Christian Protestant stepson made that claim about his 22-year old son, Thomas.  He said, “We think Thomas is in a cult.” 😲

Backstory: Thomas joined some kind of small Catholic Seminary in Kentucky when he was like 19.  So he has been a member for a couple of years now, much to his parents’ chagrin.  BTW, he recently was [is excommunicated the word?] because the leader felt he wasn’t a “good fit.”  Don’t even ask me what that means. 🤷‍♀️ ANYway… back to my claim.

Again, it’s okay with me if people have a religion and love it.  Fine and dandy.  All I’m saying is admit that its (any religion) is a cult that also sits somewhere on the religion continuum. Go ahead.  It won’t hurt.  Prove to me that’s wrong; that I’m the one who’s all messed up. 

Q1: So, why are orthodox religions not considered “cults” by the greater society?  What gets them off the dreaded “cult” hook?  Make your case.  


Q2: Do orthodox religions (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, Islam) provide something extra that sets them apart from cults?  If so, explain it to me.


(by PrimalSoup)

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