Cult specialists seems misinformed about mainstream religions

[Myrkhoos]

Hi,

 

I have been listening/reading Steven Hassan, Alexandra Stein, Janja Lalich, Christ Shelton. Leah remini, etc, which talk about dangerous cults. Very informative.

 

BUT, when they speak about mainstream religions, like the Catholic Church or Islam, they say, oh no they are very different, they do not check up on you, do not use mind control, etc, no serious abuse, and etc. They seem to know very little actually about the official theology of these religions. I mean I am not saying that arguments in favor of them are not possible, but they are actually wrong in their presupppositions.

 

For example, a lot of mainstream Christianity, whatever part of it, be it protestant, catholic, eastern Orthodox, has the idea of eternal hell. Which could be viewed as  phobia indoctrination. The idea tha God is always watching you, so they do not need to watch you as well, which a lot of cults do as well. Unquestioning obedience to its governing body. Extolting the value of suffering as cleansing of sin. It seems to be that they look at the secularized/lax forms of religion and conclude it is not problematic. But I guarantee that if Scientology of Jehovaw Witnesses turned more secular and lax, the outer fringes of them would look quite benign and even entertaining. They should look at the monastic forms of both Catholics and Orthodox, which a lot see as the most perfect forms of the religion and see the principles of isolation, obedience, dependence on the superiors for everything, from water to what and how to think, etc. 

 

Again, one can argue endlessly wheter these practices lead to liberation or enslavment, or anything in between, but first they must be known and documented. I think that Marlene Winnell also saw this, as she writes more about religious upbringing in general. Before we can solve a problem, we should SEE that there is one. 

 

Alexandra Stein even says that Nazism, and communism in 20 century were state cults. Like North Korea now. Well, maybe she should really look into Christianity and Islam and see if her critarea would not make them look like cults as well. 

 

A discussion should be had, and it seems to be brushed aside too easily. Maybe they are right practices, monastic ones I mean, but at least they should be thoroughly overviewed.

[Wertbag]

The main defining feature of a cult is the worship of a single human as in some way divine. Elron Hubbard and Jo Smith being good examples. Hitler and Stalin were revered but not usually considered divinely powered. 

The Jews followed an immaterial super being rather than a human, but Christians changed this to the worship of a man. Islam did the same with divine powers attributed to Mo. However in both cases they retained the Jewish religion and grew their cult from it. 

The only differences between the cult of scientology and the cult of Christianity is time and size.