Society & Culture - 17 September 2007

In a recent question many answerers objected to the Christian religion being called a cult and wanted to know on what basis one would call it a cult.


Below are definitions of cult on the Web:

Adherents of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

In traditional usage, the cult of a religion, quite apart from its sacred writings ("scriptures"), its theology or myths, or the personal faith of its believers, is the totality of external religious practice and observance, the neglect of which is the definition of impiety. Cult is literally the "care" owed to the god and the shrine. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_(religion)

(noun) often attributive. French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate; First appeared 1617
1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator 5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object ...
www.contecult.com/glossary.htm

2007-09-17 03:40:36 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

would you let derren brown hypnotize you to become atheist.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sq-YUdq1OI

2007-09-17 03:40:31 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Blame God when things go wrong

2007-09-17 03:40:23 · 19 answers · asked by Matt 1 in Religion & Spirituality

*X posted in the politics section*

2007-09-17 03:39:13 · 3 answers · asked by Kenshiro 5 in Other - Society & Culture

thank you!

2007-09-17 03:39:11 · 5 answers · asked by gorgesauto 1 in Languages

I go twice and once in the week

2007-09-17 03:39:07 · 37 answers · asked by Matt 1 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-09-17 03:39:02 · 8 answers · asked by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6 in Religion & Spirituality

by the faithful (annoying to you at the time) ministry of a friend, relative or elder in your church? Can you describe that experience? This is a question for Born Again, Bible believing Christians.

2007-09-17 03:38:44 · 13 answers · asked by jael 2 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-09-17 03:37:56 · 5 answers · asked by wwhy 3 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-09-17 03:37:39 · 8 answers · asked by reverendrichie 4 in Religion & Spirituality

- Mommy, where do babies come from?

- Well, son, usually you need a mommy and a daddy.

2007-09-17 03:36:52 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Look at Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot. They were all staunch atheists and they were responsible for some of the worst atrocities in history.

Look at China and the Soviet Union. Look how good those godless countries turned out.

You need religion in a society.

Agree?

2007-09-17 03:33:19 · 38 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2007-09-17 03:30:48 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN GOD AND THE LAST DAY AND DOES GOOD, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve."{Holy Quran 2:62}

Does this mean I do not have to become a Muslim because I do believe in God, I do good deeds and the people I know think I'm a good person. I believe in The Last Days and Judgment from God.

I seriously would like to know if this is true!

Thank you.

2007-09-17 03:29:25 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

I can choose one path, which leads to my suffering the just consequences of my actions, eternity in hell. Or, I can choose the second, which means that I get off scott free.

I take it you're suggesting that I choose the first path, but it seems to me that that would make me quite a weasel, don't you agree? Wouldn't you call a confessed murderer who asks the court to let him off scott free a weasel, or worse?

2007-09-17 03:28:31 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Hello all, I pray that you are doing well this morning.
For God has not given us a Spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
Have you thought about this, seriously?
First off, take the order of it. We know that the most important commandment is love, so why does it say power first?
Friends, I think that this is telling us that in order to do what God has commanded of us,we first need to exercise the power that He has given us. We have all the power over the enemy. God did not give us the SPIRIT OF TIMIDITY. As a matter of fact, He gave us the POWER TO DEFEAT OUR ENEMY, SATAN. After we exercise that power, we can go on to the next one, love. See, satan is going to do everything that he can to keep us from this one. Because he knows that this one is the one that shows Jesus to others.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. John 13:35
Friends, and then we come to discipline.

2007-09-17 03:26:39 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Do they make a public confession to Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior?
Do they believe in their heart Jesus raised from the dead. That Jesus is the first fruits (firstborn) from the dead?

Are they then born again of His Spirit?

2007-09-17 03:26:34 · 6 answers · asked by LottaLou 7 in Religion & Spirituality

I noticed that some atheist would say that religion was the root of most wrongs in history. The historical events mentioned are usually the crusades, nazis against the jews, the kkk, and other event. However one should look at all of these events and more, you can also say that the white man or the white european man is behind such events.

So when an atheist does this aren't they just using history biasly to prove a point?

2007-09-17 03:25:57 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Do they make a public confession to Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior?
Do they believe in their heart Jesus raised from the dead. That Jesus is the first fruits (firstborn) from the dead?

Are they then born again of His Spirit?

2007-09-17 03:24:20 · 9 answers · asked by LottaLou 7 in Religion & Spirituality

what are the infinitive forms of the words:

llegar
perder
buscar
empezar
encontrar

please, i need to know quickly!

2007-09-17 03:23:18 · 8 answers · asked by sand_illusions 4 in Languages

I did an exam last year and i am in a rubbish class for losers that aren't good in school. (okay, that's a joke, but w.e).
I'm not ver good at maths and my teacher has been really nice bout it. He singles me out quite a lot but i just thought he was being nice.
but when we did the exam and he gave me back my paper, i realised a lot of the answers had been crossed out and changed. i didn't do this and it was actually quite an important exam, and i know he changed it.
he told me yesterday, "don't tell anyone, i did it because i know you're cleverer then anyone else in this class."

is there any point reporting it? i''d feel guilt and he's being really nice to me!

2007-09-17 03:22:34 · 19 answers · asked by Sanskia 3 in Etiquette

or should i say **** who came up with a mobile phone which had a speaker on it so chavs could play their sh!tty music at a tinny full volume on the bus? the genius behind this amazes me! what ever happened to earphones - is it so the little darlings don't hurt their ears and so we can all appreciate the wonderful music played so loud it disorts into some tinny thumpy sound with the so irriating frequency as a bluebottle.

2007-09-17 03:22:12 · 11 answers · asked by sd_lewis2003 1 in Etiquette

Why do preachers be called Reverand or his excellancy or pope or some other title that sets them aside as being better than the average guy? I mean it looks like to me people worship these Evangelists preachers, on TV. Isn't that forbidden in the bible?

2007-09-17 03:21:35 · 16 answers · asked by Steven 6 in Religion & Spirituality

If I saw a guy walk on water and turn water into wine, I'd sure jot it down or snap a picture with my new digital camera.

2007-09-17 03:21:28 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Or both?

Do you pray in spirit & truth?

Do your ever pray to Moroni?

2007-09-17 03:20:38 · 13 answers · asked by LottaLou 7 in Religion & Spirituality

And if you are Catholic, have you read any reformed Protestant writings outside of the usual confessions the writings are based on?

2007-09-17 03:19:50 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

I read this in an answer to another question. Just curious if everyone agrees.

2007-09-17 03:19:49 · 15 answers · asked by Saved by Grace 3 in Religion & Spirituality

I was born in England, so I'm English. Just wondering who i've been typing to.

2007-09-17 03:18:59 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture

Or, do people just buy these at the check stand and pop them on their car and feel they've really done something!

2007-09-17 03:18:30 · 19 answers · asked by ndnquah 6 in Senior Citizens

2007-09-17 03:18:23 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Senior Citizens