2007-01-31 11:08:53 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
all you can do is be there for them. If they have fallen into a cult then it can be dangerous because they are being told that their family or friends are going to try to take them away from it. Let them know that you will never turn your back on them. Give them a place to go, and information. Never say I told you so. good luck
2007-01-31 11:17:02 · answer #1 · answered by trouble comes a knockin 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This probably isn't going to be what you want to hear, but here it goes...
"Cult" is a very much misused word, and usually means "any religion I don't understand/don't agree with/am afraid of". But a more useful definition of "cult", and the most practical definition that I have found, is of a cult as a group in which excessive control is exercised over the group by its leaders.
Certainly there will be religions that are smaller than others, or where the inner workings are only available to the initiated. But in my opinion, the truly harmful groups are the ones in which the person's own will is worn away by the leaders. Those are the groups where people might end up being persuaded to abandon their moral code, withdraw from the world into the world of the cult, and generally become unrecognizable to those who know and love them.
Therefore I caution you not to believe that your family member has fallen into a cult just because they are following a different religion, denomination of Christianity, or faith tradition. I encourage you to actually talk to your family member about what they are doing and try to learn about it before panicking and assuming the worst. You might end up pleasantly surprised -- and relieved!
Best of luck to you.
2007-01-31 12:22:52 · answer #2 · answered by prairiecrow 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do you know the meaning of the word "cult", or are you just going by the popular assumption that a cult is a group of people dressed in black?
A cult simply means "a following of people". So, in reality, religion, clubs, sci-fi conventions ... anything that has a perceived fan-base is a cult.
You better lock up your family member in the basement because cults are everywhere.
2007-01-31 11:23:05 · answer #3 · answered by Joa5 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends on what the "cult" is.
There's OCCULT cults.
There's western religious cults (Christianity, Catholicism etc).
There's eastern religious cults.
There's secret society cults.
There's ancient religious cults.
There's atheism and communistic political cults.
There's weird UFO cults and esoteric cults.
There's the Republikan party cult.
There's the George W Bush self-proclaimed King of USA cult.
So, to answer your question with a question: WHICH ONE OF THESE CULTS BEST FITS YOUR SITUATION?
2007-01-31 11:20:42 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If the family member is an adult, you should do nothing. Remember that a cult is nothing more than a religion that has fewer adherents. As an adult, you are free to choose what you want to believe and what you do not believe.
Who are you to make their decisions for them?
2007-01-31 11:16:03 · answer #5 · answered by CC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had a cousin who fell into a cult. They told her who she could talk to, hang out with, and date. They kept close tabs on her and actually insisted that if she was going to live outside her parents house she live with other women in the group. All dates were chaperoned (mind you she was over 21 at the time). They couldn't even hang out with people outside the group and they tried to get her to basically stay away from her family.
Her mother finally sat her down with her brother and father and they told her how much it hurt them that she refused to talk to them, and how much she was letting these people control her life. I think she actually had come to see that. It was, really, the fact that her family loved her and was concerned, and talked to her about how much she was alienating them that she finally saw the cult for what it really was.
I almost think a person has to be ready. Because I talked to my cousin before her family did and she basically told me to go screw myself. Two years later she apologized to me for treating me so badly during that time in her life.
BTW - the cult she was involved with was the college campus Christian group.
2007-01-31 11:20:11 · answer #6 · answered by swordarkeereon 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It depends on what you mean by cult, if you mean a real cult like Jim Jones' cult or "Heaven's Gate", I would have them forcibly removed, kidnapped if you like, then I would hire a professional "deprogrammer". It may be wrong, but I would rather have my family member hate me, than be dead.
2007-01-31 11:25:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
remember, all religions are a cult until their membership reaches a certain limit.
2007-01-31 11:20:04 · answer #8 · answered by Pisces 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Through prayer.
2007-01-31 11:59:42 · answer #9 · answered by jasmin2236 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
WHY ALL THE FOOLISH QUESTIONS??? THERE IS NO GOD, NO DEVIL, NO MICKEY MOUSE!!! WE HAVE TO STOP THESE FOOLISH QUESTIONS AND PLAN THE REVOLUTION!!! AN ATHEIST REVOLUTION!!! EVERY RELIGION IS A CULT!!! THEY ALL MUST BE ELIMINATED!!! WE MUST BEGIN PLANNING NOW!!! EVERY REVOLUTION BEGINS WITH A HANDFUL OF DETERMINED PEOPLE!!! STOP PLAYING AND START PLANNING!!!
2007-01-31 11:18:45 · answer #10 · answered by THE 1st HAPPY ATHEIST 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋