The other day, I went to a street fair, and this Scientology dude kept approaching me, trying to hand me a flyer. After his third attempt, I told him that I wasn't going to join the cult. He got all defensive and pissed off, saying it was his religion.
People can be any religion they want, but I don't solicit my religion to strangers in the street. That's why I think it's a cult. What do you think?
2007-05-14 14:00:39 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They're not only a cult, but they're a pretty dangerous cult. They cut members off from their family, they stalk and harass and threaten anyone who tries to leave the religion, and they're well-known for trying to ruin the lives of anyone they deem to cross them in the wrong way. They'll attack you legally, and they'll attack you publicly, (putting out slanderous stories about you--in the newspaper if they can.) They are people you do NOT want to get involved with.
2007-05-14 14:11:30 · answer #1 · answered by Jess H 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, there was someone else asking what the difference between a cult and religion. The answer "voted" was a cult ask for your money . With that in mind Scientology will take your money to find out why you are so screwed up. (and they will say you're screwed up) So by that definition a cult. Actually some of their ideas into the Psyche of the brain make sense. But some of what they believe is just crazy.
2007-05-14 21:08:11 · answer #2 · answered by punch 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, it's either a cult or a business. I think there was a lawsuit where they were officially declared not a religion under California law, but that may have been over-ruled since.
But there are old, well-established religions that do solicit strangers in the street. That is not the definition of a cult.
Come to think of it, perhaps we need to work on the definition of "cult" in this context.
2007-05-14 21:06:53 · answer #3 · answered by auntb93 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a cult for the first 100 years. Then it's an established religion.
2007-05-14 21:10:54 · answer #4 · answered by S K 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree that it's a cult. They may have wiled their way into making it labeled a religion so they could go tax free (after they drain your bank account!), but it is definitely a cult. I don't know any religion other than Catholicism that tells you to give lots of your money to a few guys.
2007-05-16 01:56:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
all religions start off as cults, with a small number of devout believers. As they get larger, they become "mainstream"
The other side of refering to something as a "cult", has to do with how overt the mind control is. Scientology is getting pretty large, but still has very cultish practices by controlling its members lives, finances etc.
2007-05-14 21:05:14 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
if you want to know about scientology get South Park season/episode 9:12 entitled trapped in the closet. they sum up the entire religion in matter of minutes. Then you can decide if you would want to join their church.
The most significant way to tell a cult from religion is that a cult works like an abusive relationship first they're more likely to prey upon people with lower self esteem or lonely persons yearning to be be wanted and accepted by a crowd. Then slowly begin to iscolate them from anyone in their life not associated with the cult(friends parents collegues etc...), A cult will be very slight on details of their religions beliefs only to sum it up usually as path to enlightenment or utopia. At first any questions will usually be deflected withsomething like in time you will learn everything you want to know, but now you are not ready(this is how they iscolate you from anyone in you life. you are ready to understand after you sacrifice contact with anyone from your life)
usually a cult is relatively new, and based on persons or ideas that can usually be easily proven as false (not always the case as its wildly believed that the church of christ is a cult) their messiah is usually the leader who christ chose to lead them to enlightenment. all of this is slowly spoonfed so as to "brainwash" one into believing and accepting as afact. Usually a good idea to stay clear of any group that claims god has chosen you to share in a path of enlightenmet.
2007-05-14 21:12:58 · answer #7 · answered by stephen w 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yeah, it's funny and ironic how some people compare JW's to Scientologists. The latter religion actually is a cult because they follow Hubbard while JW's follow God and his son Jesus.
2007-05-14 21:51:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just as much a cult as Jim Jones was born on September 5th, 1798. Moo.
2007-05-14 21:03:23 · answer #9 · answered by Cold Fart 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Sounds to me like you already had this opinion about Scientology before someone offered you a flier.
That's what I think, but maybe I'm wrong.
But I agree with you that people can be any religion they want......... including Scientology.
2007-05-14 22:31:30 · answer #10 · answered by thetaalways 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋