Religion and the greatest story ever told..

[Shogun]

Hmmm. Would it be fair to say that “mainstream” religions are not cults and that less popular religions are cults? Such a statement seems to be self-serving for people in the more popular religions. I just don’t know.

"mainstream" religions were once cults. The mitigating factors are the population of believers having enough time to assimilate their beliefs into popular culture. I'm not making a value judgement on the validity of any dogma that has been labeled either.

 

[Taomon]

another piece of fiction.

what is your point?

The movie was fiction, I believe that the Tibetian book of the dead is based on something deeper and more profound. I wouldn't exactly dismiss it as fiction.

 

[Shogun]

fair enough. you are free to believe whatever it is you want to believe.


I certainly do not agree but such is life.

 

[Diuretic]

No, I was referring to Col Klink.

Ah yes, one of the great tv shows for sure.

 

[Diuretic]

But you were insinuating that believer population and time does not turn a cult into an accepted religion. I'm stating that christianity was also once a cult that grew into a major religion just like Jahovas Witness and Mormonism have the potential to become.

From the Jewish point of view Christianity was a cult, it spread through the Middle East and found its way into Europe, where it was still a cult. Cults which grow big enough in size and influence become religions. I think those are fair statements.

 

[Taomon]

From the Jewish point of view Christianity was a cult, it spread through the Middle East and found its way into Europe, where it was still a cult. Cults which grow big enough in size and influence become religions. I think those are fair statements.

Actually, Christianity is not only a cult but it produces several offshoots that are also cults. The offshoots are basically reinterpretations of the obscure scriptures.

I say obscure because they are basically metaphors and open to interpretation. It is unfortunate that people die over those variances.

 

[Helios]

But you were insinuating that believer population and time does not turn a cult into an accepted religion. I'm stating that christianity was also once a cult that grew into a major religion just like Jahovas Witness and Mormonism have the potential to become.

Christianity was a small cult that grew into a big cult.

 

[Taomon]

Cult:
1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3. the object of such devotion.
4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
7. the members of such a religion or sect.
8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

 

[Helios]

Cult:
1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

Enough said.

 

[Shogun]

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