oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
I'll get told off! Out of context with this thread. Shouldn't have mentioned it, I guess. Run a thread on 'religious cults' and I can write what I know.
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Would you consider the Jehovah's Religion as a Cult?
- Thread starter R34L1TY
- Start date
I'll get told off! Out of context with this thread. Shouldn't have mentioned it, I guess. Run a thread on 'religious cults' and I can write what I know.
oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
The only occasion I have ever read the word 'shunning' before your post, was in an article which explained that Bahai's shun people. The article mentioned that Bahai's are shunned if they undertake same-sex marriage or civil-partnership.
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GawdAweful
Pseudo-Philosopher
The fear of losing out on living forever and of losing that specialness one feel's that only they have with God compared to the rest of the world.
Also, imagine letting loved ones be shunned for years or decades and then realizing you were wrong. To them, the alternative is unthinkable, therefore the fear drives their belief like a self-feeding loop.
It's also why if you do some research on the religion you find two somewhat different views of baptism.
1) To have children baptized into the religion as teens is seen as a protection for them as there is more pressure not to leave.
2) Parents who DO NOT want their children baptized too soon in case they decide they don't believe the JW way and must be shunned the rest of their lives, causing the parent to lose their child for life.
Any ideology that demands, under threat of isolation, the withholding of companionship, whether atheisitic, political, evolutionist, or religious would fall under my understanding of a group being recognized as a cult.
Shunning of Jehovah's Witnesses who do not accept all the precepts of the religion is very real. I think it is true all strict religious believers shun more or less former friends and even family who make it public they disagree with any religious belief of the church. The difference between that severe but natural response of the average religious person and Jehovah's Witnesses is that the Watchtower Society actually teaches such shunning. It is expected from faithful members to shun former members. And if the former member becomes passionate about his or her disagreement and vocalizes it to the other members that person is officially disfellowshipped and it becomes a real sin according to the rules to associate with that person any more. To associate with a disfellowshipped person can cause another disfellowshipping.
AmbiguousGuy
Well-Known Member
Fundie Mormons shun, I think. The polygamist patriarchs sure shun the young men!
Some (most?) Orthodox Jews shun. A rabbi once told me -- with raw pain in his voice -- that his orthodox family sat shiva for him (mourned his death) for switching to Reform Judaism. They refused to ever see him again, so he said.
And I've also heard that Baha'is shun.
As someone else mentioned, the more conservative the sect, the more likely to shun. In my opinion it's mostly because they fear the shaking of their worldview. And maybe they're angered that someone close to them has outright rejected that worldview.
I suspect that I've suffered some shunning, along with most everyone else who has left the rigid worldview of their family. Not so harsh as 'real' shunning, but we've likely suffered some alienation which our adhering brothers and sisters haven't.
Anyway, I have been instructed that the First Commandment is to be: Thou Shalt Not Shun Another Human Being Based on Alien Beliefs.
I've got a chisel here. Who's toting the stone?
Knock.Knock
New Member
i would say no because, its not a NEW religion and also, their beliefs are no where near bizarre. the scriptures are just applied in the correct manner.
Knock.Knock
New Member
this is very true
AmbiguousGuy
Well-Known Member
Do you consider Orthodox Judaism a cult? The Baha'is? Muslims?
I prefer a more-detailed definition of 'cult'. Isolation of members. Control of the members' physical lives. Relentless pressure to conform to the beliefs of the leader, rather than to some set body of doctrine. Shunning. Etc.
Every religion is a cult by definition, though religious people don't typically like to admit this. They like to attribute this definition to the religious practices they don't "like" or "agree with".
:yes:
Twig pentagram
High Priest
I think all religions started off as cults.
tumbleweed41
Resident Liberal Hippie
The BMA (British Medical Association) for one. But perhaps we should take this to another thread.
Not possible. If a person is believed to be influencing the rest of the flock apart from the authority of the Faithful Discreet Slave, they get removed.
no-body
Well-Known Member
I'm not talking about a cult of personality, I meant more like how the elders run a particular JW group will influence how that group is. It is sublte.
But what do I know I've only met individual JW's. Maybe all the elders in every JW group run it like a cult and the individuals decide how to behave in the end.
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary everyone who is seriously dedicated to whatever religion they conform to is cultish.
kjw47
Well-Known Member
There are 3 classes( true followers) persay on this earth--the faithful and discreet slave( lead teachers), appointed by Jesus to give spiritual food at the proper time. the domestics( elders,ministerial servants)and the belongings( flock) so are you suggesting that if a belonging questions the fds, that they shouldnt be disciplined? How can a belonging possibly know more than the fds? The belonging is thinking wrong and if they try and teach false things, they would be given the opportunity to be counsled and repent, or if no repentence, yes they should be disciplined.
Hey, does this mean I'm a cult of one? That's kind of funny.
Yes! I am a cult of one too. Too funny!
no-body
Well-Known Member
It's like how the word gay used to mean happy but rarely anyone uses that definition anymore.