If you however believed that the Oriental brand was the best brand, and instilled this belief in the child, this would be no different than you believeing that multiple perspectives is the best brand. It is the nature of this society to think that the best way is openmindedness and 'exposure'--I agree with that sentiment for I believe it to be true; but this chnages not a thing.
organised religion vs cults
- Thread starter RebelWithoutACow
- Start date
So are you saying that when Jesus was allegedly alive on this earth, his little group was a cult? So what makes his religion so respectable now?
As for looking to the bible for answers, you can pretty much find any answer you like in that self-contradicting book. It's good to know that God is not the author of confusion.
As for homosexuality being abhorrent to God, so are lots of other things, at least, according to the bible. Incense is one example (see Isaiah 1:13); remarrying your wife after you've divorced her is another (see Deuteronomy 24:4); and carved, sculpted or cast images are yet another, along with the artisans who make them (see Deuteronomy 27:15). God can be downright silly about the things he chooses to be offended by - but if God hated homosexuality so much, why did he make a certain percentage of the population that way?
RebelWithoutACow
Registered Senior Member
After all these various answers, it would seem the answer to the question is as ethereal and hard to grasp as the meaning of life itself.
I guess I'll just keep on the way I always have, regarding all organised religions as cults. If I'm ever silly enough to have children I'll do my best to raise them to be open minded, and to form their own opinions about life, the universe, and the price of pork bellies. Of course, I'm sure I'll also do a bit of brainwashing along the way
I guess I'll just keep on the way I always have, regarding all organised religions as cults. If I'm ever silly enough to have children I'll do my best to raise them to be open minded, and to form their own opinions about life, the universe, and the price of pork bellies. Of course, I'm sure I'll also do a bit of brainwashing along the way
Bells
Staff member
Originally posted by RebelWithoutACow
After all these various answers, it would seem the answer to the question is as ethereal and hard to grasp as the meaning of life itself.
I guess I'll just keep on the way I always have, regarding all organised religions as cults. If I'm ever silly enough to have children I'll do my best to raise them to be open minded, and to form their own opinions about life, the universe, and the price of pork bellies. Of course, I'm sure I'll also do a bit of brainwashing along the way
Mooboy, there will never be a correct answer to the question of the differences between organised religion v cults. It would depend on the individual. If an individual is a member of an organised religion and refuses to keep an open minded and blindly follows ALL of the religious teachings of this religion, then in this sense, the religion would be a cult for that individual.
I think the only way one can tell the difference between organised religion and cult is that with cults you are not open minded to any other possibility than what you are told and with an organised religion there SHOULD be a level of recognition that not all you are told is correct. Take agnostics for example, we believe that there is something greater than ourselves out there but we don't know what. Is that a belief in God? Then yes I guess it is. But does that mean that I would follow all that the Pope or Vatican or what the local church tells me? Hell no. For one thing that'd mean I'd have to agree with the newly appointed Cardinal Pell
and I would rather rip my nails out than do that. I decide for myself after I've weighed up the evidence on both sides. And on most occasions I side against the beliefs of the church because science has proven so. If there is no proof then I keep an open mind to a possibility. Cults demand a devoutness that organised religions only dream of and can never attain on a grand scale. In cults, all members follow blindly and if they don't follow the leader in such a manner then they are basically thrown out. In organised religions however there will always be a group of people disagreeing...
In cults you will always have the despotic leader who keeps on demanding power. In organised religions I guess... oh I forgot about Cardinal Pell... well there's a moot point. As far as the power thing goes, both cults and organised religions are the same.
I guess that the differences between the two will always be open to debate. It is obvious that those who belong to organised religions and are able to debate the issue with an open mind is not in a cult. I'd hope so anyway...
Originally posted by Nehushta
So are you saying that when Jesus was allegedly alive on this earth, his little group was a cult? So what makes his religion so respectable now?
As for looking to the bible for answers, you can pretty much find any answer you like in that self-contradicting book. It's good to know that God is not the author of confusion.
As for homosexuality being abhorrent to God, so are lots of other things, at least, according to the bible. Incense is one example (see Isaiah 1:13); remarrying your wife after you've divorced her is another (see Deuteronomy 24:4); and carved, sculpted or cast images are yet another, along with the artisans who make them (see Deuteronomy 27:15). God can be downright silly about the things he chooses to be offended by - but if God hated homosexuality so much, why did he make a certain percentage of the population that way?
why quote 1 scripture , why dont you look for the reason it says that, it was because of the nation of israels, worshiping false gods after the had en warned read EX 25 v 1,2&6 EX 35 v 4,5 &8 27-29 the EX 30 v 34-38 ex 37 v 29 then go to 2Ch 29 v 27 2 ch 30v 14 EZE 8 v 10,11 EZE 16 v 17,18 EZE 23 v36,41then you come to Isiah 1 v13. could go on wit many more on probably any subject you want but i have sensible things to spend my time on just leave you with this
when a child is 8 days old the natural blood cloting factor kicks in its called the K factor, if a chld was cut before this it would bleed to death. luckily these days we have a substitute that starts the blood cloting for when babies need operations before the natural k factor comes at 8 days , so please have a read at GEN17 v9-12 tell what your thought is on tis dread to think what your answer will be {hope its not aliens HA!HA!]
And the god of Abraham isn't a false god? Tell me, just what constitutes a real god? How will I know one when I see one?
Aside from your exaggeration about the child bleeding to death, it is true that a newborn's blood clotting mechanism is immature, and without vitamin K therapy given at birth (as they do these days), any slight cut or injury during the first few days of life can result in excessive bleeding. Has it not occured to you that, given the vast amount of time that mankind has inhabited this planet, we might eventually begin to notice such patterns on our own, and tailor our manmade rules accordingly? Why would we need either gods or aliens to point out to us that newborn babies tend to bleed more profusely than older children?
Unlike conventional religions, cults usually have the following chatacteristics:
-Encouraging members to cut ties with family and friends.
-Discouraging asking questions or discussing issues.
-Keeping aspects of their religious beliefs or practices secret from outsiders and/or their own members.
-Discouraging members from keeping informed through newspapers, magazines, etc.
-Attempting to coerce members who wish to leave into staying.
--Invading the privacy of members, especially by spying on members.
-Encouraging members to cut ties with family and friends.
-Discouraging asking questions or discussing issues.
-Keeping aspects of their religious beliefs or practices secret from outsiders and/or their own members.
-Discouraging members from keeping informed through newspapers, magazines, etc.
-Attempting to coerce members who wish to leave into staying.
--Invading the privacy of members, especially by spying on members.
te amount off time man has been here i is only in te last cntury we hav sen leaps in medicine and eapon of war. but granted a slight cut would mean excessive bleeding not life theating , but we re talking abou a child being circumcised i think it would be more than a slight cut, at the end of it all theres not much point in telling you anythig becausete bible tells us about people like yourself 2ch 4v 4.
So just exactly what does 2 Chronicles 4:4 say about people like me?
2Ch 4:4 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
But perhaps this is what you really meant:
2Cr 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Here are a few more passages that you may want to keep in mind:
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
(If Jesus is the image of God, it is only because he is a man and, according to the bible, man was created in the image of God.)
Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
(The meaning of this should be obvious.)
Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
Isa 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Hsa 13:4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
He really wanted to make sure his people understood this!
Excellent post, Nehush! xians usually avoid these scriptures when they hunt and peck the Bible. It defeats THEIR purpose.
Cults today are persecuted, too, maybe not by death, but by media coverage (that, too, can mean death!).
in what sense is man made in gods image
God said let us make man in our image according to our likeness
Gen1 v 26,27 pro 8 v 30,31 compare joh1 v1-3 col1 v15-17
so man was made in gods image he was a "son of god"luke 3 v 38. as to the form or shape of gods body no time has anyone beheld god 1john 4 v12
nevertheless man is "in gods image" in that we where created with moral qualities like those of god, namely love and justice col 3 v10
God said let us make man in our image according to our likeness
Gen1 v 26,27 pro 8 v 30,31 compare joh1 v1-3 col1 v15-17
so man was made in gods image he was a "son of god"luke 3 v 38. as to the form or shape of gods body no time has anyone beheld god 1john 4 v12
nevertheless man is "in gods image" in that we where created with moral qualities like those of god, namely love and justice col 3 v10
Jesus himself encouraged his disciples to cut ties with their families (see Mark 10:29-30, Matthew 10:34-37, Matthew 19:29 and Luke 12:49-53) and even required them to hate their families (see Luke 14:26). Paul also advised his congregation to keep themselves separate from unbelievers (see 2 Cr 6:14-18).
See Mark 10:15 and Luke 18:17 where it warns people that they must be as gullible as little children or they will not enter the kingdom of God.
See also Mark 16:15-16, where the supposedly risen Jesus (albeit in another form they didn't recognize) tells his disciples that they must go about preaching the gospel to every creature; those who believe will be saved and those who don't will be damned. How does this encourage questions?
Paul didn't want women asking questions in church, although they were permitted to ask their husbands at home (1Cr 14:35). Also, Paul warned against any sort of behavior that would result in debates (see 2Cr 12:20).
Jesus spoke in parables so that many would not understand the meaning behind his message (see Matthew 13:10-15), although he did sometimes explain the secret meaning behind closed doors to his disciples once the crowd was sent away (see Matthew 13:36-43).
In addition to encouraging his congregation to keep themselves separate from the world, as mentioned earlier, Paul also encouraged them to be foolish (see 1Cr 1:18-27 and 1 Cr 3:18-19).
Since it is near the end of my lunch hour, I will have to pick this up again another time. But I hope I have given you enough here so that you will see that Christianity definitely started out as a cult, pretty much by anyone's standards.
your quoting single scriptures again you find the answer for this when you look for it ,but it was men who always took the lead
1tim 2 v12 also we have the scripture ep5 v21-24
no more time but i wish you people would stop looking up 1 or2 scriptures and then quoting them as fact why not search more and find the answer its always there ,but then that would be defeating your purpose, of a futile attempt to discredit the bible of which i am sure you aleady know it wont succeed,
did not Darwin even concede that everyting had a creator
1tim 2 v12 also we have the scripture ep5 v21-24
no more time but i wish you people would stop looking up 1 or2 scriptures and then quoting them as fact why not search more and find the answer its always there ,but then that would be defeating your purpose, of a futile attempt to discredit the bible of which i am sure you aleady know it wont succeed,
did not Darwin even concede that everyting had a creator