When Does A Cult Become A Religion?

[Deskdiary]

Is it just simply a matter of numbers?

Are Jehovah Witnesses a cult? Given their weird beliefs (accepting the fact that believing in any religion is weird - that's a given, obviously) it suggests they are.

What about the Scientologists?

Are the beliefs of Scientologists any less valid than the beliefs of Catholics just because their beliefs are newer? Is Scientology a cult rather than a religion?

[Khandro]

n. Moi? well maybe more hairy than fairy.

[naomi24]

Khandro, haaa! I believe it! :o)

[beso]

Anthropogenic climate change denial is one of the world's most popular religions. Like other faiths they simply dismiss the vast body of science that renders their dogma completely ridiculous.

A few years ago they were denying the climate was changing at all. Once overwhelmed with evidence for change, they moved to denying it was being caused by human activity. Although some persist, the overwhelming evidence that is caused by humans has moved the utterly stupid to accept humans are causing it while claiminmg it is actually an improvement. (Meanwhile they deny they had formerly denied change was happening.)

Others have bought the fossil fuel industry propaganda and claim that there are no alternative and we just have to deal with the change. Sadly they still want to lock us into exorbitant fossil fuel technologies even though renewables are now cheaper.

Religion and inferior intellect go hand in hand.

[Khandro]

beso; I wouldn't know where to start on that post, I just about refute every thing you say on both science and religion.

[beso]

allen \\ I'm an atheist and as it happens Marxist of many decades//.

Now there is a religion where the followers are profoundly blind to reality. ;) Do you hold Marxist principles as a theoretical ideology or have you actually lived by them?

In the 1980s I lived for several years in a community where "from each according tho their ability and to each according to their need" was a fundamental tenet. We pooled our income and shared everything.

It was a great place for needy people with no practical abilities.

[Khandro]

beso; Yes it's strange that the communists never want to go to live in a communist country, former West Germany had lots of 'communist' youth extolling communism from comfort, when all they had to do was step into the GDDR next door - however, North Korea still awaits anyone eager to try it out!

They've mostly gone now (except for Allen) and have been replaced by Islamists - same principle, but a different ideology, viz. seeing that Islamic countries are all bottom of the heap ****holes, they want to have the benefits of the West but with their own warped outlook there on demand.

[cassa333]

I didn't realise Jehovah whitness was a cult.

Although Scientology plays down the fact Ron L Hubbard was a con man who started Scientology as a scam to make money, they have gained Religious stsus in many countries and campaign aggressively for that status here and elsewhere.

Did you realise that they only got religious and/or charity status in the US to stop them harassing the Tax inspectors! They were so prolific in sueing the tax department for any and every single item that in the end the tax department just threw their hands in the air and said OK now go away and leave us alone.

And that folks is how you go from a cult to a religion.