Texas court rules against polygamist removals

There is a huge difference between a cult and religion TC.

So what is Scientology?

I don't think there is that much difference, Aaron.

It is kind of like the difference between a "terrorist" and a "freedom fighter", which is to say, not all that much.

Scientology is a religion. I don't agree with them but they have a right to believe what they want. I guess I'm alone in that line of thinking, huh. Seems the anti is just as bigoted as some of the whacko's.

Scientology is a religion. I don't agree with them but they have a right to believe what they want. I guess I'm alone in that line of thinking, huh. Seems the anti is just as bigoted as some of the whacko's.

If people want to believe that aliens invented by a crappy sci-fi writer inhabit the bodies of most of us, I agree, let them. Where have I ever said differently?

Even so, many would consider them a cult.

So back to your assertion that there is a big difference between a cult and a religion - what is the difference? When your cult has enough members it becomes a religion? Not much difference there...

You know you're right. I just passed the local baptist church and they was auctioning off 14 year olds to the highest bidder at one end and mixing kool aid at the other.

Some Baptists handle snakes. Catholics (of all stripes and probably a few protestants too) believe that dry wafers mysteriously becomes the actual flesh of Christ and red wine his blood. There are plenty of protestants who speak in tongues. These groups all anxiously await the day when the dead will rise. They also believe a spirit impregnanted a virgin with god and delivered him into the world. Jehovah Witnesses shun teens if they are caught at the movies with a member of the opposite sex without a chaperone. Hindus think cows are sacred. Jaynes sweep the ground before taking a step to avoid killing incests (they have souls too)

I think you have Baptist confused with Pentecostals Stephanie.

At any rate, everything you just mentioned is done freely, by choice.

Cults are less about religion and more about control.

There is a wee bit of a difference.

To my knowledge the snake handlers do not force their children to handle snakes. If the world is minus a few snake handlers, well, what's the problem again? I appreciate their faith and wonder about their sense.

There are several in our area here that handle snakes. Me personall, God himself is going to have to tell me to pick up the snake.

Twice.

The second time when I wake up.

Well now, the notion that more mainstream religions don't force their children to participate in rituals that are silly, or stupid, or even potentially dangerous strictly for religious purposes is simply untrue.

I have yet to meet a child over the age of 8 with Catholic parents who wasn't forced to confess their sins, serve whatever penance the priest requires, and then take the "body & blood of Christ".

Now for a rather hazardous religious ritual by a mainstream religion:
How about the big shindig Jews put on that focuses on having their infant sons circumcised by a Rabbi in before all of their friends and family? Think circumcision doesn't have its dangers and complications, I suggest you do a bit of research on the subject.

Even so, I still don’t cede that Catholicism is a cult.

As for the circumcision thing, I have no idea why it’s done. I tried reading on it some but got queasy so I quit reading. I just know that it has to be done at a very early age as I couldn’t imagine…

Within Catholicism there are cults. Opus Dei is a "sect". There are others, and many mainstream Catholics view them as cults. All I'm trying to get across to you, Aaron, is what is and is not a cult is all in the eyes of the beholder.

Did you see the babies being thrown from the top of a tower in India a couple of weeks ago? Hinduism is a major world religion. Those Hindus think dropping those babies off that tower brings good luck. I think it's child endangerment. Are they a cult?

Sects in various religions is not what Terry was arguing. He basically stated that mainstream religion is akin to Jim Jones and FDLS. I don't buy that.

And yes, I saw the Hindu thing. Did you hear where in 800 years of doing this, no child has EVER been hurt? Child endangerment is in the eye of the beholder.

Go to a kids baseball game. One kid gets a weapon and the another kid throws a small hard object towards him as hard as he can. And parents pay for their children to do this.

Aaron wrote: Child endangerment is in the eye of the beholder.

Go to a kids baseball game. One kid gets a weapon and the another kid throws a small hard object towards him as hard as he can. And parents pay for their children to do this.

GEEEZE, sending your child to a Public School ...... is Child endangerment.

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This is so true Sam.

Ah, I'm starting a new thread in national news to demonstrate just how abusive some school teachers are. This is a Kindergarten story.

You know you're right. I just passed the local baptist church and they was auctioning off 14 year olds to the highest bidder at one end and mixing kool aid at the other.

So you are saying that you CAN'T tell me the difference between a religion and a cult?

I'm not surprised - I'm not sure of the difference, either.

I'm not an expert on cults and have never claimed to be. But I do know and have been involved in main stream religion enough to know they ain't pawning their children off on older men for sexual satisifaction or giving all their members kool aid to drink. EVERY church that I've attended have all been based on free will. Somehow I don't think that was the philosophy of David Koresh, Jim Jones or Jeff whatshisname.

I'm not suprised you can't see the difference though considering your deep seated hatred for all things religion. Seems to me you have some pretty severe personal issues that you might want to explore before you snap one day.

I'd hate to hear about the loon employee that killed every one at the Ag Center simply because Betty Lou gave thanks for her mid morning snack.

Aaron,

Where is the "free will" in being brainwashed into believing that if you don't give money, offer thanks, beg for forgiveness, and/or preach whatever religious text will land you in eternal flames with festering boils and endless torment of all sorts?

Stephanie wrote:Aaron,

Where is the "free will" in being brainwashed into believing that if you don't give money, offer thanks, beg for forgiveness, and/or preach whatever religious text will land you in eternal flames with festering boils and endless torment of all sorts?

That's your opinion Stephanie. You're entitled to it.

Stephanie wrote:Aaron,

Where is the "free will" in being brainwashed into believing that if you don't give money, offer thanks, beg for forgiveness, and/or preach whatever religious text will land you in eternal flames with festering boils and endless torment of all sorts?

Well now, I was told by someone that after he got married and joined the biggest B Church in the county their son was asked to show them his "paycheck stub" to see if he was giving his 10%.

SamCogar wrote:

Stephanie wrote:Aaron,

Where is the "free will" in being brainwashed into believing that if you don't give money, offer thanks, beg for forgiveness, and/or preach whatever religious text will land you in eternal flames with festering boils and endless torment of all sorts?

Well now, I was told by someone that after he got married and joined the biggest B Church in the county their son was asked to show them his "paycheck stub" to see if he was giving his 10%.

I've heard those stories as well Sam. And the son had the choice to either show it to them or not, didn't he. It's not like they held a gun to his head, is it?

Free will my good man, free will.

It was a question, not an opinion.

I'm not suprised you can't see the difference though considering your deep seated hatred for all things religion. Seems to me you have some pretty severe personal issues that you might want to explore before you snap one day.

I'd hate to hear about the loon employee that killed every one at the Ag Center simply because Betty Lou gave thanks for her mid morning snack.

Childish of you Aaron.

Just admit that you can't show me the line between a cult and a religion. You don't have to attack my personality to do that.

You do know that the romans considered christianity to be a cult at one time.

I will have you know just about every luncheon is started with a christian prayer and I have never said a word.

Aaron wrote:

SamCogar wrote:

Stephanie wrote:Aaron,

Where is the "free will" in being brainwashed into believing that if you don't give money, offer thanks, beg for forgiveness, and/or preach whatever religious text will land you in eternal flames with festering boils and endless torment of all sorts?

Well now, I was told by someone that after he got married and joined the biggest B Church in the county their son was asked to show them his "paycheck stub" to see if he was giving his 10%.

I've heard those stories as well Sam. And the son had the choice to either show it to them or not, didn't he. It's not like they held a gun to his head, is it?

Free will my good man, free will.

And that church could have kissed his ass.

I am all about giving 10% or better to God's church. The NT also says to give cheerfully and without compulsion. That sounds like compulsion to me.

What pisses me off is that a church acts unbiblically and the unbelieving world gets to then tell their tales of foolishness for years.

Aaron wrote:I've heard those stories as well Sam. And the son had the choice to either show it to them or not, didn't he. It's not like they held a gun to his head, is it?

Free will my good man, free will.

Well Aaron, that depends on what you are calling a "gun"?

In the case of "Bill shooting at Monica" .......... well ................

And the son, .... actually the husband, ... had the choice to either donate that CONFIRMED 10% ..... or be denied Membership in the Church that his wife was a long time Member of.

And Aaron, you can call that whatever the hell you want to call it.

You might consider "marital extortion" as one possibility.

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