okay dudes, so how come chritians say that christianity didnt start out or is not a cult?? The newbury house dictionary says a cult is 1. a religious group considered extream or false , 2. extreame devotion to a person or idea. So can someone please explian this to me??!! Not trying to be an ass or anything, just wondering.

I believe I've heard that it started out as a Jewish "sect".

Yeah, sure christianity was a cult. Now, are cults bad? If it's a true cult, so what? Besides define extreme. Devoted, loyal?

Yeah, christianity was kind of like a jewish sect, but the religions stayed seperate

quote:Originally posted by Zman:



Yeah, christianity was kind of like a jewish sect, but the religions stayed seperate

I don't know about that, I thought in the beginning, in order to be a Christian, you had to join the Jewish religion, first. I might be wrong about that.

quote:Originally posted by melvin:

The newbury house dictionary says a cult is 1. a religious group considered extream or false , 2. extreame devotion to a person or idea.

I'm amazed you looked that up in a dictionary and came out with two spellings of extreme, both wrong.

Christianity is a religion of fear and denial.

Does that clear anything up for you?

quote:Originally posted by ArmsMerchant:

Christianity is a religion of fear and denial.

Does that clear anything up for you?



You let out the most important part http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

Their also oppressive and have commited many a murder for their "God" http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif)



[This message has been edited by Gyhth (edited 07-25-2004).]

quote:Originally posted by Social Junker:

I don't know about that, I thought in the beginning, in order to be a Christian, you had to join the Jewish religion, first. I might be wrong about that.

I've gone to catholic school for most of my life, and yeah, I think that's wrong. However, the first Christains were Jewish.

I hate oppresive catholics.

*laughs*

It is amazing how ignorant people are, and yet they continue to maintain that THEY are the leading authority on any given subject.

Christians didn't murder...CATHOLICS did.

And I like how you only submit the portions of the "definition" that correspond with your opinions.

The ENTIRE definition reads like this:



1. a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.



b.The followers of such a religion or sect.

2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.

3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.

4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.

5. a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.

b. The object of such devotion.

7. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

"Everyone is convinced of the reality of a better self, and of the cult or homage which is due to it." -- Shaftesbury.

A system of beliefs and rituals based on dogma or religious teachings and characterised by devoted adherents who display a readiness to obey, an unrealistic idealization of the leader, an abandonment of personal ambition and goals, and an eschewing of traditional societal values. http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?query=cult&action=Search+OMD

Entry: cult

Function: noun

Definition: believers

Synonyms: band, body, church, clan, clique, creed, denomination, faction, faith, following, party, persuasion, religion, school, sect

Concept: religious entity

Source: Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.0.5)

Copyright © 2004 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved. http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=cult

"Ritual observances involved in worship of, or communication with, the supernatural or its symbolic representations. A cult includes the totality of ideas, activities, and practices associated with a given divinity or social group. It includes not only ritual activities but also the beliefs and myths centering on the rites. The objects of the cult are often things associated with the daily life of the celebrants. The English scholar Jane Harrison pointed out the importance of the cult in the development of religion. Sacred persons may have their own cults. The cult may be associated with a single person, place, or object or may have much broader associations. There may be officials entrusted with the rites, or anyone who belongs may be allowed to take part in them. The term cult is now often used to refer to contemporary religious groups whose beliefs and practices depart from the conventional norms of society. These groups vary widely in doctrine, leadership, and ritual, but most stress direct experience of the divine and duties to the cult community. Such cults tend to proliferate during periods of social unrest; most are transient and peripheral..." http://www.encyclopedia.com/printable.asp?url=/ssi/c1/cult.html

So, obviously by these definitions, this would include EVERYONE, not just Christians. (Ever heard of a 'cult classic' in regards to music ? Or what about a 'cult following' of a band ?) I don't feel that we (real Christians; not fanatics that run around barking like dogs, screaming at people on street corners, and pretending to be filled with the Holy Spirit, enabling themselves to speak in 'tongues'.) honestly exemplify the characteristics required in order to be labeled a 'cult'.

We do display SOME characteristics, but it goes without saying that this applies to every facet of our lives (Christian or not). If you MUST watch FRIENDS everynight, or you will "die", then you are exhibiting cult-ish tendancies.

So, what's your point again ?

Why is it that CHRISTIANS are always under attack ? Do you ever ask yourself why you hate US so much, and not..oh, let's say MUSLIMS ? They murder in the name of their 'god', but I don't see anyone here on Totse screaming about it.

What about Nazi's ? Modern day Arian's kill with fervor...what about them ? Shouldn't this be considered cult-ish ?

------------------------------------------

Your definition of a cult would also apply to all religion. So, moot.

^^ So quick to draw a line between Catholics and Protestants. Protestants weren't responsible for the Crusades, but they sure hanged themselves a lot of "witches" in this country.

As for the definition of "cult," who determines what unconventional means? I'd consider a bunch of people who believe in an invisible man who is everywhere simultaneousy to be pretty unconventional. Or backwards.

Personally, I don't bitch about Muslims because they don't represent a religion squeezing the life outof America by indoctrination of anyone with an ear still on their head. Sure, fundamentalist muslims suck, but I don't see them picketing public buildings because they want prayer in school or think they might be using sacreligious books.

Aryans tend to be more in the political vein, but it does stretch all the way to religious fervor, I admit. I've never met one, personally.

And why don't I bitch about Jews? Not one jewish person I ever met has been anything but nice, and they sure has hell haven't COME TO MY HOME to tell me about the "Torah."

I don't hate christians, I just think they're blinded by faith.

I'll start Leaving christiansalone when they start leaving EVERYONE ELSE THE HELL ALONE.

I'm inclined to dislike any group that comes to my home, be they christians, Jehovah's witnesses, Mormons, Joe-Pesci-ites, or LaRouchies. Don't ever come to my home uninvited.

quote:Originally posted by Gyhth:





Their also oppressive and have commited many a murder for their "God" http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif)

[This message has been edited by Gyhth (edited 07-25-2004).]



So have most other major religions.

quote:Originally posted by Social Junker:

I believe I've heard that it started out as a Jewish "sect".

Called Messianic Judaism.

Cheers,

Lost

quote:Originally posted by Digital_Savior:



Christians didn't murder...CATHOLICS did.



Catholics are Christians. And all the Christians for the first say 1500 years were Catholic

quote:Originally posted by Social Junker:

I don't know about that, I thought in the beginning, in order to be a Christian, you had to join the Jewish religion, first. I might be wrong about that.

yup, it's true. ok so this is how it worked.....

the VERY FIRST CHRISTIANS as in from jesus's disciples to about 100 years after his death, were followers of "the way" (rough translation from hebrew). it was a sect of judaism, you did both, you went to temple on the sabbath, you followed every jewish law and custom, it was like being a jew except your messiah came, actually that's exactly what it was. JESUS WAS A JEW, THE 12 DISCIPLES WERE JEWS, it wasn't seperate; that is something that christians who don't wanna acknowledge their judeo roots say.

further from that,ok so i can't remember the exact people, but one of the disciple believed taht you had to be a jew from birth to follow "the way", another thought you had to become a jew then you could follow "the way", lastly i think it was peter said that anyone could follow "the way", the first two said this becuase like i said, "the way" was just the idea that the messiah had come tacked onto judaism, and most original followers were jews to begin with so it didn't really matter. however as "the way" spread it was necessary to open it to everyone, because you would have lost a huge amount of would-be-believers if you made them become jews first.

bottom line, original christians were jews, they did everything jews did, because they were jewish, read the tanak, celebrated the holidays, followed kosher laws, everything.