General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: There is a serious anti-Christian vibe around here [View all]TheBlackAdder
(29,981 posts).
Groups or organizations that use the power of religion to amass power and wealth at the expense of the emotional enslavement of their members by the use of cultish tactics such as deception, manipulation, punishment, shunning, isolation. They are the ones questioned.
The belief that there is some type of Christian persecution is not at play, but requires introspection on those who hold that belief. It seems that any time there is a challenge to a religion, a certain subset will claim they are being persecuted. This is the same we are seeing in the Muslim community--being painted with a broad and aggressive brush.
As someone who was raised in a Methodist & Presbyterian family, I benefitted from the strength of its majority community. Yet, many in the church took offense to the slightest affront, whether real or imagined. Persecution runs deep in Christianity, it is a major tool used to create a bonding--sharing a common plight. Most every religion uses various forms of commonality to retain members, even if it is against their desires, the control and influence of early indoctrination affects the psyche.
As one gets older and opens themselves to critical thinking, something that shunned from many sects, their objectivity increases. Destructive cults and sects operate by keeping people ignorant, oppressed, fearful, etc.. Many times, they do not want family or outsiders to make contact with their members for fear of having their frauds exposed. It are these sects that one must be afraid of. If the messaging is solid, no amount of dissuasion will change a person. It's when the messaging is fraudulent, that's when other means are needed to retain membership. With these groups, it's just power and money, with religion as the tool to deliver it.
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