Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

13. That's a definition that could be applied equally to religion, but

Tue Mar 31, 2015, 08:04 PM

Mar 2015

when people use the word cult, they often mean it quite differently than what you are offering.

When you say religion is a cult is a religion, do you mean that they are interchangeable terms, or is there some kind of distinction?

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So what exactly is Religion? [View all] LostOne4Ever Mar 2015 OP

To me Buddhism is not a religion. upaloopa Mar 2015 #1

First, I think religion involves a communal experience. Htom Sirveaux Mar 2015 #2

I think your first and third points bvf Mar 2015 #6

Sure, they could show up under religion, and under the terms you named. Htom Sirveaux Mar 2015 #9

Shared experience and ritual retelling bvf Mar 2015 #10

Covered that under "addressing the nature of reality and our response to it". Htom Sirveaux Mar 2015 #14

I'd be hard-pressed to find an atheist who believes in ghosts. bvf Mar 2015 #15

Just wanted to thank for you your answer. LostOne4Ever Apr 2015 #45

That might, however, include conviction politics muriel_volestrangler Apr 2015 #47

1. must be at least 90% total bullshit. Warren Stupidity Mar 2015 #3

Religion is belief in the supernatural. bvf Mar 2015 #4

"I think that all organized religions are cults and vice versa" cbayer Mar 2015 #5

The first definition here: LostOne4Ever Mar 2015 #11

That's a definition that could be applied equally to religion, but cbayer Mar 2015 #13

From the way it is used where I live it's meaning is completely subjective and biased LostOne4Ever Mar 2015 #22

Well, since you understand that the term can and is used in a negative way, cbayer Apr 2015 #34

Generally I do, but the rest of the world does not LostOne4Ever Apr 2015 #37

Like I said, it depends on the definition, but I understand why you want to hold that position. cbayer Apr 2015 #42

To me, religions are all efforts at controlling other people. AtheistCrusader Mar 2015 #7

Thanks! Going with an Athena theme :) (nt) LostOne4Ever Mar 2015 #12

It's, like, this stuff, comes in a can mindwalker_i Mar 2015 #8

Wal-Mart's having a big sale this week. n/t. bvf Mar 2015 #16

Can-o-God, 30% off mindwalker_i Mar 2015 #17

or damned ravioli: muriel_volestrangler Apr 2015 #48

Wow, that's cool! mindwalker_i Apr 2015 #50

To me religions and cults are not mutually exclusive. Promethean Mar 2015 #18

a scheme concocted by a group to obtain power and $$, using fear as a weapon nt msongs Mar 2015 #19

Sort of like capitalism. cbayer Mar 2015 #21

Ooh, ooh, can I play 'deflection bingo' too? AtheistCrusader Apr 2015 #27

If you truly want to understand religion TM99 Mar 2015 #20

Interesting article forsaken mortal Mar 2015 #25

Newer scholarship is focused more on TM99 Apr 2015 #31

The purpose of the links was not to give a definitive definition LostOne4Ever Mar 2015 #26

Wikipedia or any encyclopedia TM99 Apr 2015 #30

"narcissistic inflated individuals who act as if they have 'god-like' attributes" AtheistCrusader Apr 2015 #35

You're equivocating. Act_of_Reparation Apr 2015 #36

However, this is not a research paper LostOne4Ever Apr 2015 #38

Here is the problem I repeatedly have with you. TM99 Apr 2015 #39

The problem you have with me LostOne4Ever Apr 2015 #40

Both MLK and Gandhi were assassinated. stone space Apr 2015 #41

So now I get the gish gallop. TM99 Apr 2015 #43

Welcome to ignore then LostOne4Ever Apr 2015 #44

Three things. okasha Apr 2015 #67

Thanks, but we all know religion entirely too well. AtheistCrusader Apr 2015 #28

Religion or Dangerous Cult? stone space Mar 2015 #23

I'm going with Dangerous Cult on this one. stone space Mar 2015 #24

Ah, another deflection Bingo contestant. AtheistCrusader Apr 2015 #29

You might even be justified skepticscott Apr 2015 #32

There is some contention between sociologists Act_of_Reparation Apr 2015 #33

Statues made of matchsticks, crumbling into one another. greendog Apr 2015 #46

The difference between a cult and a religion: Gore1FL Apr 2015 #49

Religion: The use of fear and superstition to maintain power and extract money Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #51

Bless your heart! cbayer Apr 2015 #53

Most "actual" cons never get reported to the police. Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #58

There are cons everywhere and religion is one area that is ripe for cons. cbayer Apr 2015 #59

Who are you being conned by? Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #60

.... okasha Apr 2015 #61

I'm a dupe and sheeple! I've never been so humiliated�. cbayer Apr 2015 #63

I have no religion and give no money to any religion or its institutions. cbayer Apr 2015 #62

Granted. It's none of my business. Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #64

What do you imagine my business to be, binkie? cbayer Apr 2015 #65

"Sit in judgement"? Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #66

Just to be clear, it is this post that I objected to: cbayer Apr 2015 #68

A religion is supernatural answers to life's big, philosophical questions. ZombieHorde Apr 2015 #52

I think the cult/religion division can also be about how long something has been around. cbayer Apr 2015 #54

The main difference, I think, is money and power. It's a cult until it has enough of both tblue37 Apr 2015 #55

I see it as a communal belief in the supernatural. bravenak Apr 2015 #56

Religion is a community who share a point of view that includes the existence of god or gods. pinto Apr 2015 #57