A YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2w3o1E_nAs
Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
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Cootie Brown
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Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
Well, this is a powerful YouTube presentation indeed, though, it seems perhaps a leap (even for me) to hold them out to be a cult...but it's perhaps debatable!!....and they're all so different, it's plausible to conceive of some truly being cultic....here is an analytical list from ICSA (h**p://www.icsahome.com/articles/characteristics)...and some of these might be identifiable by people here from their own experience:
1. The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
2. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
3. Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
4. The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
5. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
6. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
7. The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
8. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members’ participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before they joined the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
9. The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
10. Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and to radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before they joined the group.
11. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
12. The group is preoccupied with making money.
13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
15. The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.
1. The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
2. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
3. Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
4. The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
5. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
6. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
7. The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
8. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members’ participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before they joined the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
9. The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
10. Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and to radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before they joined the group.
11. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
12. The group is preoccupied with making money.
13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
15. The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.
Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
Whatever we might thing about cofc, it generally doesn't meet all of the criteria for being a religious cult...unless it's ICOC, something comparable to that. It can come close, though.
Here's my read on the above, with disclaimer: This applies only to my experience. Individual cofcs could possibly develop into cults, but I haven't seen it.
1. The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law. ??? Not usually a living preacher type though. Jesus / Apostle Paul? The Bible? The COFC interpretation of the Bible?
2. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished. Hmm.....a qualified "yes" on this.
3. Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s). Does not meet.
4. The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth). Does not meet.
5. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity). A qualified "MEETS" for this one....."one true church".....
6. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society. MEETS
7. The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations). A qualified "does not meet"....there can be an authoritarian elder.
8. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members’ participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before they joined the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities). DOES NOT MEET
9. The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion. MEETS
10. Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and to radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before they joined the group. Does not meet
11. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members. Does not meet
12. The group is preoccupied with making money. Does not meet
13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities. A qualified "meets".....three times weekly services REQUIRED.
14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members. Perhaps, subtly.
15. The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group. MEETS
Here's my read on the above, with disclaimer: This applies only to my experience. Individual cofcs could possibly develop into cults, but I haven't seen it.
1. The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law. ??? Not usually a living preacher type though. Jesus / Apostle Paul? The Bible? The COFC interpretation of the Bible?
2. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished. Hmm.....a qualified "yes" on this.
3. Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s). Does not meet.
4. The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth). Does not meet.
5. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity). A qualified "MEETS" for this one....."one true church".....
6. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society. MEETS
7. The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations). A qualified "does not meet"....there can be an authoritarian elder.
8. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members’ participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before they joined the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities). DOES NOT MEET
9. The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion. MEETS
10. Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and to radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before they joined the group. Does not meet
11. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members. Does not meet
12. The group is preoccupied with making money. Does not meet
13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities. A qualified "meets".....three times weekly services REQUIRED.
14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members. Perhaps, subtly.
15. The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group. MEETS
~Stone Cold Ivyrose Austin~
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Cootie Brown
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:34 pm
- Location: TN
Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
I am attempting to be as honest and unbiased as I can when I looked at the 15 posted traits of a cult. The best scenario I can give the c of C is that they exhibit 11 of the 15 traits at best and I think I could make a case for 12 of the 15. And I'm looking at what I would call the most hard core and conservative versions of the c of C.
Even the more liberal versions of the c of C I think would still exhibit about half of the listed traits. I am not including the ICOC in this.
I think other fundamentalists groups, such as Pentecostals & Charismatics and even some of the more extreme Baptists groups, might score pretty high on this list of traits too.
Even the more liberal versions of the c of C I think would still exhibit about half of the listed traits. I am not including the ICOC in this.
I think other fundamentalists groups, such as Pentecostals & Charismatics and even some of the more extreme Baptists groups, might score pretty high on this list of traits too.
Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
Coc's don't even do 'cult' well. They are cult-ISH. Lack of organization and poor follow-through.
History is the fiction we invent to persuade ourselves that events are knowable and that life has order and direction. That's why events are always reinterpreted when values change. We need new versions of history to allow for our current prejudices.
Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
I once entertained writing a novel where the Church of Christ was the state church in some post apocalyptic rump nation. The problem with the idea is that I could not come up with a credible way Church of Christ members could "take over" a small country. There just isn't enough of them to matter.
The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it.----Karl Marx
Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
Wooooohhhh!.....B.H. wrote:I once entertained writing a novel where the Church of Christ was the state church in some post apocalyptic rump nation. The problem with the idea is that I could not come up with a credible way Church of Christ members could "take over" a small country. There just isn't enough of them to matter.
Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
I drew up a rough draft and I was going to have a civil war break out between the people opposed to Sunday School versus those who had it, with lots of executions for "false doctrine". In the end I was going to have the people in Church of Christ Land so fed up with themselves they welcome a liberating army of Catholics sent by the pope to put an end to the bloodshed.
Last edited by B.H. on Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it.----Karl Marx
Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
You're a hoot, B.H....B.H. wrote:I drew up a rough draft and I was going to have a civil war break out between the people opposed to Sunday School versus those who had it, with lots of executions for "false doctrine". In the end I was going to have the people in Church of Christ Land so fed up with themselves they welcome a liberating army of Catholics sent by the pope to put an end to the bloodshed.
....maybe you've been playing too many video games??-
Tsathoggua
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Re: Is the Church of Christ a religious cult?
Wow! That's awesome and scary at the same time.B.H. wrote:I drew up a rough draft and I was going to have a civil war break out between the people opposed to Sunday School versus those who had it, with lots of executions for "false doctrine". In the end I was going to have the people in Church of Christ Land so fed up with themselves they welcome a liberating army of Catholics sent by the pope to put an end to the bloodshed.