--- In [email protected], Peter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- authfriend <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- In [email protected], "shempmcgurk" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Does the TMO fall under the parameters of the > > following definition > > > of a cult? > > > > Sounds a lot like the Army. > > > > There's a tendency to look at these lists of > > "cultic elements" only one way. You also have > > to ask whether the same elements are found in > > groups nobody would consider cults. > > Absolutely. Whenever humans form groups that have any > sort of dogma/mythology to facilitate the organization > of behavior through "official" meaning, you will have > cultish behavior. It's present in all organizations. > Some are legitimized and some are marginalized. The > marginalized ones are the ones we call cults.
Very well put (although in at least some cases the ones that get marginalized are partly or wholly responsible for their own marginalization). Another aspect is having a "messianic" dogma/mythology, which tends to exacerbate some of the other tendencies "Messianic" here meaning We-can-save-the-world, not necessarily preaching a Messiah per se; some of the Bush dogma about spreading democracy comes damn close to being messianic in that sense. Come to think of it, the mythos of the United States itself is quasi-messianic... Fortunately one of its messianic principles is freedom to dissent (if we don't let it slip away). But U.S.-ians can be awfully cultish at times. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/JjtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
