Curious About Cult-ure

[wendybeth]

Well, I'm a retired Catholic and live with a Mormon- Cults R Us, anyone? Still, I think mainstream American style Catholicism is pretty easygoing compared to Mormonism. They're young, though- give them time. Every religion tends to mature out of cultism and into obscurity. I give Islamicism another 700 years and .....poof! No more problems- everyone will be too tired and jaded to jihad.

[JWBear]

Shall we examine the Republican Party?

1) Internal Control: Very strong. Republican elected officials are made to toe the party line, even when it goes against the wishes of their constituencies.

2) External Control: They want power, and will do anything to win elections – even if they have to steal them.

3) Wisdom/Knowledge Claimed by leader(s): They have all the answers... even the wrong ones.

4) Wisdom/Knowledge Credited to leader(s) by members: To many, Bush is the second coming. He can do no wrong.

5) Dogma: Yes, except they call them “talking points”.

6) Recruiting: No, not really.

7) Front Groups: Halliburton, Blackwater, Enron, Saudi Arabia….

8) Wealth: Duh!

9) Sexual Manipulation of members by leader(s) of non-tantric groups: Got nothing here.

10) Sexual Favoritism: All top leaders are men, with the exception of Condi Rice… But there are rumors she may have gotten her position by being Bush’s mistress.

11) Censorship:

Spoiler:

You betcha!

12) Isolation: No.

13) Dropout Control: Not that I’m aware of.

14) Violence: Iraq, anyone?

15) Paranoia: 9/11! 9/11! 9/11!

16) Grimness: Would you want to party with any of them?

17) Surrender of Will: You will do as the Party says. The Party is Mother, the Party is Father….

18) Hypocrisy: Do I really need to answer this one?

[Chernabog]

I'm about |thisclose| to YAGEing off that board too. Oh wait, is that not what we were talking about?

[Morrigoon]

No. It's not.

JWBear: Interesting take, applying it to the GOP. I would actually say that on the topic of isolationism, there is some, though indirect. I would say there's some #9 as well... look at the fallout for Senator Craig as an example. "OMG, he's gay, he needs to step down!!! Aaaaaaahhh!" I'd call that exerting control.

However, we may be taking the interpretation of that point the wrong way in our comparisons. I think it's intended to imply that the "leader" (Bush?) be the beneficiary of manipulated behavior, or at least able to "bestow" those benefits to others in their favor (think David Koresh here, or that polygamist guy that just got put away for forcing young girls to marry)

[Nephythys]

*sigh* give me some time and I will come up with the democrat side of the equation-

Geesh-stupid forum.

Come on Goonie- they did not want Craig to step down for being gay- they wanted him to step down for breaking the law- there is a difference and I am shocked that you are blurring it- it's dishonest. Shame shame-

[Morrigoon]

Nephy: lots of politicians on boths sides of the equation break the law and get away with it. But anyway, why don't you do an analysis of Michael Moore as cult leader?

[Disneyphile]

Originally Posted by Chernabog

I'm about |thisclose| to YAGEing off that board too.

YAGE'ing takes up too much time and energy that is better spent with real friends. Be the better person and just walk away if/when you choose to leave.

Back on topic: I think all political parties could apply to this cult list. No matter what, groupthink always occurs amongst people who share similar beliefs.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Groupthink (I almost wrote gropethink) is very much associated with solidarity and feeling "we", togetherness. Some people feel you can't have friends or a group unless you're all clones of each other. Those are the people who fall into cults, religious groups, political groups, social groups - the particular group is irrelevant. The fact that they get to belong, and that someone else will tell them what to do, is what matters.

The mistake is thinking that since we agree on one subject, that we must agree on all subjects. What fun would that be? But difference makes some people nervous, and they work to stamp out any variation in their world.

[Disneyphile]

Originally Posted by alphabassettgrrl

(I almost wrote gropethink)

Now, that's a thought I'd happily adhere to!

But difference makes some people nervous, and they work to stamp out any variation in their world.

I think that's more dangerous than internal cult activities. That's the main reason there's war. A group that chooses to drink Koolaid doesn't harm anyone but themselves. It's when they try to enforce those beliefs outside that it creates problems.

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Nephy: lots of politicians on boths sides of the equation break the law and get away with it. But anyway, why don't you do an analysis of Michael Moore as cult leader?

No thanks- not worth starting a discussion that will get moved to a forum I can't see.

Originally Posted by Disneyphile

Back on topic: I think all political parties could apply to this cult list. No matter what, groupthink always occurs amongst people who share similar beliefs.

True 'dat.