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by Tansin A. Darcos (TDARCOS) 10/05/2012, 11:04am PDT |
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L. Sprague De Camp, who created Conan the Barbarian, gave a pretty good definition of the difference between a cult and a religion.
"A religion is a cult that's been around long enough to have members born into it."
When your cult church has members that got married - or had kids, whether or not married - and those kids grow up as part of that cult, then you qualify as a religion.
Basically, you have to be old, and most people consider any church less than probably 50 to 100 years old is still a cult. Also, if you tend to operate hit squads to attack your opponents and you don't have government support, it reenforces the "cult" designation. The Catholic Church got rid of the Knights Templar back in the 12th Century; the order went down on a Friday the 13th, thus the superstition. The Catholic Church was intricately intertwined with governments back then, so it was a religion. Had it done this without government support, it would have been a cult and might still be considered one. (On a general basis, some people consider the Church of Rome to still be a cult.)
The Mormons are more than 100 years old; the Catholic Church goes back hundreds of years. The Lutheran Church got started in the 14th century after Martin Luther was fired ("excommunicated") from the Catholic Church and started his own. The church I grew up in, the Methodists, are a branch of the Church of England (which Henry the 8th started when the Pope wouldn't grant him a divorce, so he left the Catholic church, founded the Church of England, then as the chief priest, granted himself a divorce) so their history also goes back hundreds of years.
So that's why "young" religions are still cults: Scientology, Jehovah's Witnesses, Church of Satan, etc., are too young to be considered a religion. Also, as far as Scientology is concerned, everyone running the place is a direct associate of the founder and I believe knew Hubbard personally. If it lasts long enough to have executives that did not know Hubbard and the only knowledge they have of him is his writings, third-party comments and any videos he might have left, e.g. the historical record, then it might qualify as a religion. It's too young so it's still considered a cult.
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WHERE THE FUCK IS RYAN PAUL by Ice Cream Jonsey 10/03/2012, 4:22pm PDT
Mitt is fine so far NT by Ryan Paul 10/03/2012, 6:10pm PDT
Why is Scientology a cult and Mormonism a legit religion? by Mischief Mephistopheles 10/03/2012, 7:59pm PDT
Just like a language is a dialect with an army, a religion is a cult with secula NT by r political power. 10/03/2012, 9:11pm PDT
Re: Why is Scientology a cult and Mormonism a legit religion? by Ryan Paul 10/03/2012, 9:54pm PDT
Shall I start in on Ayn Rand and Objectivism, then? by Mischief Maker 10/04/2012, 9:03am PDT
Re: Shall I start in on Ayn Rand and Objectivism, then? by Ryan Paul 10/04/2012, 9:41am PDT
I used to think anime girl figurines were a waste of money, now I buy them. NT by Worm 10/04/2012, 10:27am PDT
His dick grew three sizes that day NT by Entropy Stew 10/04/2012, 1:14pm PDT
Re: Shall I start in on Ayn Rand and Objectivism, then? by Mischief Maker 10/04/2012, 7:50pm PDT
Re: Shall I start in on Ayn Rand and Objectivism, then? by Ryan Paul 10/06/2012, 6:32pm PDT
Re: Shall I start in on Ayn Rand and Objectivism, then? by Mischief Maker 10/06/2012, 9:58pm PDT
Mischief Maker Makes More Mischief NT by GOOGLE RYAN PAUL 10/07/2012, 10:31am PDT
Paul Ryan certainly is a tool! NT by Wayne Campbell 10/04/2012, 9:59am PDT
Re: Why is Scientology a cult and Mormonism a legit religion? by Tansin A. Darcos (TDARCOS) 10/05/2012, 11:04am PDT
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