Thanks and I am in total agreement. It seems some people are drawn to cults maybe as a way to not have to think and make decisions on difficult subjects. There is another series "Rotten." Just watched an episode in the 2nd season on water. It is an eye opener and the situation in Africa is unimaginable for us westerners. Think Flint was bad, not even.

@JackPedigo I tried watching Rotten but it was just too depressing. I have to take depressing and negative in small doses.

@LisaFultonave Boy do I understand. A year ago I would wake up in the middle of the night with cramps. Funny, but my brother sent me a Bill Bryson book for my birthday and I realized I needed to change my reading habits. Nothing depressing before bedtime. I also heard shows showing nature help one sleep. It does help and I need to chill more.

@JackPedigo I hear you! I no longer have a tv in the bedroom. And for your own personal chuckle, Sapiens is my current before-nodding-off read.

@LisaFultonave touche!

Absolutely, I agree organized sports often gain cultist status. I once had a friend tel me once you've attended a football game you are hooked. Sounds like being drugged.

It's the 2nd season first episode (21). The first season was very informative and worth watching and learning.

@JackPedigo Thanks, my son just sent me his code so I'll go check it out today. Maybe I can catch up if I watch it all day today....lol

@Redheadedgammy Don't do that. Your head might explode and we would hate to lose you.

@JackPedigo ok, I'll take it slow. Sounds as though it's pretty intense....

@Redheadedgammy Nothing seems to be as it seems and the show shows that.

I would think, definitely.

I can't help it, I always think, "Diuretics" by L. Ron Hubbard! I just love the irony.

Wouldn’t a cult be any group of people who hand over their mind to anything whether it be a deity or another human?

Yes I do think there is no difference, except having a share of power in the political establishment makes you a religion. In other words, if you can subvert democracy then you are a religion, if you can't then you are still a cult.

...though one of those Atheists, I’ve heard it recently described (in a clever way) that cults are proto-religions in which their ‘founder’ is still alive. ‘Established religions,’ are merely cults that persist after the death of their founder..

@Varn Oh, that does sound familiar. I think that was mentioned on the show. I wonder if that was the only defining characteristic.

@Flowerwall I’d actually read it ‘quoted’ around here I suspect any ‘true definition’ will remain up to debate. And as mentioned, as an Atheist ..I call all of em Cults; some tiny, some massive, but all at different stages of development or decay..

@Varn In this discussion they acknowledged the legitimate place of religion in society versus the toxic effects of cults. I tried searching up the exact discussion and was unable to find it, which was a disappointment. There is, however, a lot of stuff out there on this subject. One of the strange things I came across is that one of these really bad cults that ended in a worst case scenario is still out there operational. I would have never thought that would be possible. I would think law enforcement would have been involved.

@Flowerwall My suspicion regarding the definition of a cult is the fear of those ‘describing such a definition’ fearing their personal association being tarnished by such a link... Most being religious (or protecting those who are), definitions appear to create a differentiation between ‘religion & cults.’

I’ve listened to a multitude of descriptions and histories of ‘Cults’ on the parcast link (above). And yes, not all die with their founder! I’d say they remain ‘proto-religions,’ waiting to grow if conditions become right. Again, I see no significant difference between ‘established organized religious institutions’ and ‘cults’ ...beyond longevity and accumulated power ~

Christianity is indeed a death cult because they believe that you do not really start to live until after you die.