Why aren't cults and spiritual books taken seriously?

[Kelfuma]

Why is that? We need answers not more questions, and I think these "spiritual" groups have a lot to contribute to science if we were only more open minded about this.

Of course, we should not blindly follow whatever comes out but it's worth considering.

 

[shrubnose]

Why is that? We need answers not more questions, and I think these "spiritual" groups have a lot to contribute to science if we were only more open minded about this.

Of course, we should not blindly follow whatever comes out but

it's worth considering.

I, along with most people, have considered this and rejected it.

But don't let that stop you from joining a cult and giving them all of your cash.

:lol:

 

[Kelfuma]

I, along with most people, have considered this and rejected it.

But don't let that stop you from joining a cult and giving them all of your cash.

:lol:

I actually left a cult 2 months ago that I had been following for most of my life. My family still follow it -.-

BUT you are somewhat right about the cash thing

 

[ludin]

I actually left a cult 2 months ago that I had been following for most of my life. My family still follow it -.-

BUT you are somewhat right about the cash thing

that is exactly why they are not taken seriously.
most cults are nothing more than cash grabs or abusive organizations that
take advantage of it's members.

 

[Kelfuma]

that is exactly why they are not taken seriously.
most cults are nothing more than cash grabs or abusive organizations that
take advantage of it's members.

This particular cult doesn't take money although you're encouraged to donate. She's the "leader" even though she thinks her own cult is problematic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ching_Hai

 

[clownboy]

Why is that? We need answers not more questions, and I think these "spiritual" groups have a lot to contribute to science if we were only more open minded about this.

Of course, we should not blindly follow whatever comes out but it's worth considering.

Cults and science are not terms that go together, unless you're talking global warming advocacy. :lamo

 

[Kelfuma]

Cults and science are not terms that go together, unless you're talking global warming advocacy. :lamo

That's not helping anyone then, both seem to be close minded to me.

 

[MisterLogical]

Why is that? We need answers not more questions, and I think these "spiritual" groups have a lot to contribute to science if we were only more open minded about this.

Of course, we should not blindly follow whatever comes out but it's worth considering.

All religions are cults. The difference between a cult and a religion is actually the size. When the group is too small we tend to call it a cult and generally this word has a negative connotation. Religion however does not have a negative connotation in every case.

Difference Between Cult and Religion | Difference Between | Cult vs Religion

 

[clownboy]

That's not helping anyone then, both seem to be close minded to me.

Oh my. Where to begin? Science and the scientific method follows some very strict procedures to ensure the data is accurate and isn't influenced by the observer. Spirituality is all about the observer making largely uneducated guesses about their environment based upon their feelings. Oil and water.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

Why is that? We need answers not more questions, and I think these "spiritual" groups have a lot to contribute to science if we were only more open minded about this.

Of course, we should not blindly follow whatever comes out but it's worth considering.

A lot to contribute to science - like what?

 

[Kelfuma]

A lot to contribute to science - like what?

Like this awesome book:

Urantia Book | Urantia Foundation | Custodian and Publisher of The Urantia Book since 1955

 

[Manny]

You can find both truth and lies in many places in this world. Sometimes wrapped up together. Some groups might even use truths to cover their lies, to make them attractive.

It's like the irony of the times we live in, this age of information. We have more information at our fingertips than ever before. We know about things that happen anywhere in the world, instantly. Yet by the sheer volume of information, it becomes increasingly difficult to find what you are looking for, and to figure out what is actually truth, and what is lies. We really know less and less.

 

[fmw]

"Why aren't cults and spiritual books taken seriously?"

Faith and influence. You didn't for me to tell you that, did you?

 

[Aunt Spiker]

Like this awesome book:

Urantia Book | Urantia Foundation | Custodian and Publisher of The Urantia Book since 1955

Well - you see - books purportedly written by aliens and mysteriously 'given' to a human couple really don't tend to scream of new knowledge.

Knowledge, in the scientific arena, must be verifiable or arrived at logically. And when you have a book with flowery statements and sentiments then, well, you have a book with flowery statements and sentiments.

Truths are inherent regardless of who supposedly wrote them and in what form - or for what purpose. When a holy book holds the 'only knowledge' then it's just on its own and taken seriously by people who ply to it.

 

[nota bene]

You can find both truth and lies in many places in this world. Sometimes wrapped up together. Some groups might even use truths to cover their lies, to make them attractive.

It's like the irony of the times we live in, this age of information. We have more information at our fingertips than ever before. We know about things that happen anywhere in the world, instantly. Yet by the sheer volume of information, it becomes increasingly difficult to find what you are looking for, and to figure out what is actually truth, and what is lies. We really know less and less.

Because of the sheer volume of info, we're not able to "know" as much. But I've heard more than one kid ask, "Why do I need to actually learn anything when there's Google?"

So there's that.

 

[Gardener]

Cults, by nature, tend to micromanage a person's life down to the iota, allow for no freedom of thought and are easy to join but difficult to abandon, so I would say the answers to your questions lie in the way they operate.

As for being taken seriously, I would say the biggest cult that represents all these objectionable qualities is being taken VERY seriously these days.

 

[Manny]

Because of the sheer volume of info, we're not able to "know" as much. But I've heard more than one kid ask, "Why do I need to actually learn anything when there's Google?"

So there's that.

Google is the modern day Oracle. If you have a question, peer into the Crystal screen and ask.

 

[Paleocon]

Why is that? We need answers not more questions, and I think these "spiritual" groups have a lot to contribute to science if we were only more open minded about this.

Of course, we should not blindly follow whatever comes out but it's worth considering.

Because they're not serious.

 

[Ancient Herald]

Because they can not be proven, they can only be believed.

And most rational people will base their conclusions on what can be proven.

And, one of the biggest weaknesses of the American people is that there are lots of them that go only by how things seem, how things look, how things feel.

And if they can't see it then it can't be true and must be unilaterally dismissed as false.

IMO.

 

[nota bene]

Like this awesome book:

Urantia Book | Urantia Foundation | Custodian and Publisher of The Urantia Book since 1955

I read the Wiki entry yesterday and think the Thought Adjuster sounds very much like the Holy Spirit. Also that this Urantia stuff is just reworked Seth (as in Seth Speaks).

 

[nota bene]

Because they can not be proven, they can only be believed.

And most rational people will base their conclusions on what can be proven.

And, one of the biggest weaknesses of the American people is that there are lots of them that go only by how things seem, how things look, how things feel.

And if they can't see it then it can't be true and must be unilaterally dismissed as false.

IMO.

This weakness is exclusively American?

 

[Ikari]

that is exactly why they are not taken seriously.
most cults are nothing more than cash grabs or abusive organizations that
take advantage of it's members.

Doesn't that describe Scientology? And they're considered a religion.

 

[betuadollar]

Oh my. Where to begin? Science and the scientific method follows some very strict procedures to ensure the data is accurate and isn't influenced by the observer. Spirituality is all about the observer making largely uneducated guesses about their environment based upon their feelings. Oil and water.

Yea. That's why Darwinian evolutionists are still promoting biblical "tree of life" theory right? Did it ever occur to anyone that there may have been multiple trees that sprung from that mud puddle? Hell no, it never occurred to anyone. And that's precisely why we're still racing atoms around the track right? Because we no longer believe there's this intelligent "thing" out there, destined to out survive us, that's holding all this stuff and anti-stuff together. No, we don't believe that. We believe in "science." And thank God for that.

All science begins with natural philosophy, where is yours?

 

[RAMOSS]

Yea. That's why Darwinian evolutionists are still promoting biblical "tree of life" theory right? Did it ever occur to anyone that there may have been multiple trees that sprung from that mud puddle? Hell no, it never occurred to anyone. And that's precisely why we're still racing atoms around the track right? Because we no longer believe there's this intelligent "thing" out there, destined to out survive us, that's holding all this stuff and anti-stuff together. No, we don't believe that. We believe in "science." And thank God for that.

All science begins with natural philosophy, where is yours?

Actually, that had been considered. However, the dna and chromosome evidence does not point to this. However, when it comes to the Prokaryotic cells, there is a lot of lateral gene transfer (also known as 'horizontal gene transfer). This would have pretty much wiped out any evidence of life starting multiple times, since those genes that were most successful at lateral transfer became a common basis of all current life. It wasn't until Eukaryotas and multi cellular organisms evolved that horizontal gene transfer was no longer a factor.

Due to the intermixing of the genes, any 'roots' beyond the 'ball of mass' that is the early single celled life without a nucleus can not be traced

 

[Ancient Herald]

This weakness is exclusively American?

I'm not sure. I don't have a solid answer for that question.

But I don't think so.