Religious cults exploiting lonely adolescents and young adults is nothing new. Apocalyptic cults like the Branch Devidians and the Order of the Solar Temple, Christian-based cults like the Peoples’ Temple, and Buddhist-based cults like Aum Shinrikyo Sarin and Bhaghwan Shree Ragneesh all take an accepted religion as a base to make their preachings familiar and safe-sounding. Then they use mind control techniques, including isolation, “lovebombing”, brainwashing and other coercive techniques to suck these people deep down inside a system from which deviation is punished.
I suppose if a religious cult hangs around long enough, and becomes wealthy enough, it moves to the status of a “real religion”, like the Unification Church and the Church of Scientology are doing - or at least trying to do.
When the members of a cult commit violence against themselves, like the Church of the Solar Temple and the Peoples’ Temple members did, we are horrified but ultimately don’t care. However, when the cult uses violence against others to bring about its vision of a new world, as Aum Shinrikyo did in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, they are very quickly attacked and usually put down via legal means.
Muslim-based cults sem to be on the increase, and they produce the most violent of these terrorists. In some cases, it’s obvious that these are “terror cults”.
But this isn’t the first time that a major Western nation has been at literal war with a murderous group of religious fanatics in the East. The British Empire did just the same thing when it fought against the Hindu cult of the Thuggees in the 19th Century. These fellows were ritualistic criminal murderers who traveled in gangs, throttling people as a blood sacrifice to the Goddess Kali.
The British took a highly specialized military approach over the century,eventually eliminating the cult. If you want more information about how they did it, you mcould start here:
http://www.rantrave.com/Rant/Indias-Thuggees-and-Islamofascism-Today.aspx
Thinking in terms of these criminal-religious mosques as “terror cults” gives a lot better understanding of how they work. They are related to Islam in general the same way that Christian Apocalyptic cults are related to Christianity. You can read about the FBI’s “Project Megiddo” to get more knowledge of violent Christian-based cults located in the US.
http://atheism.about.com/library/legal/megiddo/bl_meg_contents.htm
Whoa. Wait a minute. The People’s Temple was not Christian, any more than Jeremiah Wright’s black liberation “church” is Christian. The People’s Temple was Marxist to the core.
Yes, but reading the NYT story makes me wonder where were the deep pockets financing his escapades.
He floated around several different countries, and when apparently no place for any home, where cash would be his main resource to find a living and home, he goes out and purchases $2500 plane fares without passport or luggage or change of clothes.
Methinks follow the money.
Oh, the Thuggees—I just watched Gunga Din the other evening! These Islamic fanatics remind me of the Thuggees!
You make an excellent and well thought out case regarding cults based on respected religions. You have obviously done a lot of careful research.
I might add this caveat however.
In the cases of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other otherwise peaceful religions, the “Death Cults” are a distinct aberration that are repudiated by their “mother” faiths. As witnessed by the posts in this thread by sincere Christians disavowing the People’s Temple, for example, anyone who knows Christian doctrine or the Bible instantly recognizes that Jim Jones USED Christian rhetoric to deceive people.
Islam is the notable exception to this generality. The entire history of Western Civilization, from the conquests of North Africa and Spain to the Gates of Vienna, from the Shores of Tripoli to the World Trade Center, From the Golan heights to Ft Hood, the History is one of usurpation and violence. “Moderate” Muslims who stand against the murderous extremists are so rare that they become towering news items, like this Nigerian’s father.
The knee-jerk reaction from Islamic Organizations whenever there is a Terrorist event is to instantly whine about a “Possible Backlash Against Muslims”. Instead, they should be working hand-in-hand with law enforcement, turning in any known terrorist in their midst.
Bet on it. The whole liberal cult would turn on a dime - and that phony baloney "respect" for religious differences woould be thrown out the window.
Tell me you know that. Tell me you understand democrats are acting like cult members...
The Branch Davidians were a PEACEABLE people who believed in their right to self defense. They were a threat to NO ONE and do NOT deserve to be included in a list of cults which include the Islamists and the Jim Jonesers. They were demonized from the get-go by the BATFags who were lying through their collective teeth to get warrants, helicopter support and whatever else. They had planned their murderous attack well in advance and the only surprise was the armed resistance, yet MOST of the casualties on the BATFag side were self-inflicted. Those idiots could not shoot their way out of a wet paper sack.
(For those here who work for or support those cretins, all I have to say to you is KMA. I’ll be glad for the day when you are either taking long dirt naps or in prison for the rest of your nasty lives.)
Any references for atheist-based cults?
The difference is that today’s thugs simply act on the relgious inspiration of the likes of the Muslim Brotherhood, who promote the clash of cultures that liberals refuse to accept as fact. They find it hard to accept that modernism has not had the same impact in Islam that it has in the West, and less now than fifty years ago.
Your examples - church of Scientology, Jim Jones and nuts etc were basically personality driven. Once they get past the charismatic leader, the “cult” either dies out or evolves into a somewhat benign group. Scientologists are more and more being run by bureaucrats - moving toward benign - it's better. When they first came to Clearwater (near where I live) they were "out there"... keeping files on local citizen etc. But practical people don't start cults - but they do run them - if they last long enough... Which tones down the problems.
Your “thuggies” seem different - but only because the “religion” supported their business of theft. Intertwined - much more dangerous...
I don't agree Muslims radicals are cult members. Their beliefs are not qualitatively different than everyday Muslims, just more extreme.
With Christians cults - the groups really are different... and again, more cult like personality driven.
What Mohammad did was intertwine religion with governance. He was a Mayor - and with the two intertwined, it's not possible for the religion to move toward benign. It's would be like thuggies trying to give up "the theft part" - not possible. One dies, the other dies.
The places in the world where Islam is most toxic is where the religion and governance are closest... Best where they're furthest apart. But the benign breaks down - it's too easy for a Islamic goon to say he speaks for Allah - and not have to answer the concerns of the people he rules. It's easy - the boot to the neck that can't be questioned. A variation on absolute power - corrupts absolutely... so the benign gives way... And the extremes of Islam are reinforced.
Why do you attribute "cult" status to Islam - based on what?