My mother's parents weren't like this but my father's mother, who was an orthodox Jewess, constantly grilled my father on what he was doing. And t his was when he was in his 50's. She really left a bad taste on my mouth.
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

QuoteOriginally posted by Robert Cairns :confused: This could be a very long story, however i have no intentions of making it so. The gist of this story is simply this. I was born in Belfast Northern Ireland an illegitimate child of a waaf (for you foks that don't know this an acronym for the womens branch of the royal air force) as a result I became a burden to my mom because of the soc
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If you go to the above site, you'll see the arguments I've been having with certain "true believers". Basically, one of them reminded me of one of the paragraphs in the Amidah (Kedusha) called "al hamalshinim" - to all slanderers. Orthodox Jews scream bloody murder if someone denigrates them, puts them down, etc.. But at the core of the thrice daily worship s
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This site should help people understand what's in the Talmud.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOriginally posted by peppereens O.k. this is the fifth time I have tried. I seem to be unable to make this forum work. I am interested in Richard Greens experience leaving Orthodox Judaism , my experience is not the same but similar. I would write more but have done it about six times so far ! I just want to see if I can get this forum to work -Esther The forum is moderated whi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There's a group called Daath Emes which goes into refutations of common orthodox Jewish claims and it has links to a group called "No Longer Orthodox". All of this is worth checking out.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOriginally posted by Cam "concrete evidence" Hahahaha.. and they say cults brain-wash people !. :D I agree with richard - try a little independent research ! :p And most of these people who talk about how they're doing all of this out of "the love of the Lord J" really hate the guts of the rest of us who don't believe. Sad fact.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteLa Minturnesa Some science for you: http://www.shroudstory.com/index.htm I did not read the entire site. I find the shroud of Turin to be more the subject of the National Enquirer than one I could take to be relevant. The shroud of Turin, whether real or fake would not convince me that a man could be God incarnate or that a man/God could walk on water. Scientifically, if the de
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteLa Minturnesa Josephus was not the only one outside the Church to write about Jesus Christ. If you read the Jewish Talmud, you will find Him written about there, too. He is written about very negatively there -- but His miracles are acknowledged (chalked up to demons, however). Those who saw Him did write about Him, in other words. They either saw and believed, as did His Apostles and dis
Forum: Destructive Churches

Quote Such theories appear to be based upon a deeply paranoid view of the world. I think a lot of the cults that exist, including the ones I inadvertantly got involved in, are more focused on "fighting the enemy" than on promoting any good they claim they have. In the Hickman cult, they were patrolling the church grounds with guns. Who was really after them? Lubavitch or the JDL?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOriginally posted by christian I have recently came across this site. I have to say after reading a few of the posts here I AM SICK. RMG's reply: I hope you get better soon. Why dont you do your own research instead of letting others opinions rule your lives? RMG's reply: I did that and I went all over the world to do it. My spiritual journey took me to Israel (to lear
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOriginally posted by christian Why do you people refuse to accept the concrete evidense thats out there that proves that Jesus Christ was God The belief in a man-god was a pagan idea. That's why the Jews, the inventors of monotheism, rejected the idea of a God incarnate in the form of Jesus or anyone else. They rejected the Pharoe as God, the gods of Greece, Rome, Philistian,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOriginally posted by christian I have recently came across this site. I have to say after reading a few of the posts here I AM SICK. Why do you people refuse to accept the concrete evidense thats out there that proves that Jesus Christ was God and came to pay for the sins of mankind? Why do you feed off the hypocrisy of the world? Why do you lean on your own understanding as if you
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteJethro "Can anyone help me to discriminate between healthy dosages of hatred and hatred that's out of control. I have a bone to pick with the orthodox Jewish establishment. I also believe all this outreach they're doing is going to get them and probably the rest of the Jews in loads of trouble. " Can you be more specific,?, I feel I may be able to discuss this with
Forum: Hate Groups

QuoteOriginally posted by Claire Richard, in reply to your discussion of the eye of the needle parable; just read the next verse. With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. A wealthy person has a false sense of security, and likely plenty of false friends to flatter him. I will look it up but rich people and especially politicians usually have to do things that are
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOriginally posted by urantiafox Further to my point and that of Mr Green, if I am not mistaken: I'm on the fringe of bringing a great discussion here but as this is where its leading I shall continue. There is no doubt that modern day 'cults' are utterly evil. Yet having said this Christianity was deemed a cult in roman times and indeed had many hallmarks that we adhere
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If Traynor is really bad news then the certifying boards should be notified. There should be recourse, legal and otherwise.
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

QuoteOriginally posted by urantiafox Hello, I chanced upon this forum while doing a search upon the Rick Ross site for 'Urantia' and consequently 'Gabriel of Sedona' As you may gather from my chosen name I am and have been a Urantia book reader for the past 6 years. The Urantia Book is not a cult in the conventional sense of the word, although I would say that it has
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOriginally posted by NowAtheist I was watching the news and it said in passing last night "George Bush, a Born again Christian....." and my heart about stopped. How did we get a Born Again Christian in the White house? That explains how he can wage this war on Iraq with out blinking an eye. Born again Christians believe they are in the right at all times from a religious stand
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteLady Pleiades I was in a 12-step/psychotherapy "community" in Winter Park, FL that shares many characteristics with cults. The leader, Maureen Traynor, was very narcissistic and controlling. Her daughter was Therapist #2. Being in the "inner circle" meant we spent all holidays with them. She used to say she had some special way of recovery which made us better tha
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

QuoteHope Landmark has a training center and NJ headquarters in Edison, minutes away from East Brunswick. They have a presence on most college campuses, including the one that my naturopathic physician graduated from. Chabad Lubavitch has a similar stragegy as does Campus Crusade for Christ. The latter, Billy Graham's organization goes after freshmen and sophomores mostly. They figure t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I overheard some college students talking about Landmark yesterday. I haven't really studied the issue yet, but will if it's prominent at Rutgers.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The problems that rock musicians have with drugs are really the main bone society has to pick with the rock and rollers.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I know of the band, but I sort of lump them in with Ozzie Osbourne and Black Sabbath. It's a shtick. And as Jerry Lewis once said, "speak softly but carry a big shtick". Of course, rock music is very loud but .....
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quoteinyoga Communism was based on those same ideals you speak of....."a new system is needed". The truth is you can make a destructive group out of idealism using Singers Criteria. Obviously, one does not need to be an atheist to be a cult critic. I'm talking religion, not politics. And communism not withstanding I believe that we have a right to experiment to find
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

My father was corporate comptroller for about 25 years. He used to tell me about business scams. One of his jokes was about a person selling you a book about how he got rich. The trick was to sell this book to idiots like you. Be careful what you buy. Most of these think and grow rich books are just scams. Not everyone can become wealthy. I know wealthy people and they're not like mo
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Any one know anything about Dan Kennedy and Psycho-Cybernetics?
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

If Jesus walked on water, fed thousands, etc.. than why didn't any of the philosophers of his day write about him(Except Josephus Flavius and he's hardly considered reliable). And why didnt' the masses write about him? Only a handful of his followers kept track and his New Testament wasn't compiled until about 400 years after he died.
Forum: Destructive Churches

The belief in a god-man or man-god in general, was an ancient pagan belief that persists to this day. When a religion focuses on a person rather than on God, that's when I have a problem with it. And when a religion believes its founder is God, I have a further problem with it. But when a faith system has unscientific beliefs and uses subterfuge to sell itself, that's when I call
Forum: Destructive Churches

Quotecorboy Truth and Karma will eventually prevail. Good luck sorting all this out. Eventually, all the idols of silver and gold will fall. Cults gain power because they promise people what the people want to hear regardless if it's reasonable or realistic. Recovery, true recovery can take years and you can never be totally sure. Take it one day at a time.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families