A topic that I believe that has become commonly referenced in today's mainstream media is the recognition that the Republican Party has become a cult.

[Moonbeam]

The implications, if true, means, according to the current thinking, is that it is no longer a political party competing in a democratic setting to fashion laws by compromise in the sense that politics is the art of the possible, but instead has become a group of extremist fanatical essentially religious believers who are impervious to democratic principles, dialog or rational thinking.

This in turn, at least as to how I see it, has led to profound despair for those still engaged and committed to political process. There is nobody home on the other end and the cult membership is huge. Non members are up against am implacable mass psychosis for which politics as such as no remedy.

That leads me to the conclusion that no real remedy is possible that does not require finding a way to deal with cult behavior itself. Having come to that conclusion I am wondering if others agree.

I also asked myself what is cult behavior and this was the first article I came to with a search:

What Makes a Cult, and How Do Cult Leaders Control Their Followers?

Cult leaders often use manipulation, charisma and a whole range of abusive tactics to draw their followers. How are so many vulnerable to their psychological grip?

www.discovermagazine.com

I want to try an experiment which, because I am Moonbeam, is perhaps guaranteed to fail. I would like to try to have a conversation about cult behavior as defined and described in that link and have others present their opinions. Perhaps, if cult behavior seems as central to the political issues we face today, you may want to find someway better than what we are doing now to combat cult behavior.

Having read the link just once and having had a number of thoughts, one that stands our is how the article tries to distinguish between a mainstream religion and a cult. My first reflexive thought was that they are one and the same, but the way the link tries to disentangle them I found very interesting.

Thoughts?

 

[dank69]

I've seen MAGAts referred to as a cult quite often but not Republicans in general. That's a shame because they have been cult-like for decades.

There is no meaningful difference between the major religions and cults. Ad populum does not an argument make.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Having read the link just once and having had a number of thoughts, one that stands our is how the article tries to distinguish between a mainstream religion and a cult. My first reflexive thought was that they are one and the same, but the way the link tries to disentangle them I found very interesting.

Thoughts?

The article's only real difference it states between a cult and a religion is this:

while religions may offer guidelines and support for members to live better lives, a cult separates its members from others and seeks to directly control financial assets and living arrangements.

I'm not really sure how this is really different than any number of other mainstream religions like Catholicism and Mormonism. The only real difference I see is in size. Cults are successful in separating and controlling their members because they are still small enough to be able to keep track of what each of them are doing. Nearly every religion attempts this, but at some point the logistics of scale makes it impossible.

 

[eelw]

Okay let’s pick the KKK as prime example of a cult. Wonder what’s the overlap between KKK and MAGAtards?

 

[PumpkinCake]

Both sides have cult tendencies. As a staunch moderate, the big difference I see between the two from a "cult" perspective is, republicans tend to not care if other republics don't toe the line. IE a repub supports gay marriage, who cares. Whereas democrats tend to get very upset if you don't follow every single party talking point to a T.

 

[iRONic]

Republicans don't care?!

There is a former speaker of the house who begs to differ with your opinion.

 

[PumpkinCake]

Republicans don't care?!

There is a former speaker of the house who begs to differ with your opinion.

I'm not talking about politicians. But actual in real life day to day interactions.

Edit: Is there a way to turn off this thing that makes me wait 3-4 minutes to post again

 

[nOOky]

Both sides have cult tendencies. As a staunch moderate, the big difference I see between the two from a "cult" perspective is, republicans tend to not care if other republics don't toe the line. IE a repub supports gay marriage, who cares. Whereas democrats tend to get very upset if you don't follow every single party talking point to a T.

I think you got that backwards.

 

[Moonbeam]

I've seen MAGAts referred to as a cult quite often but not Republicans in general. That's a shame because they have been cult-like for decades.

There is no meaningful difference between the major religions and cults. Ad populum does not an argument make.

The article's only real difference it states between a cult and a religion is this:


I'm not really sure how this is really different than any number of other mainstream religions like Catholicism and Mormonism. The only real difference I see is in size. Cults are successful in separating and controlling their members because they are still small enough to be able to keep track of what each of them are doing. Nearly every religion attempts this, but at some point the logistics of scale makes it impossible.

I have no problem with wanting to argue that religions are cults but I am going to be headed in a direction where I want to even extend that concept by saying that almost all forms of belief are the product of cult like thinking. But this is what the link suggests:

"What is the difference between a cult and a Religion?

While many religions began as cults, Lalich explains that some integrated into the fabric of the larger society as they grew. In addition, while religions may offer guidelines and support for members to live better lives, a cult separates its members from others and seeks to directly control financial assets and living arrangements."

What I see here is not a suggestion as @dank69 suggests that because a belief system is popular that excludes it from being a cult, nor, in my opinion is it as @SMOGZINN suggests simply due to the unwieldiness of size. I think instead that size and popularity equates to integration via a sense of normalcy and tradition that simply obviates the need for individual control over the personal lives of members. The success and social integration of mainstream religions mean they can drop the behaviors that define a true cult and likely for the sake of being palatable, I would say.

 

[Moonbeam]

Okay let’s pick the KKK as prime example of a cult. Wonder what’s the overlap between KKK and MAGAtards?

The answer to that seems pretty clear to me. Lots of overlap.

 

[Moonbeam]

I'm not talking about politicians. But actual in real life day to day interactions.

Edit: Is there a way to turn off this thing that makes me wait 3-4 minutes to post again

My Dad used to say that if he hadn't have had his mouth open at the time he looked up the bird that flue over would have pooped right in his face. I was thinking a more useful feature for you might be a 3-4 day delay. Sorry about that.

 

[PumpkinCake]

The answer to that seems pretty clear to me. Lots of overlap.

How many MAGA and KKK people do you know?

Also is "MAGA" just a republican or is there a clear definition?

 

[Moonbeam]

I think you got that backwards.

There may be some hope there though that he may personally be OK with gay marriage.

 

[Moonbeam]

How many MAGA and KKK people do you know?

Also is "MAGA" just a republican or is there a clear definition?

A good portion of my time on this forum I am told that I am a fit member of both.

 

[eelw]

The answer to that seems pretty clear to me. Lots of overlap.

And MAGA has basically taken over the Republican Party. Therefore ergo the Republican Party is a cult.

 

[PumpkinCake]

And MAGA has basically taken over the Republican Party. Therefore ergo the Republican Party is a cult.

So, all republicans are "MAGA"? Can someone please define "MAGA"

 

[eelw]

So, all republicans are "MAGA"? Can someone please define "MAGA"

For me, anyone who is willing to support the former president no matter how criminal or unconstitutional he demands his followers to do

 

[PumpkinCake]

For me, anyone who is willing to support the former president no matter how criminal or unconstitutional he demands his followers to do

You mean Trump? What illegal things did he demand that his followers do?

 

[eelw]

You mean Trump? What illegal things did he demand that his followers do?

Lol storm the capitol. Fraudulent electoral votes.

 

[PumpkinCake]

Lol storm the capitol. Fraudulent electoral votes.

He didn't tell anyone to protest at the capital? And what has been proven (not via cnn) that he's done to illicit a fraudulent election? He demanded some recounts, which he is absolutely allowed to do so.

 

[MrPickins]

The article's only real difference it states between a cult and a religion is this:


I'm not really sure how this is really different than any number of other mainstream religions like Catholicism and Mormonism. The only real difference I see is in size. Cults are successful in separating and controlling their members because they are still small enough to be able to keep track of what each of them are doing. Nearly every religion attempts this, but at some point the logistics of scale makes it impossible.

As someone who was raised Mormon but left the church: it definitely is a cult.

 

[woolfe9998]

Both sides have cult tendencies. As a staunch moderate, the big difference I see between the two from a "cult" perspective is, republicans tend to not care if other republics don't toe the line. IE a repub supports gay marriage, who cares. Whereas democrats tend to get very upset if you don't follow every single party talking point to a T.

Then why do republicans have a term "RINO" which implies disloyalty for diverging from the party line? And why is everyone in the GOP a pariah for opposing Trump? And why do polls consistently show that republicans don't want their reps and senators to ever comproimize or make deals with democrats, but democrats are far more likely to say they want compromise?

This notion that somehow republicans are more tolerant of dissent is utterly delusional. It's obvious you do not see them for who and what they are.

 

[Moonbeam]

Then why do republicans have a term "RINO" which implies disloyalty for diverging from the party line? And why is everyone in the GOP a pariah for opposing Trump? And why do polls consistently show that republicans don't want their reps and senators to ever comproimize or make deals with democrats, but democrats are far more likely to say they want compromise?

This notion that somehow republicans are more tolerant of dissent is utterly delusional. It's obvious you do not see them for who and what they are.

I think we have a cult believer among us. We already know there are millions of people similarly infected. The typical reaction among liberals is to appeal to reason, to show their cognitive dissonance, etc, all of which we know does not work. It is my intention in starting this thread to explore what is known about cults, what solutions there may be out there to deprogram cult members, and so on, but for me I intend to explore why cult behavior exists and if there are conditions of knowledge regarding the phenomenon that that might make people more impervious or immune to it. I have to go now but I will try later to go back to the link to explore more deeply what I read there.

 

[Moonbeam]

As someone who was raised Mormon but left the church: it definitely is a cult.

I would agree. As I said for me the issue of religion cult or not is not the central issue in trying to deal with MEGA.

He didn't tell anyone to protest at the capital? And what has been proven (not via cnn) that he's done to illicit a fraudulent election? He demanded some recounts, which he is absolutely allowed to do so.

I appreciate your willingness to share your point of view.

 

[dank69]

I think we have a cult believer among us. We already know there are millions of people similarly infected. The typical reaction among liberals is to appeal to reason, to show their cognitive dissonance, etc, all of which we know does not work. It is my intention in starting this thread to explore what is known about cults, what solutions there may be out there to deprogram cult members, and so on, but for me I intend to explore why cult behavior exists and if there are conditions of knowledge regarding the phenomenon that that might make people more impervious or immune to it. I have to go now but I will try later to go back to the link to explore more deeply what I read there.

As someone who was raised in a legit cult, you have to want to leave.