Tuesday, May 26, 2009

IS THE GOP A CULT?

I was reading a post from Gordon over at Alternate Brain about Jesus and waterboarding that he picked up on from Library Grape.

In there he mentioned how the GOP was like a cult.
"One definition of a 'cult' is a religion with no political power. They should all be 'cults'."

Here's a partial list from put out by the International Cultic Studies Association entitled 'Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups':

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).

The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).

The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, [torture,] lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).

The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

7 comments:

Gordon said...

The only difference I can see between the Repug 'cult' and a street gang is that it ain't 'blood in' to the GOP, but it's definitely 'blood out' if you go against the mob.

Maybe we can take up a collection to send the Repugs mass quantities of koolaid. Nah, they got more money than we do, and it doesn't look like they're needing much help poisoning themselves.

Grandpa Eddie said...

I think you're right about the slight difference between the GOP and a street gang.

They've got plenty of dough to by their own koolaid, and have been doing a good job so far by themselves.

Riot Kitty said...

You got it! It looks like the shoe fits! LOL!

Grandpa Eddie said...

Riot Kitty - It's all that koolaid they been drinkin'.

Sue said...

yeah and they say we drink the kool-aid! Yes they are a cult I do believe, the far right extremists. I have been reading many blogs who are Obama haters and they are 9 outta 10 Mormon. Any religion that goes to the extreme borders on cultism. (is that a word? LOL)

Anonymous said...

That has been the Premise of my Blog. So Yea, GOP has definitely been hijacked by Cultists. They are also an Apocalyptic Cult, in that they want to bring about Biblical Prophecy in order to Force their God to Pull a Hat Trick.

Heaven's Gate has nothing on these assholes.

Grandpa Eddie said...

Seeing Eye Chick - I believe that was the whole premise of the radical christian right hijacking the GOP. To bring about their "end times" when they wanted. None of them seem to have read in their bibles where their god told them that he condemns date-setters.