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From: padraig@utastro.UUCP (Padraig Houlahan)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Deprogramming
Message-ID: <242@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 15-Jun-85 15:46:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.242
Posted: Sat Jun 15 15:46:24 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 18-Jun-85 04:23:57 EDT
References: <658@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 28

>    Although I realize how a person may misunderstand the church
> and that her charges against the church is not groundless, several
> things about deprogamming greatly disturb me.  First, I used to
> think that the deprogramming techniques were applied only to those
> who had been deceived into cults like the Moonies.  I do not think,
> however, the church she had been attending is a cult.  Who will decide
> what is a cult?  How easy and dangerous to call a church a cult, only
> because the members of the church are far more dedicated to God than
> the members in other churches! 
 
Personally I would say that the criterion for deciding whether or not
something is a cult, is the degree of recognition accorded to it
by society. Philosophically, there may not be much differencr between
a cult and a religion. By this, christianity would have started out as a
cult, and evolved into a religion.

>    Having been a close friend of hers and having attended the church,
> I am deeply troubled that her parents might have made a terrible
> mistake and that, because she is making accusations against the church,
> some people, who otherwise might have decided to study the Bible in
> the church, may decide agianst the idea; she may be doing things aginst
> God's will.

It's funny that you say this, since I would claim that indoctrinating
young children in one's religion before they are old enough to
decide fairly for themselves is a serious violation of their rights.

Padraig Houlahan.