Christian Post, Part 4 in a series on religious groups commonly associated with Christianity... totally shocked they dialed in on Scilons for this since all the other parts have been specifically related to christfag sects. Cults in Culture: Scientology – A Fictional Route to Happiness (Part 4) I liek ^^dat. very much.
Other cultic studies works from the Christian perspective in this series, by the same awesome reporter Gabrielle Devenish /bows to Ms. Devenish - and thank you for working your way up to Scientology so fabulously!
Significant peeps quoted in OP (in order of ZOMG - they iz still in the game, jaw dropping factor): Craig Branch, nowadays hailing from Apologetics Resource Center (ARC) - Birmingham, AL. Yes that's right.... THAT CRAIG BRANCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (pauses cuz 25+ woohoos when i read his name wasnt enuff to express my utterly ecstatic glee) EDIT... ok, xtra ZOMG CRAIG BRANCH happy dance done.... Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary http://www.albertmohler.com/ http://www.sbts.edu/about/president/ (Note2Self must dig thru CP broadcast archive and try and find his 2006 show on scilons!) Dr. James A. Beverley, professor of Christian Thought and Ethics at Tyndale University http://www.tyndale.ca/person/james-beverley (hrrrrmmmmms) M. Kurt Goedelman, Author, bible cult crusader & founder of Personal Freedom Outreach http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_2?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&ie=UTF8&field-author=M. Kurt Goedelman http://www.apologeticsindex.org/search-apologetics-index?cx=010571642933333852832:tbiawujzbbu&cof=FORID:10&ie=UTF-8&q=Goedelman&sa=Search&siteurl=www.apologeticsindex.org/1293-beth-moore&siteurl=www.apologeticsindex.org/1293-beth-moore http://www.pfo.org/about.html
Despite avidly trawling all the apologetic websites for scilon materials, i somehow missed that the original cult busting christfag maestro Craig Branch (/bows) carried forth backlinks to his classic Watchman Expositor works over on his new outlet, ARC (Oh The LULZ!!!): Scientology - Apologetics Resource Center
Making Sense Of Scientology (D/L mp3) by Albert Mohler, Jr. Tuesday, April 25, 2006 Some of his other written works, independently archived but not scilon related http://christianresearchnetwork.com/?cat=842
The PFO does its own homegrown qtrly newsletter, and it appears Godelman (widely known for his extremely thorough debunking of Jehovah Witnesses) hit on Scilons back in 2008. From: http://www.pfo.org/prevw_pg1.htm Any chance there are christfags in our midst that might have a copy of this they could leaky leak?
Dear vidfags, if somebody with moar multimedia know-how than me, makes me a youtube vid version of this, for future use as heavy artillery christfag 'poon fodder.... I will <3 U Long Time! 100+ internet babies at least.
I really dislike arguments about religion, so I'm just going to leave this comment here and not pursue it. But it seems to me that there are (at least) two ways of--or reasons for--defining what is a cult. If you're a religious person, the question of religious validity is urgent and immediate and meaningful, and that sentiment prompts a lot of people to draw defining lines in terms of theology and/or orthodoxy. People who don't have strong feelings or opinions about religion, on the other hand, may define cults in terms of abuse of power, psychological oppression, etc.--in terms of their actual behavior and effects on individuals. In that sense, any group--even a relationship or a family--may at times behave cultishly, and there are degrees of cultishness. Unfortunately, these two very different criteria--doctrinal and behavioral--get mixed up and mutually appropriated. I prefer defining cults by their behavior. In that respect I find Mormonism cultish in certain respects: its strict behavioral codes, the even stricter codes by which missionaries are expected to live, and certain traditions or beliefs that oppress women, gays, and others. I don't mean to understate those things because they do cause real harm, and ex-Mormons are frequently angry about them. But beyond those behavioral issues I have no quarrel with it--Mormons and other people are free to believe as they wish, and I truly don't care whether their beliefs are orthodox; there was a time when Jesus's beliefs were unorthodox. Moreover, most of the Mormons I've known have been good neighbors, friends, and family members and have been well integrated into the mainstream community. I find Scientology to be very different from from Mormons, by behavioral standards. Razor wire, disconnection, forced abortions, heavy financial pressure that bankrupts people, the RPF, Miscavige's behavior toward his staff--these things place it out way on the "cult" end of the spectrum, while I'd say Mormons are "somewhat cultish." Matters of degree are important. Matt Stone has an appropriate view of this, I think: (from an interview in NYT) I don't have much respect for religious writers who are determined to draw lines in the doctrinal sand--it's always self-serving. I do think it's useful to define qualities of destructive organizations, and to oppose them. As I said, I have less than zero desire to argue about this, so I'm just leaving it here as a thought.
Fagging up my own thread, with moar christfag faggotry revelry, cuz I can. And cuz this LULZ is so utterly ca$h I can't halp myself! (pauses LMAO lulz to pay proper respect) /SALUTE Mr. Branch, you've been an inspiration to my researchfag interests in Scientology, for many a year. <3 <3 <3 From ARC Staff Page: Full ARC bio: K. Craig Branch, ARC Director ohhhhhh mai, the ARC irony, is just tooo sweet!
You'll have a download link to a WMV video file later today (with title/date caption and the useless crap at the start edited out) for you or whoever to upload to a youtube channel. Check back in a couple of hours or so. EDIT: Your download link for makingsenseofscientology 25april2006.wmv (23.64Mb) http://www.mediafire.com/?x8co4mxb5in1jkb or http://www.megaupload.com/?d=B6C73GWO
Oh look, digging around christian research network, finding me sum interesting finds! Scientology Archives at Christian Research Net Yum! By Jove -- This is a Bloody Good Sunday!
Then there are us religious types who define cults according to their abusive behaviours. I agree that some people mix up the beliefs and the practices, to no good end, when attempting to define a cult. You should be aware, however, that the Christian Post people are not attempting to define Scientology as a cult when they distinguish between Scientology beliefs and those of Christianity. At that point, the goal is to help their Christian readers see through the Scientology "line" that says the two are compatible. They are not. For Christians, the doctrinal issues are very important. But that's not what makes Scientology a cult. And nor does CP suggest that is what makes it a cult.
bump cuz yo - it's The Christian Post! one of the largest non-denomination christian media venues... both online and inprint. AND they featured scilons in a series on cults, ON A SUNDAY!
"By their fruits, you shall know them." St Matthew. Probably a reasonable dividing line between religion and cult. Mormons never kidnapped my kids, Baptists never kidnapped my kids, a scientologist did.
bump for more hrrrmms... Prof Beverly's Publications: http://www.tyndale.ca/publications/faculty/389 Prof Beverly's Relevant Scilon Interests in the Past: Monthly Theological Research Colloquium - "Saving Tom Cruise: The Gospel and Scientology"Thursday, December 9, 2010 - 16:45 - 17:45 The Drew Marshall Show Saturday, October 18, 2008 (Rev. Yvette Shank vs. Dr. Beverly)http://www.drewmarshall.ca/listen2007.html anyone got any others?
Looks like AL took aim at the Christian Post's Cults in Culture series with a rebuttal on HubPages: http://anonlover.hubpages.com/hub/S...the-less-able-into-being-spiritually-disabled
Actually, the good professor has started up a thread over at ESMB. It seems he hangs out and read there. The thread has turned into a semi Melton-slapping fest (where the good professor has failed to protect him btw), so if you have any questions, you can ask him directly there. http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?26428-Starting-on-ESMB-Professor-Jim-Beverley
