A recent draft law in Russia’s State Duma would ban “cults” from operating within the Russian Federation. RT spoke with cult expert Steve Hassan about what makes a cult, what crosses the line between a religion and a cult, and where freedom of religion comes in.
Cult law: Human Rights violations vs Freedom of Religion
26 comments on “Cult law: Human Rights violations vs Freedom of Religion”
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lavellove1
September 18, 2010 at 1:40 am
I hate how ppl speak out on the blood transfusions don’t educate themselves on it at all. Do the research ppl. Blood transfusions do not always equal long life. Most times there dangerous.
PrintedTruth
September 18, 2010 at 2:19 am
@gunsandbullhorns I agree that we need legal standards. Yet what will they base their standards on? I don’t believe that it should be based on the opinions of one person or even a few, but on conclusive studies conducted with scientific methods. That’s what I mean by the experts. I speak out against the Watchtower organization because I and many others I know have been greatly harmed by it. I have to conceal my identity because it will get much worse for me if I don’t.
gunsandbullhorns
September 18, 2010 at 3:18 am
@PrintedTruth
Well, I would not leave anything up to the experts. I believe in the 1st Amendment, Rule of Law, and Equal Protection Under The Law.
To illustrate my point, I’ll bring up one of my favorite authors, Dr. Robert Jay Lifton. Read his bio on wikipedia. He’s an “expert” in this field, if there ever was one. Unfortunately, he’s also sell-out, whose expert opinion has been “for sale” since the mid 1990’s. He’s a shill.
We need legal standards. Not the judgment of “experts”.
PrintedTruth
September 18, 2010 at 3:39 am
@gunsandbullhorns I won’t pretend to have the perfect solution to the problem of Cults in America. I’ll leave that to the professionals. But I do feel that something should be started in the direction of providing protection to American citizens. There are certain criteria that the experts agree on. If a group fits most or all of the criteria then I feel they should be examined and if determined to be causing harm they should be sanctioned in some way. In my humble opinion.
gunsandbullhorns
September 18, 2010 at 4:08 am
@PrintedTruth
Yes. You said as much a month ago. My question to you is, “By what standard should a cult be prejudged as harmful”? What sort of 3rd-party intervention do you advocate?
PrintedTruth
September 18, 2010 at 4:29 am
@gunsandbullhorns I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and I will NOT defend their rights to deny blood transfusions to children. Having been a member for over 30 years I have seen the great harm done to families by this destructive Cult. I think there should be as Steven say’s ” a mechenisim in place to prevent the actions that harm the members of deceptive cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses.
gunsandbullhorns
September 18, 2010 at 5:18 am
@PrintedTruth
QUOTE: “the problem is Jehovah’s Witness Parents should not be allowed to harm their children.”
1) If you say “should not be allowed”, then you need to propose a legal standard by which to enforce this. Otherwise, you’re just Utopianizing.
2) You’re grossly misrepresenting the JW’s. That is not their doctrine.
QUOTE: “they should not be allowed to impose their beliefs on a child that dies because of it.”
How does one determine such a thing ex ante?
PrintedTruth
September 18, 2010 at 5:57 am
@gunsandbullhorns the problem is Jehovah’s Witness Parents should not be allowed to harm their children. they should not teach them that all other people on earth will be destroyed at Armmageddon and they will deserve it. they should not be allowed to impose their beliefs on a child that dies because of it. Imagine if your parents had stood by your bedside and said good-bye cause you are going to die and they refuse to help you.
PrintedTruth
September 18, 2010 at 6:32 am
I have been one of Jehovah’s witnesses for over 30 years. I think that cults like these should not get tax exemption status. My human rights and the rights of my children are being trampled on by the Watchtower corporation, and they don’t even have to pay taxes. I can’t even speak to my own children in the privacy of my own home. I must not speak against the Watchtower in any way or I will be destroyed.
Jotrum
September 18, 2010 at 7:05 am
Some expert… JW’s bible is almost identical to other older versions. It simply depends on which translation you prefer that’s all.
Was he talking from his basement?
marmackk
September 18, 2010 at 7:15 am
@gunsandbullhorns ..I studied with Jehovah’s Witnesses for a year and almost had a nervous breakdown.I have no respect for a group who encourages people to separate from their families and friends,encourages members to see everybody on the earth as evil except them,demonizes people who disagree with them. The similarities between them and People’s Temple are striking.Sorry but many people have come out of that group with severe psychological problems and have written their traumatic stories.
marmackk
September 18, 2010 at 7:25 am
Steve knows what he is talking about.Reading his book saved my life after years of suffering from psychological problems after getting involved with Jehovah’s Witnesses
JmsDrkx
September 18, 2010 at 8:11 am
everyone should read a Hassan book, they are truly amazing then decide what to think
darkpersianuk
September 18, 2010 at 8:40 am
I agree with Mr Hassan 100%! Everyone should have the freedom to believe in whatever they want, even if it is weird (fairies, gods, unicorns, etc) provided that they aren’t harming people or animals or forcing their beliefs on anyone else.
Destructive cults on the other hand, need more regulating! Banning will NOT work. These cults will just keep functioning, but in a more secretive manner. I was a Jehovah’s Witness, so I know this ban will not stop them.
DarthSchwartz
September 18, 2010 at 8:41 am
Ban all religions. No exceptions.
AlexanderSigal
September 18, 2010 at 9:23 am
Iam a smart ass jew and everyone needs to come and visit my site. thats all i herd
unclepete813
September 18, 2010 at 9:34 am
the worse religion is christianity, but that being said all religion is for dumb people who cant think on their on. learn some his tory hue-man etomology. cause all your religions is worshipping evil satan(jesus) thou shall not worship nothing. but yourself cos you is god one with god the universe. you are energy your body is a temple. your head is a kingdome. the top of your brain is the christ. once you open your 3rd eye you can see all this. and you will be one with god cos you are energy.
Wambago09
September 18, 2010 at 10:13 am
Atheism gives religion a bad name.
Drum990
September 18, 2010 at 11:09 am
Religion is the opium for the people. )))
unholytim
September 18, 2010 at 11:43 am
I agree
klard
September 18, 2010 at 12:28 pm
How do you define a cult? Ultimately it comes down to being something that the decision maker does not like.
cazyblood3
September 18, 2010 at 1:08 pm
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LibertaerUeberAlles
September 18, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Yeah, it ultimately comes down to the 1st Amendment. Some people want to protect it, whereas others lobby to destroy it.
gunsandbullhorns
September 18, 2010 at 1:42 pm
@anonymous0s0egion
The Peoples Temple (later Jonestown) is the easiest example. There’s more than enough evidence for that being an MK-ULTRA gig. If you do a websearch for Project MK-ULTRA, you can find some pretty interesting stuff that might make you wanna’ puke. It’s largely declassified. Pretty much trauma-based mind control, mind-control drugs, and Manchurian Candidate sort of stuff.
klard
September 18, 2010 at 2:09 pm
LibertaerUeberAlles: Maybe that is what they after. Do like they do in the United States, enact a law and gradually increse the enforcement, starting with notorious cults and gradually working up to enforcing it against Christians and other mainstream cults.
christian peper
September 21, 2010 at 12:01 am
In 2004, I lived with a Jehovah Witness roommate that controlled and manipulated me. He took my civil rights away. Without the use of mind control tools like love bombing, loading the language, spying on each other, using thought stopping techniques, and control of information the Jehovah Witness Watchtower organization would not be able to keep slaves like they do. Giving tax exemptions to cults fits with the American drive to establish a completely enslaved public.