just as someone who's had to write those ps's on thank you notes for the past 15 years since the tax law changed in 1994 about "goods or services received in exchange for this gift"
um I was here -- and um...not so much agreeing with you that little gift cards given as thanks for volunteering have to be declared on ones taxes. I'm talking about donors who give more than $250 - and recieve any goods or services IN SPECIFIC EXCHANGE FOR THAT GIFT - they have to declare that value -- ie you give me $1000 you get 2 comp tickets worth $100 you can only claim a $900 donation b/c of the value of what you recieved. and I'm talkinga bout goods given in exchange for monetary donations not volunteer time.
Here's my serious, non-sarcastic definition of a cult. You just might be in one if you answer yes to any of the following questions:
Can you leave any time you want and still remain friends with those who continue to be members?
Are you coerced into giving money beyond a level with which you are comfortable?
Does your religious organization determine your friends and discourage friendships with those who aren't members?
Are financial statements hidden from members?
Are you discouraged from pursuing medical treatments outside those allowed by the organization? If you choose to seek outside treatments, are you chastised in some way?
I realize my definition might offend some, but these are just the questions I'd be asking before joining a particular church. A single yes answer may not be a problem, but if you have more than one, you might not be totally free in this particular
I agree that no mainstream religion as a whole would qualify as a cult using that criteria. But I do think that individual churches in any denomination could.
Not all churches, even those in the same denomination are the same. Churches are run by people and how they are run will vary from church to church depending on the people running them. So it would be very possible for a church that is part of a mainstream denomination to have cult like tendencies even though that is not the teachings of the denomination.
I once attended a church that was very outwardly racist. I know that went totally against the teachings of the denomination but it still happened.
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Why hide your light under a bushel of bears, I ask you?
Why hide your light under a bushel of bears, I ask you?
Oh I know you were! ;-)
just as someone who's had to write those ps's on thank you notes for the past 15 years since the tax law changed in 1994 about "goods or services received in exchange for this gift"
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Why hide your light under a bushel of bears, I ask you?
Why hide your light under a bushel of bears, I ask you?
Finally, an authority on the topic.
Oh, you misunderstand, lol.
Well I was posting to Mozart b/c she was posting to me...but
Why does an "attorney" need an "authority" to back up their position?
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Why hide your light under a bushel of bears, I ask you?
Why hide your light under a bushel of bears, I ask you?
Here's my serious, non-sarcastic definition of a cult. You just might be in one if you answer yes to any of the following questions:
Can you leave any time you want and still remain friends with those who continue to be members?
Are you coerced into giving money beyond a level with which you are comfortable?
Does your religious organization determine your friends and discourage friendships with those who aren't members?
Are financial statements hidden from members?
Are you discouraged from pursuing medical treatments outside those allowed by the organization? If you choose to seek outside treatments, are you chastised in some way?
I realize my definition might offend some, but these are just the questions I'd be asking before joining a particular church. A single yes answer may not be a problem, but if you have more than one, you might not be totally free in this particular
I agree that no mainstream religion as a whole would qualify as a cult using that criteria. But I do think that individual churches in any denomination could.
Not all churches, even those in the same denomination are the same. Churches are run by people and how they are run will vary from church to church depending on the people running them. So it would be very possible for a church that is part of a mainstream denomination to have cult like tendencies even though that is not the teachings of the denomination.
I once attended a church that was very outwardly racist. I know that went totally against the teachings of the denomination but it still happened.
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