by Twisted Vision Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:01 amI want to create a discussion to solve this once and for all. So I went and looked up what a cult is, and what a religion is and found several points that make them different.
A religion:
- Information is offered up front
- Allows freedom of thought, and members have a say in what happens
- Promotes the Family Unity
- Works within society
- Open to general community
- Interested in promoting potential
- While there are guidelines, followers are not systematically controlled
- Thought before commitment to the religion is encouraged as part of conversation process
- People are free to Speak out against the Tenants of the Religion
- Clergy are expected to be responsible for there words and actions
- Critical thinking is allowed and often encouraged.
A Cult is:
- Deceit in recruitment
- Totalitarian
- Isolates it's members
- Keeps non-believers out
- Limits development of the individual
- Exploits and controls its members with mind control techniques.
- Commitment is encouraged in recruitment process
- Criticism if often met with threats of Legal action or violence
- Leader and follower believe the leader is above reproach
- Questioning the leader or basic tenants is not allowed.
Now that we have these guidelines, I will take one side or the other as I go down the list, describing how the Followers of Discord in order.
Followers of Discord:
- Provide information up front
- Allows freedom of thought and members to have a say
- Promotes the family unit
- Works within society
- Open to General Public
- Interested in promoting potential
- While there are guidelines, members are not systematically controlled
- Thought before commitment is encouraged through conversational process
- People are allowed to speak out against the Tenants
- Clergy are expected to be responsible for there words and actions
- Critical thinking is allowed and even encouraged
Now before anyone says that I just used all of the Religion ones so that I can get people off my back, allow me to go into detail.
Every time my character has tried to convert someone, I have answered there questions to the best of my ability, so that they may fully understand what my actual beliefs are.
My Character Obviously has freedom to do what she wills and expects no one to do what they do not want for the sake of the Followers.
The Followers pride themselves on there family and friends, there only rule is to accept any short comings as they happen. Nothing is in your control.
Followers enjoy being in the general community, and even if one does not convince someone who is outside the beliefs to join, they still helped them and that in the end is all that matters.
The followers have no problem with the outside community, and effectively try to coexist.
The Followers want there members to grow to be the best they can be. The believe that without Chaos there would be no Growth or Advancement through the world, thus embrace change and growth.
While the Group does have guidelines to follow, they are not forced to follow, however members will be expected to Repent for there actions.
While the Followers would like commitment, it is not expected. All that is asked is they follow the guidelines to the best of there ability.
The general community can speak out against the Tenants, for you cannot control what said person believes in. No action will befall but for self defense
Anything a high ranking member of the Following says they are personally responsible for, and must repent if they give Discord a bad name.
The following allows for critical thinking, for critical thinking and precision is the only way to alter the wake. You will never fully deflect it but you can attempt to avoid the bad, and encourage the good in the wake.
This is how my religion works, you decide if it a cult or not.
I request there be no baiting in this thread and that any point you make is backed up by a logical point.
A religion:
- Information is offered up front
- Allows freedom of thought, and members have a say in what happens
- Promotes the Family Unity
- Works within society
- Open to general community
- Interested in promoting potential
- While there are guidelines, followers are not systematically controlled
- Thought before commitment to the religion is encouraged as part of conversation process
- People are free to Speak out against the Tenants of the Religion
- Clergy are expected to be responsible for there words and actions
- Critical thinking is allowed and often encouraged.
A Cult is:
- Deceit in recruitment
- Totalitarian
- Isolates it's members
- Keeps non-believers out
- Limits development of the individual
- Exploits and controls its members with mind control techniques.
- Commitment is encouraged in recruitment process
- Criticism if often met with threats of Legal action or violence
- Leader and follower believe the leader is above reproach
- Questioning the leader or basic tenants is not allowed.
Now that we have these guidelines, I will take one side or the other as I go down the list, describing how the Followers of Discord in order.
Followers of Discord:
- Provide information up front
- Allows freedom of thought and members to have a say
- Promotes the family unit
- Works within society
- Open to General Public
- Interested in promoting potential
- While there are guidelines, members are not systematically controlled
- Thought before commitment is encouraged through conversational process
- People are allowed to speak out against the Tenants
- Clergy are expected to be responsible for there words and actions
- Critical thinking is allowed and even encouraged
Now before anyone says that I just used all of the Religion ones so that I can get people off my back, allow me to go into detail.
Every time my character has tried to convert someone, I have answered there questions to the best of my ability, so that they may fully understand what my actual beliefs are.
My Character Obviously has freedom to do what she wills and expects no one to do what they do not want for the sake of the Followers.
The Followers pride themselves on there family and friends, there only rule is to accept any short comings as they happen. Nothing is in your control.
Followers enjoy being in the general community, and even if one does not convince someone who is outside the beliefs to join, they still helped them and that in the end is all that matters.
The followers have no problem with the outside community, and effectively try to coexist.
The Followers want there members to grow to be the best they can be. The believe that without Chaos there would be no Growth or Advancement through the world, thus embrace change and growth.
While the Group does have guidelines to follow, they are not forced to follow, however members will be expected to Repent for there actions.
While the Followers would like commitment, it is not expected. All that is asked is they follow the guidelines to the best of there ability.
The general community can speak out against the Tenants, for you cannot control what said person believes in. No action will befall but for self defense
Anything a high ranking member of the Following says they are personally responsible for, and must repent if they give Discord a bad name.
The following allows for critical thinking, for critical thinking and precision is the only way to alter the wake. You will never fully deflect it but you can attempt to avoid the bad, and encourage the good in the wake.
This is how my religion works, you decide if it a cult or not.
I request there be no baiting in this thread and that any point you make is backed up by a logical point.
Chaotic Neutral lets you have callous instead of evil and fun-loving instead of good. 
Basically letting you have the best of both worlds...
