Cults

With all of the good things that come about because of religion, it brings with it some darker concepts as well. Cults are the best example of this. Every cult that I've ever heard of has a handful of things in common. First, they are usually formed under the leadership of a charismatic, often magnanimous, leader who is able to seduce many into their ranks. Second; they tend to be made up of individuals that are of a less than stable constitution. I've never heard of an independent thinker ever joining a cult, and there's reason for that. Cults demand a pack mentality, they demand that their followers sacrifice their own critical thinking, and submit themselves to whatever particular "cause" the cult is pursuing. Third; they most often isolate themselves. That's one of the biggest red flags that an organization is a cult. Any organization that feels the need to separate themselves from society, does so because on some level they understand that what they are doing is abnormal and would never be accepted. The two most tragic things about cults are that they destroy independent thinking and that they often lead to deadly endings. We all know the story that came out of Waco Texas, it's the most infamous example of what can come out of blind devotion to an individual or cause. Cults discourage free thinking, they take individuals and turn them into soulless adherents to whatever purpose they are attempting to serve. When one joins a cult, they cut off large portions of the things that make them individuals, and they conform to something that is nefarious and, most of the time, bad for everyone involved. I think you've got to be really sick in the head to become the leader of a cult. I think you have to be a colossal megalomaniac that sees themselves as gods gift to earth, and that's definitely the kind of person that would make my skin crawl. Don't get me wrong, I can see what would draw someone to a cult, but to allow all of the uplifting messages and sense of "community" to seduce you into giving up your individuality is dangerous, tragic, and one of the worst decisions anyone could ever make.