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Religions and Cults
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Although cults have been around for a long time, the gas attack against ordinary citizens in the Tokyo subway in 1995 by the Aum Shinrikyo Cult was a reminder of how radical and sometimes dangerous they can be.
A cult is defined as a set of religious practices, and the word cult comes from the cultus, which was a ritual of offering to the Roman gods. Many of today's modern religions began as cults before becoming mainstream social organizations.
Some cults are classified as doomsday cults because they believe that the world will soon end and that everyone on earth must prepare for that end. Not only are they not afraid to die, but they feel that it is what they must do in order to be saved.
Almost always, a cult is headed by one charismatic spiritual leader whose words are believed to be the words of God himself by cult members.Cult members sometimes do strange things. In 1997 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult in San Diego, California committed suicide because they thought they'd be picked up by a UFO racing toward the earth.
In 1978 an American man named Jim Jones led 900 followers of his People's Temple in Jonestown, Guyana into a suicide death by drinking juice with poison added to it. Parents even gave the juice to their children so that they would all die together.
In 1993 the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, USA received the world's attention when their leader, David Koresh, led his followers into armed conflict with U.S. government agents. 100 men, women, and children died.
For those who are not members of cults, it's hard to understand how so many people could be brainwashed into following their leaders, who are described as misfits of society.
It is a sad fact that sometimes cults cause violence or criminal behavior among their members. Kidnapping is common, and even child molestation sometimes happens. David Koresh, for example, even convinced his followers that he should have sex with their children, girls as young as 10 years old.
Most countries allow religions to be tax-exempt, so leaders of cults call themselves religions. This allows them to collect lots of money without paying taxes. In the 1980s, some rich television evangelists in the U.S. were sent to prison for taking the bank savings from thousands of followers by telling them that God had requested it.
Q1) Why do people join religious groups?
Q2) One of the biggest mysteries about cults is how they can gather so many followers. What kind of people join cults and why do they join?
Q3) Shouldn't cults be illegal? Why or Why not?
Q4) Do you think that religious organizations should be tax-exempt(free from paying taxes)? Should churches have to pay taxes on the money that they collect from church members? Why or why not?
이 글은「대학연합영어토론동아리」www.pioneerclub.com에서 제공하는 영어토론 정보입니다.
A cult is defined as a set of religious practices, and the word cult comes from the cultus, which was a ritual of offering to the Roman gods. Many of today's modern religions began as cults before becoming mainstream social organizations.
Some cults are classified as doomsday cults because they believe that the world will soon end and that everyone on earth must prepare for that end. Not only are they not afraid to die, but they feel that it is what they must do in order to be saved.
Almost always, a cult is headed by one charismatic spiritual leader whose words are believed to be the words of God himself by cult members.Cult members sometimes do strange things. In 1997 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult in San Diego, California committed suicide because they thought they'd be picked up by a UFO racing toward the earth.
In 1978 an American man named Jim Jones led 900 followers of his People's Temple in Jonestown, Guyana into a suicide death by drinking juice with poison added to it. Parents even gave the juice to their children so that they would all die together.
In 1993 the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, USA received the world's attention when their leader, David Koresh, led his followers into armed conflict with U.S. government agents. 100 men, women, and children died.
For those who are not members of cults, it's hard to understand how so many people could be brainwashed into following their leaders, who are described as misfits of society.
It is a sad fact that sometimes cults cause violence or criminal behavior among their members. Kidnapping is common, and even child molestation sometimes happens. David Koresh, for example, even convinced his followers that he should have sex with their children, girls as young as 10 years old.
Most countries allow religions to be tax-exempt, so leaders of cults call themselves religions. This allows them to collect lots of money without paying taxes. In the 1980s, some rich television evangelists in the U.S. were sent to prison for taking the bank savings from thousands of followers by telling them that God had requested it.
Q1) Why do people join religious groups?
Q2) One of the biggest mysteries about cults is how they can gather so many followers. What kind of people join cults and why do they join?
Q3) Shouldn't cults be illegal? Why or Why not?
Q4) Do you think that religious organizations should be tax-exempt(free from paying taxes)? Should churches have to pay taxes on the money that they collect from church members? Why or why not?
이 글은「대학연합영어토론동아리」www.pioneerclub.com에서 제공하는 영어토론 정보입니다.
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