Why are cults so commonplace in American religion?

[AB Asks]

A US polygamist sect leader has been jailed for at least five years for forcing a 14 year old to marry her cousin. The case involved a breakaway group from the mormon church that still believes in polygamy and is based largely in Utah. Why do you think the US is prone to cults like this being set up? And why hasn't the government been tougher in clamping down on them?

[Reverandfunk]

because the majority of americans are stupid/inbred/or both lol

[beryllium]

Did someone mention 6 fingers and webbed feet?

[AB Asks]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7104 832.stm

[WaldoMcFroog]

Wrong category, surely..?

The US is partly prone to such things simply by dint of its size and population. We equally have whack-job woo woo cults in the UK.

The government isn't tough in clamping down on religious cults because there is (supposed to be) a separation between church and state, as enshrined in their constitution, and therefore they have no right to stop people worshiping what they please, no matter how preposterous.

They do, however, have a duty to stop people breaking the law.

Another reason that the US government may be soft on religious cults is because of the disporportionate influence wielded by rabble-rousing lobby groups from the religious right. Essentially, if you don't at least appear to be appeasing them, you aren't getting elected.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Mani, perhaps the words '14 year old' and 'forced' give you a small clue..?

[Octavius]

I had to read that twice there, it does say �cults� right?

[jake-the-peg]

Only a tiny number of Mormons are polygamous. It is illegal under the Utah constitution but the laws are rarely enforced.

http://www.absalom.com/mormon/polygamy/faq.htm

I'd imagine that in cases where it's a consenting relationship it's deemed not to be in the public interest to prosecute.

The US is probably more prone to cults because of the culture that places great stock in individual and religious freedom. It allows them to set up and gain a toe hold.

For example people like Scientologists are recognised charities in the US whereas they're tolerated here and illegal in Germany

[brionon]

They took the Manic Religious Gene with them when they left Europe.

[athenae]

Interesting beliefs .... back to the good old days, where men were men and women did as they should ....

�Members believe a man must marry at least three wives in order to ascend to heaven. Women are taught that their path to heaven depends on being subservient to their husband.�

Oh for nostalgia ....

[JockSporran]

1) America does not have a single established religion.
2) The US constitution encourages freedom of religion, belief and opinion.
3) Many people have lost faith in the beliefs of their upbringing, but still have spiritual needs, so they seek out or start up new movements.

[Loosehead]

All religions are full of nutters. You have to be raving to believe any of it, it's just a question of degree. Divine being invented the world and all of us, stuck us on one insignificat rock in the vastness of space, oh and by the way all the other religons are bull. Right oh!

I suppose the septics have more people hence more nutters on the extreme scale, hence more Cults.

Hands up those who know why scientology was started by Ron Hubbard?

[China Doll]

Prone to it because everyone wants to feel like they belong and they're safe and they're accepted and loved. I guesss hard to do in a country the size of America. The vulnerable can find this easily in cults.

You can clamp down on the cults all you like, but you can't change sadness or pain in people. They'll find another way. Proabably become hooked on the internet or something.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Loosehead; it was a bet, I believe.

[naomi24]

Waldo, tell us more.

[topogigo]

goz they are a bunch of ******* *******that should be ****** and burnt!



Edited by topogigo

[topogigo]

goz they are a bunch of ******* *******that should be ****** and burnt! Edited by topogigo

[Loosehead]

Yes sort of waldo, Robert Heinlein once had a drinking session with fellow sci fi writer hubbard and in a friendly sort of goad said something like, "You can't do anything right, not even start a new religion".

I wonder if all those scientolgy numpties know that!

[beso]

One of the holy grails of US culture is the opportunity to succeed in private enterprise by being the CEO of one's own business.

Ron L Hubbard was actually a science fiction author before he came up with his own religion whose founding myths read remarkably like an incredibly far fetched science fiction novel.

Many US citizens also harbour a deep desire to subscribe to some ultimate truth. Consequently when someone tells them they have discovered fundamental wisdom the devotees flock to them in droves. An "us versus them" mentality is promoted by the founders of the cult to help insulate the devotees from any rational criticism. Once they are sucked in, the cultural traditions which prohibit them from ever admitting they got something wrong leaves them quite stuck even when the cult promotes remarkably bizzare beliefs.