this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2023
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[–] confluence@lemmy.world 122 points 1 year ago (7 children)

I worked as a pastor and professor for a global, evangelical television ministry/college. They knowingly conceal scholarship on the Bible and punish their pastors for asking any questions that undermine their most closely held traditions (including anti-evolution, mental illness is supernatural, etc.). They tell their US viewers that they can't call themselves Christians if they don't vote Republican, while still enjoying tax-exempt status. They use pseudohistorians to inspire Christian Nationalism over their network, and are one of the largest propaganda networks for the Religious Right. A U.S. Capitol police commander told me his men were fighting people who were wearing the network's brand.

[–] _ak@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Sounds like you escaped a violent theocratic cult.

[–] confluence@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

If some of the pastors there had their way, that's exactly what power would control this country.

[–] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, cults are small religions, this is a big religion

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I feel like there are minimum two definitions of cult, that being a high controll group like say jones town and to a lesser but still damaging extent seventh day adventists for example and just a smaller religious grouping.

[–] confluence@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

This place would 100% meet the BITE standard of cult classification.

Thats what I was thinking of but couldnt remember the name, maybe I need to watch more telltale content again.

[–] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The BITE classification was invented in order to justify hatred of small religions, by taking a word that already had a meaning (cult) and attaching a second, pejorative meaning to it. It's like if I write a fantasy novel with a species of evil creatures called jews. Jew is already a word, and it's a horrific act of religious persecution to take a pre-existing word for marginalised religions and spin it into an unrelated negative.

[–] confluence@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, because controlling a group's behavior, information access, thoughts, and emotions is completely acceptable. Autonomy be damned.

[–] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I didn't justify the abusive behaviours described by the BITE model. In fact I was very clear that I disliked those behaviours, and their association with an important religious term. You should work on your reading comprehension so you can stop seeing enemies everywhere.

[–] confluence@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I apologize for misunderstanding. Can you provide a source or reasoning why you think the BITE classification itself was intended to make "cult" a bad word?

[–] toothpaste_sandwich@feddit.nl 6 points 1 year ago

I mean, no real surprise here bud.

[–] Doodoocaca@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mental illness is supernatural? What does that mean?

[–] confluence@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

To them, it means if you're depressed, schizophrenic, or otherwise incapable of controlling your emotions or perceptions, you're being either possessed or "oppressed" by demon spirits.

[–] Doodoocaca@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Ah, that's messed up.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Name the network? As a Christian I find this disgusting

[–] confluence@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Jimmy Swaggart Ministries

[–] Bushwhack@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Send my regards to Jim Bob.