The Brutality of Cultism

We were meeting with a small group of friends and interested parties.  "A" started the conversation by asking a question.  "What do we infer or mean by labeling an organization or religious sect a cult", and is their a relationship to what is referred to as the "Occult".  "J" replied, "that a cult is generally thought to be a group of like minded people that "believe" in a manner outside of accepted norms." " That cults are usually controlled by one or a few charismatic personalities." "Most "cults" require strict adherance to beliefs and refer to others as outsiders who simply do not understand."  "Almost without exception their is a leader, one who has some "special" or "devine" ability that makes them an authority on all matters within the cult."  "We are anxious to here your take on this subject, L."

First one must realize that in terms of the "defined", the word "cult" has many conotations.  What is one person's cult is another person's religious or organizational authority.  But if we can leave the mentality of defining and look directly at what is then perhaps we will see that cultism takes on many forms.  The answer to what is cultism lies within the mind of each individual.  If one gives unconditional authority over to one individual, religion or organization, that resist being questioned.  Then that person has given themselves over to cultism.  It is the psychosis of  wanting to belong, of having an identity within an organized set of beliefs.  Be they religious, political or corporate.  As long as a person questions authority then cultism ceases to be.  When you question, it is always in the moment because that is where reality lies.  The very fact that you question authority within and without means that you are free.  Cultish organizations exist because people at the top are seeking power, prestige, and money.  By now you probably realize that anything can be made into a cult. It is safe to say that all religious, political and corporate organizations are to one degree or another a cult.  That may be somewhat of a startling statement to some.  But if you look carefully at the psychology of organizations, you will see that there is a certain amount of brutality involved in belonging. I am referring to the psychological brutality of the "us and them" mind set.  In the extreme that brutality becomes physical.  All organizations are fear based.  Examine it very closely without judgement or choice and you will see the underlying fear that has been created to promulgate an organizations existence.

One cannot expect to exist without organization. It is a necessary fact of our social existence, since the time of the cave man.  But when a person see's the truth of why we organize and how it can be abused then that intelligence holds in check the minds desire to accept blindly an organizations tennets.  So you are either completely free from an organizational mentality or you are partially or completely a captive of systems of belief.  If you live free, you live without fear.