Being too religious

This week's lecture was good, i have often wondered what attracted people to sects or cults. If my understanding is right then sects were originally part of a larger demonination that broke off, usually over some disagreement. whereas cults are original or innovative in their ideas/ beliefs. Both are relatively small groups and have an element of "fanaticism" about them. Cults often have some control over members and exert their own beliefs on others, whereas sects don't explicitly do this, instead they recruit followers, believers or sympathisers http://www.religioustolerance.org/cults.htm

I have no real issue with the idea of different religions or the depth of their religion providing no one tries to exert their beliefs on me and i think many people feel the same. One thing i did find unacceptable though was the idea of refusing essential medical attention because of religious beliefs, which Jehovah's Witnesses do and so do the Christian Science movement http://www.religioustolerance.org/medical.htm Scores of preventable deaths have apparently occurred because medical attention has been denied. It is fair to mention that there probably isn't an explicit maliscious intent; simply an intense belief in the ability of prayer alone to heal their loved ones, in this case you have to sympathise with the levels of denial and possibly ignorance. In the case of Jehovah's they refuse blood transfusions because Biblical text talks about "not eating the blood", which they have translated to include recieving blood from others; where most other religions interpret the writings in regard to dietary rules. This in my view is an abuse of power and neglect for the child, i cannot concieve of sitting by and watching my child die screaming in agony when doctors could save their life. I have to admit it seems like madness to me. But, each to their own, i won't condemn their beliefs but i do question their rationale. For example Jehovah's see us as sinners and feel we should commit ourselves to their cause. By sacrificing worldly goods on earth we stand the chance of being granted eternal life in the second coming. But isn't this the ultimate in selfishness? Aren't they making sacrifices now, only to gain even better in the future?

Another thing i didn't like was the manipulation involved in some sects. For example Jehovah's indoctrinate followers to believe that Jehove is "the father figure" and the group is "the Mother figure" clever!! Therefore all comfort and reassurance can be sought from "the family". This is a psychoanalytical construct developed from Melanie Klien's Object Relations Theory. In her theories the child experiences extreme anxiety when it realises it can not control the mother and that the mother is capable of both good and bad acts. Rather than see the mother as bad, the child retroflects these feelings, ie they turn the feelings against themselves, believing they must be bad.

This makes it very difficult to get the follower to hear anything bad about the sect, because anything bad is seen as an attack on the mother figure, who must be defended at all cost- so any criticism only serves to strengthen the belief that "the family " is right and outsiders are just trying to turn them against their group. It might be worthwhile pointing out that a similar tactic is seen in cases of domestic violence and abuse...enough said!

Religion is a personal choice and i don't believe it should be imposed on others. It has it's uses, a source of guidance and comfort perhaps. My overall view though, and this may be cynical but, Religion is for those who are intelligent enough to want to search for answers but too scared to face the idea that there may not be any.