Toxic Faith -

[doojable]

This may have been posted before - but I thought I'd throw out this quiz. It is based on the book, Toxic Faith by Stephen Arterburn, Jack Felton.

http://www.factnet.org/cults/Toxic_Faith/index.html

Here is an excerpt from the page and some sample questions:

"Toxic Faith distinguishes between a healthy faith and a misguided religiosity that traps believers in an addictive practice of religion."

• Does your group discourage doubts, criticism or ideas that differ from their belief system?
  Yes____No____
• Do you tend to rationalize whatever the group does even when it goes against your sense of right and wrong?
  Yes___ No___
• Do you often feel exhausted from lengthy group activities, meetings and projects?
  Yes___ No___
• Does your group have its own unique words, cliches, slogans, chants, prayers and doctrinal phrases that reinforce the group viewpoint?
  Yes___ No___
• Are doubts viewed as a lack of faith, dedication, commitment or disloyalty?
  Yes___ No___

Click the link above to find out more.

Edited July 31, 2009 by doojable

[Watered Garden]

This popped up an ad at the bottom for Scientology.

WG

[doojable]

This popped up an ad at the bottom for Scientology.

WG

I think it's a rotating ad.. I've got one for learning Biblical Hebrew.

That Scientology ad pops up frequently ...

[doojable]

Edited July 31, 2009 by doojable

[Ham]

I think most offshoots score at least four out of five here..

I'd like to see the four sowers "graduates" give a report.

[leafytwiglet]

I think most offshoots score at least four out of five here..

I'd like to see the four sowers "graduates" give a report.

TWI Scored a full court 5.

How is that for a direct hit!

[Tzaia]

I have never been an "insider" in any religious organization. You don't get full access to any of them without some open display of allegiance.

[GrouchoMarxJr]

As I grow older I see more and more that a person's "spiritual journey" is an individual and private journey. Whenever a group of people organize it and give it a name, it begins to evolve into a controlling, egotistical bunch of whoremongers...toxic faith? sure...works for me.

As far as I'm concerned, as soon as they give themselves a name, I have a target.

As Robert Hunter once wrote..."Don't lend your hand to raise no flag upon a ship of fools"

[Shellon]

As I grow older I see more and more that a person's "spiritual journey" is an individual and private journey. Whenever a group of people organize it and give it a name, it begins to evolve into a controlling, egotistical bunch of whoremongers...toxic faith? sure...works for me.

As far as I'm concerned, as soon as they give themselves a name, I have a target.

As Robert Hunter once wrote..."Don't lend your hand to raise no flag upon a ship of fools"

Finally found this thread again. Excellent point Groucho. It should be a "individual and private journey", shouldn't it?

Toxic relationships, toxic jobs, toxic faith; all should be examined privately, as well, and determined personally as to what is and is not in our own best interest.

I didn't do the quiz in this thread, don't need to. And I appreciate the reality of growing older and stronger in my own ability to make my own choices and take my own actions. Nice place to be.

[WOG]

Finally found this thread again. Excellent point Groucho. It should be a "individual and private journey", shouldn't it?

Toxic relationships, toxic jobs, toxic faith; all should be examined privately, as well, and determined personally as to what is and is not in our own best interest.

I didn't do the quiz in this thread, don't need to. And I appreciate the reality of growing older and stronger in my own ability to make my own choices and take my own actions. Nice place to be.

Yes, it is!!!!!

[Ham]

Toxic relationships, toxic jobs, toxic faith; all should be examined privately, as well, and determined personally as to what is and is not in our own best interest.

currently I am seriously considering the implications of this..

[sirguessalot]

It should be a "individual and private journey", shouldn't it?

yes ... and no

so both

ultimately we are all on a solitary journey...yet we are also all together in that condition

so the notion of being "alone together" is an important one

a community's capacity to support the "individual and private journey" is a hallmark of good religion

it is such a community who is able to compare notes and develop practices and exercises that help support the "individual and private journey"

good friendship helps us hear our selves into greater self-awareness

where toxic faith is less concerned with self-awareness...and more about "fixing you"

...which is at (or near) the heart of all misplaced messiah complexes, religious crusades, political oppression, and bad medicine

imo, the modern Quaker practices are among the most developed and effective American Christian form of this type of friendship today.

and most who use them are not Quakers...and are able to adapt them to fit their own life...to which most Quakers i've met dont seem to mind at all

but "allergies to all spiritual groups" is a sure way to overlook this sort of thing

...but that is not to say we wont somehow get lucky in the woods on our own

but everyone lives and dies in relationship to all others

so even our private inward journey can be a self-centered quest

...or we can go inside for the sake of all others...which includes one's self

also...interest in such an individual and private journey is a natural change of life

...like moving into the autumn of our lives

where we evaluate what we've sown ...and prepare to reap

...so we are ready to go even deeper inside for winter

this sort of thing is closer to the original role of religion

...marking rites of passage for natural stages of life

[T-Bone]

yo, check it out - the new cover for the PFAL syllabus

[Ham]

well, at least he LOOKS happy..

[T-Bone]

yeah - but did you notice the bones are crossed! Typically crossed fingers are used to wish for good luck or to nullify a promise.With this being the new cover of the PFAL syllabus, I'm thinking they're already reneging on the benefits of the class they promised the students when they signed up.. . well, I guess it could work the other way too, as in - "good luck on getting involved with one helluva life-sucking, money-grubbing, two-bit cult."

[krys]

Two bits it a little steep for that organization, don't you think?

[T-Bone]

Yup Krys you've got that right!