On 31 Aug 2006 at 10:32, David Hobby wrote: > What I've been thinking about is the future state of world > society (if all goes well). We could get to a place where > there was one larger society on Earth (with LOTS of diversity > within it). And then there would be small groups that were
Heh. I think we'll end up with micro-states, but that's another discussion. > not part of it, in the sense that the groups would not tolerate > people being "half members". For instance, the Amish will > probably still be farming and driving buggies in Pennsylvania, > 200 years from now. I don't know if you'd call them a cult, > but certain groups certainly practice shunning in a way that > makes it hard to be "part Amish". Groups that do this kind I disagree, quite strongly in the case of the Amish (and other Anabaptism descendent faiths). There is lack of unity and the self-correcting mechanisms seen in cults, shunning is used after an individual has left the group and is different from seclusion as practiced by cults. Most importantly, there is the concept that there must be a concious and willing acceptance of the rules as an adult (when they are baptised) - the rejection of child baptism is at the core of the Anabaptism creed. And there are a significant number who do reject the faith - at least the specific branch they were brought up in. Richard, I'd disagree about the "social stress" thing precisely because anabaptism and similar "heresies" are the usual result. It takes stability for cults to truly absorb their worshipers away from the rest of society. AndrewC Dawn Falcon _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
