

The Persistence of Sects - davisclark
http://www.workersect.org/2x205p.html

======
nitrogen
If you are looking for a definition of sect, as I was, to figure out what the
paper is about, it's a few paragraphs down:

 _"...first, that each of them exists in a state of tension with the wider
society; second, that each imposes tests of merit on would-be members; third,
that each exercises stern discipline, regulating the declared beliefs and the
life habits of members and prescribing and operating sanctions for those who
deviate, including the possibility of expulsion; and fourth, that each demands
sustained and total commitment from its members, and the subordination, and
perhaps even the exclusion of all other interests."_

~~~
tragomaskhalos
This is sort of a counterpoint to #3, but an important litmus for a cult is
that it is very difficult to leave voluntarily.

Certainly in the case of the JWs, an individual exiting the cult has to
contend not only with the fear and uncertainty preceding their decision to
quit, but with subsequently being completely ostracised by family members who
are still members. All of this acts as powerful psychological coercion to
remain even when one no longer believes in the cult's message, and makes
escapees enormously vulnerable.

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gpvos
Interesting, I get:

    
    
        The requested URL was rejected. If you think this is an error, please contact the webmaster.
    
        Your support ID is: 13078553747997112974
    

Anyone know what could cause this? I have been getting this from one other web
site (the web comic www.sinfest.net) when accessing it from home, but not from
work.

~~~
jloughry
Do you run a Tor relay? If your IP address is listed as being such, you'll see
that message on lots of web sites. Apple's support site (although not their
store, interestingly) and phdcomics.com are other places I've run into it. If
you have a static IP address on your home router, don't _ever_ start a Tor
relay at home, or you'll poison it, evidently, forever. :-(

~~~
gpvos
I have run a Tor relay in the past, yes. Although I have been getting this
error only recently. And indeed phdcomics.com gives the same error.
Interestingly, I get support.apple.com in Russian!?

~~~
gpvos
It was a Tor relay, not an exit node, so I'm still curious why it would have
to be blacklisted. And I guess I cannot rule out completely that either my
home computer or - more likely - someone I granted access to my wifi has been
part of a botnet.

~~~
jloughry
I'm positive that no machine in my home network has ever been part of a
botnet; the only explanation that stands up to scrutiny is the Tor relay that
was running for a few days as a NAT forwarded service through my router's
static IP address.

I wish the faceless entity behind this widespread blacklist service could be
identified so I could ask them.

------
teddyh
> _In recent decades_ […]

When was this written?

~~~
davisclark
Bryan R. Wilson, "The Persistence of Sects", Diskus, Journal of the British
Association for the Study of Religions, Vol 1, No. 2, 1993

