Question #1: Cults

Saving you all the extra words about how wonderful you and your fellow rogues are, I wanted to point out that you were actually a bit off in your comparison of religions and cults in episode #508. The problem, from my perspective is one that appeared to be dichotomous thinking. As someone who has begun researching the effect upon atheistic clients when psychotherapists share their belief system with them and as a psychotherapist who has heard from clients what they have suffered as they attempted to exit religion, it is quite clear to me that there is a vast continuum of reactions in this area. Clearly there are the horror stories of former Scientologists and the laissez-faire attitudes of liberal religious people when friends and neighbors part from their church or synagogue. There is, however, a vast and nuanced range of other experiences involving shunning, social marginalization, forced religious interventions, and all manner of slights in between the extremes. I am concerned that sharing a dichotomous attitude as you and the rogues appeared to do in the episode washes out all the gray and gives religious people a place of privilege to continue to engage in the oppression of those who have found the belief system lacking. Thanks for your many hours of work in skepticism. You are a great gift to so many. Sincerely, Dwight http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/the-cult-demarcation-problem/