Jᴀᴄᴜʀᴜᴛᴜ - Tʜᴇ Cᴀsᴛ Oᴜᴛ

I hate when anyone starts to play around with "not a religion" - I've seen it used to describe Buddhists (more of a way of life my ass) and even some Christian sects (born again pentacostal churches often claim that they are not a religion... somehow...).

If it's an organised belief in anything supernatural it's a religion - end of story.

What do you consider organized? A congregation of people believing the same thing?

Reading about a funy religion at the moment: Chen Tao

Chen Tao (真道, or "True Way") was a religious group that originated in Taiwan. It was by Hon-Ming Chen (born 1955) who first associated it with UFOs, and later had the group misrepresented as a New Age UFO cult. Chen was a former professor who claimed to be atheist until he joined a religious cultivation group, which dated back for two generations to the original female founder, Teacher Yu-Hsia Chen. But he broke with the group headed by the third-generation teacher in 1993 and created, with another fellow-cultivator, Tao-hung Ma, their own groups. It was later when he broke with Ma and decided to move to the US that new elements such as the pseudo-scientific information of cosmology,and flying saucers, as well as Christian motifs of the prophecy of the end and the great tribulation,etc., were introduced into the group.

In Taiwan, the group was originally officially registered as The Chinese Soul Light Research Association. When the group moved to the USA from Asia, it was registered in the US as God's Salvation Church and first relocated to San Dimas, California. Adherents moved to Garland, Texas in 1997.

This New Religious Movement was a mix of Buddhism, Taoism, and UFOlogy. They emphasized transmigration of souls and three souls per person, and placed great emphasis on spiritual energy. They also believed in "outside souls" who basically acted as bad influences in human world or even as demons.

Chen believed that the Earth went through five tribulations going back to the age of the dinosaurs. Each of these tribulations were survived by beings living in North America who were rescued by God in a flying saucer. He believed the solar system is 4.5 trillion years old, or roughly 300 times the age science gives for the Universe. He believed that the solar system was created by a nuclear war.

The group is best known for a highly publicized, and failed, millennial prophecy. Shortly after moving to Garland in August 1997, Chen predicted that at 12:01 a.m. on March 31, 1998 God would be seen on a single television channel all across North America. Whether or not you had cable service was irrelevant to God's appearance on that channel.

The group reportedly moved to Garland because the name sounded like "God Land." At the time the group had roughly 160 members, 40 of which were children. Members purchased more than 20 homes in an upper-middle class south Garland neighborhood. Like their neighbors, these followers were white-collar professionals, some of whom were reportedly wealthy. "They dressed in white, wore cowboy hats and drove luxury cars," according to The Dallas Morning News. "They reportedly believed that two young boys in their group were the reincarnations of Jesus and Buddha. They told reporters they had come to Garland to watch God come to Earth and take human form at 10 a.m. on March 31, 1998, at the home of Mr. Chen, a former college professor."

The Garland Police Department, understanding the potential gravity of the situation, coordinated resources, including Southern Methodist University religious studies professor Lonnie Kliever, and were on stand-by when the international media began arriving in what had previously been an upper-middle class section of the Dallas suburb. "Its presence unsettled many Garland residents," wrote Adam Szubin in a law enforcement case study. "They did not understand the group's different style of dress and behavior, and many feared violence. Throughout the group's stay, the [police] department maintained contact with community members and informed them of investigation developments and contingency plans for the community's well being. "

When the predicted appearance did not occur, the group became confused. "The Chen Tao leader announced that he obviously had misunderstood God's plans, and members quietly returned to their homes," wrote Szubin. Chen offered to be stoned or crucified for the event, but no one took him up on this offer. He had earlier made a false prediction of finding a "Jesus of the West" who would look like Abraham Lincoln.

Unlike other millennial religious groups such as Millerites, Chen Tao seems to have effectively fallen apart after its leader's prophecies were unfulfilled. Immediately after the failed prediction some of the members had to return to Taiwan due to visa problems. In total, roughly two-thirds abandoned the group. Later the remaining members moved to Lockport, New York. They continued to wear cowboy hats, but begin stating a war between China and Taiwan would lead to a nuclear holocaust. This would result in much death, but also God arriving in a "God plane" to save the members. They originally stated this would occur in 1999, but later revised the date.

Whether the group still exists is at best murky. The group entered a sharp decline after the failed prophecies and virtually nothing was heard of them after 2001. The current whereabouts of Hon-Ming Chen are unknown.

Kensai wrote:When the predicted appearance did not occur, the group became confused. "The Chen Tao leader announced that he obviously had misunderstood God's plans, and members quietly returned to their homes," wrote Szubin. Chen offered to be stoned or crucified for the event, but no one took him up on this offer. He had earlier made a false prediction of finding a "Jesus of the West" who would look like Abraham Lincoln.

At least he took responsibility for his mistakes.

Freakzilla wrote:What do you consider organized? A congregation of people believing the same thing?

Sure, that works. Organized = any organization at all. I guess I'd have to add to that maybe that they all believe several overlapping specific things, rather than say all just agreeing that Christians are not righ, etc.

Freakzilla wrote:http://www.venganza.org/

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!


Rob

Secular humanism (an 'Irreligion'). Since there isn't an option like that, I'll go for atheism (which is, after all, a major part of secular humanism).

Christian by birth...Buddhist by feeling.

Did I mention I'm an ordained Dudeist priest?

http://dudeism.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's your answer to everything, Dude.

non denominational believer in the power of the material and spiritual universe, from which we all came.

Sub beliefs:
Pastafarian (church of flying spaghetti monster)
Orthodox Herbertarian
Dudeism (abide!)
Good Whiskey

nero didnt always make mistakes

Sheriff of Malibu Coffee Mug



http://www.lebowskifest.com/product/tab ... fault.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I lean more towards Chrestianity, which is the more historically knowledgeable and classically Hebrew version of Christianity according to Robert Graves' King Jesus.
The Essenes also intrigue me.
Then there's Ch'an Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do.
Jiddu Krishnamurti's philosophy is downright awesome.

I also believe Yahweh takes the form of a 200 ft. long giant squid who communicates through bioluminescence, which flashes in Morse code, and translates into an ancient language long forgotten by the fleshy people.

Jodorowsky's Acolyte wrote:I also believe Yahweh takes the form of a 200 ft. long giant squid who communicates through bioluminescence, which flashes in Morse code, and translates into an ancient language long forgotten by the fleshy people.

Save me a toke!

Freakzilla wrote:

Jodorowsky's Acolyte wrote:I also believe Yahweh takes the form of a 200 ft. long giant squid who communicates through bioluminescence, which flashes in Morse code, and translates into an ancient language long forgotten by the fleshy people.

Save me a toke!

I wish I did have a toke for you, so you could see what I could see, but I don't take drugs. The only drug I have to make me happy is my hyper-realistic imagination. You should try it some time. It'll take you right on the Magical Mystery Tour on the Yellow Submarine into the Mariana Trench, where the colossal Architeuthids, Megalodons, and Blue Meanies dwell with bodacious Disney mermaids, listening to Bad Finger at 11 decibels.

11 decibles is very quiet.

The average ambient sound pressure level in an office building is 55dBA.

Perhaps he missed a zero?

Add a zero and you're risking hearing loss from prolonged exposure.

110 dB = power saw @ 3'

A good rock concert is 115

This I know, an increase of 3dB is a doubling of volume iirc.

inhuien wrote:This I know, an increase of 3dB is a doubling of volume iirc.

And you loose 6dB each time you double the distance.

Does this relate to the positioning of Fire Alarms? If so I apologise for reminding you of work.

Yes, they have to be 15dB above the average ambient noise and less than 120dB. It's OK. Derailment is what we do here.

Freakzilla wrote:11 decibles is very quiet.

The average ambient sound pressure level in an office building is 55dBA.

I can't believe I got my sound measurements wrong. I'm as bad as Nigel Tuffnel, who thought inches were feet for Stonehenge. You don't know what it's like to be as confused as Nigel.

Let's just keep it at 11, which is one louder, and is the noise level in Spinal Tap's concerts. I'll leave the sound calculations to you.

It happens to the best of us.

I am what Dawkins referred to as a de facto atheist. That basically means I do not know absolutely that there is no god, however I am quite certain there is none. That close certainty prevents me from identifying with the more on-the-fence attitudes of the agnostics.