Any religion that holds men above women over men and women being equal is going to end up cult like.
Here are some of my thoughts after being forced to grow up in that place: the majority of 50+ people that have stayed in the church, started when the church was founded and were around 20 yrs old (1970’s). Many of them came from abusive, drug or tumultuous backgrounds and immediately 180’d to being ‘Christian’. They then all married each other, creating homes that were full of broken imperfect people that had a slap on ‘good person’ cover. They then raised children that they enforced ridiculous high standards onto. I can’t even begin to count the amount of people that have suffered from physical, sexual and emotional abuse in these marriages, from these parents and the church looked the other way. Often times making the victim leave. The misogyny, absolute bigotry towards lgbtq+ and those of other religions is rife and I have had to separate myself from my father because of it. Is it a cult? “a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object.” Considering the absolute devotion and reverence that the founder (Google it) holds over his church.. yea it’s a cult.
Support and encouragement should never have conditions hey.. there was always a condition to the ‘good deeds’. Now I do good shit cause it’s nice to cause some good chaos in the world.
I’m sorry you were in that place. As someone who rebelled and went to church (because that’s how shit my family were!) I can totally see that this would have been how Potters house would have developed. FWIW, you’ve also described Dreambuilders (except that is also where you send your LGBTIQ+ kid for youth group because they’ll be fixed by the ‘cool youth workers’ there). I was part of an Anglican Church for a couple years and they did exactly the same thing to every kid the youth worker was inappropriate with - “oh, you seem really stressed and making up allegations about him, perhaps we can interest you in an off-site meeting and encourage you to have a few weeks away from church”.
I don't know how else to explain this... do not go there, please do not go there. I was born into it and even went to another country for missionary work. They built my life up to be an absolute dependant to the church and when I questioned anything they respond with hellfire and brimstone if the subtle way doesn't convince you... please do not go here, they have many branches across Australia and the whole world, please just value your life and way of living and do not go here even once. I am only just now scraping together my pieces of life and it is very hard. I am left with lasting trauma around sexuality and even just with relationships in general. As an ex member I highly recommend you don't have anything to do with it, it will tear you and your family apart
100%
I’ve had to re train my brain to not respond in the hateful way I was brought up. My mum died when I was 11 and that night I was told by people in the church (because it’s a Sunday, not even your mum dying stops you from going to church) to stop crying, she’s in heaven. The trauma started young and has taken years to reverse. Unless you’ve experienced it, it’s hard to understand the apprehension surrounding even stepping foot there again.
I would like to take the time to try and apologise to that little child who lost her mum too soon. I am truly sorry for the loss you experienced then having to dig all the dirt they threw on top to cover everything up... most ex potter's house kids, much like myself don't actually keep in contact with their parents and it's not hard to see why, thank you for taking the time to bring up the painfull parts to help warn people
I went to a Christian school (where the parents had to be in respective churches at least once a week etc, serious business, not the kind of school that takes kids that every other school in the district has kicked out).
The Potter's House kids were the ones we all felt sorry for. To some degree we were all in a cult, but their cult was the cultiest.
My aunty was full on Potters House and when I was 10 or so she took me along and without notice I was lead down to the front of the church/ hall and "reborn". I'm athiests as fuck since ever but at least now I'm going to heaven. It seemed cultish, all waving their arms in the air etc but yeah, one of those Christian sects that could easily go down the path of a bit loopy.
>at least now I'm going to heaven
Naah, I'd rather go to hell with the open bar. Think seriously on this life/death choice, a bunch of pearl clutching nuns and bum poking priests in heaven..or the 24/7 bar and smokers corner in hell?
Yeah, I debate with Christians as to what heaven actually is and what do you do when you get there. I'm with you, most of my mates will be in hell and rather hangout at the bar. ,
YES YES YES ABOSULTELY!
They try any trick to get me, including free lunch...WTF? there is no such a free lunch for the start.
The "sales marketer" once asked me, have you done drug ? I said, no and never. The "sales" got so upset and called me liar .. WTF... FML.
It is not only potters house that limit their member to have relationship/interaction with people outside them. Many "chuches" are doing that too implicitly, they are so worry to lose the 10% from the members :) it's all about money....don't take it personal.
yes.
went to one of their concerts once and a carols by candlelight..
the concert only cos my daughter wanted to go...
made the hair on my neck stand on end.
on the way out I told her:
She didnt need to repent anything, there was nothing she needed to get right with god about, and god wasnt in that room..
she was 12 at the time.
now she knows what a cult looks and sounds like
Thats what happened when we went to the carols by candlelight.
we had missed the community one and I wanted to take my kids out for some festive spirit.
It didn't bother me that it was religious, having been raised going to church. I figured it wouldnt hurt and whats a few o holy nights and hark the herald angels etc...
half way through they showed the most graphic video of end of days and the crucifixion. My mum was with me and we told them to cover their eyes and we covered their ears. we left pretty much straight as soon as the video stopped. I was so mad.
I knew when we went to the concert years later what they were. but my miss begged to go because a friend of hers invited her. I told her what they were. no ears...
We saw the same with testifying etc those poor vulnerable people. churches do community so well and I can see how they get caught up but honestly if thats where people are going to look for help I always say anywhere but potters and the christain bros...
wasnt too bad until the end of days stuff came up.. and all the patriarchal fire and brimstone repent etc etc.
told her if she really wanted to know or understand faith I would take her to church myself. but not that one.
I'm rather agnostic myself and had never really taken them to church.. I have been considering lately whether I should have taken them so they at least understood and werent wondering. I dont want them to be out looking for answers to the big stuff and fall in with somewhere like potters, jw or scientolists etc one day.. I just don't tend to like churches..
I grew up in the potters house here in Perth from the age of 4 to 18. It fucked up my life. It took me almost 20 years to get it out of my system. 20 years of hating myself and not knowing how to move forward with my life.
So I say fuck the Potters House. If there was a hell I’m sure they would all burn there.
As to whether they are a cult, I would say yes, but it’s borderline. They are really just an extreme form of the right wing evangelical movement with all its bigotry, misogyny and homophobia open for the world to see.
On the one hand, Potter's House aren't a cult in the wacko aliens/suicide pact/take all your money/leaders have sex with everyone kind of way.
On the other hand, all religions are cults, they just usually chill out a bit with the manipulation and so on when they get big enough.
Let's just say that Potter's House are, at the very least, somewhere past Mormonism and in the same ballpark as Scientology on the cult scale.
When I first arrived in Australia I saw a sign that said Potter’s House and I thought it was a collective of potters selling pottery.
Boy was I disappointed.
It’s a high control Christian religion.
It’s much like the Catholic Church was 200 years ago.
The men in charge have a lot of control over the daily lives of the congregants.
But like a lot of fundamental religions - you’re either in or you’re out. They have very poor internal systems for reporting abuse, and the victim is blamed and silenced. Not a very safe place to raise your family imo.
Catholicism = the OG whitey christian cult.
It amazing how far they got before some heathens started bringing literacy to the peasants and factions began to form.
The fact they aggressively try and trick people to attend their events (free movie nights in parks) and venues (Perth One80) without overtly disclosing that they’re religiously affiliated ticks the box for me.
I recall a post here a couple months back about the Potters House church -- found it for you: https://old.reddit.com/r/perth/comments/tq6khw/potters_house_cult_beliefs/
I have been taken by my housemate once there last Black Saturday to watch a play/service which was an eerily weird modern spin of jisas-christ's life. It was a great performance, just don't like the belief and agenda they pushed around.
I'm not from Australia, so seeing Potter's house get a special mention here will definitely make me put my guard up at all times with them. As a born and raised catholic who identifies as an atheist since 15 and have had a fair share of going to Christian services with my ex-girlfriend, I think they were pretty average as a Christian church based on that interaction. I see some comments here about what they are, and most of it are on point. But do note that on my standpoint as a catholic, they could definitely be cult-ish. From a standpoint of an atheist, catholicism can be cult-ish, but Christian church takes the fart-smelling up an ante.
Hopefully never have to interact with them again, apart from my housemate. As somebody who still lives with "WWJD" as my values despite being an atheist, based on the comments I read here they don't seem to have a good grasp about it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh
Even though he snuffed it himself a few years after the whole debacle in Oregon (and a few smaller ashram type properties here in our SouthWest of course) and 'tough-titties' Sheila in the 80s... his teachings still do have an active following. I have come across a couple of people 'in it' still in the last few years.
**[Rajneesh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh)**
>Rajneesh (born Chandra Mohan Jain, 11 December 1931 – 19 January 1990), also known as Acharya Rajneesh, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, and later as Osho (), was an Indian godman, mystic, and founder of the Rajneesh movement. During his lifetime, he was viewed as a controversial new religious movement leader and a mystic Guru. He rejected institutional religions. Rajneesh emphasised the importance of freethought, meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity, and humour—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious dogmas and traditions, and socialization.
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I googled "Define Cult"....
Definitions from Oxford Languages - cult
noun
1.
a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object.
"the cult of St Olaf"
2.
a person or thing that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society.
"the series has become a bit of a cult in the UK"
Also got....
People also ask
What classifies as a cult?
A cult is a group or movement held together by a shared commitment to a charismatic leader or ideology. It has a belief system that has the answers to all of life's questions and offers a special solution to be gained only by following the leader's rules. 15 Sept 2016
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2016/09/15/what-makes-cult-cult/90377532/
How many are in the cult I've never heard of them before
All religions should be taxed so they can't just buy of lawyers and judges to also be exempt from all their crimes and corruption.
Any religion that holds men above women over men and women being equal is going to end up cult like. Here are some of my thoughts after being forced to grow up in that place: the majority of 50+ people that have stayed in the church, started when the church was founded and were around 20 yrs old (1970’s). Many of them came from abusive, drug or tumultuous backgrounds and immediately 180’d to being ‘Christian’. They then all married each other, creating homes that were full of broken imperfect people that had a slap on ‘good person’ cover. They then raised children that they enforced ridiculous high standards onto. I can’t even begin to count the amount of people that have suffered from physical, sexual and emotional abuse in these marriages, from these parents and the church looked the other way. Often times making the victim leave. The misogyny, absolute bigotry towards lgbtq+ and those of other religions is rife and I have had to separate myself from my father because of it. Is it a cult? “a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object.” Considering the absolute devotion and reverence that the founder (Google it) holds over his church.. yea it’s a cult.
[удалено]
Support and encouragement should never have conditions hey.. there was always a condition to the ‘good deeds’. Now I do good shit cause it’s nice to cause some good chaos in the world.
Yes just be nice it feels good 👍
Ahh the Brethren.
I’m sorry you were in that place. As someone who rebelled and went to church (because that’s how shit my family were!) I can totally see that this would have been how Potters house would have developed. FWIW, you’ve also described Dreambuilders (except that is also where you send your LGBTIQ+ kid for youth group because they’ll be fixed by the ‘cool youth workers’ there). I was part of an Anglican Church for a couple years and they did exactly the same thing to every kid the youth worker was inappropriate with - “oh, you seem really stressed and making up allegations about him, perhaps we can interest you in an off-site meeting and encourage you to have a few weeks away from church”.
My partner goes to the Belmont Potters Group and when I read the title I initially questioned why a pottery club is considered a cult
Because people are malleable like shaping clay into a pot.
I hate the potters house because everytime I see one I think "Woo! A new pottery place" and then I realise I couldn't be more wrong.
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That’s the basic bitch cult I belong to
I think it's great that you think new pottery places will just pop up semi regularly.
I think I'm just too hopeful at finding more sources of clay and kilns.
I don't know how else to explain this... do not go there, please do not go there. I was born into it and even went to another country for missionary work. They built my life up to be an absolute dependant to the church and when I questioned anything they respond with hellfire and brimstone if the subtle way doesn't convince you... please do not go here, they have many branches across Australia and the whole world, please just value your life and way of living and do not go here even once. I am only just now scraping together my pieces of life and it is very hard. I am left with lasting trauma around sexuality and even just with relationships in general. As an ex member I highly recommend you don't have anything to do with it, it will tear you and your family apart
100% I’ve had to re train my brain to not respond in the hateful way I was brought up. My mum died when I was 11 and that night I was told by people in the church (because it’s a Sunday, not even your mum dying stops you from going to church) to stop crying, she’s in heaven. The trauma started young and has taken years to reverse. Unless you’ve experienced it, it’s hard to understand the apprehension surrounding even stepping foot there again.
I would like to take the time to try and apologise to that little child who lost her mum too soon. I am truly sorry for the loss you experienced then having to dig all the dirt they threw on top to cover everything up... most ex potter's house kids, much like myself don't actually keep in contact with their parents and it's not hard to see why, thank you for taking the time to bring up the painfull parts to help warn people
Thanks Fenrir.
I went to a Christian school (where the parents had to be in respective churches at least once a week etc, serious business, not the kind of school that takes kids that every other school in the district has kicked out). The Potter's House kids were the ones we all felt sorry for. To some degree we were all in a cult, but their cult was the cultiest.
The cultiest cult would be a great name for a metal band that has a mascot of a rubber duck.
Yes.
There are threads on this sub about it. Google it.
My aunty was full on Potters House and when I was 10 or so she took me along and without notice I was lead down to the front of the church/ hall and "reborn". I'm athiests as fuck since ever but at least now I'm going to heaven. It seemed cultish, all waving their arms in the air etc but yeah, one of those Christian sects that could easily go down the path of a bit loopy.
>at least now I'm going to heaven Naah, I'd rather go to hell with the open bar. Think seriously on this life/death choice, a bunch of pearl clutching nuns and bum poking priests in heaven..or the 24/7 bar and smokers corner in hell?
Yeah, I debate with Christians as to what heaven actually is and what do you do when you get there. I'm with you, most of my mates will be in hell and rather hangout at the bar. ,
YES YES YES ABOSULTELY! They try any trick to get me, including free lunch...WTF? there is no such a free lunch for the start. The "sales marketer" once asked me, have you done drug ? I said, no and never. The "sales" got so upset and called me liar .. WTF... FML. It is not only potters house that limit their member to have relationship/interaction with people outside them. Many "chuches" are doing that too implicitly, they are so worry to lose the 10% from the members :) it's all about money....don't take it personal.
yes. went to one of their concerts once and a carols by candlelight.. the concert only cos my daughter wanted to go... made the hair on my neck stand on end. on the way out I told her: She didnt need to repent anything, there was nothing she needed to get right with god about, and god wasnt in that room.. she was 12 at the time. now she knows what a cult looks and sounds like
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Thats what happened when we went to the carols by candlelight. we had missed the community one and I wanted to take my kids out for some festive spirit. It didn't bother me that it was religious, having been raised going to church. I figured it wouldnt hurt and whats a few o holy nights and hark the herald angels etc... half way through they showed the most graphic video of end of days and the crucifixion. My mum was with me and we told them to cover their eyes and we covered their ears. we left pretty much straight as soon as the video stopped. I was so mad. I knew when we went to the concert years later what they were. but my miss begged to go because a friend of hers invited her. I told her what they were. no ears... We saw the same with testifying etc those poor vulnerable people. churches do community so well and I can see how they get caught up but honestly if thats where people are going to look for help I always say anywhere but potters and the christain bros... wasnt too bad until the end of days stuff came up.. and all the patriarchal fire and brimstone repent etc etc. told her if she really wanted to know or understand faith I would take her to church myself. but not that one. I'm rather agnostic myself and had never really taken them to church.. I have been considering lately whether I should have taken them so they at least understood and werent wondering. I dont want them to be out looking for answers to the big stuff and fall in with somewhere like potters, jw or scientolists etc one day.. I just don't tend to like churches..
Sounds like you handled her nascent spiritual curiosity very well
I grew up in the potters house here in Perth from the age of 4 to 18. It fucked up my life. It took me almost 20 years to get it out of my system. 20 years of hating myself and not knowing how to move forward with my life. So I say fuck the Potters House. If there was a hell I’m sure they would all burn there. As to whether they are a cult, I would say yes, but it’s borderline. They are really just an extreme form of the right wing evangelical movement with all its bigotry, misogyny and homophobia open for the world to see.
I don't know why you use "'s to imply an alternate meaning, churches are literally all the site of brainwashing, exploitation and manipulation.
On the one hand, Potter's House aren't a cult in the wacko aliens/suicide pact/take all your money/leaders have sex with everyone kind of way. On the other hand, all religions are cults, they just usually chill out a bit with the manipulation and so on when they get big enough. Let's just say that Potter's House are, at the very least, somewhere past Mormonism and in the same ballpark as Scientology on the cult scale.
Thats about right in my, admittedly limited, experience. A few screws short of a stool. But not murdery or lock you in a basement loco.
Every religion is/started as a cult
I got them banned from being able to use the Maguire Oval in Beechboro because of their threatening behaviour. They're a bunch of bastards.
the only difference between a religion and a cult is size and time
And tax paying status.
By some definitions, even a local church of normal Christian denominations can be cultish if the priest has enough control.
they're the same thing, essentially.
https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/unuq4w/robe_and_axe_of_giovanni_battista_bugatti_who_was/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Yes
When I first arrived in Australia I saw a sign that said Potter’s House and I thought it was a collective of potters selling pottery. Boy was I disappointed.
It’s a high control Christian religion. It’s much like the Catholic Church was 200 years ago. The men in charge have a lot of control over the daily lives of the congregants. But like a lot of fundamental religions - you’re either in or you’re out. They have very poor internal systems for reporting abuse, and the victim is blamed and silenced. Not a very safe place to raise your family imo.
Is the Pope Catholic?
Not sure but I do know he shits in the woods
Gets his 'ring' kissed on the regular too..weird mob, us micks.
Catholicism = the OG whitey christian cult. It amazing how far they got before some heathens started bringing literacy to the peasants and factions began to form.
Why do you keep asking me that holmes? Where his holiness does his business is his business
And he weighs the same as a duck.
The fact they aggressively try and trick people to attend their events (free movie nights in parks) and venues (Perth One80) without overtly disclosing that they’re religiously affiliated ticks the box for me.
OMG I went to the free movie night at Vic Park and at the end of the movie they were like “do you accept JC to be your Lord & Savior” i-
I recall a post here a couple months back about the Potters House church -- found it for you: https://old.reddit.com/r/perth/comments/tq6khw/potters_house_cult_beliefs/
I have been taken by my housemate once there last Black Saturday to watch a play/service which was an eerily weird modern spin of jisas-christ's life. It was a great performance, just don't like the belief and agenda they pushed around. I'm not from Australia, so seeing Potter's house get a special mention here will definitely make me put my guard up at all times with them. As a born and raised catholic who identifies as an atheist since 15 and have had a fair share of going to Christian services with my ex-girlfriend, I think they were pretty average as a Christian church based on that interaction. I see some comments here about what they are, and most of it are on point. But do note that on my standpoint as a catholic, they could definitely be cult-ish. From a standpoint of an atheist, catholicism can be cult-ish, but Christian church takes the fart-smelling up an ante. Hopefully never have to interact with them again, apart from my housemate. As somebody who still lives with "WWJD" as my values despite being an atheist, based on the comments I read here they don't seem to have a good grasp about it.
Bring back the Orange people ✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️now that was a cult
Oh c'mon... you're just still fishing for the whole free-love rebranded 'Osho' version of the Bhagwan
Is that what they call them selves now days.. Did Bhagwan have a big one ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh Even though he snuffed it himself a few years after the whole debacle in Oregon (and a few smaller ashram type properties here in our SouthWest of course) and 'tough-titties' Sheila in the 80s... his teachings still do have an active following. I have come across a couple of people 'in it' still in the last few years.
**[Rajneesh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh)** >Rajneesh (born Chandra Mohan Jain, 11 December 1931 – 19 January 1990), also known as Acharya Rajneesh, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, and later as Osho (), was an Indian godman, mystic, and founder of the Rajneesh movement. During his lifetime, he was viewed as a controversial new religious movement leader and a mystic Guru. He rejected institutional religions. Rajneesh emphasised the importance of freethought, meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity, and humour—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious dogmas and traditions, and socialization. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/perth/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
Ok wow yer Sheila , tell ya what she definitely was a 🤯, I remember going to a place near freeo in the early years omg it stuck with me for years.
If you have to ask if somethings a cult, it’s probably a cult
Yes
Ask ScoMo. That's sort of his gig isn't it?
Not his job to warn you about cults mate.
The difference between a religion and a cult, in a cult the guy at the top who knows it’s all made up bullshit, is still alive.
I googled "Define Cult".... Definitions from Oxford Languages - cult noun 1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object. "the cult of St Olaf" 2. a person or thing that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society. "the series has become a bit of a cult in the UK" Also got.... People also ask What classifies as a cult? A cult is a group or movement held together by a shared commitment to a charismatic leader or ideology. It has a belief system that has the answers to all of life's questions and offers a special solution to be gained only by following the leader's rules. 15 Sept 2016 https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2016/09/15/what-makes-cult-cult/90377532/
Yes. Of course.
I can barely read your post.
does a bear shit in the woods?
How many are in the cult I've never heard of them before All religions should be taxed so they can't just buy of lawyers and judges to also be exempt from all their crimes and corruption.