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There are PLENTY of christian equivalents of VR/ Myspace/ Facebook.
There's a christian equivalent of pretty much everything...

i think it would be the same....
as it is now... there would still be sites for it
and small organizations...
I don't think it would be much different at all

you do make a point tho...
many people do just go towards what others say to avoid.

i think a certain number of teens in rome became christian to horrify their parents.
just as a certain number of wiccans do so today.


if everything were flipped, people might go to what today is considered a mainstream belief system as an act of rebellion.

I have heard many people claim just what you speak of. It is common for people to say they are angels, nephilim, gods, etc. This is at least my experience.

Mine also WW.I have known a number of peeps claiming to be Gods and such.

It has a lot to do with the "forbidden fruit is the sweetest" thing I think. Not saying that EVERYONE who is into the occult, vampires, etc. is just trying to go against the grain, but the "taboo" of it all is probably the initial draw to these topics, so ya if things that are considered the norm now were made forbidden it probably would draw more attention just due to humanities rebellious nature.

I think it would depend on the individual
if they really believed in their religion
Or if they were just following other's because it was a taboo.
Alot of variables in your question.

I don't see much difference between "organized" religion and cults. Religion is the occult. Just depends on the team you're backing.

The reason most people don't express their individuality and actually deny it is fear of what what their families and their friends are going to think of them.

Most adults don't change there mind like 95% of the teens do, most teens do they flock to what the mums and dads would see to be "devil worship".
And that is what pisses me off, how teens run around saying "Oh I'm a wiccan I do magic I'm bi blah blah blah" Pish posh shut the hell up and stop trying to be someone else. That's my thing most people the post that the are something or believe in something they are lien to ether A. be cool and do what there friends are doing B. Do it to piss there parents off or C. they just don't know

Yes I think if it was to be open and taken in like Christianity and all the taboo was taken away more people would come out and be like meh I was just joshen.

There already are people who say they are Angelics, and Prophets/Shamans and almost anything you can think of. I think all of this is relative to the peer group you hang out with really as to what is felt taboo. Many are headed toward either Deist ideologies or Universalist and the Metaphysical/spiritualist communities are still growing. What is taboo for one will not be for others.

I agree.
To be called a member of an occult group you just need confidence enough to say so.
I know someone who honestly thinks that they are the "Supreme Ultra Mega Lord". If people believe in that sort of stuff, and if they can find others to believe, they will, and will probably exploit it to the fullest of their abilities. No offence intended, but look at the organisation that rakes in the most money every year. The RCC.

A little of topic. Anyway, all you really need is flashy clothes, a handful of dried herbs and bad breath to be part of a cult these days.
Because people will believe anything.

All the points that you mentioned, are happening as we speak. The confrontation between the occult and religion, is about to happen pretty soon. Just look around at the mind changing that happen in the last 10 years.

oc·cult (-klt, klt)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
2. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.
3. Available only to the initiate; secret: occult lore. See Synonyms at mysterious.
4. Hidden from view; concealed.
5.
a. Medicine Detectable only by microscopic examination or chemical analysis, as a minute blood sample.
b. Not accompanied by readily detectable signs or symptoms: occult carcinoma.
n.
Occult practices or techniques: a student of the occult.
v. (-klt) oc·cult·ed, oc·cult·ing, oc·cults
v.tr.
1. To conceal or cause to disappear from view.
2. Astronomy To conceal by occultation: The moon occulted Mars.
v.intr.
To become concealed or extinguished at regular intervals: a lighthouse beacon that occults every 45 seconds.
[Latin occultus, secret, past participle of occulere, to cover over; see kel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
oc·cultly adv.
oc·cultness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

So with that in mind,
I add those that seek to intimidate others by claiming to be initiate to such things. They ofen lack practical talent, or personality oc·cult (-klt, klt)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
2. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.
3. Available only to the initiate; secret: occult lore. See Synonyms at mysterious.
4. Hidden from view; concealed.
5.
a. Medicine Detectable only by microscopic examination or chemical analysis, as a minute blood sample.
b. Not accompanied by readily detectable signs or symptoms: occult carcinoma.
n.
Occult practices or techniques: a student of the occult.
v. (-klt) oc·cult·ed, oc·cult·ing, oc·cults
v.tr.
1. To conceal or cause to disappear from view.
2. Astronomy To conceal by occultation: The moon occulted Mars.
v.intr.
To become concealed or extinguished at regular intervals: a lighthouse beacon that occults every 45 seconds.
[Latin occultus, secret, past participle of occulere, to cover over; see kel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
oc·cultly adv.
oc·cultness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

so with that said, I add those who seek to intimidate, or elevate themselves above others, yet they have no practical talent, or notable personality traits.

In encounters with such peoplethey introduce themselves as "Hi I'm an X, my name is----"

Yet if anyone engages them in the topic they demonstrate superficial gratuitious knowledge, or declare that they are "not allowed to discuss that".

" Those who know don't tell, and those who tell, don't know."

They want to astonish people, and make people think they are gifted.. beyond "mortal understanding.. yet it is very evident they lack even basic social aptitude.

an interesting aside...

currently the fastest growing religion in the u.s. is paganism (altho to call paganism a single religion is a like saying all pagans are wiccan...or everyone that believes in the old testament of the bible is jewish)

the fastest growing "mainstream" belief system is islam.

think in time kids will be converting to islam to disturb parents?

that one really rather disturbs me.
~W~

Most religions of that ilk have Huge families to expand their following. A totally insane policy given the pressure on resources.(We need 3 earths to sustain what weare doing)
The deaths it will inevitably cause are far more serious than any Cult or Vampyric thoughts.The sooner they introduce one child per Religion the better...Yes, I know its taboo and doesn't get votes but that doesn't make it any the less true !

i think the what if has already been done and at some level is still being done,only difference is it's not popular is why most don't hear about it..what you hear about is what tends to sell in the media and currently that is vampires,werewolves,blackmagick and satanist

i think in the mid 70's to 80's was the fad for religious people to say they were angels,prophets etc etc

LW, good point and it rather disturbs me too.

the thing about 'taboo' you see, is as Dabbler points out, something that appears mysterious, forbidden and oh so interesting to curious minds, has got a huge attraction for folk who wish to seem 'interesting', 'non-conformist' etc.

would paganism be 'taboo' if it was openly discussed as all the other main religions are? i think not.

actually i have known a number of kids that came from more mainstream christian households, that decided to get into a "charismatic" church, where there is more of a push to convert others, and change living styles.
those that get into that seem to enjoy the reactions when they start to preach at total strangers as well as when they show off their new style to old friends. then they often work to drive those old friends away.
sad really.

understand, im not referring to all christians, just personality types.
~W~

Yes but it all depends where you live.

Would you be in a Muslim country and say happily you're Christian or Wiccan?

Absolutely not.

Would you be in Malta and say publically you're not Roman Catholic?

Absolutely not, you'd get threated differently, even if you need an operation in hospital the doctors would refuse to operate you.

Many do it for attention but there are some who are real and can't be open about it.

It also depends about the era. Once in the Roman times Christianity was not acceptable and Christians were killed, but at time it was also considered honorable to die for your religion.

However it's a good question to ponder if it'd be the opposite, I guess yes and in the meantime more former of occult and pagan practices would come out, with the intention to attract more people into the said accepted religion.

i think it depends on the muslem country. if your in turkey, sure.
if your in iran, a christian would be in danger...a wiccan would be killed.

it does make one wonder tho...what would a teen seeking to rebel do in such an environment?
~W~

I belive many of us are drawn to what is forbidden. Some of us crave the taboo. I think it's natural. I think no matter what is the norm some will rebel against it and seek the forbidden no matter what it is. To me it seems as natural as our fight or flight responce some of us are just made to break the rules, to question convention and do things sometimes better left undone.

im pretty sure if they made something a normal as going to the doctors taboo, people would flock to it.

like how it was done with mid wifes the doctors scared them off accusingm them of bing witchs

I think that whatever is considered 'tabboo' will always have angry teens flock to it.

but how can they flock to anything "forbidden" in an islamic fundamentalist country?
~W~

Maybe some are drawn into their version of "The Taboo" Due to the mystique of: "The lure of Forbiden Fruit".

I'm not really sure. I guess society would pretty much be the same, just slightly rearranged.

I think that if Christianity was tabboo, while Paganism or Wiccan wasn't, there would be more teens flocking to Christianity and leaving the now-tabboo religions open.

This is just my opinion.