Cargo Cult Christians
Why do I refer to groups like American Family Association as “Cargo Cults?”
Cargo Cult, from wikipedia:
A cargo cult is a religious practice that has appeared in many traditional tribal societies in the wake of interaction with technologically advanced cultures. The cults focus on obtaining the material wealth (the “cargo”) of the advanced culture through magic and religious rituals and practices. Cult members believe that the wealth was intended for them by their deities and ancestors. Cargo cults developed primarily in remote parts of New Guinea and other Melanesian and Micronesian societies in the southwest Pacific Ocean, beginning with the first significant arrivals of Westerners in the 19th century. Similar behaviors have, however, also appeared elsewhere in the world.
Cargo cult activity in the Pacific region increased significantly during and immediately after World War II, when the residents of these regions observed the Japanese and American combatants bringing in large amounts of material. When the war ended, the military bases closed and the flow of goods and materials ceased. In an attempt to attract further deliveries of goods, followers of the cults engaged in ritualistic practices such as building crude imitation landing strips, aircraft and radio equipment, and mimicking the behaviour that they had observed of the military personnel operating them.
1. Tribal society- Emphasize family ties and patriarchal structure, use 3000 year old documents written by superstitious shepherds.
2. Belief in primitive magic, ie prayer can cure leukemia.
3. Confused and frightened when confronted by rapid technological and social change.
4. Failure to understand scientific origin of “cargo,” believing the earth to be just 6000 years old while burning refined petroleum products in their SUVs and using computers, for example.
5. Belief that sacred “cargo” is divinely ordained for benefit of believers.
6. Absurd and comically inept attempts to mimic the behavior of those perceived to be more blessed; American servicemen in the Pacific, millionaires and major entrepreneurs in the modern USA, for example.
One big difference is that the actual southwest Pacific Cargo Cultists don’t bother to give even lip-service to the work ethic. This is a matter of style over substance though, since AFA-type cargo cults despise the working poor and low-status workers on the grounds that Gawd would make them entrepreneurs or professionals if they were truly right with Him.