People considering some religions a cult.

[LuisDantas]

It is all in the perception. "Cult" and "religion" are only words. Any meaningful contrast in their meanings is entirely a result of the listener's expectations.

Usually, when one thinks of a cult as significantly different from a religion, it is because cults are somehow less legitimate than religions (by their perceptions).

That is still an entirely arbitrary distinction. You may or may not have reason to care that it is made, but it will be arbitrary nonetheless.

 

[Katzpur]

According to the accepted definition of the term cult, it is any religious organization that is contrary to the truth.

Whose truth?

 

[Katzpur]

Oddly, Christianity was not created by Jesus Christ, LOL.

Well, that's a matter of opinion. I would definitely beg to differ with you on that one, Ymir.

 

[allfoak]

Whose truth?

That is the question, isn't it?

 

[Sapiens]

Whose truth?

Well, that's a matter of opinion. I would definitely beg to differ with you on that one, Ymir.

Therein lies the rub. Since each religion denies the truth of each other religion, best to get it over and paint them all with the brush of "cult," eh?

 

[jeager106]

According to Webster a cult is: a cult is a religious or social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices.
As in the Jim Jones and David Koresh (sp?) followers.
"Drink the purple kool aid." NOT!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I wanted to hear other peoples opinions of this. I myself have my own belief system, however my father for example would oftenly consider my belief system to be a cult, and I tend to disagree. Do you think the reason why many people would consider religions that are independent as a cult because its a threat to their own beliefs? Or is it because its a threat due to its intellect and challenges among the objective and the subjective world?

I try not to use the term "cult", myself. I use "dangerous group", a term I picked up from Rick Ross. I try to decide whether an organization (religious or not) is a dangerous group based on its effects on its members.

... and because it's based on effects on members, the same group can be dangerous or not depending on which member you're talking about.

... kind of like alcohol or other drugs: some are bad for everyone, some are generally good, and some are dangerous for vulnerable people even though they don't cause harm to other members.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

According to Webster a cult is: a cult is a religious or social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices.

See... there's the problem: "cult" is taken as a negative term, but being different from the mainstream isn't necessarily bad (and the mainstream isn't necessarily good).

 

[Draka]

I usually take "cult" to mean a religious group or following that has certain restrictions and indicators about it. Some of which being the restriction to speak about what goes on within the group, no socializing with those outside the group, cutting off any and all contact with anyone who has left the group (including family members), some sort of expectation to pay a certain amount of money to the group or giving up of ones own property in order to be accepted, sequestering of the group to one area with limitations on leaving, a head of the group who is unquestionable and other things along those lines.

When I think of a cult, and think of those types of things, some major groups or religions which come to mind are FLDS, JWs, and Scientology. Of course, there are many smaller ones that pop up here and there, but those are the ones I think of when thinking of those that more people are aware of and that seem to be thriving in a weird way.

 

[1137]

I see little if any difference between a cult and religion other than perception. Many people associate cults with bad groups, but this isn't the case. We even use the term in places like anthropology, like the cult of Osiris, which was not some hidden anti state religion but the foundation of all religions within the state!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I see little if any difference between a cult and religion other than perception.

Yeah - there's that old line "a religion is a cult that survived the death of its founder."

Many people associate cults with bad groups, but this isn't the case. We even use the term in places like anthropology, like the cult of Osiris, which was not some hidden anti state religion but the foundation of all religions within the state!

Before my first marriage, because I'm unbaptized, we had to get special dispensation from the bishop to get married in a Catholic church. The name of the dispensation was "petition for difference of cult".

 

[Sutekh]

See... there's the problem: "cult" is taken as a negative term, but being different from the mainstream isn't necessarily bad (and the mainstream isn't necessarily good).

Agreed, Ive always tended to dislike the mainstream society and culture myself.

 

[David1967]

"Cult" is a word that is thrown about much too freely. To many people, it means nothing more than "a religion I don't like." I do believe there are groups that can be legitimately considered to be "cults" but I'm pretty selective in using the word myself.

I agree Katz. In modern times anyway it does seem too often to mean "a religion I don't like", unfortunately. I have heard this term thrown around at everyone from Jehovah's witnesses to Mormons to seventh day Adventist etc. It's a hateful term used this way. When speaking of another faith why not simply say something to the effect that they have different ideas than we do? No need to be uncivil. Unless it's a group that is doing harm to people.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

"Cult" is a word that is thrown about much too freely. To many people, it means nothing more than "a religion I don't like." I do believe there are groups that can be legitimately considered to be "cults" but I'm pretty selective in using the word myself.

Me too. I also dislike how it paints a particular harmful group arrangement as necessarily religious.

The closest thing to a cult I've experienced myself puts itself forward as a self-help/group-help "personal mastery" program, not a religion. I don't refer to it as a cult mainly because I don't want to be drawn off into the weeds about whether the group should be religious when the thing I really want to talk about is its harmful nature.

 

[Sutekh]

I agree Katz. In modern times anyway it does seem too often to mean "a religion I don't like", unfortunately. I have heard this term thrown around at everyone from Jehovah's witnesses to Mormons to seventh day Adventist etc. It's a hateful term used this way. When speaking of another faith why not simply say something to the effect that they have different ideas than we do? No need to be uncivil. Unless it's a group that is doing harm to people.

I do agree with some of the things of what you are trying to say, however I do normally would classify Jehovahs witnesses or Mormonism as a cult not in a vicious context but just as a religion that would normally control its adherents. I do however would consider the term cult to be uncivil if a person for example would consider another persons beliefs as a cult.

 

[Katzpur]

I do normally would classify Jehovahs witnesses or Mormonism as a cult not in a vicious context but just as a religion that would normally control its adherents.

My guess, Sutekh, is that you probably know about as much about Mormonism as I do about Satanism -- maybe a little bit more, but not a lot.

 

[Sutekh]

My guess, Sutekh, is that you probably know about as much about Mormonism as I do about Satanism -- maybe a little bit more, but not a lot.

I was formally mormon.

 

[McBell]

I wanted to hear other peoples opinions of this. I myself have my own belief system, however my father for example would oftenly consider my belief system to be a cult, and I tend to disagree. Do you think the reason why many people would consider religions that are independent as a cult because its a threat to their own beliefs? Or is it because its a threat due to its intellect and challenges among the objective and the subjective world?

Define "cult"

My experience has been that the most common common usage definition is basically: every belief that is not liked by the user of the word cult.

Post #27 demonstrates it....

 

[Katzpur]

I was formally mormon.

I believe you mean "formerly." And you were "controlled" by your Church? Interesting. I've been a Mormon for 67 years and nobody has ever attempted to "control" me -- not that they'd have much chance of success.

 

[Sutekh]

I believe you mean "formerly." And you were "controlled" by your Church? Interesting. I've been a Mormon for 67 years and nobody has ever attempted to "control" me -- not that they'd have much chance of success.

I wasn't implying that I was being controlled by my church, I left the church due to disagreements.