COMMENTS:
Voted : No. I will explain below.
No, I don't believe all religions are cults. But, after having said that, It has been said that the diffirence between a religion and a cult is the size of the membership. ha
Voted : No. I will explain below.
A cult is a cohesive group of people devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture or society considers to be far outside the mainstream. Its separate status may come about either due to its novel belief system, because of its idiosyncratic practices or because it opposes the interests of the mainstream culture.
Religions share most of the beliefs of the surrounding culture.
There are gray areas here. For example it would be hard to define Scientology, Mormonism, Radical Evangelical Protestant Fundamentalists, as either cult or religion.
Voted : No. I will explain below.
Cults are usually abusive in the sense that they control every aspect of a person's life including contact with others. Generally, brainwashing to a high degree occurs. There is a big difference between most mainstream religions and the Jim Jones and the People's Temple infamy, isn't there? Additionally, Heaven's Gate, Westboro "Baptist" Church, Branch Davidians, etc.
^FiddleFaddle,
That's a very good point. The problem in ANY religion is that a person with an unusual amount of charisma,combined with a need to control, turn away from the teachings of the church and create their own following. usually, the others that may see through this individual simply leave. Infortunately, the weaker ones get sucked into the cult. I attended, years ago. a main stream (Baptist) church that had a young pastor with such a dogmatic attitude, that I felt a danger existed there.
by definition, yes
Voted : Yes
Religions and cults are, by definition, the same thing.
Mainstream religious groups use the term to distinguish themselves from more extreme fringe groups but technically ANY system of religious worship is a cult.
The latin word cultus from which we derive "cult" simply means "worship".
Look it up.
^ Another explanation from "Webster." "quasi-religious group, often living in a colony, with a charismaticleader who indoctrinates members with unorthodox or extremist views." Not all systems of religion are cults.
Voted : Yes
Yes, however, that is only because the cult is defined as a system of belief. The questions really is, which one reflects reality best, or which one has fewest contradictions?
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