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how do you differentiate between a cult and a religion? between cult thinking and spiritual guidance? between a cult leader and a helpful presence? how does a person stay safe and discern between these?
This came up on another thread, and bears exploring.
thank you everyone for your insights and contributions
To me, the main thing that distinguishes a cult (particularly a dangerous cult, since technically, all religions are cults), is that a cult will attempt to isolate its members from people on the outside. It will also try to prohibit its members from reading any non-approved reading material, etc. It all gets down to control and a lack of freedom of thought.
A cult is the one that you can see is spewing out foolish misrepresentations and nonsense. A religion is the one spewing out foolish misrepresentations and nonsense that you happen to subscribe to.
Exactly right. My religion is obviously The Truth, the other guy's religion is obviously a cult.
There is a specific definition for cult when it is used as a Theolory term. Actually it has no specific definition but all cults have 6 Characteristics in common. It requires all 6 to be considered a cult. All Releigions and even non-Religious organization will have some of these Charecteristics
Both Christianity and Islam have historically used this tactic.
you know what I find interesting, is that if a religion of some type, whether it be Christianity, Islam,or some other type of organized religion, if it's supposed to be so good for you why did they use the fearful tactics to make you become a member and then use the same tactics to keep you as a member. I have been approached more times than I can count throughout my long life to convert to one religious belief or another and because I have decided not to, I have been condemned by the same religions, which is fine by me, because I don't believe in whatever type of punishment they may have for my spirit.
A cult is not a cult without cultists. One can identify a cultist by the way he/she expresses their beliefs at others and have 'rule-sets' to determine exactly what to 'look for' when doing so and their methods of 'discernment' are heavily biased in relation to said beliefs.
There is a specific definition for cult when it is used as a Theolory term. Actually it has no specific definition but all cults have 6 Characteristics in common. It requires all 6 to be considered a cult. All Releigions and even non-Religious organization will have some of these Charecteristics
This is a critical point.
Not all, but many mainstream religions started off a cult.
It is only when they manage to obtain a large number of followers that they are regarded as a religion.
Cults are similar to religion as defined in above but on a smaller scale/model.
Those cults [re religiosity] with more than 50,00 to 100,000 followers could be considered as a religion. Those with less are also discussed as religion but one need to note the context.
Last edited by Continuum; 06-19-2015 at 09:59 PM..
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