Are all religions cults?

Sorry Dan, I was using your and yours as generalities. I have no idea where you personally stand.

LuckyDan said:

I'm not sure if that's directed at me, but if so, no, I do not believe all other religions are cults. Where have I even implied such?

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And I mean no offense.

jimbo said:

Sorry Dan, I was using your and yours as generalities. I have no idea where you personally stand.

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Ah. Well then.

Best.

Mormons are most certainly a religion, strange in origin but definitely a religion to the same merit as many others. I don't see how they couldn't qualify.

A cult is any religion you don't like.....so as an equal opportunity hater I'm required to say that all religions are cults!

I think most of what we call cults are defined thusly:

"A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister."

However, I agree you could say some religions started out as cults.

jambalaya said:

I think most of what we call cults are defined thusly:

"A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister."

However, I agree you could say some religions started out as cults.

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Well I'd define cult - a religious system viewed as unorthodox or nontraditional.

By that standard, I'd say every religion starts off as a cult.

I believe most religions can be considered cults.

Cult - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

I say this because honestly, many religions are based off of what is written in a holy book, and most of the followers of those religions blindly believe what that book says as true, even if it contradicts with science. An even stronger point toward those religions being a cult is that many blindly follow an interpretation of their holy book as put forth by a specific person or group of people within their particular denomination.

What I don't believe is that most cults are bad, not when it comes to the actual meaning of the word "cult".

The biggest issue is that many people like to use "cult" in 2 ways. The first would be to describe religious groups that are extremely restrictive, have one person or a very small group of people telling the group what the word of God is, are very hard to leave, and almost certainly dangerous or at the least not healthy, for most, if not all, of its members. Then, some take that negative definition and attempt to apply it to religions that really do not fit all those descriptions, but might fit a few and are most definitely "strange" to most people.

Dion said:

Are all religions cults?

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what is your definition of cult?

1.
a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
b. The followers of such a religion or sect.
2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
5.
a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
b. The object of such devotion.
6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

broadly, yes.

Dion said:

Are all religions cults?

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Looking at the definition of cult the answer is 100% yes :shrug:

now people like to use the word cult in a derogatory manner but thats their problem they are using it wrong.

Religions are cults by definition.

Dion said:

Are all religions cults?

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How are we defining "cults"? I'm sure with a broad enough definition, you could include most of organized religion.

many things can be classed as a cult. I mean look at sports teams, people dress in a certain way to go to the games and bars, there are superstitions, chants, you spend time and money on it and when your team wins your happy with life and when they lose your not.

I invite everyone to compare and see that there is distinct differences between the two.

I would go one step farther and say that only people who dont' understand Religion will think they are the same.

I have seen there is more to this life than we can see by way of an NDE and an OBE.

I believe and I pray that all of you take the time to look deep within your hearts on this subject.

http://faithresource.org/SpiritualAbuse/ArticlesSpiritAbuse/ReligionversusCult.htm

Councilman said:

I invite everyone to compare and see that there is distinct differences between the two.

I would go one step farther and say that only people who dont' understand Religion will think they are the same.

I have seen there is more to this life than we can see by way of an NDE and an OBE.

I believe and I pray that all of you take the time to look deep within your hearts on this subject.

Religion Versus Cult

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unless i ignore the webster's definition of a cult they are in fact the same :shrug:

like I said I know people like to use the word cult as negative or something else but they are using the word wrong LOL

cult/kəlt/
Noun:
1.A system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.
2.A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.

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Make of it what you will.

Dion said:

Possibly ... One could make a case that cults that last long enough or that convert large numbers of people, or both, are eventually called religions.

I voted other ... I certainly support any individual's right to have blind faith in something or anything that helps them make it through the day.

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What about eyes-wide-open faith? Is that okay too?

Dion said:

Are all religions cults?

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The only difference between cults and religions is the number of adherents.

RadicalModerate said:

The only difference between cults and religions is the number of adherents.

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actually by definition that isnt a difference either.

Websters

Definition of CULT
1
: formal religious veneration : worship
2
: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3
: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4
: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5
a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : the object of such devotion c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion.

Religion IS a cult :shrug: no big deal those that use the word in a negative fashion are using it wrong and those that say they are different with the intent to LIFT religion higher are also using it wrong.

Councilman said:

I invite everyone to compare and see that there is distinct differences between the two.

I would go one step farther and say that only people who dont' understand Religion will think they are the same.

I have seen there is more to this life than we can see by way of an NDE and an OBE.

I believe and I pray that all of you take the time to look deep within your hearts on this subject.

Religion Versus Cult

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Some of these examples are easily disprovable with counterexamples:

Religions respect the individual's autonomy.

Cults enforce compliance.

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What kind of autonomy are we talking about? Almost every ritualistic religion "enforces compliance." Roman Catholics do it with communion, Muslims do it with praying to Mecca, etc.

Religions try to help individuals meet their spiritual needs.

Cults exploit spiritual needs.

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This is a subjective value judgment to reach a preconceived view of who is a "cult" and who isn't. What you consider "helping" people I might consider "exploiting" them, and vice versa.

Religions tolerate and even encourage questions and independent, critical thinking.

Cults discourage questions and independent critical thinking.

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Many mainstream religions shun critical thinking, especially evangelical Christianity, conservative sects of Islam, Orthodox Judaism, and Roman Catholicism. An easy example is the idiocy that many evangelical churches spew about evolution.

Religions encourage psycho-spiritual integration.

Cults "split" members into the "good cult self" and the "bad old self.”

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Evangelical churches talk about being "born-again," which sounds exactly like the "good cult self" and "bad old self" to me. Isn't the fundamental teaching of most Christian churches the idea that everyone is a sinner, but you can be forgiven (i.e. made into your "good cult self") by accepting their belief system?

Conversion to religions involves an unfolding of internal processes central to a person's identity.

Cultic conversion involves an unaware surrender to external forces that care little for the person's identity.

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I have no idea what this means. And I suspect that the person who wrote it doesn't have any idea either.

Religions view money as a means, subject to ethical restraints, toward achieving noble ends.

Cults view money as an end or as a means toward achieving power or the selfish goals of the leader.

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The Roman Catholic Church achieved quite a bit of power over the centuries due to its deep pockets.

Religions view sex between clergy and the faithful as unethical.

Cults frequently subject members to the sexual appetites of the leaders.

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Not all religions ban sex between the clergy and the faithful. In fact, the only religion I know of that requires the clergy to remain celibate is Roman Catholicism and its offshoots. Most Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim factions have no such rule in place.

And let's not even delve into the Roman Catholic Church "subjecting members to the sexual appetites of the leaders."

Religions respond to critics respectfully.

Cults frequently intimidate critics with physical or legal threats.

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Yes, there are some open-minded individuals who will respond to critics respectfully in most religions. There are also plenty who do not, in most religions.

Religions cherish the family.

Cults view the family as an enemy.

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Unless you're gay. Or divorced. Or have a child out of wedlock. In that case, many conservative churches view your family as an enemy.

Religions encourage a person to think carefully before making a commitment to join.

Cults encourage quick decisions with little information.

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The vast majority of religious people belong to the same religion that their parents did, and have had that dogma ingrained in them since they were in diapers.

As someone who calls himself a Christian (in name, if not practice), I have often asked myself this question. What IS the difference between a religion and a cult? 2000 years?

I'm probably more agnostic.

radcen said:

As someone who calls himself a Christian (in name, if not practice), I have often asked myself this question. What IS the difference between a religion and a cult? 2000 years?

I'm probably more agnostic.

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A cult = any religion that isn't respected by the person making the statement.

Kandahar said:

A cult = any religion that isn't respected by the person making the statement.

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That's not very accurate. Many people don't respect the Catholic Church, but hardly any people call it a cult.

theplaydrive said:

That's not very accurate. Many people don't respect the Catholic Church, but hardly any people call it a cult.

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OK, allow me to revise my previous definition:
A cult = any religion that isn't respected by the person making the statement, and has significantly fewer adherents than the person's own religion.

Dion said:

Are all religions cults?

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I usually differentiate religions and cults by the level of intensity with which the adherents practice and the level of isolation + damnation of outsiders that they require to be 'faithful'.

Consequently, Catholicism is not a cult, Scientology is.

Cults aren't always religious. Didn't you hear? How do you think Obama was elected?

"BARACK - HUSSEIN - OBAMA, MM - MM - MM"