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
Some of these examples are easily disprovable with counterexamples:
Religions respect the individual's autonomy.
Cults enforce compliance.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.