What's the difference between a cult and a religion?

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singletrack65

New member
Jim Jones convinced a group of people he was their Messiah. 912 people, 280 of them children committed suicide or were murdered.

Vernon Howell (David Koresh) claimed to be a prophet and got 75 people, 21 children killed. His followers still await his return.

Some molested their followers, some killed or tried to kill outsiders, Others just wanted to be worshiped and get a little on the side.

What makes these cults, when Jesus seems to have started a cult that took off & is now a religion. Is it a cult until membership reaches a critical mass?

I always hear "Good Christian folk" talk about the evil of other religions, saying they are "intolerant". Isn't that itself intolerance?

Lastly Christianity, Scientology, 7th Day Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses, and Mormons. Are these cults or religions?
If cults are based around a living person (and Bill used Jim Jones as an example), Christianity is a cult as it revolves around Jesus.

Jake, I know Christians never persecuted or killed anyone. Sorry if I gave you that impression.

Elliot, I'm glad we could never have a president who could break the law and claim it was legal. Good thing we live in such a free country.

Jenn, your example of cults worshiping people would point @ Christianity. They worship Jesus & his mom.
 
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pinko

New member
I think you pretty much nailed it. A cult represents a smaller percentage of the population than a religion. That's it.
 
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JakeS1

Member
You're comparing people talking smack about other religions to raping and killing dozens of men, women, and children?

You are fucked up in the head.
 
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JennL

New member
That is a very interesting question. I guess you could say a religion becomes a cult when people start worshiping other people. Jim Jones for example (like you said already) convinced a lot of people that he was their Messiah. People were brainwashed to the point that they killed themselves for him, and killed their innocent children. Remember the guy that convinced people that Hailey's Comet was going to take them to heaven? They all went out and bought Nike's so that when they killed themselves their souls would be able to run fast enough to catch up to the comet. There are a lot of crazy people out there, and the sad thing is that there are even more desperate people out there that are searching for something to believe in.

Christianity, Scientology, 7th Day Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses I would say are religions. Though some of their beliefs are a little out there, since they are not worshiping a person, but a higher power I think it is safe to say they can't really be classified as a cult.
 
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BillC

Member
Cults usually revolve around a living person, like Jim Jones, Sun Myung Moon, etc.

Religions revolve around a deity. So by that definition, the sects you mention are not cults.
 
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EliotK

Member
An easy, and not very good, answer is: one person's cult is another person's religion.

I don't agree.

A cult usually has a person as its leader, and that persons ideas, interpretation of sacred texts, and interpretation of reality, become the beliefs of the followers.

One easy way of avoiding cults is the notion, "Principles, not people."

This means that the rules, the ideas, the principles are what are important. But the people who bring you the ideas, or practice them with you, bring their own prejudices and motives, and they can easily lead you away from the principles.

We say that the US is a "Nation of laws, not of men." Meaning, no matter how wonderful you are, no matter what position you have in government, if you break the law, you can be arrested and convicted.

Imagine if we had a president who changed the law so that he could do what he wanted - and say it was legal!!

So, a religion does NOT follow a living leader, but a set of principles, often in the hands of committees (bishops, elders).

Obviously, that doesn't mean that every religion is "good." It does mean that cults are easy to spot, and religions are a trickier matter.
 
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dandmrs

New member
I saw a few of those comments...good grief...

It's important to know this about these men..including Marshall Applewhite of Heavens Gate..

these men were extremely charismatic...extremely..gifted.

By gifted I mean they were in a state of "perfect possesion,"
which is defined by Fr. Malachi Martin..the late exorcist, a
Vatican Priest/ Exorcist.

Good enough for me.
 
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PirateAM™

Member
Basically it is the same as the difference between a mountain and a hill or a river and a stream - it's a matter of scale and acceptance -- and understanding.

Cult has several meanings though, the classic is just a fledgling religion that is not generally accepted. A more modern definition is directed to those examples that you mentioned and others that are similar.
 
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unlikeanything666

New member
the only difference is the number of people that subscribe to the beliefs. cults are smaller and therefore looked down upon by the religious community. not all cults are sicko's doing messed up stuff.
 
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gumby

Member
According to the literal definition, all religions are cults. According to the derogatory sense of the word, I would say very few are. It seems that many use the word when they mean, "religion that doesn't adhere to the EXACT same teachings as mine."
 
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tDillicioustcubed

New member
size

I dont think there is a set definition of a cult, but generally they are defined as smaller and less accepted than religions

The religions that central around a prophet of some kind are no different than the David Koresh cults IMO
They are people who put their faith in a messiah to lead them to the promised land.

If you read the doctrines of Christianity and Islam, there are some cult like themes
People dont talk about how Jesus said you had to love him more than your own family to get into Heaven
 
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