In your experiences and opinions, at what point does a religion stop being a religion and start being a cult?
At what point does a religion become a cult?
by nbernat 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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digderidoo
[edit] Definition of 'cult' according to secular opposition
Secular cult opponents tend to define a "cult" as a group that tends to manipulate, exploit, and control its members. Specific factors in cult behavior are said to include manipulative and authoritarian mind control over members, communal and totalistic organization, aggressive proselytizing, systematic programs of indoctrination, and perpetuation in middle-class communities. [30]
While acknowledging the issue of multiple definitions of "cult", [31] Michael Langone states that "Cults are groups that often exploit members psychologically and/or financially, typically by making members comply with leadership's demands through certain types of psychological manipulation, popularly called mind control, and through the inculcation of deep-seated anxious dependency on the group and its leaders." [32] A similar definition is given by Louis Jolyon West:
- "A cult is a group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control (e.g. isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of [consequences of] leaving it, etc) designed to advance the goals of the group's leaders to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community." [33]
In each, the focus tends to be on the specific tactics of conversion, the negative impact on individual members, and the difficulty in leaving once indoctrination has occurred. [34]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult
Many of the traits here can be found in the WBTS
Paul
Paul
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jwfacts
All religions start as cults, the question is at what point do they stop being a cult.
More specific to your question, the main indicators of a cult is that they insist on shunning former members, claim the leaders have a direct connection with God, and that they alone are the pathway to truth and salvation. On that basis most religions, Catholics included, border on being cults. -
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Gopher
What JWFacts said -- religious movements begin as cults.
Only as they grow in size and starting acting more mainstream (or are perceived to be that way) do they become accepted "denominations".
I think the distinction is best stated as "cults" versus "denominations". They are all religions.
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