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What separates a cult from a religion?

501(c)(3) status......not sure what you folks across the pond call it.
 
All religions are cults. ;)
 
Bum said:
501(c)(3) status......not sure what you folks across the pond call it.
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I believe there is similar tax breaks I’m not really in favour of them. However there are some beautiful buildings I like to see maintained
 
The main difference between a cult and a religion lies in their level of control, secrecy, and acceptance by society. Cults often exhibit high control over their members, rely on secrecy and manipulation, and may face skepticism or outright rejection from mainstream society. Religions, on the other hand, tend to be more open, inclusive, and often have widespread social acceptance.
poppopfox said:
All religions are cults. ;)
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No they aren't.
 
Jessie C said:
The main difference between a cult and a religion lies in their level of control, secrecy, and acceptance by society. Cults often exhibit high control over their members, rely on secrecy and manipulation, and may face skepticism or outright rejection from mainstream society. Religions, on the other hand, tend to be more open, inclusive, and often have widespread social acceptance.

No they aren't.
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Proof? Which ones aren't?
cult noun
plural noun: cults
  1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.
 
poppopfox said:
Proof? Which ones aren't?
cult noun
plural noun: cults
  1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.
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Really? We all know what religions are widely accepted and adored, I don't nee to name them and neither do the millions of people world wide who embrace them MINUS the restrictions of a cult with nothing but a foul chaotic leader like trumpdump with nothing good to promise.
 
Jessie C said:
Really? We all know what religions are widely accepted and adored, I don't nee to name them and neither do the millions of people world wide who embrace them MINUS the restrictions of a cult with nothing but a foul chaotic leader like trumpdump with nothing good to promise.
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A cult that is widely accepted and adored is still a cult if it fits the posted definition.
 
poppopfox said:
A cult that is widely accepted and adored is still a cult if it fits the posted definition.
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The Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Catholic, and many other known renowned religions and so on are NOT and never have been conceived as cults except in the warped mind of a cultist.
 
Real blank said:
What separates a cult from a religion? Is it merely the number of members and the length of time it’s been around?
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Cults can be subsets of religions. The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans each had their own religions, and within these religions, different cults formed generally focused on specific gods and their attributes.

It's important to note that these ancient religions had no sects. They each followed a general theology, though this varied with time, especially over the 3,500 years of Egyptian religious practice. I would think a comparison of modern sects to ancient cults may be more enlightening.
 
I am a non-theist.

Most religions are NOT cults.

Scientology is most definitely a cult, as are numerous breakaway sects from Mormonism.

But there are certain religions that have certain aspects of cultism but are not outright cults. Any religion that practices formal shunning for example. That would include the Amish, Jehovah's Witnesses and others. Not cults, but have aspects of cultish behavior.
 
Jessie C said:
The main difference between a cult and a religion lies in their level of control, secrecy, and acceptance by society. Cults often exhibit high control over their members, rely on secrecy and manipulation, and may face skepticism or outright rejection from mainstream society. Religions, on the other hand, tend to be more open, inclusive, and often have widespread social acceptance.
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Cults exhibit a high degree of control, secrecy and insulation from the broader society
 
Here is the difference:

Religions idolize someone LONG dead or whose existence is vague

Cultists idolize someone who is ALIVE and whose existence is evident.

Example: Trumpism
 
Real blank said:
What separates a cult from a religion? Is it merely the number of members and the length of time it’s been around?
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There is a big distinction but I have no time now.
 
Safiel said:
I am a non-theist.

Most religions are NOT cults.

Scientology is most definitely a cult, as are numerous breakaway sects from Mormonism.

But there are certain religions that have certain aspects of cultism but are not outright cults. Any religion that practices formal shunning for example. That would include the Amish, Jehovah's Witnesses and others. Not cults, but have aspects of cultish behavior.
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Do mainstream religions not have heretics ?
 
poppopfox said:
Proof? Which ones aren't?
cult noun
plural noun: cults
  1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.
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Let me tell you something. The difference between MAGA and the Catholic church for example is beyond explanation to anyone dumb enough to think trump is anything but the brain dead 2nd grader that he is.

He didn't graduate college or even high school by himself, he's dumb as a rock. If he isn't, why won't he advertise his high IQ score????? I'll tell you why, because it doesn't exist!

Religions like Catholicism and Baptist DO NOT order and threaten their followers to comply like the trumpdump regime and Hitler and every other known Authoritatian regime does. Don't you DARE compare religions shared throughout the world with the dirty dealings of the worst president ever...f-ing trump. His followers will suffer because of him...and the sick SOB's will like it because they're too stupid to know better. .
 
Jessie C said:
Let me tell you something. The difference between MAGA and the Catholic church for example is beyond explanation to anyone dumb enough to think trump is anything but the brain dead 2nd grader that he is.

He didn't graduate college or even high school by himself, he's dumb as a rock. If he isn't, why won't he advertise his high IQ score????? I'll tell you why, because it doesn't exist!

Religions like Catholicism and Baptist DO NOT order and threaten their followers to comply like the trumpdump regime and Hitler and every other known Authoritatian regime does. Don't you DARE compare religions shared throughout the world with the dirty dealings of the worst president ever...f-ing trump. His followers will suffer because of him...and the sick SOB's will like it because they're too stupid to know better. .
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Actually religions such as you mention do fall under the category of authoritarian regimes. For example
https://catholicinsight.com/2013/02/08/to-reject-the-soup/
In Ireland, my ancestors were offered a devil’s bargain by the otherwise good people during the potato famine. At that time, well-intentioned but misguided folk would provide soup to starving Irishmen on the condition that they renounce their Catholic Faith.
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Cannot get more authoritarian and nasty than telling someone to convert to protestant church or watch your family starve to death.

What you're referring to about trump is called a cult of personality.

A cult of personality is a pejorative term for a group that idealizes a leader and subscribes to common political, social, religious, or philosophical beliefs. Personality cults typically have a few common traits, such as the idealized leader, patriotism, mass demonstrations, and distortions of the truth.
 
Religion has instituted a lot of bull shit from the very moment that man invented God and realized he could use people's beliefs and insecurities to control them.

And some major religions still do douche bag stuff.

But cults are a special kind of evil.

Generally, cults are not large. The not quite 1,000 who died at Jonestown is probably about the upper limit for a cult, the number of people that a single charismatic leader can effectively control. Now there are Scientology and Jehovah's Witnesses, both that qualify as outright cults, but they are outliers. Most cults are fairly small and don't survive the death of their leader.

Cults control every aspect of a person's life and literally control their mental processes.

While it is not my intention to engage in apologia for churches, most are not cults.
 
Safiel said:
Religion has instituted a lot of bull shit from the very moment that man invented God and realized he could use people's beliefs and insecurities to control them.

And some major religions still do douche bag stuff.

But cults are a special kind of evil.

Generally, cults are not large. The not quite 1,000 who died at Jonestown is probably about the upper limit for a cult, the number of people that a single charismatic leader can effectively control. Now there are Scientology and Jehovah's Witnesses, both that qualify as outright cults, but they are outliers. Most cults are fairly small and don't survive the death of their leader.

Cults control every aspect of a person's life and literally control their mental processes.

While it is not my intention to engage in apologia for churches, most are not cults.
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Your paragraph 5; total control is Islam's aim. Though very large it qualifies as a cult in every respect.
 
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