In a recent question many answerers objected to the Christian religion being called a cult and wanted to know on what basis one would call it a cult.
Below are definitions of cult on the Web:
Adherents of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
In traditional usage, the cult of a religion, quite apart from its sacred writings ("scriptures"), its theology or myths, or the personal faith of its believers, is the totality of external religious practice and observance, the neglect of which is the definition of impiety. Cult is literally the "care" owed to the god and the shrine. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_(religion)
(noun) often attributive. French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate; First appeared 1617
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 5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object ...
www.contecult.com/glossary.htm
2007-09-17
03:40:36
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19 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
in
Religion & Spirituality