What is the difference betweed organized religion and a cult?

Question

Moreover, do people who are in a cult realize that they are in a cult?

Answer 1

a cult usually has a fanatical leader, usually centers around some great event like the end of the world, cults are short lived and small in number...

Answer 2

To answer in reverse order: no, people in cults do not think they're in cults.

There's a lot of variety in organized religions, especially when you look at all of the variations among the sub-groups.

Cults tend to impose extreme control over their members, forbidding contact with those outside the cult, including their families and all their former friends (this is one of the red flags), and controlling every moment of the lives of their members.

They are primarily a big-time power trip for the leaders who are considered infallible. They often require members to give all of their money to the cult, sometimes to also work for them.

No doubt you'll get answers that say "none" but (atheist though I am), that's not quite fair. It might make more sense to think of these concepts more in terms of a continuum, than an either/or.

Religion isn't necessarily a component of cults, BTW. There can be cultish groups that are irreligious.

For one example, read Judgment Day by Nathanial Branden.

Answer 3

Nope. Organized religion is the same thing as a cult, only it's bigger and it's got the government working for it. Blessed be.

Answer 4

A religion is a cult with political power.

Answer 5

There is no difference except that an organized religion is accepted by society and a cult isn't.

Answer 6

THE WARNING SIGNS OF A CULT:

The spiritual group claims to have received special instructions directly from God or His messenger.

The spiritual group uses a special set of rules that you must obey or be cast out.

The spiritual group promises eternal life in paradise if you obey its set of rules, and threatens eternal suffering if you do not obey its set of rules.

The spiritual group demands that you give up as much of your assests and your yearly income to it as possible.

The members of the spiritual group call each other "brother" and "sister," even when they aren't related at all.

The spiritual group is headed up by a leader who claims to be the only ones who can "save" you or lead you to heaven. This leader often dictates what clothing you can and can't wear, the food you eat and controls other aspects of their followers daily lives.

The spiritual leader demands that you accept its teachings without reservation, even when those teachings are in direct conflict with your understanding of basic scientific knowledge.

The spiritual leader demands that you select your spouse and your closest friends from its membership.

The spiritual leader demands that you place your children in its training program.

The spiritual leader teaches that giving up your life for the sake of the spiritual group may become necessary sometime in the future.

Some organized religions also have these characteristics, however they don't demand that your turn all your earthly possession over to them, and they usually don't claim that their spiritual leader is a prophet or speaks directly to God and participation in church activities is strictly voluntary.

Some people are drawn to the rigid structure of a cult, and do what is asked willingly. They usually are not cognizant of the fact that they are in a cult. If you, or a loved one, are in a dangerous cult that is preparing their followers for a not far off death, as determined by the above checklist, you must do everything you possibly can to remove the potential victim from that dangerous cult!

Answer 7

Basically there is no REAL difference. Except people call cults small bands that deviate from the norm. Just beware of hypocrites listen to their words and see if they follow them. Many wolfs in sheep's clothing out there.

Answer 8

The difference is that no one ever joins a cult - they join a new religious movement, or an organization.

Answer 9

a cult is a cohesive group of people (often a relatively small and recently founded religious movement) devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture or society considers to be far outside the mainstream

the only difference in them is size and when they were founded.

Answer 10

I think the definition actually says "charismatic leader", and not based in accepted scripture.

So organized religion differs in that the "leader" is the deity, the pasor is His spokesman, and an accepted body of religious writing is the basis for belief.