What is the exact difference between a religion and a cult?

Question

Stereotypical-
Religion- a faith involving God, and living in his principles. Memebers of relgions go to church on Sundays
Cult- Members wear black or red hoodedrobes, and chant satanic phrases of latin while circling around a fire.

Cults were big in the 80's last I heard. They were known for completely brainwashing people, to their demise at times. A lot of these cults, though, had nothing to do with God. Is that the difference between cults and religions?
I've been asking people this question for years. Never have I gotten an answer beyone "I'm not sure". Maybe someone on something as vast as the internet has a good answer?

Answer 1

1 is meant to set u free, the other set out to bind u with the very thing that was meant to set u free.

Answer 2

Organized religion follows mainly a primary doctrine around a center of doctrines where as a cult follows a charismatic leader as the primary teacher or giver of doctrine and thus setting that person up as a "high priest or leader whom the people follow blindly"

Answer 3

Cults has been exist as long as the Gospel (almost). In Galatians, Paul were fighting against them.

When one is to look into the New Testament, especially Pauline letters, you will see that he spend his whole time spreading the Gospel and to defence them. Against what? Cults.

John also taught about that. Johannas letters, the describtions sounds a little like Gnostic Gospel to me. Thus, the Gospel of Judas concept was not new. They are already teaching 'another' Gospel.

Paul himself say, even if he or even angels comes in another Gospel, and that salvation is other than by faith, let him be curse.

What seperates Christian and Cults is the Nicene Creed, or the Apostle Creed. Most of all, the attack is on the second subject of God-Head, which is Jesus.
(You may want to check on wekipedia on the Creed).

The word catholic church in the creed does not mean the Catholic Church now. Catholic means universal, and is different from Roman Catholic.

Most cult, either teaching salvation is by work, or that Jesus is full God and only appear to be like man, or fully man, appear to be like God.

Some other varience can be found, but all cults cannot accept the Nicene Creed, or Apostle Creed.

So, Jehovah Witness? Deny the Godship of Christ, cult. Mormons, another gospel, and work of Jesus not final. Do they believe in Jesus as fully God and fully man?

Just use the Creed as an acid test, and one will be safe.

But again, there are some church that are not cult, but have strange practise. They are either known as Extremeist, or Fundamental.

Seventh Day Advantist (worship on saturday), Salvation (no baptism) are like that. Nothing wrong with their believe in Jesus, but somehow in their practise, they are not usual. Not cult. I think it should be alright.

Cheers,

Answer 4

The difference is only whether it is part of "your" religion culture and history and tradition or not.

Nobody participating in a spiritually motivated group would call their group a "cult", only their detractors.

In arabic, there are words for people with beliefs that include Chrisitanity that could be translated into our word cult.

Cult is a religion that you so disapprove of, that you can't really see it as a religion from your own point of view.

Many people believe that all religions are equally cultish and consider the terms denomination or sect to be equivalent to cult.

"Cult" is like "infidel" or "gentile". It should never be used unless you are intending to be deragatory.

Answer 5

David Koresh, Joseph Smith, Saul/Paul of Bible, Jim Jones, John Hagee, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn

pretty much any person that takes it to the next level saying they alone have contact with god (you have to trust them) and they become the medium and sole person or small group you must follow for allowance into god's kingdom or afterlife

Paul was a classic, all those other deciples and he alone had special revelation went from killing them to trying to lead them and tell others all thier beliefs and traditions were for naught...got him in jail in Acts 22

I was raised in a cult, didn't know it. My parents followed a sub member of Kenneth Copeland who also felt "called" by god and we moved away from our home and started a church in our new home, it was a "spearhead" or forefront for spiritual warfare, looked closer to Hatian voodoo worship with jumping and singing and 'holy ghost' taking over, combined with a messianic element it was to be the next division of christianity, began in 1978 and ended in 1996 when the members save the original starting family all fell away.

cults today are less obvious, often it's small but can be a mega church. brainwashing is pre requisite, you don't know jack anymore....the Jesus camp thing is similar.... often secrecy is key and they can't reveal to you what they do or know because you have to get it from 'god' or the leader yourself or buy into the brainwashing and mental setbacks it takes to swallow these hard pills...

see also "The Guru Papers" book link below as cults are much more than the 70's image of 'satanic' crap you mention, in fact it's all around but because your imagery is so rediculous people don't recognize it....Jehovah's Witnesses are often thought to fit this definition, but any religious group or person who demands faithfulness and loyalty beyond reason and begins to manipulate you, is a cult

Answer 6

There is no REAL difference... it is all a matter of appearances. When a cult (such as Christianity) achieves a critical mass of followers, the seem to be perceived by outsiders as a 'religion', rather than a 'cult' It is all in the numbers.

Answer 7

Great question. I always thought religion was a cult, but maybe the term religion is applied to the more benign cults.

Answer 8

People talk out their necks about cults. Everybody tries to manipulate our thinking.
The word cult comes from the Latin word occult, which just
means, "'hidden' from view or understanding."
A cult is a secrect organization we don't even know about until they do something crazy. Like the Heavens Gate people who commited suicide to meet a UFO that was hiding behind a
comet. Or the Branch Davidians in WACO, TX.

Answer 9

For me cults aren't hoods and robes and living in a compound-David Koresh and the Branch Davidians in Waco- but groups like the Jehovah Witnesses and Scientology. I have some family members that are JWs and they keep to themselves- they know they can't convert us so they stay away and only associate with other JWs. Scientology-seriously people, they were founded by a science fiction author!And you have to pay to reach different levels in their "church".

Answer 10

The biggest difference is that a religion allows you to leave if you wish (or if they don't, they'll tell you of your eternal punishment/whatever to come and let you go), while a cult will forcibly keep you in place. A religion will let you choose your level of commitment; a cult will make that decision for you.

Good site with many more intricacies: http://www.howcultswork.com/

Answer 11

Cults are religions that have a charismatic leader, living or dead, real or fictional.

All the major religions are cults.