What is the difference between a sect and a religion?

Question

Sects generally are seen as manipulative and evil, while religions are tolerated and encouraged. However they both use the same methods to gain and retain adepts: unfounded and often fairy-tale like explanations of man's purpose on earth and origins, requirement to have blind acceptance ("faith") in certain tenets and/or the work of certain individuals - using mindless repitition of texts, impressive buildings, rituals, dietary restrictions (lent, ramadan, fish on fridays, no porc, no meat, etc...). So is it simply the number of believers that makes the difference?

Sect in the sense of Cult - scientology, the people's temple, Falun Gong...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_checklist

Answer 1

As judy said, you are confusing sect with cult.

A sect is a part or branch of a religion. christianity has lots of them. catholics, orthodox, lutheran, baptist, methodist, anglican, christian science, mormon and many others.

A cult is something different. A cult is a similar to a religion in that it has beliefs involving faith, dieties, the origin and nature of the universe, etc. Cults, however, do not draw their doctrine from a text or a set of religious rules. They are centered around an individual who personally leads his/her followers.

An intresting point of note, most religions start out as cults, but become religions after the death of leader. The leader's teachings then become institutionalized and expounded upon by subsequent followers.

Scientology started as a cult centered around L. Ron Hubbard, but now that he's gone and his followers continue to write and preach and convert, its a religion.

Christianity started as a cult too, centered on Jesus. After he died Paul and others added a great deal to the doctrines, and went a long way to establishing christianity as a religion.

Answer 2

A religion is usually non-profit making and licensed by the state. For example, Scientology was not accepted as a religion by the law-courts of England, and is therefor not allowed to be registered as one. I believe some of the reasons behind this is that to be a "real" Scientologist involves handing over a percentage of one's earnings.

Conversely, "recognised" religions: Christianity, Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism, etc, are officially licensed by the state to operate as "non profit making" religions, although one could say that the collection-plate does represent money-gathering, even if worshippers are within their rights not to place any money in it.

The questioner has raised a very good question: when is a religion not a religion but a 'sect'? Why is a religion legal and a sect illegal?
I don't have all the answers, but perhaps this is the time to redefine what a religion really is, and whether the state should be involved at all?
In Spain, the left-ish government has just slashed the huge, official annual budget supporting the Catholic church: perhaps this is the start of a new independent path for all religions?

Answer 3

I'd say the difference between a sect, a religion, a cult, a whatever, is not much. They're all based on certain belief systems. The main difference is in their status in the community. Denominations, like Catholicism, Anglicanism, Baptists, Mormons, etc., are generally respected and honoured. Sects are generally isolated groups that break away from original teachings or have theyre own interpretations. Then there are people like David Koresh, and groups like the Branch Davidians, who are clearly whacko; those are the cults.

Answer 4

You've mixed up "sect" and "Cult."
Think about this a series of subdivisions:

Religion: Christianity.
Sect: Protestantism.
Denomination: Southern Baptists.

For many Christian denominations, the definition of a "cult" is any religious organization which regards non-biblical texts as having canonical (divine) authority. Thus, some Christians actually regard Seventh Day Adventists and Mormons as belonging to a "cult."

The colloquial meaning of "cult," however is of a religious organization that demands total allegiance from the follower, tries to isolate the individual from outside contaminating influences, like family and former friends, and indoctrinates the person with a belief system that makes the person totally reliant on the group leadership to answer all questions and provide all guidance. In short, the idea of a cult is to get you away from your normal emotional support system, break you down, and then refashion you as an automaton who cannot think for himself.

Answer 5

I think it is more likely the length of history they have. Another factor seems to be name calling, like islamofascist, often a sect is a subcatelgory od an existing religion as a for instance the essenese are viewed as a sect but they are jews, in fact very likely the ones who preserved some of the dead sea scrolls, and they had many buildings and indeed settlements. Perhaps the amount of separation form the rest of the known religion also contributes. Sect has a lot to do with what is not known. Freemasons are a sect with many large and expensive buildings, yet many think they are christians, even though their roots come as far back as egypt.

Answer 6

a sect is often labeled as an offshoot of a major religion(sunni is an islamic sect, or white lotus is a buddhist sect) its when a group of followers gain a different understanding of the teachings than the other member and split to form their own organization.
a difference of interpretation is what separates a religion from its sects while if u are dealing with cults, every religion in the world is a cult. it seems their legitamicy is proven by the number of members. as if having a million members makes walking on water and virgin birth any less wacky

Answer 7

Your confusion is semantic.
A religion is an organised attempt to follow a particular spiritual teaching.
A sect is simply a particular subdivision of a religion which practises in a distinct way.
A cult is a sect which practises in a particularly devotional way towards a particular deity or leader.
None of these terms is inherently negative, the words have simply been used to judge particular groups in recent times which are at odds with the values of mainstream society.

Judge not!

Answer 8

Strictly speaking, a sect might be described as an abberant offshoot of a religion. For example, Christianity is a religion, subdivided into various sects - protestant, cathoilc, methodist etc.

Nothing unreasonable there, apart from the fact that in certain religions, people from the different sects are all busy trying to eliminate the members of other (heretical) sects. Another case for religious genocide!

Perhaps you really meant "cult" not "sect". that's another question - 5 points from you and plenty to us for answering again :-)

Answer 9

There is a weak border line that can difference them, and its in the base of their constitution. Sects, you can say they want or they try to get advantage of the people that adept, they make them believe some kind of stuff , which the own co-founders don't believe even though they pretend they do.
In religion the co-founders believe in what they Tell, in everything or in the main things, there is no fake in the way the act( not cos is true , just because they think is it). They protect a moral, a way of living which they think is the correct.
Apart from that, yep they do practically the same stuff, rituals, text etc... but as i said is the base the intention of it , which could difference them.

Answer 10

A Sect is a small religious group that is an offshoot of an established religion. So, many would say that in this way Jehova's Witnesses are a sect, as are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) - although this would be disputed by those groups themselves.