Please do not just cut and paste stuff from the internet.
You can source articles etc to support your opinion.
Ten points for the best explained answer.
2006-10-17 08:49:13 · 23 answers · asked by jason12211 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
a cult is a group of people following the ideals and opinions of one main person that restricts and stiffles the opinions and ideas of others, the ideals and restrictions are normaly set to manmade rules and have little to do with the bibles guildlines. Altho they insist their laws are from God, yet when looked into, none of the laws can be found in the Bible or are no longer valid.. The cult leaders are really only in it for the money or the glory. Some have been proven to be mad...They can be very convincing and have lead many away from the bible.
A religion is mainly based solely on the bible. With all glory and praise going to God,(being the Superior One) and people following His guildlines which are clearly set out in the bible. All followers of God have the gift of freewill and exercise it according to their spiritually trained conscience. There are no set rules and restrictions.. The Bible explains what is required and expected of it followers, Once you know what those expectations are, you are free to decide wether or not you adhere to them. Religion shows not just doom and gloom, But the hopes and promises set out too. Most religions believe that there are superior beings guilding mankind and that we are answerible to them rather than man...
2006-10-17 09:29:19 · answer #1 · answered by Nutty Nelly 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They are the same both are defined as a group of people with the same beliefs, goals or ideas. All religions are a cult because of this definition, but not all cults are a religion. The word "cult " has a negative connotation but should not be viewed as such. If you go to a Church, Temple etc... You are going to do things where people have the same common interest. No different than any political party, or a college student picking the same major as another group of people they are all cults.
Religion is a type of genre. A cult are the people in that genre.
2006-10-17 15:58:58 · answer #2 · answered by t j 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some "Religions" are Cults that use the name of God.
Scientology, Cult, they brainwash you, take your money and suck you in.
Jim Jones, led a Christian based Cult to South America, Cult, he talked them into giving him all his money and eventually had them commit mass suicide.
Most Religious cults are very small because they rely on a single charismatic leader.
They all suck you in, and are designed to take your money, they all have a central power that is profiting from the members or just on a Perverted Power trip. Most Cults raise their leader up to the level of God, or the Creator, or at least a Prophet of God.
Religion, teaches the word of God, true faith has no compulsion, no requirement of giving up money, you are free to join, and you are free to leave if you wish. You can learn at your own pace.
That is why I became Catholic.
Peace, and Good question.
2006-10-17 16:10:43 · answer #3 · answered by C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are 2 kingdoms
1 The Kingdom of God
2 The Kindom of satan
all false religions do not hold Jesus to be God how could they they do not accept his divine authority. and so any religion that is false is commonly called a cult.......
in older usage cult meant a particular way or Following. so the Cult of Yahweh in Noahs time was the true religion hence his true faith saved him he believed in God and made a boat and was thus saved. Early Christians were often called followers of the WAY the WAY meaning JESUS as Jesus said that he was the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through him. so what is important is not what club/denomination/religion you join God does not want you to follow a plan but have a relationship with himself he does this through Jesus. so then cult just means a particular way but it is often used in a perjorative sense.
I hope this helps This is cut& paste free
love to you in your search!
2006-10-17 16:14:10 · answer #4 · answered by proscunio 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some define sect to mean a group that has broken away from an established religion. The term actually applies to group that follows a currently living human leader.
Almost like worship of that leader. In other words he talks to God and tells you what God says.
They wouldn't for instance look to a God as their leader.
Unless that was secondary to worship of a man, as a leader.
They wouldn't have meetings open to the public.
They live apart from the rest of society. Do things that normally isn't done in society. Like the older men living with multiple wives.
Using children for sex or other things not considered normal.
Had to read a bunch of stuff to get that. I better get 10 points.
2006-10-17 16:03:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cult has different meanings. For Catholics, it means 'worship', 'reverencing', as with the cult of the saints or the Virgin.
In secular terms, Cult refers to a small group with distinctive, outside the mainstream beliefs, often centered on a charasmatic founder/leader.
A Sect is a denomination, or a group that has separated itself. Sects are sometimes also cults, and vice versa.
Religion is the general purpose word.
2006-10-17 16:06:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Religion-I'm gonna use Christianity
Christianity is a choice it's not a bunch of rules like, wear your hair this way, sit that way, or eat with a spoon instead of a fork. Christians don't care about all that stuff
Cult-lets use Jim Joness' group(they are the ones who drank cyanide laced Kool-aid)
A cult is where you have to do things a certian way,you have to dress certain ways at their meetings, and eat certian things as in the case of Jim Jones, David Koresh, or Charles Manson.
Jones told his followers to drink this kool aid and told them it was poisoned.
Dave Koresh took your daughters and slept with them,
Manson made his followers kill people to be a part of it, and your cut off if you don't. I hope this helps.
2006-10-17 15:56:03 · answer #7 · answered by JaimeM 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The original definition of cult would have covered any religious tradition. The common usage of the word which has a negative connotation refers to groups that: separate themselves from the world, have a charismatic leader, have very short history, do not allow for individualism.
2006-10-17 16:04:51 · answer #8 · answered by anyonexxxxxx9999 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A religion is a set of beliefs that are common among most faiths.
A cult holds beliefs that are not held in common with most faiths.
Faiths: Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, etc.
If you ask me, I believe that any religion, or cult that worships on the Sun-day is a Catholic, the Catholics were the ones that changed the day of worship from God's Seventh day Sabbath, to the pagan's day 'The venerable day of the Sun', Sunday. They did this on no authority but their own. Ask them if you do not believe me, any priest knows this to be true.
2006-10-17 15:58:50 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
there really isn't a difference....but cults in today's culture are associated with i guess you would say darker practices. its all about the opinion of the world that decides if its a religion or a cult. its like holding two apples and calling the one in your left hand a orange. you can say they are different forever but at the end of the day they are still both apples
2006-10-17 15:57:06 · answer #10 · answered by allen=[\m/] 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋