What is a cult?

Question

Thank you for your responses so far. If you quoted a source (scripture, dictionary, book, etc.), please edit your post to include the full reference. Thank you.

Answer 1

Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following five characteristics:

1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members

2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society.

3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma.

4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds recruit people.

5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.

Answer 2

Any group, religious or political, that revolves around the personality of a human being is a cult. In Christian circles, the individual leading a cult, who is the centerpiece, would have his own unique interpretation of the Scriptures and would claim that there is no "salvation", however he defines that word, apart from his own authority. A cult is the ultimate form of self-worship and exploitation. Bible believing Christians believe that the Bible, not a person, is the final authority in all matters of faith, practice, and doctrine and while a strong Pastor might be followed, he can only be followed inasmuch as he doesn't deviate from the clear sayings of the Bible. To summarize, any preacher who says something inconsistent with the clear teachings of the Bible is to be avoided like the plague, even though at the end time, such preachers and teachers will be multiplied. The best insurance against a cult is to read your Bible daily and know it front to back, praying as you read. Jesus Christ is the head of His church, not Sung Yung Moon, the Pope, or Jerry Falwell. He has left us a perfect Book, the Authorized Version of the Bible, which contains all the words He wants us to have. He has also promised us the Holy Spirit as a teacher. No Christian who reads his Bible and believes it should be fooled by a cult figure, the greatest of which will be the anti-Christ to come.

Answer 3

Well a what a cult is and what people THINK a cult is can differ. My favorite passage on the topic is from a book called Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America (which I don't have with me to cite... it's a library book I checked out once).

Basically, a cult is defined as a group of people who are bound by shared beliefs. Assuming this definition is correct, then all religions and spiritual groups are technically cults.

What many perceive a cult to be is a group of people who live together (like in a commune) who share beliefs and practices. Now this can be positive or negative. Unfortunately, most view their definition of cult as negative. They see cults as little mind-controlling groups centered around one leader, taking members' money and using them as much as possible for either the money or for the sake of having power. Sometimes this is the case, though rarely. When it IS the case, we refer to the group as a destructive cult. However when a cult is truly not corrupt or abusive, we call it a benign cult.

Over the years, cult paranoia has been heightened (and you can guess why... Jonestown, Heaven's Gate etc). This has led to many groups who try to raise awareness of cults. My one problem with these groups is that they seem to generally hate all groups in general and try to persecute benign cults that have done nothing wrong. There are many "professionals" who have made a career out of de-something (can't remember what's it's called exactly sorry) cult members. Sometimes this can include a talk, sometimes it can involve physical and verbal abuse upon the person, and can often lead to deep emotional scarring.

Answer 4

A cult is a group which use specific and identifiable processes to control adherents, and recruit new members.

Cults are not identified by what they believe, but how they operate.

Cults are not only found in religions, but in any group that has a special adherence to a specific creed. Politics, self help groups are amongst other areas where cults are accused of operating.

Lifton's eight criteria for thought reform (strictly speaking brainwashing is not what cults do, but that's a whole new answer) is the accepted criteria for measuring groups which are accused of being cults.

Baronvon
The word you are looking for is de-programming. Cult interventions are not done today without the specific consent of the person being helped. In the 70's some desperate parents kidnapped their children and tried to de-programme them themselves, but the counter cult movement is very much against this.
There is no such thing as a benign cult, they are recognised because of the destruction and hurt that they cause. This is never done by a benign group.

Answer 5

In religion and sociology, a cult is a term designating a cohesive group of people generally, but not exclusively a relatively small and recently founded religious movement devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture or society considers to be outside the mainstream. Its status may come about either due to its novel belief system, its perceived harmful effects on members, or because its perceived opposition to the interests of the mainstream culture. Non-religious groups may also display cult-like characteristics.

Answer 6

Counterfeit Christianity is probably the best description I can give for a cult. Counterfeit Christianity is an imitation of real Christianity. Bible terms like "Jesus Christ, Resurrection, Salvation, and Atonement" are used by the Cult, but the various cult groups have assigned entirely different meanings to these terms.
Like counterfeit money which is sometimes difficult to detect, so it is difficult to detect counterfeit Christianity, since it looks like the real thing. Experts examining counterfeit money often hold it up to a strong light and look for identifying marks. Counterfeit Christianity also has identifying marks, which can be seen when, held up to an even stronger light, the light of God's word, the bible.
We are at an advantage if we know what to expect from a cult. Cultists are very well trained to appear "Christian", and indeed believe they are the true churches, and you need the deliverance! Therefore, be bold and ask the question, "do you believe the group you represent is the only true church on the face of the earth?"
If they reply that they are, or if they are evasive, making remarks like "Well, every church has a measure of truth but...", you have made an early detection of a Cultist.
Every true Christian, if asked the same question, regardless of his denomination, would reply that the true church is comprised of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and HE (not some organization) is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, (John 14:6). No legitimate denomination would claim that they alone and their members have salvation exclusively, but the cults (the counterfeits) do.

Answer 7

Schneb did a really nice job of preaching, but not answering the question.

A religious group is considered a cult if it meets the following criteria:

1. Isolation of the person fromt he rest of their family - limited to no contact.

2. Tend to have a central "compound" or location where the newer members are required to live, and they are never left alone.

3. Charismatic leader that is very convincing, and controlling.

4. Doctrine deviates significantly from standard accepted religions.

There is a much lnger list here - I'll not retype it, I'll just link it.
http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/checklis.htm

Answer 8

I agree with Pin. Those are the hallmarks of a cult.
The can even appear to be main stream churches, however when the leadership is not accountable to anyone and the leadership becomes only one family it crosses the line in my mind especially when they also meet the other criteria.

Answer 9

According to the dictionary, it is: "Religious body of worship and its adherents"

But people use the word in this day and age to express hate against a faith they don't understand, or don't agree with.

Notice how everyone's definition of a "cult" is different? It's because everyone shapes the definition to fit a particular faith to scare others away from that faith.

Answer 10

A cult is a group of people who follow a leader, act in secret, hide their activities from the public, and follow orders without thought other than fulfilling orders. They do not think for themselves, or weigh ideas for merit. The group members often feel obligated to the group for their survival. It is its own community.