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Atheist Forums › Community › Religion v
What distinguishes a cult from a religion?

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What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
Darinda Offline
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#11
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 2:40 pm
200 years.
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Rev. Rye Offline Donators
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#12
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 2:42 pm
(May 26, 2011 at 2:40 pm)Darinda Wrote: 200 years.

Age is probably the best indicator, in my experience, of whether a group counts as a cult or a mere sect.
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Arcturus Offline
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#13
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 30, 2011 at 11:33 am
I would say size, not age. Scientology is 'only' a little more than half a century old.
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Darth Offline
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#14
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 30, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Size and then acceptance of that belief by the rest of the community.

Bigger groups who are more wacky might remain a cult whilst smaller but still mainstreamy groups get the religion label

age also.
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reverendjeremiah Offline
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#15
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 30, 2011 at 12:40 pm
(May 26, 2011 at 3:21 am)DeistPaladin Wrote: What do you think is the difference between the words "cult" and "religion".

My answer is that the word "cult" is never used in the first person.

I say we ask the Christians, seeing as they are the only ones allowed to decide what words mean at any given time or day.


So, how about it Christians..what does the word "cult" mean right now?

..and, if it is possible, could I get a heads up on what it will mean tommorrow as well?
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DeistPaladin Offline
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#16
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 31, 2011 at 4:06 pm
(May 30, 2011 at 12:40 pm)reverendjeremiah Wrote: I say we ask the Christians, seeing as they are the only ones allowed to decide what words mean at any given time or day.


So, how about it Christians..what does the word "cult" mean right now?

..and, if it is possible, could I get a heads up on what it will mean tommorrow as well?

What I would find much more interesting is for them to describe characteristics of a "cult" (brainwashing, isolation from non-believers, "love and acceptance" that really is more about control, etc.) and then talk about why they aren't characteristics of Christianity.

Using the old "one person, two people, three people" joke:

One person with a crazy belief: an asylum inmate
Two people with a crazy belief: a cult
Three people with a crazy belief: a respected religion
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Nick_A Offline
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#17
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
June 16, 2011 at 11:19 pm
The purpose of the essence of Religion, its conscious intent, is to create free men: to become oneself

Secularized religions serve to enforce subjective morality and cults serve to create psychological slaves.
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BlackBow Offline
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#18
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
June 17, 2011 at 2:40 am
Nothing.
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The Magic Pudding Offline
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#19
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
June 17, 2011 at 4:02 am
Different status for taxation purposes.
If you're a cult it's best to just keep your dealings off the books.
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Aura Offline
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#20
RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
June 19, 2011 at 4:42 pm
I go to a Catholic High School. My Religious Studies teacher told us that a cult forces/strongly pressures members to stay in the cult, whereas a religion doesn't do that. So if we follow that logic, then Christianity and Islam are notorious cults lol. No wonder half the kids in my school are atheist.
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Atheist Forums › Community › Religion v
What distinguishes a cult from a religion?

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