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What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 3:21 am
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.
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 3:24 am
Cult has to do more evil to qualify as religion.
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 3:27 am
To quote my previous signature the only difference is the number of followers. 100 followers and you're in a cult. 1 million followers and suddenly it's a religion.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Yes, I agree. The only difference is the number of followers and political power.
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Well, most of the time, there is no difference. However, some of the time, there is. There has to be a charismatic leader who is controlling his followers with fear for it to be a cult. That describes most religions, but not all. Therefore, most religions are cults.
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 12:38 pm
(This post was last modified: May 26, 2011 at 1:37 pm by Minimalist.)
A cult is a religion of which you are not a member.
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Power.
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Nothing at all
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
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RE: What distinguishes a cult from a religion?
May 26, 2011 at 1:57 pm
I agree where most cults have one central leader who controls his followers with charisma & fear, not to mention psychological brainwashing. Usually cult leaders will get people who join their cult to sign over all their possessions or sell everything they have & give that money to them in order to control them. When you're dependent upon the cult for food & shelter, the chances of you leaving are small.
The difference between this & most major religions is that most Christian denominations ask for a 10% tithe.
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.
