What's the difference between a religion and a cult?

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Another aspect must also be how "accepted as normal" the cult / religion is. I'd guess that Aztecs cutting the living heart out of virgins and tossing it down the steps was deemed normal by the populace. Human sacrifice has figured in lots of ancient religions, I don't think you could call them cults.

Latter Day Saints (LDS) - and Brigham Young wasn't their founder -- the name you're searching for is Joseph Smith.

If we define religion apart as an organization recognized by the government as one, then the status of religion is completely dependent upon money and lawyers.

To me, one criteria to name an organization as a religion is that they do not require money from their members in order to continue church membership (coersion is a different story). Scientology obviously does not meet this criteria.

That being said, I would still fight to the death for Scientologists' rights to believe what they believe. It's their actions that I do not condone.

technically cults are also protected by the first amendment. They only get in trouble when they begin to do things illegally.

Characteristics of a cult.

1. Abusive treatment of people
2. Authoritarian rule, non-democratic, removes free choice
3. Use of power, fear, intimidation, and manipulation to control
4. Thrives in secrecy
5. Demands a complete break from family, friends and life deemed to be a bad influence
6. God-like leader
7. Usually demands considerable amounts of money from its members

or according to the UK CIC...

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.

most cults claim to be religious, some claim to be non-profit political type cults.


Scientology is both a religion and a cult.

"In general usage today a cult is a dictatorial group that overly
controls its members and teaches ideas far from the mainstream. In this
definition Scientology fits very well. Every doctrine and practice of
the church comes from L. Ron Hubbard and no one else, and this is
strictly enforced with no deviation or criticism allowed. The church is
tightly structured with rules and punishments for every part of life,
including how to wash your car. The church has its own judicial and
prison systems. As for the church's doctrines, the higher you go in the
teachings the farther from the norms of our society you get.

In conclusion; yes, the church of Scientology is a religion because it
answers our deep questions about the meaning of life; and yes, it is
also a cult because it fits the general usage of that term today."
http://stason.org/TULARC/religion/scien ... -cult.html

Also both a religion and a cult would be Mormonism (though it is moving slowly away from its extreme cult-like practices of the past), The Unification Church and Jehovah's Witnesses

By that line of reasoning, most of the world religions are cults in that none of their founders are still alive. Hmm, interesting. Christianity began as just another mesiah cult, right? Cults are seen as illegitimate (People's Temple, Heaven's Gate, etc.) and religions are seen as having a legitimacy (Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, etc.)

More than anything else, I think it's something in the dogma and practises of a cult that separates them from the mainstream religious movements.

Unfortunately, etymology isn't based on guessing because it sounds like it might be right.

The Online Etymology Dictionary is your friend:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=cult&searchmode=none
It is from the Latin cultus.

The word occult comes from a different Latin word:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=occult&searchmode=none
Occultus from the verb occulere (to cover over). Note that cultus comes from the verb colere, which means to till or cultivate.

Many religions expect believers to donate a tithe.

Any amount of money is okay for the collection plate, at my church at least. People are not expected to pony up their life-savings.

If Legato would fight to the death to defend Scientology's right to exist, would he do the same for Christianity? Somehow I doubt it.

Unfortunately, my experience with etymology is that etymologists are guessing. I've looked at etymology articles and all they ever do is guess.

No you got ruveyn's comment reversed. Most of the world's religions have been around for hundreds or thousands of years, so obviously the people who founded them are deceased, making them "religions" given his definition. Wicca as an example under that definition would still be a cult because it's only been around for about 30 years and the guy who started it is still alive.

My faith is considered a cult in Iran.

When Muhammad preached in Arabia, he preached to an intolerant ethnic group which would bury unwanted infant daughters alive (female infanticide is still common in the Indian state of Rajisthan, however, they're not buried alive). He also preached equality between men and women to a folk who equated women with donkeys and black dogs (the latter which must be killed at sight). It's only obvious that some of their cultural attributes would still linger on.

Persecution of minorities? Very rare in Muslim countries. It occurs only in Iran (against the Baha'i), Saudi Arabia (little freedom of religion, in extreme privacy), and Egypt (suprisingly, the Baha'i have a slight problem with recognition, which was revoked by the socialist Nasser of all people!). As far as I know, there was indirect persecution against minorities, such as Zoroastrians after the conquest of Persia, against Hindus during the Delhi Sultanates (but not during the Mughal Empire, except during the rule of Aurangzeb), and a few other instances here and there. Otherwise, Muslims have generally been very tolerant, especially towards Jews. It's true that there were the occasional riots here and there... but that's common even today in the west.

As for number of lives lost in the name of Islam, every school/ideology in Islam differs on the concept of Jihad, ranging from the Ismaili view that Jihad is no longer necessary in this day and age, to the wahaabi view that it is permissible to kill any heathen. However, the norm between all the schools is that it is permissible in self-defence, or when Muslims are being persecuted in foreign nations.

Anyway, don't bother replying to this part of my post, it is only for you information. I don't wish to argue about Islam.

Peace.

Last edited by Khan_Sama on 11 Jan 2009, 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Here is a simple definition: the faith that I follow is a religion, all others are cults.

Easy enough?

Religion: A organization of like-minded people who are members of different "parts" of one whole religion. Individual members function as rational human beings and live the way they
see fit, obtaining skills necessary for a desired occupation. When one is sick, conventional medical treatments are sought to recover. Most religions talk about service to a Great Power through any means possible.

Cult: Creepy scary wackjobs.

Peace Out.

donation of 10% is very different than give us 90% of your savings and income. Plus most religions will not badger you if you choose not to donate. Whereas it is a requirement for most cults.

Is the difference qualitative or quantitative or both?

Smith was the spiritual originator but it was Brigham Young who guaranteed the survival of the LDS insanity ...er Church. He established the managerial and institutional machinery that became the LDS church.

In the same way, it was not Abraham the founded Judaism. It was Moses and his friends that made a nation. Judaism became a religion when it survived the death of Moses and Joshuah.

Christianity was a cult while Jesus lived. It made a transition during the lives of Peter and Paul (especially Paul). When the churches that Paul founded survived the death of Paul, Christianity became a barely viable religion.

ruveyn