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

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All religions started out as cults originally. But by "cult" do you mean a destructive group or just a new religious movement? There seem to be guidelines that tell a cult apart from a dangerous cult.

http://rickross.com/warningsigns.html

However, most mainstream religions also are similar to an extent.

When I say cult, I mean a high-control organization. It can be a religious group, a pyramid scheme, some 12 step groups, etc.

I was raised in in the Mormon cult. Mormons have their lives micromanaged to the point of there being a rule for absolutely everything under the sun, from what you wear, to the length of your hair (the hair thing is just men), to how many earrings you have (women only. Men can't have earrings.), to how you raise your kids, and on and on and on. On top of this, the leaders have a very long history of lying about, well, everything. They manage to keep the devout among them away from any truth by telling them that reading criticisms of the church is worse than viewing pornography.

During the super-secret endowment ceremony, initiates pledge all of their time and talents, not to God, or even Jesus, but to the church itself. Until 1991 (or was it '90?) the same ritual required a pantomimed pledge to have your tongue ripped out and be disemboweled, should you ever tell what went on in the temple. The endowment ceremony is also where you learn the secret handshakes that get you into the Celestial Kingdom (the highest degree of Mormon heaven). Then there's all of the naked touching by old people. These are temple workers I am referring to, and they are always elderly. They perform this weird thing called washing and anointing, where they reach inside of a paper sack thing that you are wearing, and bless your body parts by touching you from your head on down. This includes parts that you don't want elderly strangers touching.

I have an in depth knowledge of Mormonism, so I'll stop here, lest my Aspiness takes over and I ramble on forever about it. Suffice it to say, they are a cult in every (negative) sense of the word.

I grew up in a family who went to Christian Science church. My parents (like many in the church) did not pressure us about forgoing medical treatment. We all went to doctors as needed, but did not take regular physicals. We all went to the Dentist for yearly exams and treatment. I only mention this to point out that there is a spectrum in religion too.

I am now in my 50's and long ago stopped believing in that religion. In fact, I am agnostic or weak atheist- depending on the definition. I don't believe in any gods, but am open to the idea if any evidence appears. I recognize that the possibility exists for "God", however unlikely. More likely if there is a "God" it would not be a sentient being, but could be defined as those principals which make the universe universally consistent with itself. An example would be cause and effect.