question? cult vs religion

[TheChoosenOne]

whats the difference between a cult and a religion?

[little owl]

absolutely nothing.

[Hoatzin]

religion |riˈlijən|
noun
the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, esp. a personal God or gods

cult |kəlt|
noun
a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object

That more or less covers it.

The significant difference (size not really satisfying my definition of "significant") as I see it is that cults tend to involve the worship of a living and present individual, and tend to involve immediate corporeal forms of reinforcement (e.g. physical reward or punishment) which can be meted out at the behest of the cult leader; whereas religions tend to involve the worship of gods, supernatural entities and/or dead and "distant" individuals, and tend to involve non-corporeal reinforcement (e.g. Heaven and Hell) which is not directly meted out during one's life.

There is clearly a distinction between religions and cults - there are very few actual synonyms in English. One can, of course, have as much problem with religions as with cults, but there is definitely a difference that can be identified (sorry littleowl :().

[little owl]

oh quite alright, i understand there is, in fact, a clear distinction; it's just that my answer was seasoned with my own cynical feelings and humor about religion. :)

[bthizle1]

That more or less covers it.

The significant difference (size not really satisfying my definition of "significant") as I see it is that cults tend to involve the worship of a living and present individual, and tend to involve immediate corporeal forms of reinforcement (e.g. physical reward or punishment) which can be meted out at the behest of the cult leader; whereas religions tend to involve the worship of gods, supernatural entities and/or dead and "distant" individuals, and tend to involve non-corporeal reinforcement (e.g. Heaven and Hell) which is not directly meted out during one's life.

There is clearly a distinction between religions and cults - there are very few actual synonyms in English. One can, of course, have as much problem with religions as with cults, but there is definitely a difference that can be identified (sorry littleowl :().

I completely agree with Hoatzin here, but in many cases "cults" are very similar to "religions," only less socially accepted.

[Hoatzin]

I guess there's the argument that a religion is just a cult plus one thousand years or so. I haven't seen it happen or not happen, obviously (I'm not that old), but I'm dubious. I think most cults don't have the potential to last long - not much more than a generation after the founder's death. The ones that can do without a living leader I would say have the potential to become more widely accepted religions.

[metalgypsy]

not much.

[themnax]

everything is a cult if you make it one.

but if your faith is not in imposing assumptions but accepting a kind of universal mystery intrinsic to a kind of universal love instead, then i think it's possible to avoid making it one.

[Your Dad!!!]

everything is a cult if you make it one.



That's true. In any group, the group dynamic, one individual at a time, can adopt the defining characteristics of a cult.

I was in a well-known cult back in the early 70s. I know cults, and due to my experiences, I can recognize the elements of a cult when I see them.

Some of the elements of a cult are, for instance,

1)an underlying emphasis on fear based suspension of the individual's personal reasoning ability and rational mind

2)outwardly imposed and encouraged personal deprivation, especially, and firstly, of personal freedoms

3)a strong emphasis on the infallibility of leadership, or of the principle of obedience to leadership

4)a strong tendency to assert peer-based pressure to conform to the group beliefs, in coordination with all of the previous elements.

There are other factors, but basically, a religion exists by means of personal choice of faith, by means of personal revelation, independent of peer pressure to conform. A cult, however, is formed from the negation of choice, suspension of personal faith, and a willingness to adopt the alleged faith of others as one's own. Freedom is suppressed.

Go for freedom. Have faith to yourself. Be a beacon, not a mirror. :D

[Gedio]

Size, religions are cults with more people.