i was just curious as to why cults are so un excepted but religion is...i have recently gone to church with a freind of mine (and me personally i dont beleive in any god) and i noticed how everyone kept reffering to god as "him" and how we must change our lives to get to the "holy land"

now i dont know alot about cults but im doing research as of now...but the point is it reminded me of a cult or what ive heard of them...

and another question...why would you pray and conform yourself to something or someone youvce never seen but only been scared into beleiving that youll be sent to a fire pit for the rest of eternaty if you dont beleive and worship.... has anyone here had a "jesus expeirience"?

well this is rambling nonsence but if you understood anythin please respond and....i applaud you...

hmm well you're not totally wrong. all religions are 'cults' to some degree. none more so than evangelic christianity in all its various flavours.

however normally the word 'cult' describes either a 'pagan' faith or more properly an exploitative brain washing scheme which empowers and enriches a leader/leaders using faith as its vehicle of deception.

(i'm not happy with that definition but it'll do for a start).



however what exactly is a cult and what isn't is moot.



was david koresh's branch davidian a cult?

is scientology?

that guru with the 50 rolls royces?

its all debateable.

quote:Originally posted by jackketch:

however normally the word 'cult' describes ... an exploitative brain washing scheme which empowers and enriches a leader/leaders using faith as its vehicle of deception.



Religion is also used in this way a bunch.

The difference between a religion and a cult in the United States is as simple as this:

Religions are cults who have registered as a religion with the U.S. Government or are a sub-denomination of an existant religion. Religions that existed in majority at the time of the inception of this country are "grandfathered" in (Christianity and it's many denominations, Islam, Judaism).

The only difference between "cult" and "religion" is the negative connontations associated with the word "cult" as a renegade dangerous group of dogmatic Zealots...and religion has "positive" connotations of an accepted and beneficial group of "believers".

It's simple semantics, the virus of words at play in the psyche.