| Thursday, March 20, 2008 |
| A cult defined |
Is the definition of a cult a subjective one? eg. I could think that Falungong is a cult but the Falungongists might think the same way of us who believe in other things. Is cult then just a finger pointing game?
Based on what I've read so far, a cult is:
- A religious or social group that follows a particular theological system generally considered to be extremist or false
- Followers of an unorthodox, extremist, or false religion or sect who often live outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader
- In the context of Christianity, it is a group that uses the Bible but distorts the doctrines (eg. Christian Scientists?)
Some definitions went on to describe the characteristic of cults as
- Obsessed
- Faddish
- Exaggerated zeal
So how do we identify a cult?
I think that bit about having a charismatic leader really quite apply to cults. They usually have a founder. Some cults worship the founder him/herself. Others believe what that founder believes.
The other thing is about belonging outside the conventions of the society. So like non-extreme Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism are religions within the conventions of the society but other small groups with beliefs in other tangents would be termed as a cult. |
posted by Marabelle @ 12:08 PM  |
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