Cult vs. Religion Contemporary Religious

Cult vs. Religion

Contemporary religious scholars tend not to use the term cult in their works unless referring to a dangerous and sociological unhealthy organization. This is primarily due to the pejorative definition with which the term is now used. In a very strict sense of the word, though, the difference between a cult and a religion is often in the eye of the beholder, of the manner in which that particular society views the organization, and what the societal mores are for that particularly time. In fact, in most modern academic studies, cult is a sociological term, while new religious movement becomes a theological phrase (Lewis, 2004).

One could reasonably argue that many world religions exhibit clear cultish behaviors, although most do acknowledge temporal authority (e.g. The code of law, etc.), and most hold their own leadership accountable for the psychological impact of their teachings on younger people. Most also at least acknowledge that there have been dissenting view points, and, at least in the modern world, are more open to allowing this dissention to be discussed. Cult behavior is easier to understand by identifying certain characteristics that tend to be typical of modern cults:

Zealous and unquestioning commitment to a messianic leader (alive or dead)

Unquestioning devotion to a belief system and ideology

Seeing this ideology as the only truth, and law

Punishing doubt and dissent and frowning upon any questioning

Use of mind altering practices to suppress doubt

Allowance of the leadership to dictate how members should think, act, work, worship, and live.

Relatively elitist philosophy, placing itself above the rest of humanity as the only true way

Mentality that engenders a complete polarization of society (us. Versus them)

Leadership believes it is not accountable to any earthly authority

Utilitarianism to the extreme (ends justify the means)

Preoccupied with recruitment and earning funds

Refuses to allow members to leave group or abide by societal rules (Lalich and Langone, 2009).

Clearly, religious scholars want to distance themselves for observations that might place their religion away from spirituality and more into the public perception of the Jim Jones Guyana incident. Another way of thinking about the subject might be to establish degrees of fervor -- at least in the modern world. This, of course, could be argued with historical using the Inquisition and other organized purges. However, the popularization of the word "cult" now has meanings so complex and secular that it would be impossible to use in scholarly writing without inviting criticism.

Definitions

Cult -- in contemporary terminology, a cult is a group that forms together to form practices which are considered to be relatively pejorative by reasonable members of society. This is a post-1980s definition, somewhat subjective, but indicative of the way modern society uses the word in most styles of communication. Cultish does not mean a group of likeminded individuals, then, it minds like-minded individuals that share certain proclivities and beliefs that may be anti-social or harmful (Lewis, 2005, 3-6).

Rather than being a total antithesis of religion, cults may be seen as behavior that takes the basic philosophy of the organization (religious or secular) to the furthest possible extreme, and adopts more fringe, or novel beliefs and practices in order to provide the proper level of legitimacy for that organization (Stark and Bainbridge 1987, 124).

Additionally, the two most extreme parts of a cult, that of mind control and not allowing members to leave the organization, make them unique in the modern world. While some might cite the saying of a Rosary or group prayer, even religious meditation, places one into a more receptive mind state; there is still a difference between meditative communication with the divine and an earthly entity using spirituality to control others. In the same way, using extraordinary and often illegal means to keep members in a cult because the "cult knows best," is a form of coercion that is rightly no longer tolerated.

Sect -- in sociology and anthropology, the term sect refers to a group that forms inside another group and takes on some individual characteristics that are based on, but not completely, like the parent or other group. In religion, for instance, denominations may be considered sects. Other academic definitions of the term tend to look at a socio-cultural definition, in that what is it that the group, the sect, is in tension with and why did it believe it had to separate (e.g. The Episcopalians separating over the ordination of a gay Bishop) (Wilson, 1992, 5-9).

Sects also occur in political, social, and cultural groups and, like religious sects, are splinter groups who leave a party or organization because of disagreement on some level. The early International Communist Parties of 1915-1935, for instance had numerous sects. All these were based on the doctrine of Marx & Engles, but took on a slightly different thrust based on location (Russia, China, United States, Great Britain), and whether they believed the 1917 Revolution was carried out properly. One additional definition says that sects, "lay claim to possess unique and privileged access to the truth or salvation and their committed adherent typically regard all those outside the confines of the collectivity as 'in error'" (Wallis, 1975).

At times in history, the term had a negative meaning, at least in Christianity. At times, even though early Christianity began as a Jewish sect, it referred to a group or movement with heretical beliefs that deviated from orthodoxy (Wilson, 1982, 89).

Eschatology -- Eschatology is a part of philosophy and theology that is concerned with initial beliefs, archetypal subjects, and the ultimate destiny of humanity. In theology, this is focused more on a study of Revelations, or the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell (OED, 2010). Within Christian philosophy, eschatology also studies the idea of free will and asking for God's help regarding sin and help with the many issues of daily life traverses thoughts back to the historical Sermon on the Mount, and the resulting Lord's Prayer. It is well documented that the young Augustine was influenced by the writings of Origen, whose writings and commentaries on the availability of God to the common man were catechetical texts available to scholars of Augustine's time. Specifically, Origen's view on the resurrection and the humanity of the Lord's Prayer were attractive to Augustine, who took the ideas further, commenting that through the power of prayer and Christ's resurrection, the flesh of humanity will be essentially transformed into a spiritual body (Heidl, 2003, p. 234).