Cult

From NonSpiritual

Cult typically refers to a cohesive social group devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding population considers to be outside the mainstream, with a notably positive or negative popular perception.

In common or populist usage, "cult" has a positive connotation for groups of art, music, writing, fiction, and fashion devotees, but a negative connotation for new religious, extreme political, questionable theraputic, and pyramidal business groups.^[1] For this reason, most, if not all, non-fan groups that are called cults reject this label.

Contents 1 Dictionary Definitions 2 Destructive Cults 3 Further Reading 4 Notes

Dictionary Definitions

Dictionary definitions of the term "cult" include at least eight different meanings. These include both classic and unorthodox religious practice, extreme political practice, objects or concepts of intense devotion including popular fashion, and systems for the cure of disease based on dogmatic teachings.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary lists five different definitions of the word "cult."

1. Formal religious veneration

2. A system of religious beliefs and ritual; also: its body of adherents;

3. A religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also: its body of adherents;

4. A system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator;

5. Great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book).

The Random House Unabridged Dictionary's eight definitions of "cult" are:

1. A particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies;

2. An instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers;

3. The object of such devotion;

4. A group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc;

5. Group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols;

6. A religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader;

7. The members of such a religion or sect;

8. Any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

Webster's New World College Dictionary defines "cult" as:

1a. a system of religious worship or ritual

1b. a quasi-religious group, often living in a colony, with a charismatic leader who indoctrinates members with unorthodox or extremist views, practices or beliefs

2a. devoted attachment to, or extravagant admiration for, a person, principle or lifestyle, especially when regarded as a fad [the cult of nudism]

2b. the object of such attachment

3. a group of followers, sect

For authoritative British usage, the Compact Oxford English Dictionary of Current English definitions of "cult" and "sect" are:

cult

1 a system of religious worship directed towards a particular figure or object.

2 a small religious group regarded as strange or as imposing excessive control over members.

3 something popular or fashionable among a particular section of society.

sect

1 a group of people with different religious beliefs (typically regarded as heretical) from those of a larger group to which they belong.

2 a group with extreme or dangerous philosophical or political ideas.

Destructive Cults

Robert J Lifton gave 8 criteria to categorize a cult as destructive^[2]:

1. Environmental Control: Limitation of many/all forms of communication with those outside the group. Books, magazines, letters and visits with friends and family are taboo. "Come out and be separate!"
2. Mystical Manipulation: The potential convert to the group becomes convinced of the higher purpose and special calling of the group through a profound encounter/experience, for example, through an alleged miracle or prophetic word of those in the group.
3. Demand for Purity: An explicit goal of the group is to bring about some kind of change, whether it be on a global, social, or personal level. "Perfection is possible if one stays with the group and is committed."
4. Cult of Confession: The unhealthy practice of self disclosure to members in the group. Often in the context of a public gathering in the group, admitting past sins and imperfections, even doubts about the group and critical thoughts about the integrity of the leaders.
5. Sacred Science: The group's perspective is absolutely true and completely adequate to explain EVERYTHING. The doctrine is not subject to amendments or question. ABSOLUTE conformity to the doctrine is required.
6. Loaded Language: A new vocabulary emerges within the context of the group. Group members "think" within the very abstract and narrow parameters of the group's doctrine. The terminology sufficiently stops members from thinking critically by reinforcing a "black and white" mentality. Loaded terms and clich_s prejudice thinking.
7. Doctrine over Person: Pre-group experience and group experience are narrowly and decisively interpreted through the absolute doctrine, even when experience contradicts the doctrine.
8. Dispensing of Existence: Salvation is possible only in the group. Those who leave the group are doomed.

Further Reading

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destructive_cult
• Definition from the Ross Institute
• Definition from Factnet
• Definition from the Cult Awareness and Information Center
• Definition from the ex-Cult resource center
• Definition from the International Cultic Studies Association

Notes

1. ↑ Cult Concerns: An Overview of Cults and their Harmful Methods in the UK. http://www.cultinformation.org.uk/articles.html
2. ↑ http://www.caic.org.au/general/cultcrit.htm