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THE QUESTION
Religion or Cult?
Various religious groups in America, from Jehovah's Witnesses to Mormons, have been considered cults at some point. What is the difference between a religion and a cult? What constitutes a real religion?
Posted by
Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham on September 19, 2007 4:37 AM
FROM THE PANEL
The Church Down the Street
The Supreme Court has been clear that religious beliefs don't have to be popular, logical, consistent or reasonable to receive First Amendment protection
Posted by J. Brent Walker, on September 24, 2007 9:45 AM
No Joke
Cult is a way of saying "you are not like us, the good guys, and don't you forget it."
Posted by Kathleen Flake, on September 24, 2007 8:58 AM
A Label that Carries Baggage
For a movement to be considered a religion in its own right it surely must have a relatively coherent worldview, a system of thought, that is different on some very basic matters from other movements that want to inform us...
Posted by Richard Mouw, on September 24, 2007 8:32 AM
The Real Issue Is Truth
The term “cult” is used largely in a pejorative sense. That’s unfortunate because historically it is a good word. It means "belief system" and is the root word for "culture."...
Posted by Charles "Chuck" Colson, on September 24, 2007 5:31 AM
Smear Tactics
How we can work toward a world that doesn't need pejorative labels for people who hold slightly different beliefs.
Posted by Pamela K. Taylor, on September 21, 2007 9:30 AM
Freedom To Speak, Courage to Witness
A religion is human life centered in and celebrating what the particular religious community considers Most Real.
Posted by Willis E. Elliott, on September 21, 2007 8:43 AM
No Sects, No Cults
Eventually it became clear that everyone called someone a cult, and the word served few clarifying purposes.
Posted by Martin Marty, on September 20, 2007 11:32 AM
Using Personality Cults and Being Used
It is not the presence of strong leaders that matters, but rather how that gift is used.
Posted by Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo, on September 20, 2007 9:58 AM
Cults as Clarifiers
The word cult reveals as much as it hides about both the groups designated with the dreaded label and the groups dong the designated.
Posted by Irwin Kula, on September 20, 2007 8:47 AM
Using Language as a Mask for Intolerance
"Cult" should never be applied as a means of masking our own intolerance for competing faiths that simply differ from our own.
Posted by Michael Otterson, on September 19, 2007 10:54 AM
Cult Plus Time Equals Religion
A more useful distinction would separate religions that attempt to control nearly every aspect of people's lives from religions that don't.
Posted by Susan Jacoby, on September 19, 2007 8:01 AM
Is It About Discipline or Control?
I’ve yet to encounter anyone in my travels throughout North America who said, “Yes, I’m a member of a cult!”
Posted by Randall Balmer, on September 19, 2007 7:21 AM
Other People's Cults
The term “cult” itself is neutral -- it merely means a cohesive group that the surrounding culture considers outside the mainstream.
Posted by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, on September 19, 2007 6:38 AM
Serving God or Servitude to Man?
It is no coincidence that cult leaders required their followers to die for them. The real God has died for us.
Posted by Cal Thomas, on September 19, 2007 5:24 AM
Save & Share:
Angus Argyle: There are only two differences between a cult and a religion - age and size of membership.
Society really needs to move away from believing...
Madeleine Dunn: The use of the word "cult" is subjective. It may be used by one religious group to define a sect it does not agree with or by common consens...
