Are all religions cults?

Accepted, Elsie, not excepted. Saying you've excepted him gives it a whole different meaning.
 

Elsie said:
I've excepted Jesus Christ onto my life to be my Lord and Savior (according to God's Word in the Holy Bible.) I am not a member of any 'religious' denomination. And oh how I hate being labeled religious. I'm a Christian--only a person trying to follow Jesus' teachings according to how I interpret His Word, with help from listening to various Bible scripture teachers. I don't agree with every teachers' interpretation, if I think there is something wrong here..........

Am I my own cult?
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You took the words right out of my mouth Elsie! I see this thread died pretty fast as many do not understand that religion and cults are man-made not God-made. Many find it easier to have faith in themselves and mankind than to have faith in a Creator or a One True God. IMHO the human brain cannot comprehend the Spirit of God. I believe that after the last breath is taken here on earth each human will know the truth of life.
 
Aneeda, the problem with your question is that it's awfully general. There are many religions, past and present, on earth. Saying that anything is true about "all" religions just invites the question, "Yes, but what about...." Judaism is not a cult, although there may be small fringe groups that fanatically follow one rabbi, and therefore, maybe they are. How about nature worshippers? And believers in all sorts of deities who are not human? Some people get religious about the zodiac, for example.

Whether the definition of "cult" has to say something about it being a small group is a good question. How small is small? There are all sorts of groups on earth that could be called cults because they fanatically follow a particular leader. Yet, they don't have anything that most of us would call religious practices. So IMO, all religions are not cults, and all cults are not religions. Though obviously, some are both.
 

In theology, there are strict definitions of cults, sects and religions. One is not the same as the other. I wrote a paper in college on the sect/cult difference and I would cite some examples if I could remember any of it.
 
What is a cult depends on you definition of "cult". As an atheist, I might have a different idea of cultism. I don't think the size of a group determines cultism. What is the difference if 10 believe in X, or 10,000 believe in the same X? A cult, to me, is when there is a significant intrusion of a belief into ones life that takes precedent over ones ability to form rational decisions, as to ones well being.
 
I'm not particularly religious and rarely attend church but if it gives someone pleasure to call my faith a "cult," then have at it.
I'll continue to think of it as my religion considering today's negative opinions of "cults", and will not denigrate others beliefs as long as I'm not forced to embrace them.
 
It's a sad fact that many people need an icon to focus on. Jesus and Mary have been made into cult figures, so many Christians direct their worship on them instead of following the Christian teaching.
 
IDK. It depends on how one defines a cult in their mind. To me, the Manson family was a cult.

The Catholic church? Well, maybe, but not in the same way though early Christianity could certainly be defined as a cult and often was even by their own admission.
 


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