What is the difference between a "cult" and "true religion" (Main Forum)

by Dolores , Northeastern USA, Monday, September 19, 2011, 13:14 (640 days ago) @ Green Shoots

What is a Cult? – Differences Between Cults and Religions

In his article “The Difference Between Cults and Religions,” Rabbi Brad Hirschfield remarks, “The fact that pretty much every religion has done all of these things [typically ascribed to cults] at some point in history of the group means the line between cults and religions ... is not fixed or static.” The rabbi references the Hebrew Bible story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac to God as evidence of cultish threads that run through religions.

The rabbi notes, “Most religions can and do slip into cult-like behavior from time to time.” For instance, many religions claim to be the only true church, use fear of damnation to dissuade members from questioning or leaving the organization, and shun members who do leave.

The line between religions and cults can indeed be blurry at times, so how is it possible to tell the difference between the two? The main difference is the degree to which a religious group or organization engages in negative cult-like practices. The second major difference between cults and religions is that, generally speaking, religions are accepted by mainstream society, while cults are not. Religions typically have many followers, while cults have relatively few.