Cult

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(The following text or part of it is quoted from the free Wikipedia:)

In modern English, a cult is a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals,[1] or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This sense of the term is controversial, having divergent definitions both in popular culture and academia, and has also been an ongoing source of contention among scholars across several fields of study.[2][3] The word "cult" is usually considered a pejorative.

An older sense of the word cult involves a set of religious devotional practices that are conventional within their culture, are related to a particular figure, and are often associated with a particular place.[4] References to the "cult" of a particular Catholic saint, or the imperial cult of ancient Rome, for example, use this sense of the word.

While the literal and original sense of the word remains in use in the English language, a derived sense of "excessive devotion" arose in the 19th century.[5]

Beginning in the 1930s, cults became the object of sociological study in the context of the study of religious behavior.[6] Since the 1940s the Christian countercult movement has opposed some sects and new religious movements, labeling them "cults" because of their unorthodox beliefs. Since the 1970s, the secular anti-cult movement has opposed certain groups, and in reaction to acts of violence which have been committed by some of their members, it has frequently charged them with practicing mind control. Scholars and the media have disputed some of the claims and actions of anti-cult movements, leading to further public controversy.

Sociological classifications of religious movements may identify a cult as a social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices,[7] although this is often unclear.[8][9][10] Other researchers present a less-organized picture of cults, saying that they arise spontaneously around novel beliefs and practices.[11] Groups labelled as "cults" range in size from local groups with a few followers to international organizations with millions of adherents.[12]

Definition

In the English-speaking world, the term cult often carries derogatory connotations.[13] In this sense, it has been considered a subjective term, used as an ad hominem attack against groups with differing doctrines or practices.[14] As such, religion scholar Megan Goodwin has defined the term cult, when it is used by the layperson, as often being shorthand for a "religion I don't like".[15]

Simplest definition

Award-winning filmmaker Brendon Marotta (American Circumcision) offers a much shorter and smarter definition for a cult which at least nails it for the topic of intactivism:

“ How To Identify A Cult In One Question
Cults don't let you leave.
– Brendon Marotta (Hegemon Media)[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ REFweb cult, Merriam-Webster.
  2. ↑ REFbook Zablocki, Benjamin David, Robbins, Thomas (2001): Misunderstanding Cults: Searching for Objectivity in a Controversial Field. University of Toronto Press. P. 473. ISBN 0-8020-8188-6.
  3. ↑ REFjournal Richardson JT. Definitions of Cult: From Sociological-Technical to Popular-Negative. Review of Religious Research. 1993; 34(4): 348–56. DOI..
  4. ↑ REFweb cult, Oxford University Press.
    Quote: 2.a. A particular form or system of religious worship or veneration, esp. as expressed in ceremony or ritual directed towards a specified figure or object.
  5. ↑ Compare the Oxford English Dictionary note for usage in 1875: "cult:…b. A relatively small group of people having (esp. religious) beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister, or as exercising excessive control over members.… 1875 Brit. Mail 30 Jan. 13/1 Buffaloism is, it would seem, a cult, a creed, a secret community, the members of which are bound together by strange and weird vows, and listen in hidden conclave to mysterious lore."
  6. ↑ REFbook Fahlbusch, Erwin, Bromiley, Geoffrey W.: The Encyclopedia of Christianity vol. 4. P. 897. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  7. ↑ REFbook Stark, Rodney, Bainbridge, William Sims (1996): A Theory of Religion. Peter Lang Publishing. P. 124. ISBN 0-8135-2330-3.
  8. ↑ Oxford English Dictionary, citing American Journal of Sociology 85 (1980). p. 1377: "Cults…like other deviant social movements, tend to recruit people with a grievance, people who suffer from a some variety of deprivation."
  9. ↑ Shaw, Chuck. 2005. "Sects and Cults." Greenville Technical College. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  10. ↑ REFjournal Olson PJ. The Public Perception of 'Cults' and 'New Religious Movements'. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 2006; 45(1): 97–106.
  11. ↑ REFbook Stark, Rodney, Bainbridge, William Sims (1987): The Future of Religion: Secularization, Revival and Cult Formation. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-05731-9.
  12. ↑ REFbook Barker, Eileen (1999): New Religious Movements: their incidence and significance, in: New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response. Wilson B, Cresswell J (eds.). Routledge. ISBN 0-415-20050-4.
  13. ↑ REFbook Brink, T. L. (2008): Unit 13: Social Psychology, in: Psychology: A Student Friendly Approach. Pp. 293–320.
    Quote: Cult is a somewhat derogatory term for a new religious movement, especially one with unusual theological doctrine or one that is abusive of its membership.
  14. ↑ REFbook Bromley, David Melton, Gordon, J. (2002): Cults, Religion, and Violence. West Nyack, NY: Cambridge University Press.
  15. ↑ REFweb Ingram, Wayne. Turkey Ritual (transcript). Ep. 2 in Study Religion (podcast), Dept. of Religious Studies, University of Alabama.
  16. ↑ REFweb Marotta B (1 August 2022). How To Identify A Cult In One Question, Hegemon Media. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
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