What's the difference between a religion and a cult?

[gzagee]

Just caught the last half hour of this debate on the Big Question this morning.
Some academic said it was a matter of size.
Others said freedom of choice.
A few said cults are always started by individuals who had an encounter with Jesus or God.

I haven't got a clue.

What say you?

[Zedie]

Size.

Religion = a sizeable amount (cant remember the official threshold) of people who believe in one spiritual ideal

Cult = an amount of people below the threshold that believe in a spiritual ideal.

Crazy = 1 person who believes in a particular spiritual ideal. Especially if he or she is the only one....

Recent examples:

Scientology

Some bloke thought up Scientology and convinced a few others to pay him to be in it.
Those people convinced more people to be in it.
Somewhere along the line, one of those people convinced John Travolta to be in it.
He told his rich actor mates about it, and convinced them to pay to be in it.
Gen pop caught window of this, thought it was cool, paid to be in it.
Hey presto, you have enough people paying to be in a club that it is recognised a religion.

The Jedi Knights

I remember back during the last national census, enough people put down 'The Way of the Jedi' for it to now be considered an official religion in the UK.

Quality.

[Est83]

You calling me crazy Zedie?

[Zedie]

I would never level such an accusation at you Yoda.

[EvAMY-CRAIGLEEAFC]

I have not a clue. Not clever enough.

[ThereIsBearCüm]

If there are enough people to get offended at it being called a cult, then it's a religion.

[Est83]

If there are enough people to get offended at it being called a cult, then it's a religion.

[Hammered Pizza]

So if a religion loses favour, does it become a cult? Or can the 'organisation' only move in one way?

[Est83]

Maybe if people withdraw their annual subscriptions

[Fabrestuta]

A cult usually involves the worship of the living head of the cult. But there really isn't a whole lot of difference when you break it down. The rabbis wanted Jesus killed because he was the head of what they deemed a dangerous cult, which was what Christianity was back in the day.

[gzagee]

If there are enough people to get offended at it being called a cult, then it's a religion.

[gzagee]

A cult usually involves the worship of the living head of the cult. But there really isn't a whole lot of difference when you break it down. The rabbis wanted Jesus killed because he was the head of what they deemed a dangerous cult, which was what Christianity was back in the day.

Makes alot of sense, does that.

[She_Gunner_Wales]

Here we need no further proof that Football is a religion.

[FatSadGooner]

Here we need no further proof that Football is a religion.

Football is a religion.

And the Arsenal Board is made up of complete cults.

[TheLittleMozart]

In religion you dont have to pay £1000 to acesend to level 5.... Personally I dont feel much different from level 4 tbh!