Since Lemmy should promote fun dialogue I am gonna reply one more time with something fun I learned. My prof from an undergraduate course on religion said we should have a more unbiased definition of cult. An unorthodox group that claims to have a novel, truer interpretation of an already existing tradition with a charismatic central leader. I find it interesting because many religions can fall under this category such as Christianity. Cult is also used to describe certain groups within a religion like the Buddhist cult of Guanyin. This use also has no negative correlation, instead pointing towards the groups focus on Guanyin. Wonder how one would add onto this term to specifically mean negative groups that try to control their members and draw others in? Simply having new teachings doesn't do it for me. There are many Buddhist dharma doors that have very different teachings but what marks NKT as cult? Is it just what I added or something else as well? They certainly fit both definitions.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

I totally see where this is coming from but I still want a word for this toxic kind of group with a lot of centralized control of the members.

I heard of the BITE model (behavior control, information control, emotional control and I don't remember what the T stands for). I need a word for this kind of organization and if you offer me a better one, I'll take it.

[–] SPRUNT 4 points 3 hours ago

T is likely for "time". Abusers will always try to control how you spend your time.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 hours ago

I’m sticking with “cult”. I just apply it liberally to include the old-money cults like the 31 flavors of Christianity. Cults BITE and you can find at least some of that kind of control in many widespread and socially acceptable groups.

Yes ‘cult’ is pejorative and that’s exactly the meaning I intend to convey when I use it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (2 children)

Well...yeah. The only difference between a religion and a cult is member count and how long it's been around.

Big and several generations? Religion.

Small or only been around for a few generations? Cult.

The only reason Christianity isn't a cult is because we were told it's a religion.

Just like Herbalife isn't a pyramid scheme, it's an MLM.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

I’m sorry but I think you missed my point. Religion is cult plus time is not a helpful framework.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago

I think it also has a factor of how well it blends with current/dominant society. You'd probably be able to find a large amount of folks who agree that the amish are a cult, for example. They've been around for a while, and they have relatively large numbers, but their rejection of modern technology flies in the face of the average modern person. If pressed on 'why?' those people considering them a cult likely have that unique quality behind the 'cult' reasoning.

Just off the top of my head, the snake handlers and the jehovah's witnesses are both considered cults in my social circle (as in, these topics have come up and are generally agreed on), despite both being large enough to be known in many areas and have been around for quite a while.