cult
What to know
One meaning of the term cult is a derogatory term for a small and religious group labeled by outsiders as “extreme,” “dangerous,” and “deviant.” These groups often have distinctive beliefs and high levels of commitment, and are led by an authoritarian figure who attempts to control the group through coercion. Some cults are characterized by dangerous practices like violence, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, and mass suicide. The term cult is also used to describe a group of devoted followers of a “cult personality” or a group that bands behind a cultural phenomenon. Note that the term originates from and is still sometimes used in reference to forms of worship accepted more widely as legitimate religious expression (like the “cult of the Virgin” in Roman Catholicism).
A cult is not the same as a religious sect, which is a group that breaks off from a larger and more broadly accepted religion. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), for instance, is an offshoot of Christianity. Using the word cult to describe religious sects can contribute to public alarm about these groups and delegitimize them for the public. Groups like Mormonism and Scientology often begin as what some scholars call new religious movements (religious groups that originate in the 19th century and beyond). The difference between a cult and a new religious movement is a matter of perspective and often depends on whether a group is accepted as part of the broader religious landscape.
Authoritarian leadership, mind control/coercion, and insular communities do not only occur within groups labeled as cults. For this reason, the difference between what gets labeled as a religion versus a cult mainly lies in the negative connotation of the term as well as who has the power and interest to make such a claim. Some experts advise using the term sparingly since it can raise suspicions of and delegitimize communities labeled as such. Note that current and former adherents of groups labeled as cults might find some of the assumptions of the term patronizing since cult followers are often unfairly assumed to be more gullible and less rational than other religious adherents. The sensationalization of cults in media also contributes to minimizing adherents’ genuinely held beliefs and the trauma they might have experienced in a cult. In cases where people experience harm in cults and other religious groups, emphasizing abusive and traumatic dynamics without resorting to highly dramatized language remains important.
Additional resources
- What Makes a Cult a Cult? (New Yorker)
- Law Beat: Attorneys for ex-NXIVM member claim media ’caused harm’ (Times Union)
- Why do people join cults? (TED-Ed)
- Caught Up in the Cult Wars: Confessions of a New Religious Movement Researcher (Longreads)
Summary
One meaning of the term cult is a derogatory term for a small and religious group labeled by outsiders as “extreme,” “dangerous,” and “deviant.” A cult is not the same as a religious sect, which is a group that breaks off from a larger and more broadly accepted religion. The difference between what gets labeled as a religion versus a cult mainly lies in the negative connotation of the term as well as who has the power and interest to make such a claim. Some experts advise using the term sparingly since it can raise suspicions of and delegitimize communities labeled as such. The sensationalization of cults in media also contributes to minimizing adherents’ genuinely held beliefs and the trauma they might have experienced in a cult. In cases where people experience harm in cults and other religious groups, emphasizing abusive and traumatic dynamics without resorting to highly dramatized language remains important.