In many respects, the term "cult" is pejorative. However, some researchers want to use the term either theologically or sociologically. Theologically, a cult would be a group that claims to be part of a particular religious tradition but denies at least one essential facet of that tradition. Sociologically, a cult would be a group that practices mind-control and inhibits rational thought.
Thanks dear for sharing your question.
The matter is not whether the term cult is useful or not. It matters more if it is badly used by its believers and wrongly interpreted by its opponents.
nowadays cult is the word "very often misunderstood, misinterpreted and misused" without knowing its true meaning....
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
" Why Do People Join Cults?
Why do people join and even appear to thrive in cult-like groups?
There is a great deal of interest in “cults” which can take many forms: They may be religious or racial, political or mystical, self-help or pseudo-psychological, but they all have half a dozen recognizable characteristics:
Powerful and exclusive dedication/devotion to an explicit person or creed.
- They use of “thought-reform” programmes to integrate, socialize, persuade and therefore control members.
- A well thought through recruitment, selection and socialization process.
- Attempts to maintain psychological and physical dependency among cult members.
- Cults insist on reprogramming the way people see the world.
- Consistent exploitation of group members specifically to advance the leaders goals.
- Cults nearly always go in for milieu control signals: a different,unfamiliar setting with different rules, terms, behaviour patterns.
- Ultimately using psychological and physical harm to cult members, their friends and relatives and possibly the community as a whole.
Most cults start their induction by trying to stop both individualistic and critical thinking like the army their job is the first to break you than remake you as one of them. This involves the introduction of a “sacred creed” that members may have to live by. Through open confession and subordination of the individual to the doctrine the cult ensures control and “purity”. Cults deliberately induce powerful emotions like fear, guilt but also pride. They tend to develop their own language, dress and signals which shows their specialness.
But the central question is whether usually-thought-of good, legitimate organizations do things differently than cults. Do the Boy Scouts or the Round Table or the Women’s Institute operate psychologically at any rate?
All too often, we explain strange, unexpected behaviour (like joining a cult) in terms of the dispositions (personality) of others; they (the poor gullible naïve indoctrinated members) have quite defective personalities But we explain more common behaviour in terms of the appeal of an accepted group's philosophy, leaders or benefits. Thus sad inadequates join cults; but altruistic, caring people join the church."...
Please, read the rest of the article at:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sideways-view/201402/why-do-people-join-cults
Well Prof , this is a very blind belief in working . I do not believe in cults to large extent people who try that in the name of leading ...
I strongly believe , life's purpose is divine and do not try making it anything less significant ...
The term cult is useful, whether used and interpreted in a religious or sociological context; since each of them has its purpose. The theological one asserts its particular religious tradition; the sociological would criticize the barriers or limits of religious dogma impeding freedom of expression outside the religious context.
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