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Define Cult

Define Cult

How would you define the word 'Cult', what would your intended or friends need to do or say before you suspected them of being part of a Cult?

Cult Define

Hm, I'll try this...Cult is in an interesting word because it can pertain to religious or non-religious groups. I've hear reference to the 'cult of fitness', for example, where people ritualize working out and they feel incomplete if they didn't do their usual work-out routine for the day. Cult can also refer to the fanatical followings some stars, in sports or hollywood, recieve. In its most basic form, I think a cult is something that contains ritualistic behaviors that are consistently repeated.

In the religious sense, a cult usually means a smaller religion that doesn't have too many adhearents yet...like Christianity was called a cult back in its early inception.

In general, I would wonder if a close friend had joined a cult like group if their behavior radically changed to suit the group. If they became seemingly obssesed with the ritualistic actions contained in the cult, and started caring less about the things that made them passionate before, I would likely worry. I think ritualistic behavior is intrinsic to the human psyche and people graviatate towards activities which encompass that, whether it be the feeling that like-minded fans get when they chant defense in unison at a football game, or be something more intense...making it sometimes dangerous for people who are feeling empty or hopeless at the time they come into the contact with the group. Because if obsession occurs and the ritualistic aspects are taken to the max, I think it could be unhealthy sometimes.
Done rambling now,

Define Cult Paranormal & Mystics Dreams Studies

Realistically, I believe that "cult" actually means "subculture", or in other words, part of a culture. So, when people in the Catholic church refer to the "cult of Mary", they are referring to that part of the general Catholic culture that particularly reveres Mary.

However, over the last few decades, many people have used the word "cult" to be an insult, a way to simply dismiss arguments that they don't want to face directly.

Cult Define

The English word "cult" comes from the French "culte," which came from the Latin word "cultus" (care and adoration), which came from the Latin word "colere" (to cultivate).

The term cult, at least in my life time, has been used to define any group outside of the accepted norm, especially when it comes to religion. Groups as obscure and small as the Branch Davidians and the Heavens Gate group have all been named a cult in a very negative sense. As well as the small groups, large and prosperous groups such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Universal Unitarians have been name cults as well by mainstream christianity. But research on the term indicates that the 'cult' can have negative, positive, and neutral connotations. It is interesting to find out that the initial meaning of cult was always positive, while today, the term is almost always used negatively or even very negative. ReligiousTolerance.org has a great break down and definition of the term and shows us that while we usually use it in a bad way, cult can be used to define a group in a neutral or even positive way.

https://www.religioustolerance.org/cults.htm

Cult Define

Cult has a negative implication that implies that those inside were coerced beyond their free-will through threats, fear and intimidation, drugs(how about perscription drugs), lies, etc...

Define Cult

For me the use of the word 'Cult' in modern circles represents something dark, mysterious or even satanic. Representations of masonic rituals or men dressed like the KKK are often used graphically when mentioning the word 'cult'. However, in any typical dictionary you will soon discover that the true meaning of the word 'Cult' could really stand for any religion, belief system, or practise.

Define Cult

Religions that are large are cult like in their functioning because the preists, ministers, pastors, clerics, etc... can only partially be expressing God's will for our life. I have walked out of church right in the middle of a sermon when a preacher starts lying about God and attributing man's prejudices to a God that loves each of us. I was once in a church that asked everyone to make a pledge of alligence to the American flag. I changed the words to I pledge alligence to the Lamb(Christ) because I didn't want to be embarassed but I was soon looking for a new church.

Define Cult Studies Dreams Mystics & Paranormal

I'm reading all the definitions and they like don't say what I think about the word "cult". For me the word cult says you're not the norm. You hang with people that do things that others may find strange. That's how I see it cause when you think of some goth groups and a few of those smaller religious groups you think alright they're not mainstream and they're kind of weird.