The group of individuals who adhere to a cult (senses 2 or 3).
A strong devotion or interest in a particular person, idea or thing without religious associations, or the people holding such an interest; as, the cult of James Dean; the cult of personality in totalitarian societies.
(Lat., cultus.) System of forms and ceremonies used in worship.
A system of religious beliefs and practices. Frequently used by adherents of one religion to describe another religion of which they do not approve. Often associated with fanaticism or false religion.
A religious group which denies the essential doctrines of Christianity. The term is usually reserved for groups founded after 1750.
Veneration ( or honoring ) of a saint expressed in public acts, local or universal, and formally approved by the Pope.
Cult is from the Latin [ cultus] meaning to cultivate, and by extension, any group or sect which cultivates, or 'promotes growth' through their beliefs to make proselytes. In modern Theological terms, the word is generally reserved for religious groups which (in contrast to classical Christianity, of having God's Word as their authority) blindly give authority to their leader. These leaders are often venerated, and manipulate and control the group through their charisma, deception, fear, and even perceived power. Anyone having a fanatical veneration of, or loyalty to, a human leader, animal, or thing. [ back
By its primary dictionary definition, the term cult just means a system of religious beliefs or rituals. It is based on a farming term in Latin meaning cultivation. Sociologists and anthropologists sometimes use the term cult to describe religious structure or belief patterns with meanings (usually non-pejorative) unique to their disciplines. In modern usage, the term cult is often used by the general public to describe any religious group they view as strange or dangerous. Thus, cult can describe religious leaders or organizations that employ abusive, manipulative, or illegal control over their followers' lives. In addition to these usages, Christians generally have a doctrinal component to their use of the word. Cult in this sense, is a counterfeit or serious deviation from the doctrines of classical Christianity. (definition from the Watchman Fellowship website)
A group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control (e.g., isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it, etc.), designed to advance the goals of the group's leaders, to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community. (West & Langone, 1986, pp. 119-120) The AFF website
statue: a statue of a divinity worshipped in the shrine dedicated to that deity
A system of religious worship esp. as expressed in ritual.
The societal institution responsible for carrying out worship, sacrifice and other religious functions.
adherents of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices
a system of religious beliefs and rituals; "devoted to the cultus of the Blessed Virgin"
a deviant religious organization with novel beliefs and practices
a distortion or perversion of biblical Christianity and a rejection of the historical teachings of the Christian Church
a foster family that requires complete severance from past connections-kin, spouses, friends
a group considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader
a group (large or small) whose teachings are false, plain and simple
a group of kooks enthralled by a charismatic superkook who gulls the gullible, confiscates their assets and has the inside skinny on the date the world will end - usually sometime in the future
a group of people basing their beliefs upon the world view of an isolated leadership, which always denies the central doctrines of Christianity as taught from the Bible
a group of people that are organized and draw you away from Christianity
a group of people who deviates from the mainstream religions to follow a charismatic leader
a group of people who organize around a strong authority figure
a group of people who share devotion to a set of values and norms and/or a particular leader
a group or movement exhibiting great or excess devotion or dedication to a person, idea, or thing and employing unethical, manipulative or coercive techniques to persuade and control its members", according to American Family Foundation
a group that believes doctrines other than the central doctrines of Christianity as taught by the Bible
a group that deviates doctrinally from a parent or host religion
a group that pretends to be a certain religion (ie, Christianity), yet in CRITICAL points is NOT that religion (Christianity) but only a PUTRID (rotten clear through), utterly corrupt imitation with only the VAGUEST resemblance to the Real Thing
a group that puts itself in the place of God in a way that makes them the mediators to God
a group that, umm, not necessarily spiritual, not necessarily philosophical, but either or both of those things, that, umm, believe absolutely in something
a group, which often damages their members emotionally, spiritually, financially, and sometimes even physically
a group who believes in a group of certain ideas
a group with an authoritarian structure and established, rote methods for stopping thoughts, which centers to the exclusion of other activities on the goals and desires of the group's leader or leaders
a group with a religious or philosophical identity, often existing on the margins of society
a highly manipulative group which exploits its members and can cause psychological, financial and physical harm
a joining together for worship-that is, the attempt of people to commune with a transcendent power
a loosely knit group of people who follow the same leader or pursue similar religious ideals
an assembling of people around some idea, especially a religious idea
an group that ideals/worships a person
an individual that's committed himself to a life or a practice or a belief
an obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing
a perversion, a distortion of Biblical Christianity, and, as such, rejects the historical teachings of the Christian Church
a perversion, a distortion of biblical Christianity and/or a rejection of the historic teachings of the Christian Church
a perversion of the truth
a religion that does not hold to the basic doctrines of the Christian faith
a religion that doesn't have good PR people
a religion with no political
a religion without an army
a religion without political power"
a religious group that is a perversion of true Christianity
a religious group with beliefs steeped in a specified totality of ideas, activities and practices
a religious group without political support
a religious movement that claims authority by Jesus Christ and seeks to be included under the umbrella of Christianity but has major tenets incompatible with Biblical orthodoxy
a religious system of beliefs animated by the spirit of Antichrist
a small group of people who believe something different from the mainstream
a small group of people with one strong leader
a "system of religious beliefs and rituals" and has no size limitations
a system of religious worship, devotion, or homage to a person or thing apart from the true God as revealed through His Son Jesus Christ
a system of religious worship that engenders almost blind loyalty in its members
a system or community of religious worship and ritual
a unique community devoted to the worship of all things penny arcade
A sociotype of an auto-toxic meme-complex, composed of membots and/or memeoids. (GMG) Characteristics of cults include: self-isolation of the infected group (or at least new recruits); brainwashing by repetitive exposure (inducing dependent mental states); genetic functions discouraged (through celibacy, sterilization, devalued family) in favor of replication (proselytizing); and leader-worship ("personality cult"). (Henson.)
A religious system with elements that typically include unquestionable truth, spying, economic control, social control, and threats. The typical form of aboriginal American Indian religion
An organized group of people devoted to beliefs and goals which are not held by the majority of society; often religious in nature; used in RCM materials to refer to any organized, covert perpetrator group.
A religious group with practices and teachings outside the dominant cultural and religious traditions of a society.
used in this (limited popular) context only, "cult" refers to the organisation that develops around an abusive guru, and which enforces the abuser's authority, usually by means of an inner circle of lieutenants or close disciples who have taken on the abusive guru's dysfunctional sadomasochistic attitudes, thus keeping the devotees submissive and manipulatable. Every cult (used in thsi context) and cult leader denies that they are really "cults", and instead shadow projects their own dysfunctionalism onto their critics.
Religious group with beliefs or practices considered to be false based on Biblical principles according to Scripture.
Generic use cult denotes any act or system of veneration or worship.
According to Webster's dictionary, a "cult" is a group that studies a system of religious worship, admiration of, or devotion to a person or Thing. In Unity we do not worship anyone or any thing. An appropriate response to the question "Are we a cult?" might be"We follow Jesus Christ, teach from the Bible and pray to God."
A community of religious worship. Devotion to an ideal, person, or god.
A religious group originating as a heretical sect and maintaining fervent commitment to heresy. Adj.: cultic (may be used with reference to tendencies as well as full cult status).
A body of beliefs and/or excessive rituals associated with some particular person or object. A group overly committed to any belief.
The formal organization and practice of worship, usually associated with a sanctuary and involving a regular cycle of sacrifices, prayers, and hymns under the direction of priests and other leaders; when used in biblical studies the term is descriptive and does not imply anything dark, devilish, false, or unseemly, as is often the case in modern uses of the term.