Religion versus Cult: Important Distinctions

What is a Religion?

A religion belongs to a greater culture
A religion’s adherents come and go freely
A religion involves a set of beliefs about a divinity but is not exclusive to understood socio-cultural norms, ideas, and practices outside of the religion
A religion involves (scheduled) cooperative worship and/or prayer in relation to the deity
A religions’ beliefs are consistent with mainstream adaptive behavior
A religion defines appropriate human behavior and a concept of evil with cultural relevance and norms
A religion may include sacred ritual acts
A religion is recognized and accepted by governments (but not defined by laws)
A religion has adherents despite lacking a charismatic leader
A religion is historical, sometimes is associated with historical geography, and often welcomes discussion regarding the belief system
A religion has mutual respect for other religions
A religion accepts donations and tithes, but it does not require payment in order to accept services or resources
A religion does not financially, physically, or psychologically punish adherents who choose to leave

What is a Cult?

A cult meets the definition of a high control group (see below).
A cult often has elements of a social movement, is not necessarily spiritual or religious, and promises to answer life’s questions or secrets to peace, success, and happiness
A cult restricts the social life of its members and ensures separation from established family, friends, and greater society; it limits access to those who may be invested in the members’s welfare
A cult often necessitates an extreme dedication to a (charismatic) leader and/or set of beliefs which are considered odd or inconsistent with general understanding by the general culture/public
A cult incites an urgency to join, discourages questioning and critical thinking, is passively or overtly coercive; its members are coerced and intimidated to stay, and they are retrieved or harassed if they escape
A cult often requires that most members give most or all of their financial assets and possessions to the cult, often charging for membership or being subject to menial labor for the cult if they are unable to continue to support the cult financially
A cult prescribes ALL aspects of some members’ lives; members are personally monitored to ensure adherence to rules, and nonconforming behavior is punished and chastised
A cult may prescribe which and how emotions, thoughts, and feelings are allowed; cult members are not allowed to question cult practices or talk amongst themselves about noticed inconsistencies or discomfort with the cult’s practices and policies
A cult uses controlling methods over followers including gaslighting, humiliation, threats, and punishment; positive experiences are short-lived and quickly replaced by more challenging demands on the person
A cult is viewed negatively by the public and there may be agencies to offer to help members escape
A cult uses an authoritarian leadership (often self-appointed) or pyramid scheme style hierarchy/elders
A cult has unconventional practices (food restriction, sleep restriction, forced labor, medical care restrictions, developmentally inappropriate expectations for children, branding)
A cult practices excommunication if rules are defied
A cult is exploitive of its members (labor, financially, sexually, intellectually)
A cult uses increasingly narrow indoctrination and surrender of intuition; members are prohibited from reading public information (e.g., books, newspapers, internet), talking to non cult members, or seeking public information about the cult. Critical thinking is forbidden.
A cult obtains or manufactures collateral that can be used against members to coerce them to behave in certain ways or keep them from escaping
A cult develops secretive codes, a new vocabulary/jargon, and has secret ideas that only can be revealed after members prove themselves to be devout followers and engage in forced behaviors or rituals (including supporting the cult financially and recruiting additional members)
A cult may offer commission on recruiting new members or selling cult-branded goods and services
A cult markets itself as charitable but shows no evidence of ongoing charitable activity
Cults often are described as cults by the greater community and become defensive and distressed by the reference to their organization as a cult

High Control Groups

High control groups can include families, relationships, businesses, religious sects, cults, political groups, clubs, and educational systems. While all cults necessarily are high control groups, not all high control groups are cults. Only some of the characteristics below are needed to identify a high control group.

High control groups promise overly idealistic resolution, happiness, and special powers while using punishment/abuse to instill guilt or fear in members. Critical thinking immediately is disbanded and focus on the leader’s directives becomes imperative.
High control groups prevent members from accessing outside information including current events and especially seeking information regarding the group.
High control groups do not allow members to interact with people outside of the group. Disconnection from family, friends, and cultural influence is essential in developing and maintaining control. Lying is an acceptable manner of dealing with others.
High control group members may be required to give up their possessions and former lifestyle and turn their finances over to the leader. The members then become trapped, having no resources to fall back on.
High control groups operate on the cohesiveness of the group and the shunning of information that contradicts the basis for the group. A person’s individuality is frowned upon; their personality is discouraged. Members are not allowed to question the group practices, and they are not allowed to confide in each other.
High control groups do not allow members to leave freely. Members usually need to escape in order to leave
High control groups may have special tiers of members, with elders being the most elite and other subgroups receiving special privileges.
High control group leaders believe they are above the law. They lie and desensitize members to lying for them to protect them and the group.
High control group leaders instill a sense of fear about the surrounding community such that members cannot seek help from others when planning their escape.
High control group leaders can be dynamic and develop a charismatic charm. They claim to be enlightened or endowed with special spiritual powers. Members develop loyalty toward them and retain pretend loyalty even when they become disillusioned.
Recruitment is dishonest and misleading, and new members are flattered and guaranteed future happiness that only can be achieved through membership. Recruiting targets young, naive people who may not have a large support group or may be new in town or on their own for the first time. Recruiters are offered rewards for successful recruitment.
High control groups may gain collateral on its members in order to threaten them into submission or exploit them if they escape.
High control groups interrupt and oppose intuition and critical thinking and punish questioning of group practices. Members are required to tattle on each other when members try to confide in each other.
High control groups degrade members’ self-confidence through gaslighting, misinformation, and emotional/psychological abuse. The greater the self-doubt, the greater the willingness to trust and believe the leader/group. Lack of confidence and frequent negative performance feedback further controls members with guilt and shame for the ineffectiveness. Their life may be worthless without the influence of the leader.
High control groups engage in unconventional behaviors, thinking, and rule-following.
High control group members become conditioned to expect physical, mental, emotional, sexual, and psychological abuse.
High control groups use substances and mind-controlling hypnotic practices (stamina exercises, chanting, fasting) to heighten indoctrination. Poor nutrition and sleep deprivation enhance the effectiveness of these practices. Members are provided physical and mental busy work to keep them distracted from intrusive reemergence of their intuition.
High control group leaders develop special code words or jargon to signal cues to the members. The jargon enhances group loyalty and helps members recognize other members.