Difference Between Cult and Religion
Since the start of mankind, humans needed a guiding light to follow. Religions have been providing that to us for ages and people subscribe to various religions in order to find internal peace, a purpose of life and a way to move forward.
However, we now often hear the term cult in our everyday lives. This makes us wonder what is the difference between cult and a religion. The differences are pretty obvious and if you closely observe the two, they are very easily observable as we understand them at the same time.
Instructions
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1
History
All major religions have a long history and have been here for centuries. The belief system has been in place for ages and there have been many generations who have followed them. On the other hand, a cult generally has a recent history and sometimes only has been around for a few years. There is no significant history involved and the belief system is often in the process of evolution. -
2
Following
All major religions have a following in millions, in certain cases, billions. People from all over the world follow them and believe in the set of principles that have been laid down in the Holy Scriptures. Contrary to this, cults have a small following often which is in hiding from the public. The people who follow them are passionate about their set of beliefs but often are in hundreds or not more than thousands. -
3
Acceptability
The religions are acceptable to societies as well as governments and allowances are often made for the special occasions for all religions. Although people may not agree with each other, still they are able to understand that the other person follows a different set of beliefs and needs to be respected for that. In cults, there is little or no acceptability. Most people are unsure of the motives and smaller cults are often seen as a problem to society. -
4
Leadership
Religions have a clear pattern of leadership which has been established for centuries. Some religions have specified top leaders whereas others have learned men helping those who seek it. In case of cults, the leadership is generally a one man show. This person could be someone who truly believes in his or her convictions or does so for any other reason from which this person may benefit.
