You see, in a cult there’s a guy at the top who knows it’s all bullshit. In a religion that guy died ages ago and scholars aren’t sure if he existed to begin with.

Maybe one day someone will get me to understand the difference between religion and cult.

Cult: a small unpopular religion.

Religion: a large popular cult.

 

Or, if you prefer:

“the only difference between a religion and a cult is the amount of real estate they own”

-Frank Zappa

Though that kinda falls apart in the Scientologist’s case. They have acquired a lot of real estate since Zappa first made that statement.

Religions are mainstream, cults aren’t.

Specific structures of exploitation maybe? I’ve been in some cults and in some religions and the cults has structures that the religions did not. That being said, I have seen “religions” that used to have or do have those structures. It’s very hard to define. I like using Steve Hassan’s BITE model but, like with any model it has a specific type of cult it is examining.

It’s why the cult I’m currently working on starting has none of the oppressive structures. I’m an absurdist.

About 100 years.

Cults blackmail, torture, and murder.