What different types of cults are there?

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i am looking for names, i am not interested in it myself but it is for a project.

Answer 1

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Do you want names of groups or just types?

Dictionary definitions of "cult"

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary lists five different meanings of the word "cult"32.

1. Formal religious veneration
2. A system of religious beliefs and ritual; also: its body of adherents;
3. A religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also: its body of adherents;
4. A system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator;
5. Great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book).

The Random House Unabridged Dictionary definitions are:

1. A particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies;
2. An instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers;
3. The object of such devotion;
4. A group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc;
5. Group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols;
6. A religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader;
7. The members of such a religion or sect;
8. Any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

Types:

Destructive cult
Cult suicide
Political cult
Imperial cult
Cult of personality

There are alot of groups that are cults

Source(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gro…

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Asker's Comment:

thanx

Answer 2

there are many different types... the bottom line to all of them is to get all your wordly possessions and to brainwash you to do wrong for them. a lot like most religions.

Answer 3

Westboro Baptist cult comes to mind. A cult differs from religion (no matter what some say) in the fact that you are cut off from family and friends who do not belong, and it is near impossible to leave. As evidenced by this board, you can leave Chrisitanity and all other religions. You can have friends and family not of that religion. Religion is not a cult!

Answer 4

Any religion that doesn't believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is an occult.

Answer 5

The ones that enjoy defining themselves as such, like fan clubs for certain movies or celebrities, and the ones who are derogatively labeled by mainstream religions who feel threatened by their explosive growth.

Answer 6

All religions are cults, so the list of them could be substantially started by just ripping out the religion pages in the phone book.