Welcome to I Am Your Target Demographic and today we’re diving into the concept of cults.
In my earlier video outlining Scientology, debates have arisen in the comments about
cults versus religions and what the difference really is, so I thought it’d be useful to
look at what these two terms really mean and how they’re used, as well as some defining
factors in both.
This is meant to stir dialogue and debate and hopefully make sure we’re all on the same page.
If your first instinct is to head down to the comments and write “all religions are
cults” in big capital letters, I’d encourage you not to.
This is a discussion about why labeling matters, why context matters, and why every opinion is subjective.
Let’s start by looking at what defines a religion.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary calls religion: the service and worship of God or the supernatural,
or a commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance.
They have another definition that might come into play here that also calls religion a
cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.
In case you need a definition of ardor, it means passion.
So by this definition, religion is typically about god, or gods plural, and the passionate
commitment to these principles.
It could also mean supernatural, in that some religions might worship things that might
be considered supernatural by others, including aliens, ghosts, and gods that might be foreign to us.
However, the second definition also allows for religion to be about a cause or a principle,
without a supreme being to worship, which is why some religions might lack the godlike
figure but instead focus on the belief system and principles instead.
Now let’s look at the definition of cult, again with the Merriam-Webster verbatim definition.
A cult is a religion regarded as unorthodox or a secondary definition says that it can
be a great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work.
Let’s start by looking more closely at that first definition.
A religion regarded as unorthodox.
This definition is problematic in that it’s entirely subjective.
What I view as unorthodox might be completely normal for someone else.
And this is the problem with the label of cult, in that by calling something a cult,
you’re already showing your own internal bias.
It’s unconventional and untraditional, to you anyways.
The second definition calls a cult a devotion to a person or idea, etc.
In the definition for religion, it points to worship of a god or gods.
So things that tend to be called cults usually venerate a person instead, a figurehead at
the front of the church or organization or group instead of the values that they claim to practice.
We’re starting to transition now into the common factors that tend to go along with
something being called a cult.
Since it’s a subjective label, I’m going to try my best not to make the case for something
being a cult but I’m going to outline common factors that most "cults" in recent history have shared.
What factors play into someone making the judgment in their own head that something
is a cult, an unorthodox religion, versus a more "legitimate" religion.
The first factor to consider is time.
Religions or practices that have been around a long time have more social capital.
New religions may seem outlandish to some but it’s because it’s new.
Imagine if the story of Christ and the crucifixion happened now, today, and people were now claiming
that he came back from the dead and is now the only way to salvation.
It would likely be perceived the same way that some newer religions have been treated
but older faiths have the benefit of thousands of years of history to legitimize them.
Therefore newer religions are quicker to be labeled as cults as opposed to religions that
have been called religions for thousands of years.
Another major factor that may affect how we view cults is the aspect of secrecy.
The more secret an organization is, the more likely people view it as potentially dangerous.
What is there to hide?
Often there might be books that are not available to the public, there may be places that only
members can go, there may be secrets that only longtime members have access to.
If a group is open and transparent, it’s much harder for people to feel threatened,
though it’s not impossible.
When we say dangerous, that leads to a few more traits that groups usually classified
as cults have in common.
Firstly, it might be perceived as dangerous if it’s taking your money.
Groups that either cost major money to join, demand regular payments, or ask members to
give up all their money and material goods altogether, are often seen as predatory, assuming
that this money is going into someone else’s pockets, or the organization’s pockets.
Now, most religions rely on donations and tithes to function, but I think the clear
line here is demand.
If you have to pay for certain rights and privileges, it appears much more as a moneymaking
scam as opposed to legitimate religion.
These groups can also be perceived as dangerous if they ask you to give up family and friends
that don’t share their values.
In most groups that are commonly referred to as cults, the members must leave their
friends and family, either to relocate to a confined living space with other believers,
or the group asks that they disassociate with friends and family, even if not physically moving away.
The general thinking on this is that friends and families have the most sway over the person,
so by removing them, they’re also removing the strongest oppositional voices and leaving
the member vulnerable and entrenched.
So if you notice a friend or family member that is distancing themselves, you might want to look into it.
Now, some religions might encourage them to surround themselves with good role models
and likeminded friends, which could be different than asking them, or demanding them, to leave
their friends and families behind.
There is a major difference.
Most organizations that are usually referred to as cults have a strong leader, referring
back to our opening definition.
They idolize a person, usually a charismatic leader.
This overflowing charisma is usually the first thing to draw a new member in, before becoming overtly predatory.
Criticizing this public figure is often an offense that could remove you from the organization,
it’s that severe.
In the opening, I also talked about the "unorthodox" beliefs.
Groups referred to as cults typically have beliefs that are not traditional to most people
and vary greatly, even from other religious groups.
You might see groups that focus on aliens or space, such as groups like Heaven’s Gate
that committed suicide as a comet passed overhead.
You might see sects of Christianity that vary so greatly from other Christian beliefs that
it’s called a cult.
Some groups are extremely violent in what they want and demand, so their beliefs are
often violently opposed to the mainstream.
One of the most famous and destructive cults to look at here is Jonestown, a utopian community
in South America, where over 900 Americans moved and then committed mass suicide
(or were potentially murdered) by drinking Kool-Aid laced with cyanide.
The term “drinking the Kool-Aid” comes from this event.
It combined a few of the traits we’ve just talked about, including an unorthodox way
to live life by moving to a Utopian environment, leaving your friends and family behind, and
a strong charismatic leader.
So again, a lot of these factors can be subjective, though some are much more black and white.
Since the term “cult” carries such a heavy negative conation, it might be wise to be
specific when talking to friends or family that might be engaged in dangerous activity.
Using verbiage like “I don’t like that you’ve distanced yourself from family”
or “it doesn’t seem right that you have to pay so much money for this” might be
more effective than “You’re in a cult.”
It might draw an immediate defensive posture.
No one believes they’re in a dangerous situation until it’s too late, in most cases.
After this video, we’re going to continue doing videos every once in a while about religions,
some which might border on cult-like properties and others that have a much longer history
and probably more favorable reputation.
But if you want to check out our other religion videos so far, a few are on the screen for you.
Thank you for watching and head down to the comments for some dialogue and debate, if
you feel up to it.