• SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
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    2 days ago

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

    • Jarix@lemmy.world
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      24 hours ago

      It’s only a difference of being recognized by some form of ruling authority

    • Jomega@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      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.

    • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      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.

      • Jarix@lemmy.world
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        24 hours ago

        Iirc Frank clarified this as how many locations the cult has, not actual land ownership totals

        • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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          24 hours ago

          Iirc Frank clarified this

          Not surprised that he would update it as things changed.

    • MinnesotaGoddam@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      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.