Unless ALL religion are a cult.

Like comparing arsenic, strychnine, and cyanide.

That all are poison doesn't negate the fact that some are MORE poisonous than others.

A cult is just a religious group. In sociology, the word "cult" is just a short way of saying "alternative religion."

Cults are smaller than major religions, but I don't remember the cut-off numbers.

Followers of an unorthodox, extremist, or false religion or sect who often live outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader

Followers of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices

A religion or sect that is generally considered to be unorthodox, extremist, or false

A system of religious beliefs and rituals

An interest followed with exaggerated zeal


These cover a greater definition than what you expressed

took them off of Word Web and Merriam-Webster has about the same

John Sweeney has been covering them for years in Britain. This is a good article.

What's not to despise about Scientology? They do no good. Not now. Not ever.

Unless ALL religion are cults.

But let's not. Regardless, Scientology was set up as a money-making religion by L Ron, a scam.

Today, they are nothing but a thuggish, dangerous cult.

the size of the congregation.




Couldn't the argument be made that they are ALL money making scams?

However, my intent was to invoke "cult" in the more pejorative sense of the word. Because Scientology is cur-ay-zee as they come. (I mean other than possibly the House of Yahweh and their nuclear baby.)

But you are making a rhetorical argument here and I am making a cultural one. That's why I don't wish to go back and forth with you on it.

Everybody knows what I mean when I call Scientology a dangerous cult and that was the intent of my little post.


BTW, friend. Have you looked at the Rick Ross Site. That seems to be the clearinghouse for all things cultic. There's encyclopedic information and support for what society considers a cult... or not.

Regardless, Ross is the guy who researches this stuff and gets it out there.

Thanks for the response, my friend. But let's not get in a rhetorical disagreement here.

We are in complete agreement.

Although, I would disagree that Scientology is any more "crazy" than any other religious belief system. I always find it amusing when a person that believes in some absurd nonsense, say, like a dead person coming back to life, calls another persons absurd belief "crazy."

Darn! I was hoping to be able to begin the chair throwing.

(I agree with you that the craziness is about the same.)

Travolta is a highschool dropout, Cruise actually spent a little time in a Franciscan seminary before being invited to depart.

Just like the original apostles, not well educated.

Finland and AFAIK most other countries don't give scientology the official status of religious organization. Why does US?

Some of them are legally established, like the rules about churches and taxes, etc.

However some of them are thanks to the cover of moderate believers who admonish atheists for being so rude for criticizing religious beliefs, and being upset with the lack of critical thinking applied to said beliefs.