For me the answer is "Are you allowed to leave?" If yes not a cult, if no a cult.

@TJDious

Жыл бұрын

It's also a dead giveaway if the guy at the top is sleeping with everyone's wife.

@cominatrix

Жыл бұрын

I was thinking of this, but there is that element in certain religions of excommunication or once you leave you can't come back which isn't quite like what we would normally think of with a cult but certainly could be construed to have a coercive tone.

@SenorCinema

Жыл бұрын

Cult members, most of the time, are allowed to leave. They just experience shame and judgement from others when they do

@emilierose9402

Жыл бұрын

That's a huge aspect in my opinion. I used to be a Jehovah's Witness and they don't let you leave.

@shinrin-yoku3877

Жыл бұрын

Good point

I grew up as Jehovah's Witness, and never considered it a cult until I thought about leaving 😬

@apolmedrano3914

Жыл бұрын

My mother was in the thick of it too and all of her family does not talk to her at all because she left. Only her parents and siblings talk to her

@NM-tl6pe

Жыл бұрын

I was also a JW. Got DF'd and that was about as cult like as it gets. As I continue to watch the video he pretty much describes the JWs as a cult.

My personal definition is a that an organization is a cult is based on how they treat you if you attempt to leave. The Catholic faith is not a cult. You're free to walk away without consequence from members within the organization at any time you choose.

@forthewin369

Жыл бұрын

If you don't go to Sunday Mass, it's a mortal sin...

@TheConfessor

Жыл бұрын

@@forthewin369 Correct. But no one from the Catholic Church, no clergy, is going to come hunt you down or try to discredit you. Hence my statement of "without consequence from members within."

@esthert9146

Жыл бұрын

Are 7th day Adventist a cult?

@TheConfessor

Жыл бұрын

@@esthert9146 I don't know enough about them to give an opinion.

@VickieShepherd

Жыл бұрын

@@esthert9146 I would say they are a religion. However, are they Christian in a sense that they practice a Trinidadian baptism? I’m thinking in RCIA we had someone who came from that religion and had to be baptized conditionally because of that.

There is another thing to point out here, and it's that _cults_ don't always have a religious-like facade, some of them are presented as a leadership/entrepreneurship seminars. Some people use the term of "coercive organizations" instead of "cult" to be more objective with the meaning.

@8543960

Жыл бұрын

Yes. I think NXIVM is an example of that.

@HighKingTurgon

Жыл бұрын

I think "coercive organization" is a good step in dissociating the abusive behaviors of these groups from the anthropologically useful word "cult" to describe religious practice. Still feels like it ticks some but not all of the boxes, though. I suppose language is...complex and difficult to negotiate!

@fruzsimih7214

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, that's really what Scientology is about.

As a former atheist (baptized about a year and a half ago, now Catholic) I saw both as one and the same. I've been wondering how to better distinguish the two, thank you so much!

@allykat5899

Жыл бұрын

Can I ask you what made you convert? What evidence or argument did it for you?

@JacksonD0716

Жыл бұрын

God bless you!

@paulcooper8818

Жыл бұрын

I would also like to know why you decided atheism was no longer for you.

@shaunmiller3110

Жыл бұрын

​@@allykat5899 Coming from practically a disbelief in all things Catholic: Subjective morality, People can't resurrect from the dead, time could be cyclical, Jesus didn't start a specific church, the pope is a “look at the video title” leader, the first cause couldn't be rational/moral, religion is meant to control, people can change “parts” and clothes, neutralizing or separating said “parts” from each other are good, “lack of baby” and "helping" our genetics are okay, “people of different types”icsm is okay in right measure, “pleasure” and media for it are natural and good, “substances” are okay in measure, “party for the end” is okay and just an expression or choice whether or not there was a “party”, “the evil one”ism is better than Christianity. All these things and more I used to do/believe and God had to convince me otherwise. He got to me in the only way He could; What is true? I thought I knew the answers to all these things so I tried to prove myself right. I started looking into religion when I saw a random post saying that Jesus rose from the dead. I was like "that's literally crazy talk" little did I know God was already working in me before that to be open to such craziness that I was willing to be convinced otherwise. It wasn't just one thing, it was a radical change of my whole person in like maybe 2 years after I had already changed political and moral ideologies shortly before that. I used to get so angry about politics I argued myself closer to Christ, and He took what He could get and ran. Unfortunately it's gone a little too far in terms of "following Christ" (really not Him) combined with a host of mental issues, so I need a lot of spiritual guidance from priests and therapists to not be so scrupulous or mislead but I wouldn't have it any other way. If it's between being how I was or walking this way of life I'm gonna choose this. Thank you for asking! I don't often get asked about life questions, I appreciate you. I would have worded this slightly differently to make expose evil but KZread unfortunately didn't like the comment. Thanks to @Paul Cooper for pointing it out

@shaunmiller3110

Жыл бұрын

@@paulcooper8818 I posted a reply for you

It's healthy to reflect on whether the organizations we are part of share the negative qualities of cults. Thank you for raising these questions, Father Casey.

Cult-like behaviour can certainly infect mainstream churches. It's one of the reasons I warm to quiet, self-contained priests more than big personalities or great orators. I want someone to deliver the sacraments, not be someone to admire, except in their lack of desire for admiration.

@John-ev1rw

9 күн бұрын

It depends. Is the person using their charisma to draw people to God or are they drawing people to themselves? God gives us gifts intending us to use them to draw people to Him, to do good for other people.

I am reminded of a book I read; The Codex, by Douglas Preston. It is NOT a religious book; it is an adventure thriller of dubious ethics. But there is a character in it who has spent his whole life bouncing from one cult to another looking for meaning. On his deathbed, his father tells him: "Here's the rule of thumb; if they want all your money, the religion is bullshit. If doesn't cost anything to pray in a church." I think that is a good rule. If they ask for donations, fine. If you have to give up everything to the faith just to join it is probably a cult. Give up everything just to join, as opposed to the Catholic Church, where you can choose to do that if you want to join a holy order, but can also just go once a week.

The B.I.T.E model is great assessment method. Behavior, information, thought, and emotional influence are ways people effect each other. There's healthy and unhealthy levels for all of these things. Religious orders CAN run on the unhealthy spectrum or can respect the individuality of members while in community. The word has separate definitions in theology, sociology, psychology etc. I used to be a Jehovah's Witnesses and they won't let you leave or disagree in any fashion. They are lead by a group of leaders and is 150 years old but they're still a cult.

The word "cult" has taken on its own (probably negative) connotation, in the post-modern world. Let's remember, the word "cult" used to be used synonymously with the word "culture."

@Alexander_Kale

Жыл бұрын

If by "used to" you are referring to the original latin words, coined two thousand years ago? Sure. Since then however, a bit of time has passed. Cult and culture have pretty much never referred to the same thing since....

@sameash3153

11 ай бұрын

Agriculture involves cultivating an acre (agri) of land, as "culture" involves a cultivating of values. A "cult" is an organization that cultivates - the culture is the byproduct - in the way a scribe inscribes scripture, a painter depicts a picture, a sculptor sculpts a sculpture, a meter metes a measure, and so on. There, now you, the reader, are one step closer to being fluent in Latin.

Father Casey, you are a courageous truth teller and wise beyond your years. I’ve learned so much from you by watching your videos. You have helped to revive my faith in the Catholic Church and it’s teachings.

@ScottPalmer-mp1we

12 күн бұрын

Why do they call these guys "fathers" when they aren't (or at least aren't supposed to be) fathers?

Wow. I know I am extremely late to read this but man, this is perhaps one of the most in depth dives I've seen to a complicated subject in the shortest possible time, and I really have to say your honesty is amazing. I really hope I can see more content of yours like this in the near future! Keep it up!

Great video! I asked my freshman year Theology teacher (a Jesuit novice) the same question a while back, mostly as a snarky yet friendly remark. I’ve changed a lot since lol. He responded with much more simplistic versions of the arguments you brought up, so it was great to see you dive into this topic in detail. Nice work.

"A community must have a center. It must have a purpose. It must have a unifying purpose. And it must be stronger than the will and intent of any person. It must have the Power of Heaven within it to be true, to be lasting and to carry itself forward into a world that will be ever more chaotic within the Great Waves of change." *_The New Message from God » The Worldwide Community of God’s New Message_*

@johnchapman5125

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you, Fr. Casey for your insightful comments. I remember the Jonestown deaths, the "Moonies", the Hare Krishna's and others. People would actually have to be rescued from such; unfortunately, that didn't always work. In becoming a Benedictine, no one ever controlled my mindset, and we were free to leave at anytime. Although one can have great devotion to another, that's not worship. Generally, the leaders of the cults want their followers to worship them and regularly manipulate. Thanks again for everything you do. PAX.

The man wearing a robe in public just said " a who's who of crazies" lol

I saw a video once where a couple of guys who used to be in groups which... Are arguably cults, use an attempt at a clinical model for cults on different religions to determine things like "How much does this religion control the thoughts of its people/ does this group have thought crime as doctrine?" Among others. IIRC their conclusion on the Catholic church at large from an outside point of view was "Cult like but definitely not a cult".

I don't normally respond to videos, but thank you Fr Casey fo addressing the question, "What is a Cult?" Unfortunately, I have heard too many "nones" say the church is a cult and frankly that truely makes me concerned. You are one of the first catholic priest's that I know of to address this concern. In today's environment I think it is more important than you know.

If the Franciscan order were a cult Father Casey wouldn't be on KZread acting on his own initiative.

@cutebeanie

Жыл бұрын

Father Casey, blink twice if you are kidnapped.... :)

@patthompson8591

Жыл бұрын

@@cutebeanie 😁😃. Are the Free Masons, Illuminati & Rosicrucians cults? Not all cults are controlling to the extreme. If R. Catholicism is regarded a cult, I'll be regarded as a cultist which is quite fine as I'm an unapologetic follower/believer/worshipper & all that goes with being a Christian of the ultimate Head of the Church Jesus Christ Son of The Living God & God Himself.😊

@cutebeanie

Жыл бұрын

@@patthompson8591 Im catholic! I was just trying to crack a joke

@danhaycraft9321

Жыл бұрын

Dunno about the others, but the freemasons may be a mystical order, but they aren't a cult. I was a member from 2016 to late last year. When I decided I didn't belong anymore and resigned from the Craft nobody had any problem with me leaving, just asked me to keep in touch.

The word cult in Spanish “culto” can have a positive… in Spanish culto or to “offer cult” (rendir culto) means worship and can be used in relation to our all Loving God… while the negative in English “cult” in Spanish is called a “secta” or a sect 🧏🏽‍♀️

The B.I.T.E model provides a pretty good basis of what a cult is and how to decide if an organization is a cult or not.

I am discerning a vocation in Carmel and this vid is so helpful for framing the parameters of discernment.

If you are free to leave/not practice the religion then it is not a cult, if you are forced to stay against your will then a cult, that’s how I see it

Important to question and discuss these issues. Thank you

I always appreciate your willingness to grapple with hard questions and find nuanced answers. I agree with your assessment, it's more of a spectrum than two absolute categories.

Good to see you back Fr Casey. I find your comments insightful and thought provoking. God Bless.

Truly food for thought. Thank you, Fr. Casey!

I really liked this video and the fact that you were willing to dive deep into the idea instead of being scared and avoidant speaks volumes to me about your character. I'm LDS and am often accused of being in a cult. It's always hurtful and confusing to hear that. So i appreciated the topic. Thank you

I thought about this a lot over the past several years and I think that the intention question is a very important one. I also was lucky enough to encounter some very good thinkers who helped me to see that "religion" is not just organized, but that the elements that define organized religion are functionally found all over our greater social interactions; that the things which are religious are not limited to what we link automatically with religions. In that, it became much easier to see how people can be swayed into unfortunate ideas and beliefs especially when they do lack the guidance of good organized religion (ideally in my opinion, The Church). Humans seem to have a natural desire to these religious elements of the world and society. They naturally seek beyond themselves and when they don't have something solid of religion to lean against, they might find themselves hopelessly floating or they might latch onto these idea groups which function religiously or worse an actual detrimental cult. One of the things which set in stone my return to the Catholic Church was coming to understand that she is very open to and even encouraging of questions and of discovery, and that she is in fact seeking truth in all of these "rules" and ways. Cults don't allow for that. Of course, there is a line to be drawn between a religion which is more strict but maybe there is simply a line there that can't be defined and maybe some of these groups do tread close to it, but you are correct: it is very much a visceral reaction that is somewhat lost on younger people or people who have come to see the world more relativistically.

@rethinkcps2116

Жыл бұрын

TLDR

@RomanPaganChurch

Жыл бұрын

@@rethinkcps2116 hilarious

Father keep up your wonderful Utube videos. I live in Australia and have never seen anything like you do in this country. You are a pleasure to listen to. Thank you

I was thinking about it for a while now, thank you for bringing this up

Well said. Sometimes we should critique or evaluate whatever group we are in. School, church, friends or even our own families.

People also tend to forget that there are political cults. Just ask Dr. Janna Lalich, who says she was formerly in a radical political cult. Wired did an excellent video with her discussing cults.

I generally feel that cults contain destructive qualities, have problems with visitors "off the street" & serious issues letting members leave.

I'm pleased to hear these young people. They try to articulate a reasonable answer. Makes me feel hopeful for the future

I love your self-reflection and humility here. Great channel

You’re absolutely truly warrior 💪👍🏻keep going brother

Great work on this one!

As always Fr. Casey wa wonderful and thought provoking video. ❤

Cults tend to mimic religion. A funny joke would be a religion is just a cult + time 🤣 The only difference is the Catholic Church is based on witness accounts of the truth.

Thank you so much for this video! I heard my grandma asked my parents if I was “joining a cult” when they told her I’m starting to discern religious life. This video definitely helps!

@LisaAnn777

Жыл бұрын

Well you haven't joined one of the more extreme ones. If believing in a talking snake and accepting a blood sacrifice on a cross helps you, then I wish you the best :) I personally cannot ever look back at any Abrahamic religion. Their flaws are very obvious with a bit of critical thinking.

@ciscornBIG

10 ай бұрын

​@@LisaAnn777hubris. Why do you imply no one else has thoughts but you?

@LisaAnn777

10 ай бұрын

@@ciscornBIG I implied no such thing. I just think accepting a blood sacrifice on a cross to be forgiven is just a convenient way to avoid any accountability for your actions. Christianity is all about that, which is why so many criminals turn to the bible because it makes them feel better about themselves. It's easier to seek forgiveness from an imaginary friend than it is to seek it from those that you have wronged.

My fellow team mate asked me when we were in High School if a certain religion in our country is a cult because they had a registration as a company and require their followers to pay a percentage of their salaries. I said I don't know back then. 3 years has passed and still questions. This helped me direct my thoughts though. Thank you Father!

I took a college course on cults, and one of the major questions was whether the term "cult" is an accurate or useful descriptor. Definitions of "cults" are often broad and can attach negative connotations to innocent groups. You can break a lot of things down and place them into the category of cult.

God bless you Fr. Casey🙏❤️✝️

I love your explanations, you are amazing!

This was very interesting and I appreciate your analysis of the question. Also, the apple logo monitor in the background was strangely distracting.

Father Casey, I have a question that I wanna ask u personally but Idk what platforms I could DM you on that I actually have installed

Religion for Breakfast does a good job explaining how academics deal with questions like cults, new religious movements, and religions. You will see even in the academic sphere, it’s a hard question to pin down. Cults in the modern sense (rather than cultus in Latin) need not even have explicit religious elements; multi level marketing schemes, yoga clubs, and so on often form cults without any religious element. Similarly New religious movements may look like this, but lack the abusive elements of cults as we use the word. RFB released the aforementioned video quite a few years ago, and I’d highly recommend his analysis.

Excellent video brother! Thank u! God Bless u

I have worked for several "eco-villages", where I taught and learned sustainable construction. I have had to actually deal with this same question, people telling me I'm in a cult.

Good point, thanks fr. Casey❤️

Very good explanation. Thank you, Fr. Casey.

Pretty good topic, Father, and your honest answer is sound - a cult is different from a religion or other social grouping of likeminded people based upon a subjective, negative determination of what they strongly believe, how they live as a group, and how the group or group’s leader controls its members. Your discussion made me think about, within the Catholic Church, the organization Opus Dei. I’m not inclined to consider Opus Dei a cult within the Catholic Church, in spite of some of their more extreme practices to regularly sanctify themselves in a way that celebrates Jesus’ sacrifice and suffering during the passion. However, Opis Dei does seem to proselytize the Gospel by focusing or prioritizing the membership of people in power or near power, something I unfortunately perceive to be an effort to wield power to influence both the Church and secular society at large. I support their basic ends, promoting individuals to get closer to God and thus seek to be more Christ-like, but I also seriously question Opus Dei’s means of going about it.

Father Casey's search history "Dramatic music to make you think"

The humility of the lass at 8.30 who said she wouldn't give an opinion. You're looking at intellectual honesty there. Good to see.

Thanks Fr. Casey for an insightfull and important discus as always. I sure hope that young people always use their reasoning faculties, even with faith matters, for that is why God gave us brains. God bless you real good, Amen

A brave man. Thank u Father. I was in a Prayer group and the Leaders were very controlling. I left.

Thankyou, Fr Casey, patiently waiting for your review on Jesus Revolution.🕯️👏

I surely appreciate you and all your Teachings. May the good Lord guide and protect you.

Hello, I have a question that I would like you to answer and that is what is the sin against the Holy Spirit or the Unforgivable Sin?

I have been in a cult And I appreciate this video Thanks ❤

Fr. Casey, are you in a musical theater group? You know, singing hymns, repeated rites (performances), costumes (robes), etc.

Having spent 20 years in a cult I might lend some clarity. For me a cult is defined by its method as opposed to its doctrines. A cult is demonstrated by how it implements its beliefs as compared to what the details are. Cults are almost exclusively a projection and extension of the leader/founder who is 99% of the time an extreme Narcissist. A Narcissist isn't just someone who has a comb up his sleeve, but is a person with a permanent personality disorder, driven by a lifelong consumption to have power and superiority over other people, whilst being extremely fragile and sensitive to any form of criticism. The cult is the constructed environment they make to sustain these drives. There is no real belief in any of the teachings, just that the leader must always be in charge and can never be questioned or threatened in anyway.

Hear me out: y’all should be regularly reaching out to separating or recently separated service members, especially those who served in the combat arms. 1) They are already use to service and fraternal living, and have accepted (and in some cases have) put their lives on the line for their brothers or complete strangers. 2) They often feel lost and overwhelmed when they leave the service 3) It won’t be easy, because they’re probably separating from the service because they want some sort of “freedom”, but at least knowing that this is an option may lead some good men to you 4) especially if with the wars in the Middle East, many troops are familiar with dealing with difficulties cultures and language barriers 5) most of these men have really good hearts which unfortunately may have been scared/hardened by evil. Idk I would’ve really liked more of a Church influence while I was serving/when I separated. It maybe an underserved area that may yield many fruits

Im trying to figure out which order the students friend was in. Carthusian? Camoldolese?

0:42 & 1:16: “ _that guy isn't in a cult - that's the life of any religious_ " 2:11 3:17 I agree! *Ppl who reject social constructs* 4:19 the line is blurred between religion & cults PROBLEMS 4:52 1️⃣ it's easy to give oversimplified definitions that aren't clear enough ==> 5:28 a better définition: having a charismatic leader isn't enough 5:57 cult leaders override any other sources: there's no room for questioning his or her authority * individuality is suppressed and people spend all their time in groups 7:30 8:45 2️⃣ *many members of cults & religion have similar practices but what differentiates it is the reason behind the action* For example (10:19), asceticism isn't always bad ==> body cleansing methods like diets are frequently used by regular people who deem it good to do it from time to time 10:39 when you compare religion & cults it's inevitable that there's going to be a lot of similarities in practice, thus the focus shouldn't be on wether they do the same things but rather, why they do them 11:07 3️⃣ inflexible definitions * Built on logical fallacies, promote unhealthy behavior 13:12 4️⃣ the difference isn't binary * There are no cult apologist bc it carries a negative connotation * It's a continuum *Just because it's not a cult doesn't mean it's above reproach either. There are cult like tendencies sometimes in great organization*

I saw the movie "Midsommar" (beware - this is a very strong film to watch). The most interesting comment I've heard about cults was a comment I've heard about the film. The claim was that the cult takes advantage of spiritually hungry people. The main character was very much emotionally compromised. Interesting.

Fr Casey, I'm curious if you were wearing your habit when you asked your questions...

i am running out of time, so i havent finished watching. but, question: how did a pricey apple computer find its way into the rooms of a Franciscan? i've wondered this while watching your vids.

@Executioner9000

Жыл бұрын

It's probably borrowed from the order. Video editing takes some computer power, so it's a justifiable tool for his brand of outreach. He almost certainly does not own it. It's like your job giving you a laptop to work from home

Thank you, thank you, this is thoughtful meaningful.

At the time of Jesus and at the destruction of the temple do we know of any group that falls into the cult category?

Father, what you said in the end matches something I've read from St. Josemaria's "The Way" (just switching the word cult for "cliques"): "May I never see 'cliques' developing in your work. It would make a mockery of the apostolate: for if, in the end, the 'clique' got control of a universal undertaking, how quickly that universal undertaking would be reduced to a clique itself!"

Fr. Casey, I've recently heard much about 'Christian Nationalism'. I have heard some things about it but, not exactly sure what it is. Could you speak on this topic? TIA

This should have been posted closer to Halloween, Father. The music is ominous and you are speaking/teaching the difference between church and cult. Definitely needs to be addressed and Definitely scary stuff.

It's about degree of personal autonomy retained by members and whether leaders can be held accountable and removed or at least restrained.

How to know if you in cult check list? 1. Are you allow to leave freely? 2. Are leaving is extremely hard and costly, it mostly cost money, relationship, family, etc? 3. Does leader control your life, your money, your food, your schedule, your free time, what books to read, who to talk, where to go, who to love? 4. Does leader make mental punishment when you go agaisnt their will. Public shame, take your money for punishment. Make you feel bad about yourself and demand your loyal to their belief system to re-gain their trust. 5. Educate you is all people in group is good, all outsider is bad. Complete loyal to their teaching will help you better and more superior to all outsider.

Have you read "Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology" by David G. Peterson? I'm still churning his discussions on cultic practices.

Please pray regarding my circumstance.

I think it was Jimmy Akin who said something like this: that cult is not a very useful word because it mostly just says that you don’t like a particular religious sect. I would prefer adjective descriptors: If a sect is controlling, say it’s controlling. If it’s heretical, say it’s heretical. If its doctrines are the result of mental illness or fabrication, then say that. The problem is that sometimes people just willingly believe stupid things; the Heavens Gate people, for example, were all free to leave-and at least one if not more, came back because they preferred the sect to the outside world. We want it to look as evil as possible because all those poor people died, but I think part of the problem is having a charismatic leader who’s out of touch with reality, and impressionable idealistic people on a search for meaning-where those two lines intersect, disaster is always possible.

Good ending, very nuanced and introspective thought.

Excellent question. Congratulations

But Father Casey, you can leave anytime you like...

For me I think the answer and difference lies in the purpose of the organization.

All communities of people can be cult like. Essentially what gives rise to cult like tendencies is the refusal to address questions that one doesn't like. What happens when someone doesn't like a particular question for whatever reason, they employ manipulative and controlling tactics to shut down further questioning and probing in the wrong places. This can happen in a business or in a family or in a community or nation or ethnic group. There are certain taboos which result in cult like tactics of groups which end up becoming cult like traditions of communities. As for the Catholic Church? It really depends on what you mean by Catholicism. It is true that every community has the potential of becoming a cult or becoming cult like. And perhaps that every community has cult like tendencies or even behaviors! But it's been proven almost impossible to define exactly what a cult is and when a group is or isn't a cult. Being a cult is a spectrum because cults are known for obeying certain rules, no questions allowed. This is not necessarily bad, so long as the reasons for said questions not being asked are clear and rooted in something intuitive and personal, such that everyone living under the rules of what cannot be questioned are fully aware of why and how and feel called to participate fully in that system of rules anyway. And there lies the traditional and good sense of a cult as well as the toxic version of accidental cults or cult religions and communities which manipulate unsuspecting victims to participate in their cult.

Good job. I appreciate your constant pursuit of discernment. I’ve seen priests attack your statements and views with nothing substantial; just some gaslighting & double-talk.

Fantastic video :)

Different from the world's definition, in Catholic dictionary "cult" just means a spacial (often local) devotion to a saint. E.g. the cult of Padre Pio in Southern Italy or the cult of Guadalupe in the Valley of Mexico

@isoldam

Жыл бұрын

Yes, that's the original definition of a cult.

This was a good watch. To give my two cents there is no difference between a cult and a religion because cults are simply small and/or new religious movements that are seen as existing outside mainstream society. For example Mormonism generally isn't considered a cult in the United States despite its newness because it has a large, geographically concentrated following and as a derivative of Christianity it fits more seamlessly into mainstream society than some world religions. In China on the other hand Mormonism is considered a cult because it's a relatively new religion with a very small following in the country and it being a Christian derivative further separates it from mainstream society. It all comes down to cultural perspective.

Definition for CULT: "a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object."

He was 30 years old in 1994.

Has a Mac in the background, but "I'm not in a cult!" -LoL

I love ur channel ♥♥♥.

I think the key to being a cult is seclusion or secrecy of members and how they treat people for breaches of group codes or for officially leaving the organisation.

Any group can feel like or turn into a cult; marriage, school, sports team, etc. I would narrow things to “formation of conscience within a supportive environment of free choice.” Any extreme deficiency can manifest as a cult.

There is a definitive quality, and it's rooted in evil opposed to loving relationship but rather an abusive relationship. A cult is a community built on unquestionable tenets which will go to extreme lengths to manipulate and control you however necessary to stop you from asking certain questions. But at the root of all cults is a principle that develops within any human community. The dislike of questions one cannot answer or fears they are incapable of answering. Everything else which you see and describe as common formulae for the pinnacle examples of hard core cults are symptoms of a cult not the driving defining factors of a cult.

❤️ Fr.Casey 🙌🔥

Yeah people sometimes confuse people in monastic orders with common members. The highly dedicated often will appear more cult like than regular members.

There are also organisations which claim and in fact share many christian beliefs and practises but that at their core could certainly be described as more cult like, without naming them the practices they would have at their core would be focus on money and finance and teachings that lead people to believe if they give more and more to the 'church' that God will 'bless' them with abundant wealth and material things. Whilst the leaders often command huge salaries and live wealthy lavish lifestyles, they seek out as their members the wealthy and often vulnerable. They use members to do all the work in voluntary capacities even in some very responsible positions , though some are picked out and paid very little and there is a very high demand on their work ethic whilst the elite few are paid very well. There are many practices invoked to try and command loyalty to the church and it's leaders as much as to the lord himself if not more. however one of the things that these places do which I bellieve is very cultish is if you dare to leave you are personna non grata and many of the members who were friends close in some cases never contact you again once the first few weeks of trying to keep you there are over. Theother thing is that many of them are built soley as a vanity project for one person - they have a form of godliness but deny the power except in the area of finance. Theother issue with these organisations is that many vullnerable people looking for support and help go there are welcomed with pen arms to start with but as the adoration and welcome fades they wnader away because there is no one to run around lifting them up as in the befinning, they then wander away and never go near any church again because they relate all churches to the way they were treated and equate that to all religions and even God himself.

the most widely accepted way of determining a cult that I have heard of is the BITE model. It stands for Behavior control, Information control, Thought control, and Emotion control. When put up to the BITE model the catholic church fares pretty well, since the church only tries to control your behavior and to a very limited extent your thoughts.

Steven Hassan's BITE definition is good. Let's see how that fits. Behavior Control - Summary: Oh heck yes! 1. Regulation of individual’s physical reality - Yup. 2. Major time commitment required for indoctrination sessions and group rituals - Yup. 3. Need to ask permission for major decisions - Yup. 4. Need to report thoughts, feelings and activities to superiors - Yup. 5. Rewards and punishments (behavior modification techniques- positive and negative). - I don't know. 6. Individualism discouraged; group think prevails - Yup. 7. Rigid rules and regulations - Yup. 8. Need for obedience and dependency - Yup. Information Control - Summary: No. 1. Use of deception - I don't know. 2. Access to non-cult sources of information minimized or discouraged - I don't think so? 3. Compartmentalization of information; Outsider vs. Insider doctrines - No. 4. Spying on other members is encouraged - Never heard of it. 5. Extensive use of cult generated information and propaganda - Matter of opinion? 6. Unethical use of confession - I don't think so? Thought Control - Summary: Yes? 1. Need to internalize the group’s doctrine as “Truth” - Yes. 2. Adopt “loaded” language (characterized by “thought-terminating clichés”). Words are the tools we use to think with. These “special” words constrict rather than expand understanding. They function to reduce complexities of experience into trite, platitudinous “buzz words”. - Yes. 3. Only “good” and “proper” thoughts are encouraged. - Yes. 4. Thought-stopping techniques (to shut down “reality testing” by stopping “negative” thoughts and allowing only “good” thoughts); rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism. - Yes. 5. No critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy seen as legitimate - I don't think so? 6. No alternative belief systems viewed as legitimate, good, or useful - No. Emotional Control - Summary: No 1. Manipulate and narrow the range of a person’s feelings. - Not that I'm aware. 2. Make the person feel like if there are ever any problems it is always their fault, never the leader’s or the group’s. - I don't think so? 3. Feeling-stopping (with number 4, Excessive use of guilt). Like thought-stopping, this is the automatic suppression or blocking of feelings that are not acceptable by the cult identity- such as feeling \”homesick\” or feeling \”depressed\” or feeling \”resentful\”. - No. 4. Excessive use of guilt - Yes. 5. Excessive use of fear - No. 6. Extremes of emotional highs and lows. - No. 7. Ritual and often public confession of “sins”. - No. 8. Phobia indoctrination : programming of irrational fears of ever leaving the group or even questioning the leader’s authority. The person under mind control cannot visualize a positive, fulfilled future without being in the group. - I don't know. So Catholic Monastic orders seem to only fit two of the four categories, so it's not a cult. The Catholic Church as a whole only fits one. So, no,. you are not in a cult.