by A. Jacobina Poulsen

Created on: January 08, 2011

To consider the question of whether Christianity is "one big cult", we must first establish what is meant by the term "cult" and then determine if Christianity meets the essential criteria.

Nowadays, the word "cult" is used frequently and imprecisely.  It can be applied to a religious sect or even the fans of a particular musical band or movie.  For instance, one could say that the film "Rocky Horror Picture Show" has a cult following.  The word "cult" is also used by people who, seeking a label for some group or another, appropriate this word which has a specific definition to loosely define a group they don't approve of.

The original meaning of cult was a religious one and referred to "veneration" or "religious practice" but not necessarily a religion whose practices lay outside the usual or accepted practices of major religions.  

However, in this debate, we must assume that cult is being used in its more recent psychological and sociological definition.  This usage of the word began to be used popularly in the 1970s to describe religious or other groups that exerted an unusual amount of control over their members and often were focused on one charismatic leader.

The question then becomes:  What are the general attributes that identify a cult and does Christianity meet the definition of cult?   

Sociologists separate cults from sects (which are simply schisms within a larger religious group) because cults involve novel beliefs and practices which lie outside religious orthodoxy.  Christianity is 2000 years old and has its foundations in Judaism, which is 6000 years old.  Therefore, it is neither new nor novel but rather well-established.

Cults generally require members to isolate themselves from the rest of society and even family who do not belong to the cult.  They often live in isolated communities where non-members are not welcome and information from the outside world is strictly limited.  Christianity, on the other hand, teaches that believers will be "in the world but not of the world".  In other words, they will live amongst non-believers and function within society without being influenced by them.  Christianity teaches that faith in God is more important than relationships with people but believers are commanded by God to "honor thy mother and thy father".

Cults often require members to establish a new identity.  They are given new names by which they are known by to other members. 

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