|
"Cult" is a very flexible term. In the end, popular usage holds more sway over its definition rather than its technical meaning. Last semester, my thesis for my term paper was, "Wal-Mart is a cult."
I aced it. I cited reasons to back me up.
I also saved the paper, and my research, in this lovely folder, so I can tell you what a cult is right now:
According to the Cult Information Centre (CIC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting cults and increasing knowledge of what cults are and how to fight them, "Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following characteristics:
1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate, and retain its members
2. It forms an elitist, totalitarian society
3. Its founder/leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, [unaccountable] and has charisma.
4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds [and] recruit people.
5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society."
So is the Catholic Church a cult? As amusing as the thought might be, according to the CIC it isn't, due to reasons 3 and 4... The Pope is appointed, yes? And the Catholic Church isn't aggressive when it comes to donation time. People who've been to church might disagree with me, but it's really not that terrible.
So, in conclusion, the Catholic Church is not a cult. And I'm not Catholic, either, so don't accuse me of my own beliefs blinding me to the matter.
There are a few religions out there that might fit the criteria above, but I'm certainly not going to go on discussing religion and anger the mods as well as any followers on the board.
|