The difference is this: you were allowed to attend the service, even though you are not a member. You were not forced to throw money into the pot. Scientology is secretive, and you are not allowed to see their texts without paying first. And you have to pay for "audits". I know of no religion that makes you pay to participate.

The difference is this.

A businesses goal is to make money, even if they use the honor system.

A churches goal is to help the community and provide religious services.

Those crazy ass evangelical churches are not cults because they are from a real religion... they are just practicing like a cult. Does that make them a cult? It comes close. But are they guilty of practicing fair game? No? then stfu.

What, to you, is the difference between a cult and a religion?

What defines a real religion? The time that it's been around? The amount of people that fall prey to it's devices? If you go with either, when does a cult turn into a religion?

Edit: Oh, and don't get personal. Telling someone to "stfu" in a debate only makes you look like a moron. That's the one and only time I'll get personal here.

Have you been reading the responses? All of these questions have been answered more than once.

No need to get your panties in a bunch. No hostility was meant on my end, just some gentle ribbing.

Hell yes, Texas. We don't need no goddamn aliens lovers hur. All der talk of volcanoes n such might scare the cattle.

So first you define 'cult' as an organization that makes money under the guise of religion.

Then you define 'cult' as a behavior some churches/religions adopt, though you say this word doesn't apply to "real" religions.

So what definition is correct?

What makes a religion "real?"

Would you consider Catholicism to be a "real" religion, or is it a cult? Catholics to alot of 'cultish' things with candle-lit vigils and the rest...

By my definition, almost every religion is a cult. Dictating rules on how to live life and even how to spend money, whether that money is for the church/cult or not, is a cult to me.

Real Religion, in my books, is an oxymoron.

Once again your personal agenda and vendetta against Scientology has shown itself.

From your earlier comments on your LAST Scientology blasting post.

I'm not a scientologist, but all this negativity towards a group of people who aren't hurting you is really getting kind of ridiculous. And trying to exploit a "B-llist news site" to further PROPAGANDA of yours is making you out to be just as bad as the scientologists you claim to hate.

"They're secretive.."

You mean like the people who are protesting them, you know.. ANONYMOUS.

"They are tax exempt.."

Unlike the people who are protesting them?

"They break up families..."

When? Who? All I see are a bunch of people hiding as they make wild accusations.

And saying that "Texas might do it so it has to have merit" is like saying "Florida might think about it so it's a good start!"

So keep up the propaganda. It provides interesting reading even if your links don't.

No that is how I define Scientology, not all cults are businesses in disguise.

No I didn't, I said it was cult like, but it was really a question, not a statement.



Weird traditions are what religions are all about. (who knows why) It is difficult to draw the line between cult and religion, and I don't think there is a single definition that is realistic.. It is just as difficult as defining religion,since it is a pretty open concept.


But as a general rule (even if small sects differ) religions are there to help people emotionally and spirituality (or at least they try), cults brainwash people in order to gain labor/money/goods. The line is pretty fine so you can only judge it case by case... Scientology is one of the most blatantly obvious cults we have had in a while, and it doesn't take a lot of research to understand why they do not deserve tax exempt status.

For one they demand hundreds of thousands of dollars to read their secret texts, they frequently blackmail their critics and Ex-Scientologist.. and of course there are the slave labor camps known as the sea orgs...

I think a cult is more a group of extremists that live somewhat out of societies norms and follow a leader or an idol. Some religious fanatics form their own sects of religions that can become more of a cult than a religion, that's for certain, but I think cults can come from origins other than religion as well. For that matter, I look at religion as more of a set of beliefs that explain nature, existence, etc. As I stated, I think a religion can elevate itself to a cult status, but not all religions do, not all religions are unorthodox, extremist groups.