What is a Cult?

Webster's dictionary defines the word "cult" in part as "a system of religious beliefs and ritual ... and its body of adherents." Given this broad definition, everyone who goes to or is a member of a church--by far the vast the majority of Americans--could be considered members of a cult. However, such an innocuous definition doesn't even come close to describing the fear and disgust most American's feel when they hear the word cult. The word itself carries a heavy emotional content, especially in light of the tragedies surrounding the People's Temple, Heaven's Gate, and the Branch Davidians. The suggestion is that this is a group that you should detest, avoid, and fear. The term cult became so emotionally charged, that in 1988 the Associated Press decided to avoid the use of the word because it had acquired a pejorative aura; they have since given preference to the term "sect."

Some people argue that the term cult is used to intentionally devalue people and their faith by creating panic and loathing among the public, and that such practices contribute greatly to religious intolerance in America. They argue that, in reality, the only crime of most cults is that they hold different religious beliefs from whoever is doing the attacking.

On the other hand, not all uses of the word cult carry negative connotations. When we speak of "cult films" like The Rocky Horror Picture Show or Napoleon Dynamite, for example, the implication is that these are films that are out of the ordinary and perhaps symbolically represent a kind of sub-culture with which the fan of the film identifies. The same can be said of novels. Because of their off-beat, often dark themes or styles, writers such as Don DeLillo and Philip K. Dick are often said to have large "cult followings" on college campuses.

As you can see, the word cult can have many different and largely unrelated meanings. In this unit we will explore many of those defintions by looking closely at groups such as the Branch Davidians and People's Temple that society clearly labels as cults, as well as groups such as the Puritans that it doesn't. We'll even spend some time looking at "Deadheads" and "Trekkies," all in an attempt to answer the question: What is a cult?