Harlan Ellison was there the day Scientology was invented.

Ellison died a couple years back.

That’s a fair assessment. A sect is an off shoot of a religion that disagrees with some tenets of the main branch.

A cult is centred around a person or idea which does not have to be related to a religious idea.

This all gets mixed up by thinking that the idea of religion was a seperate entity from society before The Enlightenment

@Seeker3CO It is appearant you hate religion. I am an anti-theist, that is I am agaist all theism not the victims of theism. We must be careful to hate only the religion that poisons the minds of those infected by religion an not the infected.
It is also very important to be very well aware of how the poison works. We can not simply group them all together like using a racial slur. These are individual human beings we are speaking of, that need our help. Ignorance begetting ignorance is not helpful.

@Seeker3CO important to remember that in the beginning the crusades were also a way of distracting the wayward sons of nobleman from pillaging the locals. It gave them something to do and a long way away!

It was more a baronial distraction than a response to the call to arms.

@Geoffrey51 The first Crusade was kind of an accident started by over zelous peasents, soon the "whole church" or Catholic Church realized that it was great for bringing money and more power to the church. It did not actually matter if the Muslams were defeated, that would have been simply iceing on the cake. The Catholic Church was more motivated by power than by bringing Christianity to the world as crazy as that may seem.

@DavidLaDeau Exactly.

There are dangers to dehumanizing people with different opinions than the group you identify with. The mindful need to be aware of how language effects those it touches. Whether strong or weak minded gullible or skeptical, suffering and conflict fester without compassion for others. Sheep are bred to be shorn and slaughtered. I hope you don’t believe that any person should be reduced to that.

The smartest most intelligent of people can be indoctrinated into cults. Please consider giving them more study. Some cults specifically seek out strong intelligent, strong minded people. Many indoctrinate children. The gullible are those who know how to seek answers but simply refuse to explore the facts, as they think they know the answers without further investigation.

@LucasfromGR "From Bartles and James, Thank you for your support."

Any time there is a powerful leader they can abuse it. It has been proven that those who do have power often have an unusually strong sex drive, they also often abuse those around them, it is not due to religion. Religion just hapoens to be one of the manifestatiins of power that is used to abuse people sexually.

Not necessarily true. For instance animistic religions. Also see the work of Clifford Geertz and Emile Durkheim.

@Geoffrey51 It doesn't matter what you call yourself as a religious organization. It is whether everyone else recognizes you as a cult or religion. No one calls themselves a cult. Society will determine that. Size is everything. When Martin Mull was asked what it meant to have a cult following, he said, "limited success". That says it all.

@Sticks48 Fair enough but it’s not an academic description, more populist

@Geoffrey51 Some people overthink and complicate when it isn't needed. Some people can complicate a hammer. I guess it makes them feel smart. Personally, I think all religions are cults.

Would you like to go to the prom?

@Sticks48 Yes! We could be so styling together.

@Apunzelle Wow! We are a cute couple! You got my hair back! It's a miracle! How did you do that?

@Seeker3CO Glad to see we are on the same page !!!

@IamNobody You mean... You and You?

@St-Sinner No and no...next question....wait, wait, you have a point. I'll fix my previous comment... Done