Ask Lemmy

ITT: no cult scholars. I am not one either.

I watch a lot of Knitting Cult Lady's content and I've read her book. From that I have a pretty good idea of what a cult is, which is an extreme form of group.

So I guess the opposite of a cult would be a solitary individual.

One point I keep seeing in these comments is religion. Religion isn't a cult, it's an idea. That ideology can be used by cults, but the idea itself isn't a cult. You can believe the idea all by yourself you don't HAVE to be part of the group.

Yes [insert religious group you're thinking of] is probably a cult. But it isn't one because of the idea, it's one because of controlling behavior and exploited labor and a bunch of other reasons.

Bowling league

Normal lol

I don't think this is smth that is to be put on a scale.

You can force the matter by choosing a narrative.

I mean you could argue for self deification, science, totalitarianism. Anything could be forced to make sense.

Now from your angle, where a groups beliefs offer predominantly positive benefits, eco restoration groups, foss folks, creative commons collective etc.

I would say philosophy.

Belief , like the traditional cult of the ancestors in China, where you have no "priest" or "guru", it is just a bunch of people relying on elders to mimick the rituals, but in fact nobody remember it well, it is all disorganized, and nobody is really checking for "correctness" as much as checking if the commitment is done with intent. So the opposite of having a strong vertical domination by one person (cult) or an organized institution (religion) is a weak control of the rites by anyone (belief)

There are different kinds of cults. Cult is a different thing from religion. It doesn't belong on the same axis. But we can continue the thought if we define it as religious cult.

The scale is about excessive binding, control, rituals, restrictions, belief systems. If the left is the extreme, then towards the right we have weaker restrictions upon the belief system. The belief becomes weaker, and the beliefs do not have to restrict other and own people's activities and beliefs.

Religion in the middle makes no sense. It should be the label on the scale. "Religious extremism" or similar. Maybe narrow, restrictive, totalitarian.

I don't know specific terminology for the right side. Maybe open or unrestrictive practice of religion.

book reading club?

A park people go to masturbate and do sex stuff in... Dogging, Cruising, nature baiting.

Fraternal service association, like Elks Club or Rotary Club? They may have traditions, but not a theology. They're nominally harmless, if not beneficial, both to members and to the community at large. They're easy to leave, just stop paying your dues.

Club

There are many definitions of cult. It can be a negative or dangerous religious group. A religious subset focused on a specific practice. Or a group with an eccentric leader focused on claiming they have the correct interpretation of canon.

Knowing you mean the first negative definition, then religion as the standard doesn’t make much sense. The positive of religion would simply be the benefit of religion, which is dependent on whichever religion is being discussed.

For Buddhism it would be spiritual development, enlightenment, and freedom.

12 Step Support groups.

No dues or fees; no full time leaders; you are a member if you say you are and no one can say you aren't.

I expect many downvotes.