What is a cult?

[Jason]

How would you describe the qualifications? Well, in my opinion, I find the term cult to be misleading because, for instance, even at your job the chances are you had only run into these people as friends (or something similar to that) because you found that job.

[Shawn]

I think a cult is a group where participants give up their rights to make choices and give those rights to higher up leaders of the group.

Of course, it needs to be by choice.

If forced, then it's dictatorship.

[Jason]

I think a cult is a group where participants give up their rights to make choices and give those rights to higher up leaders of the group.

Of course, it needs to be by choice.

If forced, then it's dictatorship.

Yeah, but even the military is like that.

Well, problems in "so-called" cults arise when people simply won't cooperate with rules because they don't like them or the cult isn't practicing the rules to the point where it's troublesome.

[Nomad]

I like to interpret cult always in a negative sense. That's because members of cult are so aggressive when you start criticizing their cult, they cannot take criticism in positive way.

[Jason]

I like to interpret cult always in a negative sense. That's because members of cult are so aggressive when you start criticizing their cult, they cannot take criticism in positive way.

One could call many things, religious and non-religious a cult. But I feel a real cult is over-the-top toxic, much like a toxic romantic relationship (opinion).