what is the difference between a sect and cult
Answers
Answer:
Sects are break-away groups from more mainstream religions and tend to be in tension with society. Cults and new religious movements fall outside this continuum and in contrast to aforementioned groups often have a novel teaching.
Answer:
A sect is a small body or group of people who separated from a larger established group to follow a different doctrine. It is a faction of a larger body or group, especially religious groups, which developed their own distinct beliefs and practices.
The word “sect” comes from the Latin word “secta” which means “manner, mode,” or “school of thought.” It came into the English language through the Old French “secte” which is used to refer to a distinctive system of beliefs.
Explanation:
A cult, on the other hand, is a quasi-religious group that has different and unorthodox ideologies with distinct rituals and practices and is headed by an authoritarian and charismatic leader. Members live in an unusual setting, oftentimes being completely obedient to their leader. The word “cult” comes from the Latin word “cult's” which means “labor, culture, reverence, or worship.” It entered the English language through the French word “culte” which means “a particular form of worship.” In English it came to mean “a devotion to a person or a thing.”
Cults have a negative connotation; they are characterized by its members’ total obedience and dependence upon their leader and their inclination to take everything to extremes. They believe that the cult is the only way towards salvation, and everything outside of it is evil.
Members live separately from their families who are non-believers. Separating members from their families is a technique to make them isolated and become dependent on the cult. They are also subjected to psychological sabotage in order to make them obedient.