Religion or cult: What's the difference?

Mormon missionaries in front of DC temple are often referred to as members of a cult

Recently in a discussion about an article comparing Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs and those of Quakers, a reader from France observed both as being "cults."  But what is a cult or a defined religion and are their national beliefs and historical precedents that make the definition difficult?

 Westboro Baptist Church protection in the United States raised the question about whether it is a religion worthy of being protected under the Constitution or a cult.  At the same time people who are members of a minority religion, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Quakers or Mormons, are oftened referred to as belonging to a cult by someone somewhere.  How people view religion and what the law says it is can be very different.

The Supreme Court held in Snyder vs Phelps that the view of religion was not the major factor in the protection for free speech as much as the need for the public to have a forum for protest and offered a summation of its decision that declared Phelps, the controversial minister and head of the Westboro Baptist Church, had a right to protest at funerals because of the Constitutional protection of free speech granted to the public as opposed to viewing its stature as a religious organization.

Mitt Romney, a Mormon who ran in the Presidential primaries, found himself having to defend his Mormon faith. He had to reassure people he is a Christian and not just a member of a cult. That's because many folks in mainstream churches continue to define those outside the mainstream Christian groups as simply cults.

During the early years of most religions, new groups have been referred to as cults. When Jesus was born and called himself King of the Jews, he and his followers were dismissed as heretics. It brought about the crucifixion every bit as much as new Christian groups are dismissed for being different.

The Washington Post enumerates this criteria from the Internal Revenue Service

a distinct legal existence,
 a recognized creed and form of worship,
 a definite and distinct ecclesiastical government,
a formal code of doctrine and discipline
a distinct religious history,
a membership not associated with any other church or denomination,
 an organization of ordained ministers,
ordained ministers selected after completing prescribed studies,
 a literature of its own,
established places of worship, regular congregations, regular religious services, Sunday schools for religious instruction of the young, school for the preparation of its ministers.

This official description of what constitutes a religion is a not accepted by those who believe it is too restrictive in that it seems to favor large, formal organizations. There are religious groups that fall outside this criteria, such as the Unitarians, Quakers, Unity and Jehovah's Witnesses. They may meet in community centers or in private homes. Furthermore, their groups might be comparably smaller than the mainstream religious organizations.

Lawyers differ on the definition of religion, just as private people do. That means debate about what groups should be protected and which ones fall outside the protection of the First Amendment. For example, Westboro Baptist Church, whose members protest at the funerals of fallen soldiers, may have aberrant beliefs according to many, but their right to protest as a religious group has been upheld by the courts prior to the Supreme Court decision. Westboro Baptist Church might be outside the mainstream Baptist practices but the lower courts have protected their practices as within the definition of religion, although the Supreme Court emphasized the right to public protest as opposed to using the definition of a religion in order to make a decision.

Still many folks differ on the definition of religion remaining core criteria for
discussion. Media groups support reinforcement of the right of free speech protection as do many other groups that are not of a religious orientation..

Over time the definition of what constitutes religion is something that occurs gradually, as a group becomes more and more known and accepted by the culture. This is how Mormons have started to enter the mainstream, as two Governors, father and son, named Romney, have both been the highest officials of the State of Michigan. Their religion has had that popular microscope used to assess their beliefs.

Experts tell us people differ in what they define as religion according to their personal religious bias. That criteria means what constitutes religion is likely to continue to be part of the national debate, especially during elections, as it has been in modern times.  Furthermore the mainstream Catholic doctrine in Europe continues to reflect the major division between Protestant and Catholic beliefs in ways that have made the Lutherans and Anglicans cling to a partial relationship with Catholicism that would separate them from other Protestants. It is an effort to give these groups a greater level of authenticity as a religion so as not to be lumped with Protestants they consider not mainstream.

As the controversy continues in the United States, with the "in group" referring to any other religious group as a cult, just as the Catholic Church history may also reflect the ongoing stance of the entire Protestant community as in question.

Legal definition and social one uniquely different with respect to religion

Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah

Carol Forsloff -Several years ago a young woman described herself as a Mormon at a library in Natchitoches,Louisiana, and when she left the desk, the clerk said, "That's not a religion; it's a cult."  But what does the law say is the definition of religion?  And how is that definition different than the social one?

I told the clerk I was writing about religions. “That’s not one,” she said, “It’s a cult. They don’t believe like us."

Well, defining "us" might be difficult since there are diverse beliefs in any town, including one in the Bible Belt. 

“What makes you think so?” was the question asked of the clerk with the pretty, young face and the adamant opinion.

“I just know, don’t you.”

“Actually,” I said, “I don’t.  But it might be interesting to find out what the experts say about faith and how it is defined”

So what defines the difference between a cult and a religion?

Christianity was considered different enough to cause consternation to Romans and Jews alike when it first began. The divisions of Christianity have
called one another cults ever since, but what makes a religion legal?
The Church of Scientology is recognized over most of the world as a religion,
although some may define it as cult. Believers use this fact to recruit.
Others consider it a cult with a nefarious character. That’s true of
other groups as well. For example, the Branch Davidians were
controversial both before and after David Koresh.

The Internal Revenue Service gives this as definition :

a distinct legal existence, a recognized creed and form of worship, a definite and distinct ecclesiastical government, a formal code of doctrine and discipline a distinct religious history, a membership not associated with any other church or denomination, an organization of ordained ministers, ordained ministers selected after completing prescribed studies, a literature of its own, established places of worship, regular congregations, regular religious services, Sunday schools for religious instruction of the young, school for the preparation of its ministers.

But some wonder if this set of criteria of the IRS is accurate and if
it might just be biased and flawed.

One writer observes that it distinctly favors high or formal churches with
large congregations. Unitarians and Quakers often meet informally in
homes or small places. Some groups use a selection from different
religious literature. Some have history that is aligned with other
groups, but have such different characters that they couldn’t be
associated with the same group, such as the Quakers and Baptists who
left the Church of England at the same time and have a shared history in
some respects and unshared in others.

Lots of groups don’t have Sunday school for the young. So if it isn’t the IRS standard that is reasonable, what should be used?

It turns out the debate over the definition of religion is as old as history itself and the debate has gone on for ages. Even lawyers and nations have
had trouble sorting it out.

The problems involve the imposition of societal standards and judgments that can make a difference. So when it comes to protecting religion the application of the law requires a definition, but that definition brings debate.

Then there is identity religion where folks subscribe to a community but not
necessarily to a specific set of religious beliefs. That would include
many Jews, for example. In most places the laws that regulate religion
are usually oriented towards majority practices and the promotion of
specific groups to the community to be recognized.

The actual practice of faith means that in countries with large Christian
populations Christmas is a holiday and in Islamic countries laws that
permit the ritual slaughter of animals. So what is a religion?

The answer is really who applies to be one and over time is accepted after
enough fuss is made and enough adherents join in making a fuss that is
heard by those in control and power, according to those who
have reviewed this question.

With the debates raging in the world about religion in general, what about those religions outside of Christianity?  It appears, given the definitions that the traditional faith groups of Islam, Judaism and Buddhist, as well as others, are legally religions and not cults, despite how society might judge them.

Mormon is likely a religion, according to most of these rules.  The group is well-known and has  a little over 12 million members worldwide.  It also has specific creeds that set it apart from other faith groups.   That’s certainly enough to make it a religion according to the law.

Mormon Church faces legal issues over accusation of having fraudulentdoctrines

Mormon Church in Salt Lake City

Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah[/caption]

A British court is taking up the case of a man who has filed suit against the Mormon Church, declaring it to have fraudulent doctrines.  The head of the Mormon Church, Thomas S. Monson is being asked to appear in court offer testimony about the allegation.

And Monson, who is considered to be God's Prophet on earth, says he will not appear in spite of any court summons.

The case is being highlighted by a Religion Blog who lists the Mormons as a cult and a deviation against the principle doctrines of Christianity.

The Mormon Church, however, has a site called MormonThink that discusses the attitudes about its doctrines and posts some of these, saying in defense of them, "Let the reader decide."

But what do legal experts say about this in England?  Most of them, according to the Washingt0n Post, believe it is unlikely that Monson will be extradited to face court and surprised that a summons was even issued over the claims of a former Mormon, who regrets having become a Mormon and embracing its teachings.

And if the man prevails in his lawsuit against the Mormons, how would that set a precedent for other disaffected former church members of any group outside mainstream religious groups to also be called cults and find themselves being sued in court?