Theists, what's the difference between a Cult and a Religion?

religion is a major group of people with a accepted belief among them

a cult is a small group with extreme views most of the rest of the group of religious people reject

cult's generally have teachings around a person, and you have to "believe" in that person. this person is elevated.
normal religion centers around Christ and no person is elevated.

cult's generally have a modern day prophet.
normal religion says everything we need was completed in the first century.

cult's generally do NOT want you to read or discuss outside of their reach.
normal religion says you can read anything and everything but you should also read your bible.

A cult is something which breaks off from the mainstream, usually labelling themselves the only true..... They typically have extreme views, and, because of their extremism, they can't recruit more than a few hundred members at most.

political power

A lot of religions start out as cults and then evolve.

A cult is nearly always exclusive, led by a special figurehead, discourages relationships outside the group (cuts off families) and is very often focused on hard work and dedication even suffering as part of the deal. Other things like having their own version of sacred texts, rejecting holidays or birthdays and very strict consequences for people leaving (demonized by those left behind).

The cults often provide a 'total institution' controlling every aspect of a persons life and people who leave may well find themselves emotionally or mentally damaged. It would be nice to think of them as silly and easily dismissed but that would be very naive and so unfair on survivors needing help and understanding. History tells us the true power of cults... mass suicides like those in Jonestown and Waco. mass marriages, systematic sexual abuse of children, these are not just different churches they are different worlds.

no difference.

size. Major world religions began as cults.

non secular believers place cults as being Totalitarian and incredibly without ordinary family and social practices. The non secular say that Cults have a Charismatic chief who makes use of fake can provide and lies to recruit new contributors, breaks up family ties and exploits his 'flock' or congregation. A cult is greater like a non secular secret society wherein the congregation has little truthfully theory as to what's incredibly going on. Many cults have come to a very undesirable end, particularly whilst the Cult chief became mentally unsound and suicide became offered as a cult answer to the ills of human life. there's a great internet site with statistical solutions: google 'distinction between cult and faith'

The level of isolation.

"We're a religion, they're a cult."

A theist is only someone with a rational conviction about God, it can be neither cult nor religion.
Aristotle for example is a theist. Religion is what you do with the conviction but you can also do nothing.

A cult is a man-made denomination of a religion.