"A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader."And the definition doesn't support your bigotry.
You said -- "And the definition doesn't support your bigotry."
In case you haven't noticed, words have a list of definitions, to be taken according to the varying contexts. There is the context of the Jim Jones and David Koresch.
And the, there are the "cults" that are groups that follow certain trends, products and/or other ideas (they are not always negative or bad). Sometimes people say that something has a "cult following" (it could be a old or classic movie, for example).
And in that list -- there is the "cult" that is related to Christian doctrine, or "orthodoxy" -- the basic and core Christian beliefs.
This is Christian terminology related to doctrine and orthodoxy. You'll see that listed in definitions usually under "orthodox" or "unorthodox" in terms of religion.
In Christian seminaries, where they teach Apologetics, they will refer to these kinds of *cults* as "Christian cults" -- which means while they may want to be considered "Christian" or may even try to maintain that position -- they are *in fact* -- non-Christian.
These groups *depart* from the historic, core and basic Christianity. And hence -- they are *cults* by definition and Christian terminology and *teaching* in Christian seminaries and in dealing with "apologetics".
You're obviously not very versed in Christianity, I see.
Regards,
Star Traveler
Well, Joe Smith died in a gun fight, he was chased by prosecutors across the north-east for fraud, he published a prophecy declaring there were men on the moon who were five feet tall and dressed like quakers, and he had so many women no one can identify them all. He wrote "the book of Abraham" which he alleged was a translation of an Egyptian heiroglyph scroll. The original scroll and Smith's original translation thereof fell into the hands of credible academic institutions, who laughed themselves silly at Smith's "translation" before the Mormon elders appeared and paid a huge summ of money to purchase the translation back and file it away safely in the Mormon archives where it has never been read from again. The Mormon church is a massive commercial enterprise, owning many businesses and raking in millions. Its founders have populated the west with their thousands of descendants from huge numbers of women. During temple initiation ceremonies, participants take blood oaths calling down murderous curses on themselves if they ever reveal the secrets of the temple and authorizing fellow mormons to kill them if they do. They swear up and down that the American Indians are middle-eastern descendants despite the fact that DNA studies have shown them to be descended from Mongolians. They wear holy underwear which many of them claim is literally bulletproof.
These are the beliefs and committments of Mitt Romney.
Such beliefs and committments matter. And as to whether
or not this is a cult?
Let's see: false, extremist, unconventional living, under the guidance of an authoritarian charismatic leader!
Hmmmm. Maybe they are just playing a big, protacted, McDonald's Happy Meal game over the entire state of Utah.