Well, the truth is still the truth, Billy. Politicized or not. This is exactly why we suffer so much, because we never show up to the societal debates in the first place. If nobody is out there representing us how do we expect our beliefs to be represented accurately, if at all?
“Cult” per se is a modern term. The Christian church of the gospels had it simpler: you’re a believer or you aren’t. They didn’t bother to tag nonbelievers’ or heretics’ religious organizations with a special name.