Research Paper on Cults

📌Category: Religion
📌Words: 412
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 15 January 2022

Cults are most often portrayed by the media as a group of approximately 10 people who make human or animal sacrifices to Satan, and graffiti the pentagram in blood. However, the word cult is a much broader term, expanding over many groups and cultures.

According to Oxford Languages, cults are a group of people who are defined by unique, unusual, or corrupt, and felonious beliefs in religion or philosophy. They are also considered a group of religious people who worship a specific person or object. Other times, cults may be religious groups that claim to follow the Christian religion but have been declared digressive by other Christians. Cults are mostly led by a charismatic but questionable leader, who becomes the sole point of worship within the group. The members of the cults are often exploited financially. Members also act in ways that may be beneficial to the group and leader but mentally or physically harm themselves. While cults are not inherently evil, many require police intervention due to violence and illegality. However, the sheer amount of cults in the U.S make it difficult to regulate all of them.

In 2018, there were believed to be around 10,000 cults, according to Steve Eichel, a recognized international cult expert, and president of the International Cultic Studies Association. Many cults share similarities to historic religions and their rituals. With this knowledge, we can deduct that cults have most likely existed since the start of worship and religion, or even before. While this is true, not all cults are religious. Many people who study cults and psychology have compared Donald Trump and his followers as cult-like.  Jackie Speier, who was shot 5 times at the Jonestown Massacre, has spoken on this matter, stating “You look at Donald Trump, a charismatic leader, who was able to continue to talk in terms that appealed to those who were disaffected, disillusioned, and who were looking for something, much like those who became part of Jim Jones’ congregation, the Peoples Temple. They were lost souls, and the only difference between Jim Jones and Donald Trump is the fact that we now have social media, so all these people can find themselves in ways that they couldn’t find themselves before.”  The Peoples Temple lasted almost 25 years, disbanding in 1978.

Most cults are incredibly long-term. The Mormon religion, often considered a cult, was founded in 1830 and is still prevalent today. Cults are an important part of American and worldwide history and have greatly influenced or caused events that are looked back on as devastating today. While the media has greatly stigmatized what cults are, many cults do fall into the stereotype believed by most people.

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