# What's the difference between a religion and a cult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 5, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259 "2006-07-05T21:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259/61 "2006-07-09T12:06:23Z")
[QUOTE=Onomatopoeia] Nothing Sounds like the republican party [/QUOTE] That seems uncalled for. And I’m a libertarian. ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259/62 "2006-07-09T12:29:42Z")
This is my first foray into GD … if I’m a little naive, please forgive. For 4 years in the 70s I belonged to a cult [3HO](http://www.3ho.org). They are based on the Sikh faith, but incorporate much new age as well as yogic traditions, which aren’t a part of mainstream Sikhism. Long story short: I got involved while still in college, was drawn in by the yoga–the Sikh faith was gradually incorporated. I did not have family money, so when I made the decision to leave it wasn’t a big thing to them, although I did seek out counseling for myself. Yogi Bhajan, founder of 3HO, passed away in 2004–many in the community follow his teachings to the nth degree. They seem to be holding up, though. Take a look for yourself–they are, as I’ve said, Sikhs but may be a good example of the difference between a cult and a sect. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259/63 "2006-07-09T12:35:31Z")
[QUOTE=Spezza] I mean, join the army, see what they try to do to your mind. [/QUOTE] And what did the Army, and then the Navy, try to do with my mind? Please limit your answer to what the real Army and Navy did, not what the TV & movie version of them supposedly do. ---
**Author:** ![Spezza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Spezza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spezza)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259/64 "2006-07-09T16:52:51Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] I have (another branch, not the Army) and you’re certainly right. The difference, though, is that the Army pays _you_, extremely well in fact when you consider the benefits and free housing (compared to any other job an 18-year-old with no degree can get). [/QUOTE] Many cults will pay you - in a respect - as well. Communal living arrangements, providing food, shelter, employment on a collective. Or even just providing you with a routine to do everyday, such as spreading information and looking for recruits. [QUOTE=Monty] And what did the Army, and then the Navy, try to do with my mind? [/QUOTE] See above. If you ask a cult member if the cult has affected their mind, do you think they’ll agree? I’m not saying this is a bad, or even avoidable, thing. I think it happens in many situations where we don’t even realize it. Schools for example, and even some workplaces. Don’t take my post to be hostile towards the military. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259/65 "2006-07-09T20:24:29Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] _Quod Erat Demonstrandum (nunc Est)_ [/QUOTE] Glad to have played into your hand 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259/66 "2006-07-09T20:31:11Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] And what did the Army, and then the Navy, try to do with my mind? Please limit your answer to what the real Army and Navy did, not what the TV & movie version of them supposedly do. [/QUOTE] I’ve never done military service, but from what I’ve read, one of the conscious (and clearly necessary) purposes of basic training (which traditionally involves a lot of shouting, humiliation, and other things not obviously relevant to the acquisition of military skills) is to at least partly break down your personality and build it up again in a form more useful to the Army. The mind of a soldier is not the same as the mind of a civilian. Can’t be, if you expect the soldier to obey orders even when obedience means death. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259/67 "2006-07-09T20:32:18Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] That seems uncalled for. And I’m a libertarian. [/QUOTE] I just wrote a two-paragraph response to your comment and realized it was completely off-topic. Let’s just say I disagree and leave it at that 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-religion-and-a-cult/363259.md?page=3)