characteristics of a religious "cult"....?

Look for the dirty old man with many young wives. That and poison kool-aid.

The fundamental way any cult (or religion) maintains their members loyalty is through exclusion and acceptance. We all want to feel accepted, its basic human nature. This is a powerfull drive and enables cult leaders to exercise controll by offering acceptance if members believe as they are told. Once they are in the cult, the cult uses the threat of exclusion to maintain their loyalty and obedience.

Some cults use more drastic tactics to prevent members from leaving, even going so far as to threaten violence, but this is rare, since it often backfires on the cult leader.

For someone who feels vulnerable or alone, the offer of acceptance into a 'special' group is a powerfull lure.

The only difference between a cult and a religion is the number of members. The christian church uses these tactics everyday.

By your definition of a cult...all religions are cults, especially xtian religions and islam.

You might want to try looking up the "Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame". This tool was created by Issac Bonewits and is commonly used by many organizations to determine the danger level of cults. It has also been used by the govt many times and is an interesting viewpoint.

1. Belief in a malevolent God makes it a cult in my eyes..

2. Sheer numbers. At which numeric point does a cult cross over to become a religion? I don't know, it's not my decision to make.

I concur that Catholicism is second in egocentricity only to the Muslims, but I wouldn't call them a cult.

It doesn't matter which religion you follow. What counts is what's in your heart.

Be careful what you think.

Jesus told Peter, get behind me satan, you think man's thoughts not God's.

Peter had a very valid point

Jesus said he came to divide mothers from daughters, fathers from sons.

(You got me on repeating meaningless prayers, but it is not a sign of a cult, only a false teaching)

Jesus said this followers would do greater works than he did.

Paul said when the Holy Spirit comes upon us we will have power beyond what is normal.

1st century Christians were called a cult.

Cult really means 'devoted attachment to a person.

In your mothers case it would be the Pope, and the fact that Church teachings / traditions supersedes the bible. (Their statement not mine)

I don't know if your statements are the official methods to identify a cult, or if that's all of them, or if you have to meet every one of them.

But as for catholicism....

1. It does

2. My aunt told people not to go to her daughter's wedding, because she was marrying a DIVORCED man and my sister dropped her best friend who married a divorced man

3. Catholic aerobics

4. Even though I've been an atheist for years, there's still a small part of me that's proud - yes proud! - that I was once a catholic, one of the strictest religions there is.

LOL

You just described The Church of Christ, conservative.

Bad Cult, Bad Cult, Bad Cult

All religions are cults...they are man made. Our creator doesn't require any of the above.

Secrets-always being secretive

um,

*belief in something to which there is no proof*