What follows are a the defination of the word "Cult" taken from several popular dictionaries.

Every Main streem religious group and many which are not main streem fall into this catagory. Christians, Jewsm Messianic Hebrews, Islam, and others have set ways of doing things. Whether it is facing a certian way to pray or the coustom of kneling or bowing one's head to pray. These rites and ceremonies include coming of age and marrage. They are all coustoms, rites, and ceremonies. So if your group attends regular services on the seventh day or the first day of the week or any day think about this before you call some one elses religion a cult in a negitive way. Remember the old addage when you point a finger at some one there is one pointing to the ground and four pointing back at you.

cult
–noun
1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3. the object of such devotion.
4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
7. the members of such a religion or sect. 8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

–adjective
9. of or pertaining to a cult.
10. of, for, or attracting a small group of devotees: a cult movie.

Origin:
1610–20; < L cultus habitation, tilling, refinement, worship, equiv. to cul-, var. s. of colere to inhabit, till, worship + -tus suffix of v. action

Main Entry: cult
–noun
1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3. the object of such devotion.
4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
7. the members of such a religion or sect.
8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

–adjective
9. of or pertaining to a cult.
10. of, for, or attracting a small group of devotees: a cult movie.

Origin:
1610–20; < L cultus habitation, tilling, refinement, worship, equiv. to cul-, var. s. of colere to inhabit, till, worship + -tus suffix of v. action

cult [ kult ] (plural cults)
noun
Definition:

1. religion: a system of religious or spiritual beliefs, especially an informal and transient belief system regarded by others as misguided, unorthodox, extremist, or false, and directed by a charismatic, authoritarian leader

2. religious group: a group of people who share religious or spiritual beliefs, especially beliefs regarded by others as misguided, unorthodox, extremist, or false

3. idolization of somebody or something: an extreme or excessive admiration for a person, philosophy of life, or activity ( often used before a noun )

the cult of youth
a cult hero

4. object of idolization: a person, philosophy, or activity regarded with extreme or excessive admiration

5. fad: something popular or fashionable among a devoted group of enthusiasts ( often used before a noun ) has taken on cult status
6. cultural anthropology system of supernatural beliefs: a body of organized practices and beliefs supposed to involve interaction with and control over supernatural powers
7. sociology elite group: a self-identified group of people who share a narrowly defined interest or perspective

[Early 17th century. Directly or via French< Latin cultus "worship" < colere "cultivate"]

cult·ic adjective
cult·ish adjective
cult·ish·ly adverb
cult·ish·ness noun
cult·ism noun
cult·ist noun

cult definition

cult (kult)

noun

1.
1. a system of religious worship or ritual
2. a quasi-religious group, often living in a colony, with a charismatic leader who indoctrinates members with unorthodox or extremist views, practices, or beliefs
2.
1. devoted attachment to, or extravagant admiration for, a person, principle, or lifestyle, esp. when regarded as a fad the cult of nudism
2. the object of such attachment
3. a group of followers; sect


Etymology: < L cultus, care, cultivation, orig. pp. of colere, to till: see wheel

Related Forms:
* cultic cult ic adjective
* cultism cult·ism noun
* cultist cult·ist noun