Religion vs Cult

What do you feel qualifies a movement as cult instead of a religion?

I think that no matter how radical or extremist a group is, it can be considered a religion. If the leader of the group dies, and the group "dies out" as well, then it was a group that was only about that man, making it a cult. A group that persists after its leader is dead because it is self-evident rather than based on one person... that is a religion.

So, David Koresh and Charles Manson started cults. Some have argued that Christianity and Islaam are cults, but they are self-evident, even though they were each started by the teachings of a single individual.

IMHO the difference between religon and a cult is a thin and fuzzy line. The main difference IMO is a few hundred years in which it amassed more followers and thus became less controversial.

I would have to say scientology is a cult with a great PR department and salesmen.

I'm becoming very concerned about a new cult that is appearing on stage.
The members of this cult is obvious, but the leadership is unknown.
I call this new cult, Those Who Piss Off T.C. By Posting In The Conspiracies In Religion Forum With Threads That Are Not Conspiratorial!

Thread moved to (you guessed it) Theology, Faith and Spirituality forum.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
I'm becoming very concerned about a new cult that is appearing on stage.
The members of this cult is obvious, but the leadership is unknown.
I call this new cult, Those Who Piss Off T.C. By Posting In The Conspiracies In Religion Forum With Threads That Are Not Conspiratorial!

Thread moved to (you guessed it) Theology, Faith and Spirituality forum.

Cool it Mr. Clean. There are things called "people who are relatively new to ATS/BTS/ID and haven't had enough exposure to the entire board to know exactly where every piddly thread should be placed."

I would say the best barometer towards differentiating between a cult and a religion is if the group is able to outlive it's founder by at least a generation and continue growing after it's founder's death.

That would seem to be the major difference is that cults are not able to thrive once it's founder passes away.