IMHO, Scientology is a cult. Advancement via buying your way through, audit sessions are recorded (in secret), blackmail has been used against former or would be ex-members of Scientology, purposeful manipulation to gain a negative reaction out of their members or non-members as seen in the BBC Panorama Docu, borderline stalking or gang stalking of "suppressive" individuals.
These are just things that I could think of off the top of my head, might be leaving out some, which might point towards cult status.

