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Religious Cults and the Damage They Cause
Now referred to as new religious movements (NRM), cults are tight-knit groups often led by a charismatic leader who claims to be everything from God on Earth to the Messiah who will save humanity.
Meaning of “Cult.’
The word “cult’ is derived from the Latin “cultus,” meaning care, cultivation, reverence or adoration. In the 1600s it was used as “worship,” “homage,” or “a particular form or system of worship.” In modern times, the word cult has evolved to take on a connotation of extreme beliefs and excessive devotion.
Religious Cults
We have all heard the story of the anguished parents who try to rescue children whom they feel have been stolen by a cult. Or perhaps the middle-aged children who complain their elderly parents have been turned into “zombies” by a religious group which has totally taken over their lives. They might complain about a group that not only attempts to control the older people’s actions and dictate who they can have as friends but also that goes as far as taking over their finances.
Before these people’s lives were upended by these groups — their loved ones complain — they were happy and fairly…
