Wait, It's A Cult?

[OBW]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

There is a definition of a cult that has not been addressed here so far and the OP fails to mention it -

My definition of a cult:

A cult is a group which is subject to mesmerization and has hypnotic following of a leader or leaders, who have sinister intent. A cult implies a person's own rational and logical free-will being overtaken by mesmerization or hypnosis.

This would be a personal definition of a cult that is created without reference to what is already there. And it is preferred because it would give your leader a free pass.

Or would it . . . . ?

There are some who can point to the tricks of oratory that seduce people to set their natural reasoning aside in favor of illogic spoken by the orator. And when the intent is arguably to create a group that will buy your wares as if they were gold, then sinister intent could be inferred.