What is the difference between a cult and a religion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult"Cult definitions coined from 1920 onward[1] refer to a cohesive social group and their devotional beliefs or practices, which the surrounding population considers to be outside of mainstream cultures."
One of the criteria of a cult is sexual gratification by its leader\founder according to this Wikipedia article.
Sexual gratification by leadersLeaders of groups referred to as cults have used their positions to obtain sexual gratification from followers, or engaged in plural marriages that were not traditional to the culture outside of the group. Former group members have stated the reason why some leaders founded cults was so they could use people for sex.[83]
Jim Jones (1931-1978), founder of the Peoples Temple, had sex with many women and men, and fathered children with several followers.[84]
David Koresh (1959-1993), the Seven Seals leader of Branch Davidians only in Waco, Texas, greatly restricted the sexual activity of his followers, while marrying wives as young as twelve[85] because puberty was an accepted age for marriage in Old Testament times. A former member described Koresh as "fixated with sex and with a taste for younger girls." [86] He began to teach that all the women in the world belonged to him, only he had the right to procreate, and he fathered children with his plural wives. [87].
Charles Manson (1934- ), leader of the informal Manson Family, drugged many of his followers with LSD and while women were under the influence, he induced them to service him sexually.[citation needed] Manson fathered children with three of his followers.
Ra?l (1946- ), formerly named Claude Vorilhon, founded Raelism and had sex with hundreds of women, "...a new one every day, all pretty young devotees who thought he was some kind of god." His ex-wife of 15 years continued, "...over the years I began to think the whole Raelian movement was a trick to have more sex..."[83] Raelism openly teaches a belief in sexual freedom, which is used to recruit new members, who are invited[citation needed] to participate in Sensual Meditation sessions.[88]
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) (1931-1990) has been reported to have had sexual relationships with some of his female followers.[89] According to Tim Guest, whose mother joined the cult when he was 4 years old, group leaders in the Osho movement occasionally initiated fourteen and fifteen-year-old girls into sex.[90]
Sathya Sai Baba (1926- ) According to Salon.com, "...the growing number of ex-devotees who decry their former master as a sexual harasser, ... and even a pedophile has hardly put a dent in his following."[91] [92] A travel warning was issued by the US State Department about reports of "unconfirmed inappropriate sexual behavior by a prominent local religious leader", which officials later confirmed was a reference to Sathya Sai Baba.[93][94] The Daily Telegraph has stated that despite all the allegations made against Sathya Sai Baba over the years, he has never been charged with any crime, sexual or otherwise.[95]
Kenneth Emanuel Dyers of Kenja Communication was charged with multiple counts of child sex molestation. As well there were a significant number of allegations relating to women within the group aired on television, in the NSW Hansard and in a recent documentary.
Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-1985) founded The Way International. "Stories and widely circulated letters alleging illicit sexual activity by leaders..." was reported in 1995.[96] Two women followers separately said that they acquiesced to undesired sexual activity with Wierwille.[96][97] In 2000, two female employees filed separate lawsuits "with allegations of a sexual nature", against L. Craig Martindale (1948- ), president since 1982, and others associated with The Way. [98][99] Both suits were settled. Martindale resigned following filing of the first suit and is no longer clergy of The Way.[100]
Wayne Bent, self-styled "Michael of Travesser" is serving a prison sentence for molesting young girls in his Strong City cult[101]
and openly admitted consummating "spiritual marriages" with women in the cult, including a woman who had until then been his son's wife.[102]
Hmmm, consummating a marriage with son's wife,
this reminds me of Muhammad & Zainab!
As to sexual gratification by the founder:
Sura 33:50 Quran states:
O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom God has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makka) with thee;
and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her; - this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess; - in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. And God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Y. Ali
The reader should be able to see that the privilege given to Muhammad wasn?t that he could have more than four wives, but rather that he could take any woman who willingly offered herself to him. The ahadith solidify that this is the meaning of the passage:
Narrated Aisha:
I used to look down upon those ladies who had given themselves to Allah?s Apostle and I used to say, "Can a lady give herself (to a man)?" But when Allah revealed: "You (O Muhammad) can postpone (the turn of) whom you will of them (your wives), and you may receive any of them whom you will; and there is no blame on you if you invite one whose turn you have set aside (temporarily)." (33.51) I said (to the Prophet),
"I feel that your Lord hastens in fulfilling your wishes and desires." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 311)This sexual gratification is one criteria Muhammad clearly satisfies!
Topic: The difference between a cult and a religion