Cults are religious groups that generally operate outside of the mainstream of society and, at times, that may harbor an ideology or agenda that is antisocial, criminal, or otherwise at odds with the cultural norms and values of the mainstream. Although members of the public are often familiar with this sociological concept of a cult, laypeople also sometimes use the term in a pejorative manner to describe any religion or religious group that they either do not fully understand or whose... więcej

Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2023. 3p.